Lying in Archie’s magnificent Victorian walnut bed, I contemplate my next steps. I haven’t told him Seamus has agreed to instruct me in the cat sith’s ways of strengthening intuition. He’d tell me it’s a bad idea, and anyway, it isn’t his concern. I’m the one trying to improve my skills to root out the rogue witch in town, if one actually exists. While he’s brushing his teeth, a notification lights up my phone, and I pick up my cell from the nightstand.

Seamus: Good evening, Gwynedd. How would Friday at my house work for training?

Me: Our usual time?

Seamus: Yes. 3:00 p.m. works well. Wear loose clothing.

Me: Great. See you on Friday.

Seamus: I look forward to our training.

Archie hops into bed. “Who was that?”

I can’t lie to him, but I don’t have to tell him everything, either. “Seamus. He’s just confirming our regular schedule for Friday.”

“Gwyn, you’re entitled to do as you please, and I realize you don’t want to hear it again. But…if Seamus has romantic affections toward you, spending more time with him is the last thing you should be doing. You should consider taking a break.”

“You worry too much,” I say, stroking the whiskers of his goatee. “Everything is under control. A pause in our research may not be a bad idea, though. Until after Thanksgiving. I have a ton of schoolwork to catch up on.”

He leans down, his lips nearly touching mine. “That will leave more time for…our research.”

He kisses me, and the woodsy scent of his cologne entices me as I caress his chest. He slides a hand up my inner thigh.

“Mmm. Explore away, professor.”

Chapter fifteenA Mother’s Intuition

Sunny weather continues through Wednesday, providing warmer temperatures than usual for early November. Resident complaints regarding the ordinance have calmed as they accept the new normal. The increased presence of Bearsden Police units is noticeable. As I drive to Ronnie’s home, I pass three or four sets of patrols monitoring the area. It’s a double-edged sword the town must grapple with—less privacy versus a sense of safety. But are we safe? Not if a nefarious witch is involved.

When I arrive at my best friend’s home, Derek is loading his SUV with an athletic duffle bag. I park on the street and walk up the driveway to talk with him.

“Hey, Gwyn,” he says, shutting the back car door. “I’m glad you could give her a visit. I am so worried about Ronnie. She’s becoming a hermit. The baby hasn’t even arrived, and she keeps saying her mother’s intuition is sending her bad vibes. Can you talk some sense into her?”

“It’s not an irrational fear, Derek. Even Unremarkable moms possess inner instincts that signal when their children are in danger. But I’ll chat with her about it.” I pat his arm. “Don’t worry. She’ll come around once the baby is here. She will be way too busy to think about anything but sleep and changing dirty diapers.”

“I hope you’re right. I have to get to the fitness center. My cardio class starts in twenty minutes. Thanks, Gwyn.”

“You’re welcome.”

As Derek backs out of the driveway, I approach the front door. I knock briefly and enter.

“Ronnie?” I ask in an elevated voice. “Where are you?”

“In the kitchen!” she shouts back. “I’m making tea.”

My best friend sets a kettle on the stove and turns on the burner. At nearly eight months, her belly stretches her maternity T-shirt, and her feet are so swollen, they resemble mini balloons. Frizzy and disheveled crimson curls fall to her shoulders. Dark circles hint at sleepless nights.

“Hey, why don’t you let me make the tea?” I ask, placing my purse in a chair. “Sit and prop your feet up.”

She rubs her lower back. “This time, I’m taking you up on your offer.”

While she sits with a pillow tucked behind her lumbar, I grab a couple of mugs from an upper cabinet and spoons from a drawer. After dropping some stevia in, I place them on the kitchen table.

“What would you like? Peppermint or Ginger?” I ask.

“Peppermint. It’s about all I can stomach these days. The scent of ginger makes me want to puke.”

“You don’t have long now. In a few weeks, you’ll say hello to your baby.”

The teakettle whistles, and I pour hot water into our mugs. Ronnie waves a hand as she chants, and amber magic seeps from her fingers. The spoons twirl inside.

She chuckles. “I have to do something, or I’ll feel useless.”

“It’s great you’re loosening up. Use it or lose it, I say, whether or not Leslie approves.”

“Yeah,” she says, sipping her tea. “Derek didn’t want our child to be raised on magic, but we came to a compromise. I have to wait until our kid is older.”

“Probably safer. But if you are practicing witchcraft, you realize it could spark the witch energy in your kid, right?”

“We’ll have to figure out how to handle it when or if it happens.”

“Derek says you’ve been anxious. ‘Bad vibes,’ he called them. More mother’s intuition warnings?”

“I don’t know. Out of nowhere, an overwhelming dread takes over my body, like a tsunami, and I clutch my belly. After massaging it for a while, the sensation fades, but it hangs over me—a guillotine ready to drop.” She slides an index finger across her neck.

“Oh, Ronnie. Why didn’t you tell me?” I jump up from my chair and hug her.

“I figured it was expectant mom jitters. We all have them, right?”

“Yeah, that’s true,” I say, sitting in my seat. “Or are these different? You’re a witch, too. When did the first one occur?”

“When we hiked in the park. You thought you saw something move in the woods. Do you remember?”

“Holy crystals,” I say, my lips parting. “I did, too. Did this sense of dread occur any other time besides recently?”

“Yeah. A little the day we met Courtney on the trail.” Her jaw drops. “Is that why you rushed ahead of me?”

I nod. “Something pulled me toward the bog. Then I nearly ran into her. I’ve had suspicions about her since then. We talked about her at the Pumpkin House after the circle. No one seems to think she’s involved. It’s a gut feeling I have—my weak intuition.”

“What’s triggering these feelings? Do you think the kidnappers are camping out in the park?”

“I don’t know. But the Bearsden Police are all over the city now. If those criminals are hiding in there, they’ll find them. Or frighten them away. But we should share our concerns with the Fellowship on Thursday.”

“The patrols can’t monitor everywhere twenty-four-seven. The Baby Nabbers have evaded capture all this time.” She lays both hands on her belly. “I have a bad feeling.”

I lay my hand on hers and squeeze. “The coven is on guard. We’ll keep you and your infant safe if they don’t capture these kidnappers. Meanwhile, I have a plan. Seamus agreed to teach me some of his intuition secrets—the ways of the cat sith. We’re starting on Friday.”