Page 36 of Heart of a Witch
“I’ll have an invitation delivered. Just write down your address before you leave,” I said. “I hope you’ll save me a dance.”
“If the pie’s any good, I’ll leave you a slot on my card.”
I’d almost forgotten about everything, walking with her to the orchard. Corbin. Father. Becoming a hunter. But it always slipped back in. Even here. “I should be getting home soon. I will walk you home first.”
She ran her finger along the core of her apple. “Do you not like taking a carriage? I saw several at your house.”
“I prefer to walk.”
She lay back, her eyes focusing overhead on the branches. “I live quite far from here, so if you wouldn’t mind, I’d love to get a carriage back. I got one here, but it wasn’t my own, so they wouldn’t have waited.”
“I’ll have one take you back.”
“Thank you. I’ll need to use your restroom too.” She stood, then grabbed another apple from a tree. “Thank you for showing me your orchard. It’s beautiful.”
“I should have sent something to you,” I admitted, “after I knew my brother was okay.”
She smiled. “There was no need. I simply came around today to see if he was feeling better.”
Of course it was why she was here. Why else did I think she came back? “I appreciate it.”
She reached her hand in her pocket, and I tried not to squirm, but she didn’t pull it out. “I know it’s a little unusual,” she said when she saw my face, “to keep snakes as pets, but I found them when I was in a dark place, and they brought me comfort. They’ve never hurt me, although I wouldn’t recommend anyone else holding them.”
I saw a glimmer in her eyes, something dark and sad, but it was gone as quick as it had come. “I think it’s sweet.”
She cough-laughed. “Sweet? That’s a first.”
“You care about animals. Why wouldn’t that be sweet?”
“Because they’re not rabbits or kittens.”
“Even snakes deserve love. Maybe more so.”
The corners of her eyes creased. Her stare held an intensity I’d never seen in anyone else before. “Let’s walk,” she said after a moment. “You can tell me all about your club while we do.”
Twelve
Victoria
I set a black candle on my altar, then ran my finger along the instructions on the open pages of my grimoire. I double-checked I had all the items: four coffin nails, a snakeskin, an ounce of black salt, three strands of Damian’s hair, and a feather of a raven. Then one by one, I placed them into a brown woven bag.
“Won’t this have repercussions?” Alex asked.
Cas shushed her. “Our sister knows what she’s doing.”
I cleared my throat. “I’ll be okay, sister.”
“After today, I believe in you.” Cas nodded affirmatively. “You got your invitation.”
“Actually, I got all three of us invitations. He didn’t take much persuading once we walked back to the house.”
Alex’s nose crinkled. “It must have been so hard, pretending to like him. To be in the same house as that wretched hunter.”
“It wasn’t easy, but first impressions tell me he’s not much like his father.”
“Ew,” Alex rebuked. “Don’t tell me you like him.”
“I don’t, but saying he’s not quite as bad as the man who ripped out our Ember’s heart isn’t high praise either, sister.”
