"You don't know that," I shrug.
I bite into my burger, thinking. Could that previous witch really not have prepared anything if she knew I was coming? The more I chat with Liam, the less I'm convinced by Nora's theory, it's a bit disappointing. I was really hoping that there would finally be some clues for me to catch on, but it looks like Sylviana may not have been as prepared as I thought after all. Or maybe she just couldn't know it would be a Fire Witch after her? I'm getting more and more lost now. And this damn headache... I try to eat a bit more. If I knew it was going to be so painful to walk under a downpour, I wouldn't have followed this idiot here.
"...I don't think Sylviana had anything ready for you," he says. "Her house is condemned anyway."
"Condemned?"
"No one has been able to get in since she... Anyway, it's just condemned. Not just physically, like no one can get in, and we really tried. There's a barrier on her house too... I tried several times, but it didn’t work."
He shakes his head, and I get this heavy feeling again. For someone who supposedly hates witches, Liam has a rather painful expression whenever we mention Sylviana. I feel this little pinch in my heart, and I'm torn between wanting to know more, and thinking I'd rather not know. I'll pick the latter for now.
"What about the others?" I ask, trying to shift the subject.
"As I told you, there have been three so far... I mean, three attempts. Only one of those witches came close enough that I saw her, but she didn't try again. I think they can feel Sylviana's barrier and the Royal Aura inside."
"You're talking about Nora and Selena?"
"More about Nora. She is powerful enough to help strengthen the barrier, but she is more of a... battery. Sylviana's tree channels a part of Nora's aura, but it should be able to withstand on its own. The barrier was perfectly fine until a few months ago."
I'm slowly starting to understand all of this... I grab a napkin to wipe my mouth and think a bit, my stomach full. So that barrier should have been just fine but as it appears now, without a witch, the barrier is bound to disappear in a while, and the appearance of those foreign witches is not helping at all.
"Do you think they could be the ones affecting the barrier? If those witches have been trying to attack for a while..."
"Or a witch getting in could have done that too," he retorts, staring at me with an accusatory look.
I can't help but roll my eyes. Why is everyone always thinking I'm going to blow up the whole city just by breathing around here, it's getting annoying now. I slam my hand on the table.
"Listen, grumpy hunter. So far, the barrier has been fine with me inside it. I didn't even know it existed until a while ago, so chill. I didn't do anything to it. Although I am a newbie witch, I felt that barrier and it didn't seem more bothered by me than that."
"I did see it send you on your... you know," he says.
"Alright, maybe I played with it a little. But if that barrier was that strong, I'd have probably lost a few fingers then. I felt its power and it wasn't very witch-proof to me. So even if you're not fond of me, I'm probably still a better option to help you strengthen it than the other witches lurking out there. Hm?"
He makes a bit of an annoyed expression, but we both know I'm right. I am the witch that’s already in the house. We both know I also happen to have plenty of firepower in stock, but I need to learn how to use and control it. Liam stares at me for a long while, looking unsure, but it's just making me more determined.
It's not just about getting my answers. I also have this... pull toward him that I need to sort out. I still feel it, like an invisible thread that binds me to this guy without asking my opinion. Of course, he is handsome and all, but there is more to it. It is a really strange feeling, like my whole body reacting to his presence, permanently. I can't shake it off, it's just there. I don't know what it is. Like some force, a natural attraction toward him. I have no idea why, why him of all people, but I do think there is something I need to unfold about that bond I feel between me and him... something I have to decipher. I know he probably feels it too. I see it in the way he looks at me, but he also looks like he's ready to run away every single time.
I feel like if I say something about it, he will deny it or run. I didn't realize until now, how scared I actually was about... putting it on the table and facing his reaction. I'm not ready, not yet. Whatever this is between us, I need time. We both do.
"So you've never actually... seen or fought those witches," I say, clearing my throat a little.
"I had them run off. Witches are still just women."
"Now you're being rude," I retort, lighting up my middle finger as a warning.
"I didn't mean it like that," he says, rolling his eyes. "It's just that aside from their powers, physically, they are close to human women, weaker than werewolves. They hate direct confrontation unless they are very strong and sure to have the upper hand."
"So what, you're saying we are dealing with... novice witches, like me?"
"Maybe. Or maybe their element isn't too suited for a direct fight. They ran away pretty quickly when I found them."
It does make sense. I can probably barbecue a whole building, but I doubt any witch can provoke a massive flood or an earthquake. Moreover, I've seen werewolves fight, and they are quick. I wouldn't want to have to fight Selena head-on if I was really her enemy, for example. And seeing how Liam's aura is about as dark as his brothers', the other witches probably didn't feel like it was worth risking a bite... at least not while the barrier is up.
"I get it," I say. "So, we can't get out and chase those witches, but we still need to sort out the barrier issue. I want to see Sylviana's house."
He suddenly glares at me.
"I said the house is condemned."
