Read Witches of the Deep (The Memento Mori Witch Trilogy Book 3) for Free Online Page A

Tobias, flashing gray. “And my mother. She used to be the Queen. Fiona’s dear dad did the torturing, carving them up for information. He didn’t get any gold out of it, since we had none. He went off looking for the Picaroons himself. And he left four corpses behind.”
    Tobias’s heart ached. Fiona’s father was practically as bad as Rawhed himself. It wasn’t the kind of tragedy people got over. It would be a miracle if they let Fiona stay.
    Before he could ask another question, someone knocked on Estelle’s door. Tobias rose, crossing the warped floorboards.
    As he pulled open the door, sunlight streamed in. He stared at Thomas, Alan, and Oswald. Celia stood behind them, chewing her lip.
    Oswald sniffed the air. “Is someone making venison stew?”
    The whole crew was here—or nearly the whole crew. “What’s going on? Where’s Fiona?”
    Celia’s cheeks were pale. “She’s fine. Catching up on sleep. But we have some serious work to do.”
    Tobias shook his head. “What do you mean?”
    “It’s not just the witch hunters who are after us,” said Thomas. “Some of the werewolves went to town to sell medicines. As soon as they left the veil, they saw men hunting around the woods. The men wore the Throcknell lions.”
    “Spies from the King,” said Oswald, as if Tobias were too stupid to work it out for himself.
    Tobias cursed.
    Clutching a small leather bag, Celia’s knuckles had gone white. “If they know we’re here, they might be coming back with reinforcements.”
    “I told you they were coming,” Estelle called out from her medical table. “Before long, the whole Maremount army will surround us. Giving sanctuary to the King’s daughter was either the best idea I ever had, or the worst. I haven’t decided yet.”
    Celia’s eyes widened. “Oh. You know who I am. Then you know my father wants to kill us. And he’s not going to stop until we’re dead in the town square.”
    A spark of fear lit the back of Tobias’s mind. “Isn’t Dogtown protected?”
    “Not from the Picaroons,” said Oswald. “They can lower the veil.”
    Alan’s wolverine sat by his feet, dark eyes glistening, as Alan squinted in the sunlight. “Shocking as it may be, I don’t think we can count on magical fog to protect us.”
    With a growing sense of dread, Tobias shot a glance to Estelle. “How safe is this place?”
    She crossed to the door. “The Picaroons have Dagon’s power. They can lower the veil. When they do, others can get in. Our magic is powerful, but imperfect. It’s a scary world out there: Purgators, Throcknells, a forest full of ogres and a woodwose or two. We’ll protect you as best we can, but can guarantee nothing.” Her eyes roamed over his chest. “And if you want to stay here, you’d best keep me happy.”
    Oswald’s eyes bored into Tobias. “Don’t fret, Queen. Tobias is always there when a lady needs a hand stirring her stew.”
    Celia grimaced. “I don’t even know what that means, but I’m guessing it’s disgusting.”
    Tobias scowled as he left the she-wolf’s side and stepped into the sunlight, shutting the door behind him. He left Estelle on the other side. Apparently, Oswald is still angry about the swan ladies. “Where else can we run at this point?” he asked. “The Purgators rule the country, and we have no idea how to enter other magical lands. We’re trapped here.”
    Celia twisted her necklace around her finger. “If the King’s army is sniffing around when the Picaroons come, they’ll slaughter us. My father won’t stop at anything until my head is on a pike, like my mom’s.”
    “That’s not going to happen.” Thomas placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Tobias and Oswald will teach us how to fight with magic; everything they learned from the Ragmen. If the Throcknells or the Purgators come for us, we’ll flee, but we’ll fight if we have to. And we’ve got a fire demon on our side.” His gaze fell on Tobias. “You’re practically a