by Bailey Cates
“Not beautiful,” Serena whispered. “Not wonderful.”
“Oh, but you are, sweet thing. Someone told you that you weren’t, but they were wrong.”
I tipped my head, watching Mimsey. Was she right? Had something happened to Serena to turn her into a monster?
“They were wrong,” the older witch said again.
“Wrong,” Serena whispered. Then she shook her head. “No, I have to. Jake only loves beautiful things. I have to be beautiful, or he won’t want me anymore.”
I felt anger and sadness blossom in my chest. Toward Jake Gibson for making his wife feel so small and worthless, toward a society that advertised and airbrushed and Photoshopped until real people felt they weren’t good enough anymore.
“You’re beautiful,” Mimsey said firmly. “To your core, darlin’.”
“Core,” Serena repeated.
“You don’t need your glamour. You don’t need to fool anyone.”
Serena looked into Mimsey’s eyes for a long moment, then finally nodded. She took off the ring and let it drop to the floor. I felt her power drop away. First the strong power of the ring, and then the finely honed glamour she’d learned to maintain all the time.
The woman who stood in our circle was Serena Gibson, but different. She wore the same makeup and had the same mouth and eyes, but she was a tiny bit heavier, and a little older. A thin scar, barely visible, traced down one cheek from her temple to her jawline. She shuddered and looked away from Mimsey.
“There you go,” Mimsey said gently. She’d been using her Voice the whole time and still was. “Doesn’t that feel better?”
“I don’t know,” Serena whispered. “I haven’t been like this for a long time.”
My heart wrenched in my chest.
Banging on the front door drew our attention. Lucy hurried to let the police in. Serena looked frightened, then angry again.
“You don’t need the glamour,” Mimsey said again. “You won’t ever need it again. Do you understand?”
Serena nodded. I could sense her power waning. Mimsey wasn’t taking it away from her. She was giving her permission to let it go. And as Serena let go of her power, she let go of the psychosis that seemed to fuel it in a never-ending loop.
“And you’re going to tell the police everything about Tucker and the lottery ticket, right? But not about the ring. You’re going to give me the ring right now.”
I stared at Mimsey. But of course, she was right. The police wouldn’t understand about the ring, and it would be best to deal with it on our own.
Serena didn’t even hesitate, reaching down and picking up the ruby ring off the floor and handing it to Mimsey as uniformed officers came through the doors. The older witch tucked it into her pants pocket and winked at me.
The police took Serena into custody. As they were leading her away, Quinn strode through the door.
“About time,” I said.
“Hmm. I’d cleared Zane and Waverly Wiggins and was giving them the lottery ticket. They’re over the moon.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Besides, you seemed to have managed all right.”
“Hudson Prater didn’t. They’re loading him into an ambulance as we speak.”
Regret passed over Quinn’s face. “Yeah. That was a miscalculation on my part. I take full responsibility.” Then he looked closer at me. “What happened to you?”
My hand flew to my hair. “Oh, no! I have to go.”
“Lightfoot . . .”
“I know, I know. But Quinn, I’m getting married! In, like—” I looked at my watch. “An hour. Oh, God. Declan is going to kill me!”
“I doubt that. Well, I know where you live. In fact, I’ll be there as soon as I can as one of your guests. You can give me a full statement about what happened here tomorrow. Or the next day.”
I grinned. “Thank you.” Going up on tiptoe, I gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Come on,” Jaida said, already heading toward the front door with the other ladies. “We have to get you cleaned up!”
Chapter 26
The back gate was open, and the caterer’s truck was in the driveway when we arrived. Cars lined the street out front, and music and the sound of voices floated toward us from the backyard.
My party had already started.
“There’s no place to park,” Mimsey fretted.
“There.” Lucy pointed. “Margie’s waving at us to park in their driveway.”
Relieved, Jaida turned off the street and pulled up behind my neighbor’s Subaru. We tumbled out of the car. Margie ran toward us on tiptoes to accommodate her high heels.
“What are you doing?” she demanded. “Where have you been? And Katie—oh, dear.” She looked me up and down.
“I’ll fill you in later,” I said.
“Right.” She snapped her fingers. “They haven’t opened the carriage house to guests, so all we have to do is get you inside to dress.” Her lips pursed. “And get you cleaned up. Hurry!”
Mrs. Standish and Skipper Dean were parking down the street, and I rushed across to the porch of the little house so I wouldn’t have to answer their questions. Lucy moved even faster than I did and was pounding on the door by the time I got there. It swung open, and Cookie peered out.
“Cutting it kind of close, aren’t you? Quick. Get inside.”
“You have everything under control?” Margie called to her.
“Yes, thanks!” Cookie waved and closed the door behind Bianca.
“Oh, my God! Katie! What happened?” Mama hurried toward me, worry etched into her face. She cupped my cheek with her hand. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” I looked down at my dust-streaked clothes. “Can you fix me up in time?”
“Of course.” She sounded confident, which made me feel better.
“I need to talk to Rori first,” I said.
“Now?” Mama asked.
I nodded. “Tucker Abbott’s killer has been arrested. I have to tell her.”
“Cookie, go get Rori,” my mother demanded. “And hurry.”
In less than two minutes, Cookie had returned with Declan’s little sister in tow. She looked like a spring flower in the dress Camille had given her to wear. When she saw me, her mouth dropped open.
“Katie! What happened to you?”
“A little altercation at Hudson Prater’s antique store. Some of his merchandise sort of fell on my head,” I explained.
She looked concerned. “Are you okay?”
“Yep. But you can have your closure now. Serena Gibson killed Tucker.”
Rori sucked in a breath. “Serena!”
I nodded. “They’d been working together to rip off the Gibsons’ clients, and she knew about the music box and what it contained. Tucker betrayed her by taking it—I imagine they were going to share the proceeds, but that didn’t come up in the conversation. She went to get it back from him, but he’d given it to you.”
Rori’s eyes widened. “He wanted the music box to give back to her. If only—”
I cut her off. “No. Don’t think like that. Tucker told her you had it.”
“He told her . . .” She trailed off and her lips pressed together.
“She didn’t believe him.” I told her the rest, leaving out everything about glamours and magical rings and Voices. It didn’t take long.
When I was done, Rori swallowed hard, then said, “Oh, Katie. I’m just glad you’re okay. Thank you.”
“Do you feel better now that you know what happened to your ex?” I asked her.
“I’m . . . I’m not sure.” Her chin came up. “But yes, I think I do. Tucker was a jerk until the very end, wasn’t he?”
“Pretty much,” I agreed. “Though he didn’t deserve to die.”
“Of course not. But if he had lived, he wouldn’t have ever stopped being
a jerk. I guess that answers a lot of my questions.”
Mama had been listening. “Any chance we could have the rest of this chat after the wedding? We’re getting down to the wire here.”
“Of course!” Rori flushed. “I’ll see you out there, Katie. Good luck,” she said over her shoulder as she left.
“Let’s see what we can do to fix your hair,” Mama said. “And we’ll have to reapply some makeup, because you have dirt all over your face. Good heavens. Come with me.”
I padded behind my mother like an obedient duckling, and the rest of the spellbook club followed. They hustled into the bedroom to change, while Mama steered me into the bathroom. Cookie, who was already wearing a soft green chiffon number that elegantly disguised that she was seven months along, came with us.
“You’re a mess, Katie,” Cookie said. “Maybe you should consider using a glamour. Between all of us, we could keep it up for the duration.”
I shuddered. “No way. I want to be the real me at my wedding, even if I am a mess.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this,” my mother said. “Let’s get your face washed.”
And she did, fixing my makeup down to the eyeliner wings, getting the dust out of my hair, and fussing with the style until it looked nearly as good as when Vera had done it. The rest of the spellbook club was in the living room by then, and I ran into the bedroom to change into my dress. The club members trickled in to sit on the bed as I finished.
In front of the mirror in my closet, Mama tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, stepped back, then reconsidered and returned it to curl around my temple. “Declan brought your earrings.”
“Oh, Lordy. I totally spaced. No wonder I love that man.” I put them on.
Mama surveyed me in the mirror. “Perfect. Lucy? Do you have Mother’s necklace?”
“Right here,” my aunt said, and came up behind me to clasp it around my neck.
I gasped. It was a beautiful set of interlocking silver spirals, set with amethysts and what I now knew was hematite. It was the necklace Nonna had shown me in my dream.
“You were right,” Lucy said as she examined me in the mirror. “It’s just right with this neckline.”
“And it’s yours to keep, Katie,” Mama said. “She would have wanted you to have it, and what better time to give it to you.”
I quickly blinked away the hint of tears that threatened. The last thing I needed was to smear my mascara right now. Leaning forward, I took a closer look at the necklace in the mirror.
“That’s hematite,” Mama said. “Your grandmother’s favorite.”
I glanced upward, as if Nonna was watching me from above. “I know.” And she’d just passed along the cure for my dream eavesdropping that she’d told me about in my hedgewitch’s kitchen.
Thank you, Nonna.
“And here’s the dragonfly,” Lucy said.
“What dragonfly?” I asked.
“You have something old now, and something borrowed—from Bianca—and now you need something blue.” She held out a tiny blue enameled dragonfly, less than a third of an inch across, then nestled it into my hair near one of the pearls Mama had managed to reposition, and gave it a spritz of hairspray to keep it in place.
“Thank you,” I said with a smile.
“What about something new?” Mimsey asked.
The door opened, and Eliza slipped in.
I gestured at my dress. “This is brand new. That will have to do.”
“Katie?” Eliza said.
“I’m almost ready,” I said. “I need a couple more minutes to gather my thoughts.”
“Okay, I’ll tell them, but first I wanted to give you something.” She held a small box in her hand. Then she looked around at the others and seemed to hesitate. Taking a deep breath, she took a step forward and thrust the box toward me. “It could be your something new. If you like it, I mean.”
Curious and slightly apprehensive, I opened her gift. Nestled into a puff of cotton was a small silver key chain with a single key on it. I took it out and saw the round fob was designed in three concentric circles, and inside them a tiny pentacle gleamed. Surprised, I looked up at her.
Understanding flashed between us. She was letting me know she accepted me for who I was, even if she wasn’t sure what that might be after seeing my altar in the loft.
I was deeply touched by the gesture. “It’s lovely. Thank you.”
“It’s a wedding tradition.” Eliza grinned. “And you know how much I like those. The key is to this house, which is new in a way, and where you start your new life with my brother. The idea is that you can tuck it into your bouquet.” She held up her palm. “Not that you have to do that, Katie. Not at all. But it’s there if you want to.”
I gave her a hug, which seemed to surprise her. “This something new is absolutely going into my bouquet.”
Mimsey held out her hand, and I gave her the key ring. Her eyebrow quirked when she saw the design, but then she expertly attached it to the flowers she had at the ready. “Remember to take this out before you throw the bouquet,” she said, her tone laughing.
Eliza looked around at us all. “You are all simply lovely. And Katie, you’re a stunning bride. I’m so happy to welcome you to the family.” Tears welled in her eyes, and she quickly turned back to the door. “I’ll let them know you’re on your way.”
As the door closed behind her, I turned to my friends. They stood side by side, each dressed in styles that suited them, each in a different pastel color. Cookie in green, Mimsey in pink, Jaida in peach, Bianca in yellow, and Lucy in blue. Each individual, each unique, each special. Around each of their necks, an identical silver locket hung, my gift to them. The lockets contained herbal spells I’d invoked for each of them.
I thought back to when I’d given them the lockets at my bridal shower. We’d gathered together in Lucy’s rooftop garden, and I’d insisted on handing them out before opening my own gifts. They all contained holly and snakeroot for good fortune and basil and hyssop for protection, but each contained a little something tailored to the wearer.
My heart filled with love. “She’s right. You’re all so beautiful.”
Mama came to stand beside me. “As are you, daughter. Now, let’s get this ceremony started.”
The ladies went out to take their places, and my father came to stand by me at the end of the moonlit path of white rose petals. He looked spiffy in the suit Mama had made him wear, and I gave him a kiss on the cheek. The backyard had been transformed into an enchanted space with twinkling lights, pristine white tablecloths, and gorgeous flowers. Mimsey and Ryan had gone all out with the red roses on the gazebo, festooning the railing and creating an arch over the entrance. Ben stood in front of that arch, with Declan to one side wearing a gray tux. His groomsmen also wore gray, except the two who were in uniform. Facing me, Mungo sat quietly at his feet. He wore a purple bow tie, and the simple platinum wedding rings we’d chosen hung around his neck on silken cords.
I suppressed a grin and swept my gaze over the yard, taking in our guests, who were perching on mismatched vintage chairs arranged in conversational clusters, quiet now that I’d appeared. The photographer stood to one side, ready for my entrance. Quinn had managed to show up and stood with his tall, elegant wife by the fence. A movement to my right drew my attention. Steve stood to one side. I met his gaze, and he gave me a small nod and a smile. I inclined my head slightly, then looked back toward where Declan waited by the gazebo.
The light from above dimmed, and my heart sank as I looked up to see a cloud had skittered across the moon.
Not now!
Desperate, I looked at Bianca. Her eyes were closed, and she stood with her fingertips pointing toward the earth. A moment later, the cloud moved away, and the scene glowed with moonlight again. She opened her eyes and looked right at me with a grin.
No . . . s
he didn’t. Did she?
“Here we go,” Margie whispered, ushering the JJs over with their baskets of flowers. “You guys know what to do?”
“Yes,” they answered in unison, and grinned up at me.
I leaned down. “All righty. Start your engines.”
They giggled but didn’t start walking until Margie gave them a little push. They walked slowly, scattering red rose petals on top of the white ones. Dad and I followed behind. The musicians began to play an instrumental version of John Legend’s “All of Me,” which Declan had suggested.
This is it. This is really happening.
I wanted to savor every moment, but my mind was a whirl, and before I knew it, I was standing by Declan and my father had gone to take his seat by Mama. The music stopped, and everything was eerily silent.
Ben looked so handsome, and his eyes crinkled as he smiled at us and then looked beyond to our guests. “Welcome, everyone, as witnesses to the union of Katie and Declan. Their love is strong and will nourish their futures as well as the lives of those they touch. However, I’m just here to make things official, and they’ve written their own vows to tell each other, and you, how they feel. Katie?” He stepped back.
I’d written the vows weeks ago, and efficiently memorized them. I opened my mouth, and nothing came out. Adrenaline from all that had happened that day added to the enormity of standing right here, right now, and I couldn’t remember a thing.
Declan grinned. His eyes laughed. “Want me to go first?” he murmured.
Then it all came flooding back. “No. I’ve got this.” I took his hands in mine.
“Declan McCarthy, you are the love I’ve looked for my entire life. You are my best friend, and you will always be my family, my heart, my partner. I pledge to be there when things are amazing, when things get tough, and everything in between. No matter what happens, together we can figure it out. I love you, Declan. I love you with all that I am and all that I can be. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.” My voice was a little wavery at the end, but I made it through.
Declan’s eyes were full of tenderness, and he squeezed my hands. “And I love you, Katie Lightfoot. I vow to spend my life strengthening that love and caring for you with honesty, faith, and patience. For the rest of our days I will be your loving husband and steadfast partner. I am so grateful to have found you, and I’m never letting you go.”