She was about to step into class when a voice stopped her.
“Eden Montgomery?”
She looked up to find a guy glancing from his phone to her.
“Yes?”
“Special delivery.” He held out a small sack. The logo matched that of a Lebanese restaurant she loved.
Eden shook her head. “But I didn’t order anything.”
The guy checked his phone again. “Looks like the order was placed by someone named Quinn. The message says, ‘Hypothesis: a woman cannot feed the world if she starves herself.’”
Quinn was a scientist, which meant he enjoyed hypotheses. He liked them even more when they became actual theories. It had become an inside joke between them and a way to decide anything they weren’t in total agreement on, from picking the movie or where to get dinner.
Eden’s grin nearly split her face as she took the bag. “How did you find me?”
“It’s part of the app. The customer tells us where you’ll be and sends a picture. Guess this guy knows your schedule.”
Right down to the fact that I’d be racing in with ten seconds to spare.
Once she’d thanked the delivery guy and he’d left, Eden stepped inside and opened the bag. The falafel wrap was still warm, and when she peeled back the tinfoil and took a heavenly bite, it was a toss-up between which she liked more…her boyfriend or the wrap.
She’d been in relationships before, but this was different. Quinn was different. Spending time with him made her know there wasn’t anything wrong or bad about her. Someone as decent as Quinn wouldn’t like her if there was. He’d stopped seeing her after that disastrous memory spell had turned into someone she—nor he—recognized.
She’d convinced him it had been the stress of college mixed with homesickness that had made her act so strangely, but they’d been dating a few weeks and she was starting to feel guilty about lying.
The rules about secrecy were a little different for sisters than pledges. The newbies took a binding oath that prevented them from speaking the truth about Coventry House. Even writing the words had been impossible. That vow had dissolved when Eden had been kicked out, so technically she could do what she wanted, but not without consequences. But what were those consequences, exactly? Sarah reported that the oath seemed different, as though now she could force out the words if she really had to. Not that she’d told Kai about being a witch.
It wasn’t Sarah’s only secret. Eden was the only one who knew she was a lesbian. Sarah spoke about Kai as if she were the most amazing person on earth, but only behind closed doors.
Not that I can blame her with that mother.
The question remained, what would happen if she told Quinn about being a witch? She was sure some of the older girls had boyfriends who knew. Eden had noticed something in the way their eyes darted around the common room, as if they were in a nest of vipers waiting to strike. Her mother had once said, “If you want to know the measure of a man, introduce him to a woman more powerful than he is.”
Truer words…
No sister would be crazy enough to reveal what happened at rituals or get caught practicing in public. But telling someone they trusted? Carolyn had to know it occurred. If all they did was tell, there probably wasn’t much harm. If that person ended up blabbing, who would believe it?
Sure, sure, your ex-girlfriend is a witch. Have another beer.
She’d thought about waiting until he’d told her he loved her, because then she’d know for sure she could trust him. But they’d only been together a few weeks, and it seemed pretty manipulative to wait. Besides, could she really expect him to fall in love if he didn’t know the real her?
Eden wished she had a word for how she felt about him. It wasn’t love love yet, at least not the kind that meant she knew she would spend the rest of her life with him. But it wasn’t crush love either, when the relationship existed only in her head. This was something in between; there just wasn’t a good word for it. Like to the tenth power?
We’ve got twenty different words for money, but only one to describe all the different types of love. If that doesn’t explain what’s wrong with society…
But even her own brain couldn’t spoil her mood. Whatever it was called, she was in it. It wasn’t the butterflies she still got when he told her she was beautiful or the way she found herself interested in even the most mundane details of his life. Those things faded, even if she wished they wouldn’t. Too soon she’d be annoyed by his stories or he’d start doing some gross guy thing in front of her. It was silly to think the bubble would last, and they’d be immune from reality forever.
Whatever this combination of emotions was called, she’d become convinced its foundation was respect. She genuinely respected Quinn, and he seemed to equally regard her. He encouraged her to use her voice in service to causes that mattered to her and often asked for her opinion. He even listened when she gave it.
Something else her mother had told her was the secret to a good marriage was respect. At the time Eden had found it sad. Shouldn’t the answer be love? But now she thought that maybe without respect, love either withered or flamed out.
She took the last bite, her belly warm from the food and thinking how sweet it was of Quinn to send it.
Like to the tenth power for sure.
Jules always studied her options before making a choice.
Even something as basic as buying herbs deserved careful consideration. She needed to weigh each item’s cost against what she would learn.
At the end of her final test to become a sister, the Goddess had come to her—claimed her as her own. Jules counted it as the single most beautiful experience of her life, and she’d known it would change her forever. Never again would she wonder if she belonged somewhere. As a daughter of the Goddess, Jules belonged everywhere.
Except.
As powerful as the feeling had been, it was already fading. With each passing day, the memory grew less intense, and now Jules wondered if she’d imagined the whole thing.
She’d tried asking Carolyn, but the conversation had turned circular. “What if you did imagine it? Does that make the wisdom you received any less true?”
Jules had wanted to say, “Of course it does!” but she knew that wasn’t the answer Carolyn wanted, so she’d let it be.
Maybe she didn’t belong everywhere, but she did belong at Coventry House, and that meant she had to make sure she passed every test so she could stay.
Jules placed the jar of pennyroyal back on the shelf, knowing it was cheaper online. She wouldn’t need it for another few weeks, anyway. The apple blossoms looked fresh, though, and she wanted to work with them tonight, so she scooped a few dollars’ worth into a plastic bag.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror. Her coat appeared as nice as the day Hannah had given it to her, but the rest of her outfit? She knew most of the girls at Coventry House thought she was clueless about fashion, and she wished that were true. Then she wouldn’t be aware of just how sloppy she looked.
One day she wouldn’t have to choose between buying herbs and proper fitting clothes, but today was not that day. She marked the price on a tag and dropped the apple blossoms into her basket.
Carolyn would probably tell her this wasn’t necessary—that she was getting ahead of herself—but that was the point. One step ahead was the safest place to be. It paid to anticipate, imagine how every possible scenario might play out. Doing so meant that even if the worst happened—which it often did—she wouldn’t be caught off guard.
Growing up in foster care, Jules had learned to interpret signs. If a foster mother stopped meeting her eye, it meant she was being sent back. If a foster brother started to look at her a certain way, she knew to lock her door at night.
People spoke volumes once she knew how to listen.
She wandered over to a shelf filled with crystals. An average person might buy one of the many stones, thinking it imbued with special powers. They d
idn’t know it wasn’t the stone itself that was special. Instead, the stone helped unlock the power of the person using it. The trick was knowing how, which most people didn’t.
Jules was hit with a pang of jealousy, thinking how cool it was that Eden got to work with the ancient stone she’d won. Even if it wasn’t magical, knowing hundreds—maybe thousands—of other witches had used it as a concentration aid made the object very special. Eden was often generous. Maybe she’d let her use it if she asked.
“Try this one.”
He was tall with broad shoulders, close-cropped hair, and gunmetal gray eyes.
“Thanks.” She took the crystal he offered her.
It was a piece of double-terminated quartz, about six inches long. The second her fingers closed around it, Jules knew it was hers. When she spotted the fifty dollar price tag, she realized she’d been mistaken.
“It’s nice,” she said, putting it back on the shelf. “But not today.”
“No?” He looked surprised. “Why not?”
She wasn’t about to tell him she couldn’t afford it.
“I’ve got a list.” She held up a slip of paper. “Probably better if I stick to it.”
“Discipline is important in the craft.” He plucked the list from her hand and started gathering ingredients.
Jules tried not to show her surprise when he’d called it the craft. Did he understand this was more than child’s play? Most people who worked in magic shops didn’t know a conjuring from a transmutation.
He was efficient, knowing where each item was located as he gathered the precise amounts indicated.
The potion she planned to work that night was another example of anticipating. New sisters learned in rotation. While one group worked on a potion, another might practice scrying, and the remaining group might learn to work with raw energy.
Jules was confident she’d pass the test for the spell she was currently learning. For once it was Eden who struggled. But she knew the next module was a potion that when tossed in the air made it rain rose petals. Since her skill with potions was lacking, she’d start practicing now, even if it meant paying for the herbs herself.
“That’s everything.” He handed her back the list but carried her basket to the counter. “Clarissa, will you ring up my new friend…”
“Jules.”
“Ash.” He flashed a smile.
She finished paying, and he walked her out, pausing at the shelf of crystals.
“I insist.” He dropped the quartz wand into her purse. “On the house. I can tell it belongs to you.”
“T-thank you.” Jules hoped she wasn’t blushing too furiously.
He held the door then followed her out.
“So, do you work here every Thursday?”
The question had sounded much more subtle in her head.
“Me?” He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t work here at all.”
He set off down the street, leaving Jules with her mouth agape and wondering about the punishment for inadvertent shoplifting.
For their first official date, Kai took Sarah to an artsy cafe. Eclectic paintings hung on the walls, and each table had a theme—theirs was travel.
They spent the first part of the evening studying the map painted on the table, discussing all the places they wanted to go.
“Ooh, the Bahamas.” Sarah laid a finger on a spot in the ocean. “Definitely the Bahamas.”
“I’m sure they’re nice, but nothing beats Hawaii.” Kai took Sarah’s hand and slid her index finger to the other side of the table.
Kai was part Pacific Islander and had spent her childhood in Hawaii. Her descriptions made it sound like heaven on Earth.
“Hawaii for sure.” Sarah smiled.
She was turning back to the map when Kai touched her face and brought her close for a kiss. Startled, Sarah pulled back.
“What is it?” Kai searched her eyes.
“Nothing, it’s… I’m sorry. It’s not you. I know it’s stupid, but the public display thing makes me a little uncomfortable. My parents don’t even hold hands in public.”
Kai’s lip twitched into a small grin. “From what you’ve told me, that might be because they don’t like each other all that much.”
Sarah forced a smile. “I can’t argue with your logic, but old habits die hard, I guess.” Sarah squeezed Kai’s knee under the table. “Be patient with me?”
“I can do that.” Kai flashed a dazzling smile, and the waiter came to refill their drinks.
“Witches.” Ani slammed her fist on the makeshift altar in disgust, spilling the contents of the potion she’d made. “Of course it couldn’t just be easy.” Nothing about this duty had ever been easy.
The location spell had worked, right up to revealing what they already knew…the stone was inside that house. Then she’d hit the magical equivalent of a brick wall. She didn’t have enough power left to work a spell that could break the wards around it and didn’t have the skill to do it in a way that wouldn’t alert the witch who’d set the ward.
“I ought to go back and re-scramble that guy’s brain for omitting that little detail.”
“He probably didn’t know.” Her brother, ever the level head, was trying to pacify her. “He dealt in rare artifacts. What would he know about magic? The question is, why didn’t you know?”
“Well, I’m not a witch, so I can’t just sense them, can I? And I wasn’t about to waste the power we have left on a spell like that.”
“That’s you, never wasteful.”
Ani bit her tongue to keep from responding, the metallic taste of blood pooling in her mouth. Finally, she said, “The smart thing would be to kidnap one of them.”
“Kidnap a witch? Are you crazy?” He got up and began pacing around their motel room. If it were up to him, they’d be camping, but she’d persuaded him to splurge in celebration of finding the stone.
She made sure her tone was calm. “We have power—”
“Not enough for something like that. And unless you’ve got cash I don’t know about, we can’t afford any more. We don’t even know which one has it.”
He always said she was the emotional one, but press the wrong button…
“It doesn’t matter.” Ani picked up the chunk of bloodstone from the altar and wrapped her fingers around it, the sharp edges digging into her palm. “If the girl were weak enough, I could manage a binding spell. Then we could trade their witch for our stone.”
“There’s no guarantee they’d make that deal. Whoever is in charge might want it for themselves.”
“To do what with it? We aren’t even sure what it does. ‘The answer will be revealed’ blah, blah, blah. Surely witches won’t abandon one of their own.”
He shook his head. “We don’t hurt innocents.”
“Binding spells don’t hurt.” Not that she would know. Ani had never been bound.
“It’s too risky. What about the tracker you put on the stone?”
They’d gotten close enough on Samhain for her to tag it, though there was no telling how long it would last.
“It’s still active—for now. If anyone takes it outside those walls, we’ll know it.”
At least one thing had gone right.
“Then we wait.”
Jaw tight, Ani nodded. “We wait.”
Until my patience runs out.
She had one more vial of power left.
Chapter 6
Eden fought but ultimately surrendered.
The yawn overtook her. These early morning practice sessions were taking their toll.
Better less sleep than no sleep.
It wasn’t long ago that sleep had been not only elusive but downright dangerous…for her and the rest of the house.
“One more deep breath.” Carolyn’s voice came from far away, wrapped as Eden was in the magic. “Gather the energies and begin with a sphere of light.”
Eden did this without thought. Making a sphere of light took little effort, but she knew some of the othe
r initiates weren’t as lucky. Eyes closed, she felt the orb blossom in her hand.
Her mind drifted to the borahn, and an image of him—all pulsating veins and jagged teeth—flashed behind her eyes. She took a breath and allowed the image to fade. Carolyn had said the trick to not getting overwhelmed by a thought was not to resist it, but not to hold onto it either. It was highly effective when she remembered to do it.
“Excellent.” Carolyn’s voice brought Eden’s awareness back to the basement ritual room. “Hold your focus as you open your eyes.”
Eden did as instructed. The room was dark except for the glow of candles, one in the center, and others at each point of the red pentagram painted on the floor. Eden sat at one of those points, as did Jules, Paige, and Alex, who was the only person Eden knew who could appear pissed off even while meditating.
Carolyn completed the symbol, sitting at the fifth point. “When you are ready, you may begin.”
Eden lowered her gaze, concentrating on the sphere in her hand. It was beautiful—not just white, but a prism of radiant colors—and she found herself pulled into its depths.
“Eden?”
Eden pulled herself back, checking around the room. A translucent daisy hovered in front of Paige, a multi-faceted jewel turned slowly under Jules’s watchful eye, and Alex had chosen a small display of fireworks.
How long had she been gone this time?
Carolyn looked to her expectantly.
“Sorry,” Eden mumbled. “I’m not sure why I’m having such a hard time with this.”
Alex smirked, her green eyes flashing. If anyone wanted to see Eden fail, it was her.
Carolyn gave Eden an encouraging look then waved her hand, indicating the others could release. “Eden is struggling now, but the lesson is for all of you. When you open yourself to magic, the forces of the Universe all struggle to break through. You must remain centered while they pull at you, or the consequences can be very dangerous. With that in mind, I have something for you.”
Carolyn pulled a small, velvet sack from behind her back.
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