by Lily Webb
Instead, my gaze met Lydia Crowe’s. She beamed when our eyes locked. Champagne bubbled in the glass she gripped with both of her gloved hands, and Ivy and Eden flanked her, each looking extravagant in pure black. As if controlled by one mind, the three moved in tandem toward us like a pack of wolves.
“Oh, Lilith, here we go already,” Raina groaned as she followed my gaze to the Crowe sisters. “Stay strong, Zoe. Remember, we aren’t agreeing to anything yet.”
“I know that, but I can’t promise I’ll be able to control my mouth,” I said.
“Then let me do the talking,” Raina said.
“Or I could just hex them to Hades and back,” Mallory suggested, but Raina glared at her and she shrugged. “Fine, have it your way,” she grumbled.
“Zoe, Raina, it’s nice to see you again,” Lydia said, all smiles. She’d tied her inky black hair in one long braid that wrapped down her neck and dangled from one shoulder. She offered me a hand, which I shook lightly and smiled.
“Likewise,” I said, though I wasn’t sure I meant it.
“And this stunning lady must be your grandmother,” Lydia said.
“Yep, in all my saggy, Southern glory. I’m Eleanor, but call me Elle,” Grandma said. Lydia chuckled.
“Now I see where you get your charm, Zoe,” she said. “I’m Lydia Crowe.”
“Nice to meet ya,” Grandma said.
“Your charm may be your best trait, Zoe, but I have a feeling you’ll need that and more to top those two powerhouse personalities,” Ivy said as she jabbed a thumb over her shoulder at the table, and I gulped. In a matter of minutes, I’d face my competitors and the scrutiny of the public. I wasn’t sure which made me more nervous.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
“Nonsense, neither of them can hold a wand to Zoe,” Eden argued.
“Well said, Eden. But speaking of wands, have you given any further thought to our proposal? Tonight would be an excellent time to announce a partnership, you know. It would really take the wind out of the competition’s sails,” Lydia said.
Raina cleared her throat. “We talked it over as a team and we haven’t yet decided, I’m afraid,” she said, eager to keep control of the conversation. “It’s a big measure for us to attach ourselves to and we aren’t yet sure we can afford the risk. I’m sure you understand.”
Lydia’s expression never changed, but something in her demeanor shifted.
“I see. That’s too bad, but I suppose we’ll talk more about it some other time. You must have a lot of preparation to do, Zoe, so we won’t keep you. I’d wish you luck, but I doubt you’ll need it,” Lydia said. She rested her free hand on my shoulder as she passed.
“That went better than expected,” Mallory said, her brows raised.
“Did it?” I asked. It was hard to pinpoint why, but I felt like we’d made a terrible mistake by shunning Lydia.
“That one’s about as hard to pin down as an ornery pig,” Grandma said, and I snorted.
“It doesn’t matter. We have bigger brooms to fly. Come, Zoe, we need to get you touched up and ready and we have little time to do it,” Raina said and ushered me down the hall to the Head Witch’s office, which now served as a temporary dressing room for the candidates since it was unoccupied.
Inside, three well-lit vanities sat in a row, one for each of us — and, unluckily for me, Ruby and Lorelei were already there.
Lorelei’s flowing blonde hair draped over the back of her chair and a brush guided by magic raked itself from top to bottom, though it never once hit a snag. Ruby’s face wasn’t visible, thanks to the blush pad plopping repeatedly against her face.
“Well, Ruby, it looks like the frontrunner has finally joined us,” Lorelei said, her eyes fluttering in her mirror.
“About time,” Ruby said through a cough as the cloud of blush around her head dissipated.
“Nothing wrong with being fashionably late,” I said, trying to stay cool. Lorelei smirked at me in the mirror.
“No, not unless you’re running for the most powerful position in all of Moon Grove,” Ruby said.
“Congrats on the early success, Zoe. Ruby and I were just talking about the latest poll numbers before you came in,” Lorelei said as she snatched the brush out of the air and set it on the surface in front of her.
“Thanks,” I said, though I doubted she meant it. Raina forced me down into the only empty chair in the room and went to work on my face. Grandma rested against the wall by the door, clearly out of her element.
“But it’s still early in the election. Anything can happen between now and the big day. It’s not unprecedented for a candidate to come from behind and win, you know,” Ruby said.
“There’s less than two weeks left, so I guess we’ll all know soon enough, won’t we?” Lorelei asked.
After the attempted theft of an immortality-granting necklace stored in the Bank of Moon Grove, Head Warlock Heath Highmore called an emergency election a month ago to fill the empty Head Witch seat — which also made for a stressful, compressed campaign.
“I don’t understand why they’re hosting a town hall gathering this close to election day. All it takes is one small gaff and our shot at the job could be over,” Ruby said and my throat tightened. I hadn’t thought of it like that, but she was right. There wasn’t enough time left in the campaign to recover from something major now. Whatever happened out there, I had to keep my tongue in check.
Raina squeezed my hand, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Don’t let them get inside your head. It’s exactly why they’re saying all this,” she whispered as she cleaned my face with a moist wipe.
“And they’re the only ones who have to worry about that, anyway. You’re so far ahead of them in the polls you could probably murder someone in broad daylight on Crescent Street and still win,” Mallory agreed, following behind Raina with foundation.
“I don't know about all that,” I laughed. We fell silent as Mallory and Raina continued making me look presentable until a nervous witch in crimson robes burst into the room, startling Grandma.
“This is your five-minute warning, ladies,” she said and bolted out as quickly as she’d come.
“Lord, have mercy. She scared the daylight outta me,” Grandma said, her hand on her chest. I agreed. My heart pounded so hard and fast I thought I might pass out, though I doubted it was because of the surprise of the warning alone.
“Relax, Zoe. You’ve got this,” Mallory said with a smile. “Stick to what makes you who you are, make them laugh like I know you can, and remind them of everything you’ve done to make Moon Grove safer each time you get the chance,” Mallory said.
“I know,” I said, though I could already envision the simple concepts running out of my head through my ears as soon as I got in the hot seat.
Grandma’s hands stroked my shoulders, making me jump. She dug her fingers in harder, squeezing out the tension, and smiled at me in the mirror.
“Look at you, Sugar. I’m so proud I could die, and your parents would be just as happy. I wish they were here to see you win this whole shebang, because I know you’re gonna,” Grandma said, her eyes sparkling.
“Who says they aren’t here?” Raina asked and Grandma beamed.
“Good point. Do it for them. Make us all proud — not that you ain’t already,” Grandma said.
Lorelei left first, followed by Ruby not long after. Without my body registering what was happening, Raina pulled me out of my chair and dragged me down the hall toward the din of noise, a mixture of conversation, laughter, and glasses clinking as the attendees waited for the show to begin.
Lorelei and Ruby stood single file. I joined the line and Raina, Mallory, and Grandma each hugged me before they left to take their seats.
“Shouldn’t the frontrunner be the first one out?” Lorelei asked over her shoulder, gesturing for me to skip in front of her.
“Yeah, probably,” I said with a shrug and delighted in the look of surprise on her face when I took her up on t
he offer. It gave me a burst of confidence.
When Heath Highmore stepped out from behind the curtain on the opposite side of the room, a hush fell over the crowd as they realized it was show time. Heath stood in powder-blue robes, his oil-slick, salt-and-pepper hair shimmering in the light. He motioned for me to step out to the table and beamed as we approached, his arms held wide to welcome us.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your candidates for Head Witch, " Heath said, but the deafening roar of the crowd’s cheers drowned out his voice. I didn't understand their enthusiasm, but I wasn't complaining.
“Ladies, please have a seat. We have a lot of ground to cover this evening,” Heath said, gesturing at the three chairs behind the table. Three microphones perched on top along with a tall glass of water for each of us.
I shuffled around the table and sat in the chair closest to Heath. Lorelei and Ruby sat to my left. Both looked far more confident than I felt, which brought my nervousness back — until I spotted a familiar smile in the third row.
Beau winked at me and flashed a quick thumbs up. He mouthed something and though I couldn't be sure, it looked an awful lot like "You’ve got this."
It was exactly the boost I needed.
I smiled back and waved. Now wasn't the time to be nervous. Like Ruby said, there weren't many days left in the campaign so I needed to come out swinging to prove to the people of Moon Grove that I was someone who would fight for them. If I couldn't withstand their questioning and the challenge of running against Ruby and Lorelei, how could the voters believe I'd stand up to other, stronger forces in town?
Every pair of eyes and ears focused on us as Heath made introductions my brain didn’t register. Raina, Grandma, and Mallory beamed at me from the front row of the sea of chairs that filled the room and a tingling I could only assume was courage sprouted in the pit of my stomach.
“Because of the format of the event and the limited time we have, we’re going to move right into questions from the audience,” Heath said. “So you’re aware, candidates, we screened the questions ahead of time,” he continued with a smile as he pointed at a sour-looking witch I didn’t recognize seated near the front.
She stood and pointed her wand at her throat to amplify her voice.
“Thank you, Mr. Highmore, and thank the three of you for being here with us tonight,” the witch said, her voice smoky like good whiskey. “My name is Lola and my question is for Zoe Clarke,” she continued and I jolted upright — I wasn’t expecting to be first.
“Ms. Clarke, as most everyone here already knows, you’re very new to Moon Grove. Why should those of us in the room who don’t know you choose you as our next Head Witch?” she asked.
Unsure of what else to do, I pushed back from the table and stood up to answer.
“Thank you, Lola, that’s a great question,” I said, hating the sound of my voice as it bounced across the room — and I froze. Though my brain ran a marathon through my thoughts looking for a good response, I came up empty.
“Would you like Lola to repeat the question?” Heath asked to scattered laughter from the audience. My eyes found Beau’s in the crowd and he winked at me. I took a series of deep breaths and plowed on.
“No, that’s okay, sorry. You’re right, Lola, I haven’t lived in Moon Grove for long at all, but in the short time I’ve been here I’ve dedicated myself to pursuing injustice any and everywhere I’ve seen it. There’s been more unrest here lately than any of us deserves, but I truly believe that Moon Grove is safer now than it’s ever been and if I’m elected as the next Head Witch, I’ll use that position’s incredible power and respect to continue to make it safer,” I said.
A smile slowly split Lola’s face. “Impressive. Thank you,” she said as she eased back into her seat and the crowd applauded politely. With a deep breath, I wiped my sweaty palms on my robes again and tried to sit.
“I think you should remain standing, Zoe,” Heath said as he pointed to the next person, a bald, middle-aged warlock in glasses and green robes. A scraggly beard hung past his waist; the hair from his head must’ve relocated.
“Hello, I’m Galen. My question is also for Ms. Clarke,” he said. Lorelei scoffed, but quietly enough that I was the only one to hear it. “Ms. Clarke, I work as a spellcrafter. It’s my job to create and test new spells to ensure they’re safe for the public. You’ve been open about your inexperience with magic in the past, so I’m curious: why should we elect someone who isn’t fully qualified?”
Ouch. Though we’d expected the question as a team prior to the town hall, it still hurt to hear it.
“Another great question. Thank you, Galen. Magic binds us all together as a community, no matter who we are or where we came from; we all interact with it every day. I understand how important it is to Moon Grove as a whole, and I respect that — but I also don’t think my inexperience disqualifies me,” I said to gasps and raised eyebrows.
“In fact, I think it’s a strength. Moon Grove is ready for someone different to shake things up. I’ve shown I’m willing to learn and grow, and that won’t stop now or any time soon. Every day I discover a new side to my magic, but it’s just one facet of my life and a Head Witch needs more than a strong handle on her wand to lead effectively. I think I have that and more to offer,” I continued.
A beat of silence passed before most of the audience applauded and I let out the breath I’d been holding. Again, I tried to sit and again Heath stopped me with a wave.
“The next question is for all of you, but given you’re already standing, we’ll pose it to you first, Zoe,” Heath said, smiling. I looked out at the audience and my heart plummeted into my stomach when I found Lydia Crowe sticking up like a blackened, smashed thumb.
“Hello, I’m Lydia Crowe,” she said, her voice honey, her expression fierce. The young photographer seated next to her snapped so many photos of her as she spoke I worried he might break his camera.
“As Mr. Highmore said, my question is for all three of you. Given the rise in wand-based violence in Moon Grove, I’d like to know what each of you think about the wand reforms that’ve been presented to the Council and how you plan to handle this critical issue if elected.”
“Zoe?” Heath asked, putting me on the spot. My throat was drier than the finest wine. Had Lydia played me twice over? She must’ve known they had chosen her to ask a question during the town hall — Heath said the organizers screened them — but she never mentioned it. Was she trying to trap me as revenge for refusing to partner with her and her sisters?
“Thanks for the question, Ms. Crowe,” I began. “You’re right, there have been several incidents in town recently, but I think responding hastily isn’t in anyone’s best interest. We can and should talk about the issue, but people’s wands are an extension of themselves and I think telling them what they can and can’t do with them is a mistake.”
“If you want my wand, you can pry it out of my cold, dead hands!” someone shouted, and I squinted against the light to see where it’d come from as everyone turned in their seats to do the same.
It turned out to be a warlock in the row behind Lydia. The hood of his oversized brown cloak covered his face — but didn’t conceal his wand pointed directly at Lydia’s back.
I opened my mouth to shout at her to duck, but before I got the words out a burst of light and the sound of Lydia’s scream stole the words from my mouth. She fell into her sister’s arms, the photographer next to her scrambled to get away, and the room erupted in chaos as everyone tried to escape the scene.
Without a second thought, I drew my wand and charged around the table and down the lane between the chairs in the warlock's direction. When I thought I had a clear shot, I aimed square at his back.
“Obstupefacio!” I shouted and my wand kicked back as the spell launched from it and a tumbling ball of light headed right for Lydia’s attacker — but he dodged at the last second and the spell hurtled over his shoulder to crash into the stone wall beyond. Dust and debris rained from t
he ceiling due to the impact and chaos broke out around me as people abandoned their chairs to flee for the nearest exit.
One collided with the attacker, sending him sprawling. His wand clattered across the floor along with something round and shiny that tumbled from his robes and bounced across the floor. I raced to get to him before he reached his wand, but he was back on his feet and armed in a matter of seconds. I raised my wand to restrain him, but he disappeared in a cloud of smoke before I got the words out.
Careful not to get trampled by the fleeing crowd, I bent down to pick up the item the attacker had dropped. It was a small silver coin, approximately the size of a quarter. On one side, an owl’s wingspan covered the entire coin, and it clutched two crossed wands in each of its claws.
On the other, the letters “NWA” shone in the light, along with a series of words that ringed the outer edges: “Life, Liberty, Justice — National Wand Association 6018.”
“You! You did this! I should’ve known better than to let Lydia talk me into this!” Someone shouted, and I turned and looked up to find Ivy Crowe standing over me, one finger jabbed at me like a spear. Her face was red, blotchy, and drenched with tears.
“No, Ivy, I just found this coin, the attacker dropped it when I—”
“Save it for the police!” Ivy shrieked. “My sister is dead and you’re going to answer for it.”
Chapter Four
Police chief Berric Mueller glowered down at me, his arms crossed over his chest, his face twisted in confusion. His furrowed brows and a deep frown made him look more like an upright Basset hound than normal.
“I’m sure you have an excellent explanation for why you turned up at yet another murder scene,” he said. A dull buzzing from the single, flickering fluorescent light above filled the silence between us. Sighing, I slumped against the table inside the MGPD’s ten-by-ten interrogation room.