Page 36 of Wicked Witch of the Wolf

“They helped you skin him down to bone?”

Gee, thanks for the visual reminder, Joon.

“I mean, kind of? They helped me access my magic.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. They just did.”

“What if they didn’t?” he asked.

“But I couldn’t do it until they helped.”

“Or until youbelievedthey helped.”

“So the power was inside me all along?”

“Well, yes. And I’m picking up on your sarcasm.”

“If you weren’t, I’d be worried, since I’m laying it on pretty thickly.”

Dishes rattled in the background. “I need another pot of tea if you’re going to be a smart ass. I’m nowhere near your level.”

“You and Ida surpass my level.” I brought the chocolate mint sprig to my nose and inhaled its scrumptious scent. “Sorry for being a smart ass.”

“I wasn’t asking for an apology. Betty, you have some serious mental blocks. Resistance. You see things the way you want to see them, not the way they are. We all do, to some extent.”

“But I’m especially good at it.” I switched the phone off speaker and held it to my ear.

“Goodisn’t the word I’d use, but yeah.” The sound of water filling a container came over the line. “If you’re truly interested in figuring this out, you’re going to have to knock down every door you’ve closed in your own face. Beat back your own resistance and face whatever truth confronts you. Even if it sucks, because if you’re protecting yourself this much, it probably will.”

“This isn’t cheering me up.”

“Hey, I’m not a mood manager. I’m a truth-teller.”

“Exactly how often are you and Ida talking these days? Because that sounds like something she’d—”Beep. “Hang on, I’ve got another call.” I pulled back the phone to glance at the screen. “It’s Ronan. I should take this.”

Joon promised to call when he was back in the States, and I thanked him and hung up. I picked up the other line.

“Hi, Ronan.”

“Hey, is this a bad time?”

“No. I was just on the phone … What’s going on? You sound stressed.”

“Someone followed me to the pub from your place. Things are starting to heat up. Remember what I told you.”

“That you reserve the right to invoke the foreplay massage?” I teased, because he sounded worried, which made me worried, and my worry often expressed itself as smartassery since I hated dealing with strong emotion.

Joon was right. I’m overprotecting myself.

Ronan huffed a laugh. He was moving, and from the pattern of his breath, I was pretty sure he was running up a flight of stairs. Not that he was the type to breathe heavily due to physical exertion, it was only that his breath puffed out at the same time as his foot stomped.

“Definitely remember that, but also what I said about Floyd. Something’s not right here. Take extra precautions, okay?”

Sure. I mean, I was going to snatch the wife of a key member of Floyd’s coven tonight, but other than that I’d be on my best behavior.

“You, too. It sounds like they’re after you, not me.”

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