Page 71 of Sugar, Spice, and Magical Midlife

“What in hex is that?” I blurted.

My aunt stood, holding a hand down to me. “It’s the dryad who lives in your wand.”

“There’s a dryad in my wand?” Why had I never heard that before? I looked down at what was once a shiny lipstick container, but somehow the spell had activated its true form, an eighteen-inch elderberry and bristlecone wand that had a crimson sheen.

“Of course.” She motioned to the apparition. “She will lead you to your bra.”

I jutted my wand toward the dryad, watching as her spirit wavered like smoke. “I’m just supposed to follow her to a demon’s nest?”

“Yes.” Serena smiled as two dozen of the freaking scariest striga I’d ever seen came into the room, all dressed in black leather mercenary gear like my aunt and standing at attention like well-trained soldiers. Some were witches, some shifters and vampires, and there were a handful of minotaurs. All of them called my auntGeneraleSagredo.

Bile rose into my throat. This was real. We were going to kill demons. Holy troll turds! “And my son?”

Ethyl stood, clenching her hands by her sides. “I’ll watch him.”

I looked at my best friend as she tried to control her trembling limbs, and though I knew she’d give her life for my son, I couldn’t leave him. Iwouldn’tleave him. What ifIdied fighting the succubi? Ethyl couldn’t protect Des forever, and I certainly didn’t trust Colin to keep him safe. Besides, Des needed me to buy him socks without seams, to count the olives on his pizza, and to take him to a quiet place when his sensory disorder was overloaded. No one else loved him like I did.

“I’m sorry, no.” My shoulders fell as I gave Serena an apologetic look. “I can’t leave Des.”

“Luciella, this is our one chance at bringing down the succubi who killed your parents.” She motioned toward Des. “Who threaten your lives.”

I shook my head. “And if I die, Des will be without a mother, just like I was.”

She clasped my arm, her stare unwavering. “You can risk your life now, or you will surely die at the hands of the succubi later.” She motioned toward her army of mercenaries. “My striga have been training for a battle for years. I will assign two of our best mages to guard you, and I will protect you with my ownlife if I have to.” Urgency enhanced her words as she gave me a pleading look. “We just need you to lead us to the nest.”

Fudging, flipping, flaming siren syphilis!

Curse Serena for being right. A tremor rolled through me. This was our one chance to kill the succubi, to possibly save Ric and stop the demons from hurting us again, and to enact vengeance for my parents’ deaths.

I had to do this. I had to leave my son. My world felt like it had slipped out beneath me, my soul falling into the abyss. If I died...If I left him...

Tears clouded my vision, and I bit down on my knuckles, forcing myself to look away.Be brave, Luci. Be brave.

I had no idea what force of magic fueled my movements as I held my wand away from me like it was a lit sparkler and went to my son. The dryad followed alongside me as if she was my shadow.

My heart hit my gut when he took off his headphones and blinked up at me. “What is it, Mama?”

I knelt beside him, taking his hand in mine. “I have to go, baby.” I swallowed back my emotion while doing my best not to cry. “Auntie Ethyl is going to watch you until I come back.”

He shrugged. “Okay, Mama.”

I managed to kiss his cheek and give him a sideways hug before he had his headphones back on and was focused on his wizarding game. It was best this way, wasn’t it? Leaving him without an emotional goodbye. That would only upset him and make him worry. But there was no reason to worry. I was coming back to my son. I refused to leave him like my parents left me. I turned to Ethyl, and she threw herself against me with a sob, squeezing me tight.

I kissed her cheek. “Guard him with your life.”

She pulled away, wiping her eyes and drawing a pentagram across her heart. “I will.”

“Thank you,” I said to her, my eyes misting, “not just for watching Des, but for being my best friend.”

She wiped her pale blue eyes and silently nodded. “You were always there for me. I’m just returning the favor.”

After hugging my cousin once more, I looked at my aunt, who stood in front of her stony-eyed striga mercenaries.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I blurted, which probably wasn’t the right kind of pep talk for striga that were marching into a demon’s den.

My aunt motioned to the apparition that still reflected in my wand flashlight. “Lead the way, niece. Let’s go kill some succubi.”

WE EMERGED FROM MYaunt’s underground hideout into a beautiful temple with tall, rounded ceilings. I spun around in awe as moonlight cut through the stained-glass windows and illuminated the murals on the walls.

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