Abandoned (Book Two of the Castle Coven Series): A Witch and Warlock Romance Novel Read Free Page A

yourself. Come along. We can just take the stairs down this time.”
    Hailey followed behind him as he led the way, and she wondered what in the world she was getting into.

CHAPTER TWO

    BEFORE SHE HAD come to the Castle, Hailey had previously lived with the Angioli coven in the cold reaches of the Amato Valley in Italy. The Angioli coven had made its home in a monastery, and though it was quite beautiful in a stark kind of way, it was also foreboding. It was a severe place for ascetic men who wished to spend their lives in prayer and repentance.
    Where the Angioli monastery had had a certain solemnity, the Castle was entirely different. It was built using local stone, Piers proclaimed proudly, and it was designed to be a mixture of Renaissance French castle and modern wonder. There were tall windows everywhere, and the light gave the Castle an air of graciousness that enchanted Hailey.
    “How beautiful it is,” she murmured wonderingly, looking up at one of the stained glass windows. It was perfectly clear leaded glass, and the design was cut to resemble a compass rose. “The designer must have been very proud to see their efforts come out so fine.”
    “Thank you, I am,” Piers said promptly, and she turned to look at him.
    “You’re teasing me again,” she said dubiously. He shook his head.
    “No, not this time. I like a good joke, but the Castle, well, it’s one thing that I don’t joke about. It’s my dream made real, and every aspect of this building, from the floors to the ceilings to the wireless satellite connection to the kitchens, I decided on. It took me ten years, give or take a few, to see it grow to what it is today.”
    Looking at Piers and seeing the laser sharp focus in those dark eyes, Hailey could easily believe that he was the man behind all of this.
    “What is this place for?” she asked quietly. “No one was quite able to tell me that. All I know is that the coven master of the Castle heard of my talents and then sent a member of the Magus Corps looking for me. You went to some trouble to make sure that I arrived here, but I still don’t understand why.”
    Piers looked at her thoughtfully, and it occurred to her that this man was much more dangerous when he stopped joking. There was an intense focus to him. She looked at where he stood, underneath an arch of stone that rose a dozen feet above his head. In an odd way, he matched the space. It reflected him. In some ways, they were standing inside his soul, his spirit.  
    “I think it would be easier to show you. Come with me.”
    He offered his arm, and she was too startled to refuse. It should have felt showy and old-fashioned, but the courtliness of the gesture felt right. Underneath her fingers, she could feel how muscled his arm was.  
    The first place they stopped was a door that was marked with a mysterious symbol. Piers pointed at it.  
    “It’s the alchemical symbol for iron,” he said. “We’re not exactly dealing with iron here, but it’s close.”
    He opened the door, and Hailey blinked. It was like she had gone from a fairytale French castle to an ultramodern machine shop. There were three women and a man working at various machine stations, and as she watched, the man straightened up and waved at them.
    “Hey, Piers, perfect timing. Want to come over and check this baby out?”  
    Piers sauntered over to the warlock’s side, bringing Hailey. The lanky warlock who had called them over had a small device in his hands. It was a small cube that rested easily in his palm, and it was completely black. It was perfect, with no joins that she could see, and after a moment, a brilliant orange sheen crossed the surface.
    “Pretty, Stephan,” drawled Piers. “Are you looking at getting into interior design?”
    Stephan snorted.
    “Teach your grandmother to suck eggs, Dayton. What I have here is a reservoir for firecrackers. That’s witches and warlocks that use fire, sorry.” He addressed the last to Hailey, who felt