Page 82 of Potions and Proposals
“I’m still the High Priestess of this town, and you will respect my decision,” Mum declared, standing over her.
“Fine, you’re my High Priestess. But it wasyourdecision to retire early.Yourdecision to allow the coven to bind your daughter to another,yourdecision to then cast a Frankenstein spell! Forgive me for cleaning up your mess!”
“I won’t be talked to this way,” Mum snapped, heading for the door.
“How can you expect and trust me to lead the coven in a matter of days when you don’t trust my judgement or listen to anything I have to say?” Lucy yelled after her.
“I’ve only ever done what I thought was best for you,” Mum said, the fight leaving her. Tears swelled in her eyes, magnified by her thick glasses.
“Maybe the best thing for me is for you to do nothing at all.”
Silence had never been so deafening.
Afraid of what else could be said in the heat of the moment, Lucy pushed past her mum and left her on the porch. Fighting with her couldn’t have happened at a worse time; tomorrow was the opening night dance for the festival. Now, not only was she angry at her mum, but feeling guilty about having to hide whatWilhelmina had done to Benedict.Is a moment, an hour, a day of peace too much to ask for?
It was only when she reached her room and slammed the door closed that she realised she couldn’t even remember the last time they had argued.
With the library closed on Saturday, Lucy deserved a lie-in. She’d spent the morning reading in bed and was desperate for a snuggle, but Chaos was still avoiding her. It was clear there was a six-foot-something man she wanted to snuggle more.
Speaking of whom… Lucy winced as she eyed Benedict’s missed call. She covered her head with her bedcovers and was about to turn off her phone when a text arrived from Rosie.
Rosie: I’ve got a giant favour to ask. Emerson asked me out!!! Finally! But I promised I would chaperone the dance tonight from seven to nine. We are going for dinner after we finish looking at some cottages around the village, so please please please can you cover for me? I’ll buy that super expensive yucky tea you love. PLEASE, and remember I have sharp teeth ;)
She couldn’t say no; she and Emerson were looking at cottages to rent so he wouldn’t have to stay in his university accommodation. Most of the professors had their own places, and Emerson getting a place in town might establish that he was here to stay.
Lucy groaned. There was no way she’d be able to avoid Benedict if she went to the festival’s opening night costume party. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see Benedict, but if she did, she’d have to tell him about her mum destroying the curse-stripping potion.
Staring at the message, she pulled herself from her sheets. She shouldn’t let her friend’s love-life suffer because hers was a mess.
Lucy: Are you threatening to bite me if I say no?!
Don’t say no then. Pretty please! I thought I’d have to be the one to ask him and then this morning he just blurted it out while I was working. Xxx
Great, now she had to find a costume by seven. The calendar with the 31st circled in red mocked her. The town square hadtransformed into what could only be compared to the towns fromThe Nightmare Before ChristmasorHocus Pocus, two of her favourite Halloween movies, to mark the ten-day countdown to the festival.
Fine, I’ll do it. It’ll get me away from my mum. Are you still able to cover the toffee apple stall? We only need to have it open for the fireworks.
I could kiss you! Thank you! Yes, I’ll be there for nine and stay until midnight so you don’t have to be around the fireworks. You should talk to Willa, ignoring each other isn’t going to help matters. She was wrong to destroy the potion, but she probably didn’t want to risk both of your elements.
Rosie had offered for Lucy to stay at hers for a few days, but so close to the binding, all eyes would be on her. Rumours of a rift amongst the Hawthorne women would mean everything that had happened over the last four weeks would’ve been for naught.
She’s avoiding me as much as I’m avoiding her, and I think I’d prefer your teeth. ;)
Was that text meant for Benedict? Speaking of, have you spoken to him about what you’re going to do? Emerson still has the grimoire, I could ask him?
Never mind, I think I have plans tonight.
No, don’t say a word to Emerson. I don’t want the order to know we’re using the grimoire. They’d never send me another one.
Her stomach dropped at the thought of Emerson discovering she was going to use a forbidden potion. No matter how much Rosie trusted him, he was the last person she wanted to know about their plan.
My lips are sealed. We’re going to the haunted manor in Willow Valley. The one where the girl killed her whole family because she was possessed. I promised Emerson I’d bring him, so I thought dinner in Willow Valley would be a good idea since I don’t want him going there alone.
How romantic, a crime scene for a first date.
Don’t yuck our yum, and you might have fun tonight! The best part of being the chaperone is that no one is watching you.
Do you know who else signed up?
