by Lauren Quick
“No, but lots of witches are in covens. Why? What have you heard?”
“It might be nothing. Like you said, lots of witches are in covens.” But as Honora knew, in her business, it was the nothings that turned into some of her most valuable leads. “I don’t see her wasting her time in a casual get-together type of coven. She doesn’t strike me as the kind of witch who hangs out with the girls and drinks wine.”
“More likely she hangs out with her lackeys and drinks blood. I’ll see what I can find out. Thanks for the tip,” Rye said.
Honora rose from her seat, strode out of the council meeting, and headed home. The potion monitoring Clover had worn off. Suddenly she had no idea where her big sister was, and it scared her.
21
The morning after the tea party, Vivi had three copper cauldrons bubbling on the stove and had to crack a window to let the overpowering odors out. She was on a potion-making bender and the competing scents of lilac, rose, sandalwood, and clove were enough to knock anyone out. She’d kicked off her shoes and was padding around the shop, trying to remain low-key and emanate a calming vibe. It wasn’t really working. In fact, her nervous energy was contagious.
Pepper flitted around the shop like a jittery bird, straightening rows of potion bottles while her chipmunk familiar, Tiny, darted from shelf to shelf like he’d feasted on coffee beans for breakfast. With a flick of her wand, a bright pink feather duster fluttered over the gleaming glass potion bottles. Pepper was a magical multitasker. “Are you sure you don’t want to take some time off? I can manage the shop if you need to rest.”
Vivi tossed a handful of crystalized lilac flowers into a boiling cauldron and a fizzle sound hissed at her, as if the flowers were testy. “No, but thanks. I need to keep busy. I’ll go crazy if I sit upstairs in my apartment any longer,” Vivi said, working a dab of menthol balm into her neck to loosen up the stiffness. Sleeping in a chair for a few brief hours hadn’t helped.
“Any word on Clover?” Pepper asked as Tiny raced up her arm and perched on her shoulder in a ball of cuteness.
“Not yet. The locater potion faded out last night. Turns out it doesn’t last as long as I thought it would. Only about eight hours.” Vivi drummed her fingers on the counter.
“That’s actually really good for a locator potion,” Pepper said. “Not comforting, but still very good. Clover can take care of herself. She’s a smart witch.”
Vivi wondered if they were talking about the same witch. Yes, Clover was smart, but she’d spent way too much time alone in her big house, wandering around in her own imagination. Traipsing out to the Darklander’s fortress was never wise, even when Vivi had done it. Hopefully, Clover had had a plan. “You’re probably right,” Vivi said.
“Have you gotten a chance to talk to Lance or your mom?” Pepper asked.
Vivi stirred the potion thoughtfully. “Yes, as much as it annoyed me. I’m still a little angry with Mom for not telling us about our dad sooner. She knew he was a wanted wizard by Hex Division. From what little information Honora and I pried out of the aunties, he’s been on Hex’s radar for years. How could she not tell us?”
“Well, your mom was away for a long time, so she couldn’t have told you then, and when she got back, she probably had higher priorities than your dad. He’s the one who bailed on you and went all dark and dangerous. Your mom did the best she could.”
Vivi arched her brow. Pepper was always the pragmatist. “You have a point. I’m too emotional right now to get into it with her. Lance has Charles locked up behind a dozen wards and wouldn’t let anyone in to see him. Not that I would know what to say. I mostly paced the station for a few hours.”
“What about Clover?”
“Hex is after her and the coin. Lance suggested we sit tight and not make things worse by meddling. Like I would meddle.” Vivi tapped her chest. “I’m not the one to worry about. Honora took off like a witch out of hell, and though I thought she’d go right for the Darklander’s jugular, she went back to the city.”
“She’s going after Kat Keene, I bet,” Pepper said and scooped up Tiny as he raced down her arm and along a shelf. She slipped him into her pocket. “What’s this potion you’re making?”
“It’s new.”
Pepper leaned over the counter, reading from the open page of Vivi’s grimoire. “Lonesome Lilac Tonic? For when you’re feeling depressed and lonely,” Pepper said, eyes widening. “Your blue mood is worse than I thought. Maybe we need to take a trip to Nocturnes for lunch and cheer you up.”
“So I guess the new Sulking Sandalwood Salve isn’t a good idea, either?” Vivi cracked a smile.
“No, it’s not. But if you want to cheer yourself up, you can take a swig of my Ghost Potion and go talk to the spirit out back. Nothing makes you feel better about being alive then listening to the woes of the dearly departed. Being a ghost is really monotonous.”
“That’s looking on the bright side. How’s the testing going?” Vivi asked, curious to hear about the Ghost Potion.
“Great. I’ve gone through some additional tests at my parents’ house. They both volunteered to be testers, of course, and are thrilled. I think they’re hoping for a write-up in the newspaper if the potion becomes a success. You know how competitive it can get out at The Crossroads and a little bit of press would make them the envy of the neighborhood.”
The bell on the front door sounded as a young messenger witch bounded in and dropped a parchment envelope onto the counter. Vivi broke the wax seal and read the contents of the message. “Clover’s back,” she said with a sigh of relief.
“Any details?” Pepper asked.
“No. The note is from Elsie. She just says Clover’s safe and sound and to join them at the house. We Mayhems have business to discuss.”
“Sounds serious.” Pepper fed Tiny a peanut.
“It’s very serious,” Vivi said. “I just hope the aunties know what they’re doing.”
Leaving the shop in Pepper’s capable hands, Vivi made her way to Clover’s house. Honora touched down to the ground as Vivi hurried up the walkway to the front door.
“Any idea what’s going on?” Honora asked, pulling her goggles off her face and shaking her hair out of her leather flying cap.
“No and I’m afraid to ask.”
But all the speculation in Everland didn’t prepare them for what they saw when they entered the house. All the furniture had been removed from the living room; even the carpet had been rolled up, leaving the wooden floors bare. The smell of lemons and vinegar punctuated the air. They’d been cleaning, scrubbing the floors from the looks of it. Vivi’s stomach twisted. Something was about to happen. Something magical.
“What’s going on in here?” Honora called out to no one in particular.
Vivi headed for the kitchen where the sound of clanking pots and activity could be heard. The aunties and Clover were dressed in long flowing black gowns, their hair was down long and loose. A jug of rosewater sat on the table, an obvious clue to potion making. A black cauldron sat bubbling on the stove, copper pots littered the counters, overflowing with strange ingredients—black rose thistles, spider lace flowers, flat river stones, and a pile of thorns. Vivi remembered once as a child the aunties gave her the worst job ever—de-thorning dozens of roses. They collected the thorns in a glass jar for use in their magical spellcraft, but Vivi never asked. She wondered if she was about to find out one of their secrets.
“Doing an little impromptu brewing?” Vivi asked, her nose tingling. “Smells like magic in here.”
“We’re preparing,” Clover said. Her cheeks were flushed and sweat beaded on her brow, but otherwise she looked unscathed from her trip to the Dire Woods.
“For what?” Honora asked.
Henrietta stirred the cauldron, inhaling the fragrant brew. “A Wandering Witch spell. It’s
an oldie but one of my personal favorites.”
“I see it has some interesting ingredients. Looks powerful,” Vivi said, eyeing the thorns and Clover’s nicked-up fingertips. “Ouch.”
“You have no idea,” Clover said, rubbing a salve into her fingertips, but Vivi did and was glad it wasn’t her fingers doing the de-thorning.
“We’re making contact with the Red Queen. We must reach out to her directly if we want to settle the conflict,” Elsie said. “Clover’s brought news from the Darklander. And now we must get ready.”
Honora’s strong arms crossed over her chest in defiance, skepticism written all over her face. “I hope you aren’t making plans around anything the Darklander told you. I think we can establish that he’s not playing on our side and can’t be trusted.”
Henrietta waved her wand and a marble pestle began pounding black chunks into a fine power in the mortar before sprinkling it into the brew. “You’re absolutely right. We can’t trust him. But we’re going to take good advice when we hear it.”
“Just listen to what I found out and see what you think,” Clover said, telling her sisters about her visit to the dark side.
“The Order of Hazel,” Vivi said, running her hands through her hair. “I don’t know what to believe.”
“Sounds fishy,” Honora said. “I’ve never heard of it. And I’m sure I’d know of any clandestine organization. I’m all about the secret side of Everland.”
Henrietta harrumphed. “You, my dearie, might know a considerable amount about the secret side of Stargazer City, but there is much in this world that you know nothing about. I’m old enough to realize Everland has many secrets, many dark ones, but also hopeful ones. I believe there is a force fighting for good in Everland’s shadows.”
“Point taken,” Honora said. “I like the sound of that.”
Vivi fingered the rough stem of a thistle. “What exactly are we doing with the Wandering Witch spell and Kat Keene?”
“First, you two are going to need to change. We have a long night ahead of us,” Elsie said, waving her hand at Vivi and Honora. She must have read the confused look on Vivi’s face because she said, “No need to worry. We brought extra gowns for the two of you. Honora’s is very special.”
“Wait a minute. You’re going to have to spell it out for us,” Honora said.
Henrietta shook her head and talked to her sister. “Young witches today always need to know everything. It’s a control thing.” She turned to her nieces. “We’re challenging Kat to a magical battle. A winner-takes-all challenge.”
“What do you mean winner takes all?” Vivi asked.
“We’re putting the coin up for grabs to lure her out,” Elsie said. “It’s the only way we’re going to prove to the council that Kat Keene is a practicing black magic witch and a danger to society.”
Honora grunted. “Hex Division wouldn’t even mount a case against her in front of the council. Rye said they have no evidence of wrongdoing against her, so what makes you think we’ll be able to dig something up? And why a battle? I don’t get it.”
Henrietta levitated a box of salt down from a top shelf in the pantry. “We have to get her to show her true self and her true nature. And one way to do that in front of witnesses is with a contest of wills. And we need to bait the trap.”
“We’re going to instigate her. Force her hand and hope she wants the coin badly enough to use black magic against us,” Elsie said.
“The plan’s sound,” Clover added. “Though it does have its risks. We could get hurt or she might not use black magic and then it will be all for nothing. But we have to do something and this is our best idea.”
“Against us?” Vivi repeated. “Who exactly is fighting this fight?”
Henrietta ran her fingers through the box of salt. “We are. Our coven—the Mayhems against Kat Keene and her despicable band of dark magic witches or whatever she’s calling her coven. Once she uses black magic and we can get it on record, she’ll be banned from the council, and hopefully, the coin will once again be safe in the council vaults.”
Elsie flicked rosewater into her hair. “But first we need to contact her, hence the spell.”
Honora leaned against the counter. “What I learned out on surveillance makes sense. Kat was setting up a meeting with her coven. And I hate to tell you this, they’re powerful, but I fully think we can take them. It might actually be fun.” A wicked smile bloomed on Honora’s face. “Mayhem Sisters verses the Red Queen. I like those odds. I don’t care how dirty they fight. We’re much stronger.” Her voice was laced with bravado.
“Speak for yourself.” Vivi wasn’t as confident in her sparring skills. “So we’re going to fight her, but what about the portal coin? What if she wins? It’s not like we’re experts in combat magic. If we lose the battle, we’ll have to give the most important artifact in Everland to a corrupt witch and then we’ve got nothing.”
“Then she better not win,” Elspeth said, entering the house in dramatic fashion. Their mother stepped into the kitchen via the back door and pulled the hood of her traveling cloak down. Her face was pale and her eyes were marred with dark circles under them. “I’ve had to do a lot of convincing with Hex to get Clover off the hook for stealing it.” She slipped off her cloak revealing a long black gown similar to the aunties’.
“So I’m not going to The Banishment?” Clover asked, referring to Everland’s notorious prison.
“No, dear daughter. Not this time, but it was close. Luckily your fame and creative nature worked in your favor. I told them you threw yourself into action, doing it for the sake of Everland, and that you had no intention of stealing it for yourself. Plus they didn’t want the bad press of arresting a beloved author.”
“Beloved is a strong word.” Honora cocked her hip. “Clover’s liked and all, but beloved?” She smirked.
“This is serious,” Elspeth said, lips pursed in annoyance. “Hex is giving us one chance to catch Kat before we must return the coin.”
Clover stepped between the two witches. “What about Dad and the Order of Hazel? Can they help us? Can they keep the coin safe?”
“Your father completely denied any involvement with the order. He claimed total ignorance. I don’t know what to believe anymore, but I know your father, and he’s a good wizard. If anyone belonged to a secret order protecting us, it would be him.” Tears welled in her eyes before she could blink them away. “It’s been so long. I didn’t realize how much I missed him.”
“Mom, are you okay? This must be hard seeing him after so many years.” Vivi gently touched her arm.
Elspeth sniffled and wiped away her tears. “Don’t worry about me. I’m not the one in jail for murder. I’ll get through this. I knew I would need to face him one day. Your father won’t speak of the order, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. He just isn’t willing to discuss it while in captivity.”
Vivi’s brow arched. “Lance’s jail cell is hardly captivity. And is much better than whatever dark cave Hex will put him in when he’s processed,” she said. “But if he is in this mysterious group, why haven’t they gotten him out of jail?”
Elspeth exhaled. “If the order came forward, they wouldn’t be secret. I’m supposing it’s the nature of the order. But that’s not our concern right now. Your father can’t help us,” Elspeth said. “It’s not all good news. Hex has agreed to allow this operation to move forward and will not press charges against Clover for stealing the artifact as long as we can trap Keene. If not, she will get the coin, Clover will face charges, and I’ll most likely be fired.”
“Where’s Rye on all of this?” Vivi asked. “Can he help?”
“He can’t be involved. He acknowledges the challenge is our only chance to get some evidence against Kat, but he’s not happy risking the coin. Hex has agreed there’s no other way at this ti
me. The coin legally belongs to the council and must be turned over to them when we have it. Hex is covering for us for the next two days. Our best chance is to dangle it in front of Kat and let her think she can take it out from under the council and keep it for herself while blaming Clover for the coin’s disappearance.”
Henrietta clapped her hands. “Good. We’re back to the original plan. Let’s go, ladies. We have a schedule to keep.”
Elsie leaned over the bubbling cauldron. “The brew is ready.” She waved her wand, extinguishing the flame.
Honora and Vivi raced up stairs and slipped into their gowns, not even taking the time to chat about what was going on before returning to the kitchen. With her arms fluttering, Henrietta hurried them all into the living room, which looked naked without the furniture. “Let’s prepare. Gather around in a circle. We don’t have much time. If anyone can convince the scheming witch to go dark, it’s your Aunt Elsie.”
“How’s this work exactly?” Honora asked, standing a witch’s width between Clover and Vivi.
Henrietta stood next to Clover. “We need a family negotiator to drink the potion, wander into Kat’s world, and talk terms with her.”
“I’ll go,” both Honora and Elspeth said simultaneously.
Henrietta clicked her tongue. “Elsie’s going. It’s already been decided. She’s done this dozens of times in her life. She’s an old pro.”
“Glad that’s settled,” Clover said. “Because I’ve had enough portal hopping for awhile. It’s me and Marigold from now on out,” Clover said, referring to her trusty bicycle that she road around the Meadowlands.