Page 7 of Cursed Luck
She gave Serena an apologetic smile and pushed back her shoulders. Mia hurried outside and sucked in a breath of fresh air. The bartender had set all the leftover drinks on a table to her left and was walking off with the remains of his setup. To her right, the group of witches watched, eagerly waiting for the last human to leave.
Mia walked to the plush grass and curled her toes into it as she raised her face toward the setting sun. Grounding herself multiple times a day was a necessity with the varying personalities who came into her shop, but in that moment, it had everything to do with Edward.
She breathed in the warm air a few times before peering around the corner the bartender had gone. She smiled at the white gate and spun on her heels.
“He’s gone,” she announced.
Hugh stood. “We probably have an hour before Serena comes out to lead us in the ceremony.”
“Hey, Mia, we’d love to see what you can do,” Iris, one of the coven witches, said.
She looked around the large yard. In the center still stood the arch she had helped decorate for the wedding, but past it was nothing but grass. She overheard someone say the house was a new purchase for the couple, so she guessed they had not yet worried about the landscape. If it were her new home—with Edward?Mia shook her head at the sudden thought, unsure where it had come from. If it were her home, the yard would be the first thing she would tend to.
Mia padded to the back-right corner, and the others followed. She centered herself as the scents of grass, dirt, and earth filled her. Lowering to her knees, she pushed her palms to the grass and let her magic flow.
Envisioning the most beautiful garden suitable for a couple like Serena and Ethan, she filled it with different flowers. She ignored the gasps from the group and let the earth fill her as she allowed it to spring forth.
Mia didn’t know how long it took or how it really worked. She learned to never rush when she tapped into her magic, or bother questioning it. Instead, she allowed the magic to caress and soothe her in a way she couldn’t explain.
When she opened her eyes, her gaze swept across the large garden and she grinned. It was perfect for the couple. Leaning forward, she inhaled the mint plant lining the outer edge.
“Mia?” Serena whispered from behind.
She jumped to her feet, feeling light and energized by the work she had done. “Hmm?” she muttered, still taking in the variety of flowers, herbs, and plants.
“I didn’t know you could dothis,” Brandy said.
Mia peered over her shoulder and found the entire Broderick coven had joined them at some point. Ignoring the way her heartbeat sped at Edward’s presence, she forced her attention to Serena. “Do you like it?”
Serena grinned, examining Mia’s work. “Peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes… And that is mint, chamomile, lavender, calendula, and echinacea!” she said, her voice rising with each discovery. Serena’s eyes lit up like Christmas morning. “Wow, hibiscus in the back and oh, blackberries and strawberries over there! Holy crap, what didn’t you grow?”
Mia shrugged. “I’m guessing you like it?”
“I can make my own teas from my own plants. I fucking love it!”
Ethan wrapped an arm around Serena and pulled her against him. “Thank you, Mia. You’ve outdone yourself.”
Mia sucked in a deep breath to center herself after the overabundance of magic she’d used. “I only do what the goddess allows me to do with earth. This is by far the largest and most varied garden I’ve created.”
“Can you do ours next? Because, wow!” Claudia said from Max’s side.
“I sure as hell can’t do all of this,” Terra, another of the coven witches, said. “You conjured an entire garden out of dirt and grass. I can’t even make a single blossom appear like you did earlier.”
Vanessa walked toward Mia. “All that’s missing is a pond or water of some sort. Maybe some fairies will come.”
“Fairies?” Edward blurted. “They’re real too?”
Vanessa raised her thin shoulder. “Nymphs are, so why not? Has anyone ever seen one?”
The large group turned their eyes on each other in question, but none of them spoke.
“Before my mom or me, did anyone consider nymphs were real?”
Everyone in the group shook their head at nearly at the same time, and Mia giggled. “Well, I struggle with conjuring water—”
“I don’t!” Brandy stated and stepped forward. “Hmm… Let’s see… Oh, Mia, do you think you can shift those?” she asked, pointing at the plants in the far-left corner.
Mia tilted her head in thought. “I’m not sure, but I’ll try.”
