Chavis gave a short bark of laughter. “The girl is mad. Completely and utterly—”
Drenelle stood up straighter. “You’re an Apprentice, Brusenna. It’s about time you remembered that!”
It was Senna’s turn to shout. “What I am is a Keeper!”
Prenny’s voice went low and dangerous. “You don’t deserve the title of Keeper yet.”
Senna gritted her teeth. “Keepers keep—they don’t destroy. So you tell me who doesn’t deserve the title.”
“You go too far, Senna.” Coyel’s impervious mask slipped for the second time, revealing just how upset she was. “The course of action you have set for yourself leaves us no choice. We must confine you until we can prove whether or not what you’ve told us is true. If you’ve actually conversed with Espen, we must determine how much she has distorted you.”
“It’s happening again,” Drenelle murmured. “Just like it happened last time.”
Prenny actually winced.
“What are you talking about?” Senna asked. She never should have trusted the Heads with this. She wrapped her hands protectively over her navel tattoo. No matter what they took from her, they could not take the fact that she was a Witch.
“Does Joshen know of your actions?” Chavis asked, a dangerous edge to her voice.
Senna forced her trembling to still. If she revealed how Arianis had tricked Joshen into revealing her secrets, he would be implicated. Senna would not fail him, not like she failed herself. “No.”
Thankfully, Arianis remained silent.
Coyel nodded. “Good. Instead of banishing him, we’ll have him permanently reassigned.”
“He’s my Guardian,” Senna said in a broken voice.
Chavis grunted. “Not anymore.”
“That’s a little harsh, isn’t it? The boy is in love with her.” Prenny gestured towards Senna.
Chavis’ mouth was set in a hard line. “You brought her to us for reprimanding, remember?”
Coyel rubbed her forehead as if she were exhausted. “I think I’m being rather lenient. I should probably banish her. As for Joshen, Arianis has already found him acceptable. He will be reassigned to her—at least until we get all this sorted out.” She glared at Arianis. “You are excused.”
Arianis left without a backward glance.
Senna felt like little bits of herself were crumbling to dust. “I thought you of all people might help me.”
Coyel’s gaze remained hard and unyielding. “You tell me you’re communicating with Espen—the Witch who very nearly destroyed us all—and then expect me to do what? Assign you a Guardian and send you off on your little adventure?”
“We aren’t doing this to hurt you, Senna.” Prenny’s voice was soft, gentle even. “There must be consequences for your actions. And you’ve proven you’re not mature enough to handle all the stress that’s been placed upon you. We’ll take the information you’ve provided and conduct our own inquiry. In the meantime, just be patient.”
Chavis leaned toward Drenelle. “Go find a Guardian.”
Drenelle left without another word.
Senna wondered where Reden and Hesten were. Probably at Prenny’s tree house, waiting for Senna to show up. “Tomorrow could be too late,” she said desperately.
Chavis motioned for Prenny to move beside them. “You might be the strongest Witch on this island, but you’re not stronger than three of us.”
A sudden calm washed over Senna, because she was stronger. But she didn’t want to fight them. Not unless she had no other choice.
“You’re tossing handfuls of dirt onto your own graves!” Backpedaling, she wondered if she could really battle these women, and stepped right into a man. Her heart hammering, she whirled around. She recognized the Guardian, but she didn’t know him. She started running.
Coyel hustled forward. “Stop her!”
His hands wrapped around her. Senna fought against him, but he was so strong. Her injured hand and head protested the abuse.
Before the Heads could respond, Mistin rushed forward and started beating against the Guardian’s arms. “Let her go! Stop it!”
Chavis came forward to peel her off. Mistin kicked and scratched. The other Heads jumped into the fray. Knowing this might be her only chance at escaping, Senna started to sing.
Plants—
Leaving Mistin to the others, Coyel mashed her hand against Senna’s mouth.
Breathing hard, Chavis trapped Mistin in a submission hold. There was a matching set of livid scratches on her cheek from Mistin’s fingernails.
The fight had barely started and it was over.