Page 74 of A Spell for Midwinter's Heart
“Nah, it’s for you,” he said, elbowing her. “Chill you out a bit so you don’t shoot yourself in the tit again.”
Rowan flushed and crossed her arms firmly over her chest. “I am not drugging myself.”
Drew shook his head toward Kel. “Should’ve let me tell her it was to soften that rat’s nest she’s got going.” Rowan touched her mass of curls self-consciously.
“I would’ve told her the truth,” muttered Kel, burrowing deeper into their navy blue peacoat.
“Teach me to share my plans with you!” said Drew, throwing his arms to the sky. He jogged to catch up with Liliana and Joe, leaving the younger Midwinters alone. Ozzy wove between them, snuffling at the ground.
“What exactly was in that?” Rowan asked Kel.
“Every aphrodisiac he keeps in stock.”
“Didn’t think Uncle Drew knew the word ‘aphrodisiac,’ ” Stephan interjected as he hurled a stick for Ozzy. The old hound chased after it into the trees, the bells on his collar tinkling. Ozzy leaped into the snow with the abandon of a puppy, despite his nearly ten years of age.
“He doesn’t. He calls them his ‘sexy spices.’ Added to a base of hawthorn and honey, mixed on a Friday in a new moon.” Kel looked at Rowan. “He wanted to use you as a test subject. Ever since Grandma died, he’s been after her clients.”
“Well, I keep feeling better and better about this,” muttered Rowan.
As long as there had been witches in Elk Ridge, people had come to them for magical help—even if it meant approachingunder the cover of night, so that by day they could continue to disavow witchcraft. Chief among those requests were spells of health, fertility, money, and, of course, love.
People knew better than to go to Liliana Midwinter for the latter two. Money had always been out of the question, and as for love, it fell firmly into magical territory that Liliana considered forbidden. Grandmother Madeleine had had no such compunctions, and neither, it seemed, did Drew.
“You been doing any potion work with your dad lately?” asked Stephan.
“A little,” said Kel with a shrug. In the distance, their crow companion cawed, and Kel looked up at the trees, nodding.
“Kel, are you…able to talk to your friend there?” asked Rowan, glancing at the trees.
“To Zo? Talk, not really. Communicate, yes.”
The answer was both surprising and exciting. She hadn’t heard of someone having that ability, but her grandmother had always stressed that there were so many lost spells. Entire generations of magical knowledge had been destroyed in history’s many witch hunts.
They burned more than women in those fires,Grandmother Madeleine had said.They burned the knowing of women.
“Just crows or…?” prodded Stephan. He was studying their cousin closely, and Rowan could guess what he was thinking. Ozzy returned with the stick, trotting beside them.
Kel shrugged. “All the corvids, a few other birds.”
“Is there a different spell for each one?”
“More like variations, but you need to figure out the changes.”
“You know, those spells would be really useful to Stephan’s work,” said Rowan.
“How do you feel about hiking, Kel?” asked Stephan. Though he was playing it cool, Rowan knew how much it would mean for someone to join him on his walkabouts. Not only would Kel’spower expand the possibilities, but her brother, not solitary by nature, would finally have a trail buddy.
“Hate it,” said Kel, but their posture softened. “But, if it’s for a good cause…”
“Speaking of collaboration…” began Rowan, and, checking that Liliana was well out of earshot, she pitched Operation Holly and Ivy to Stephan and Kel.
“Please,” she finished. “Do not tell Mom any of this yet.”
“Let me get this straight,” Stephan said, crossing his arms. “Your answer to not wanting Mom to think you are undermining her is to…sneak around behind her back?”
Rowan winced. “I want it to be further along when we pitch it, so that she doesn’t dismiss it out of hand.”
“Or she’ll feel conspired against and shut down. But your choice. For what it’s worth, I think it’s a good idea. I’ll help however I can.”
