Page 101 of Strike It Witch

“It would make sense,” Joon said.

“But I didn’t make the exchange until after the second demon showed up.”

“Seriously, Betty?” Ida scowled. “You don’t think Alpha Floyd might’ve found a way to make sure your name was on that receipt instead of his?”

“He paid the bookseller for another book, not the grimoire. That’s how they got around the curse,” I said.

“The bookseller told you that? Or the alpha?”

“The alpha. The bookseller was kind of cagey about—that son of a bastard. He set me up.”

“Of course he did. He hates you.” Ida slammed the rake into the dirt. “Why do you think he was yelling at your boyfriend so much when he tried to save you?”

Not my boyfriend, but I didn’t bother refuting it. I knew who she meant.

Joon nodded, building up speed as he spoke. “The alpha was furious when the wolf shifted. He kept yelling that the wolf was here toprotect his alpha leader, not sometrailer-trash, troublemaking witch—his words, not mine.”

“Yeah, I thought Ronan was going to rip his dad a new one when he said that. His eyes went gold and glowy and his claws popped out.” Ida tapped her pursed lips with one finger. “It was probably a good thing he stopped short of attacking his old man, though. The last thing we needed then was a wolf-dominance battle.”

I was stunned. A loss of control like that would do Ronan no favors with his alpha or the rest of the pack. Why would he do something so dangerous because of me?

My head was starting to ache. I tottered, nearly dropping the bowls.

Joon swooped up next to me and took them out of my arms. “You need rest.”

Ida came up on the other side of me, rake in hand. “The salt’s all mixed in with the soil now. We can deal with the gravel tomorrow. Let’s get you home.”

They helped me to my Airstream, Joon carrying my bowls, Ida steadying me when I felt shaky. We kept our voices down so as not to awaken any sleeping tenants, although how they’d all managed to sleep through Belial’s appearance and the yelling that had taken place afterward, I had no idea.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what did it feel like going through that portal?” Joon asked. “I’ve never experienced something like that before, but I’ve summoned beings through them, and they always seem angered beyond what you’d expect for being inconvenienced.”

I tried to describe the pain and terror, but I couldn’t seem to muster the right words. Finally, I said, “It was awful. But itwould’ve been a lot worse if you hadn’t rubbed that soil on me. Thank you for that.”

“I’m glad it helped,” he said.

“It came alive on my skin and protected me. Saved my life.” I ran my fingers over my chest as I recollected how the soil had glittered like thousands of tiny diamonds over my heart. “How did you get it to respond like that? What spell did you use?”

“I didn’t use any spell.” The mage smiled with his mouth, frowned with his brows. “It was the soil I picked up earlier from where the cactus used to grow. You saw me do it.”

My breath caught in my chest. That had beenMom’ssoil?

Dumbfounded, I said, “I assumed you took it to work with it in private, not use it on me. You said it was deeply injured.”

“It is,” he said. “And, after tonight, I’m pretty sure you might be the only person able to heal it.”

“I don’t think so.”

“With respect, I believe you’re wrong.” He set my bowls on an empty plant stand by my door. “Betty, I didn’t do anything to that soil except rub it on you. I thought it might help ground your magic.Youwere the one who brought it to life.”

I didn’t know what else to say.

The soil had finally responded to me.Finally.

“That was one heck of a summoning. Haven’t seen one like that in forty years.” Ida rested the rake against the side of my trailer and stretched her arms over her head. “I’m too amped up to sleep. Anyone up for a nightcap?”

“I’m in.,” Joon said.

“Next time.” Though a stiff shot might have thawed the shock that had frozen me in place after Joon’s revelation, I didn’t want a drink. I wanted to think.

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