“Did you believe her?” she asks, setting plates of pasta on the table.
“It made sense,” I reply as we sit down to eat. “But there was something off about it. When I observed the bog in the distance, a strange haze floated over it. It was odd. But it dissipated by the time Ronnie and I hiked to the water.”
“Curious. Are you suggesting Courtney is the rogue witch aiding the Baby Nabbers we’ve hypothesized about?”
I recall dashing through the Pumpkin House on Samhain, following the stream of magic residue and discovering her in the bathroom.
“How?” I ask. “She was standing on the porch at the Pumpkin House when I ran outside. I was using the toilet right before. But she had a strange expression on her face. Anxious as everyone else, but it was different. What do I know? She probably felt bad for the mom. We all did.”
“I’ll share this news with Trinity. We should tread carefully around her. She’s the wife of a councilman. Please, eat your dinner, Gwynedd. Don’t let the worries of the world ruin your appetite. You must remain strong in case your power is needed to protect the town.”
I smile at the Elder. “I like you a lot more with this demeanor. Should I thank your partner?”
“Pfft. If it were up to Agnes, I’d be holed up in that farmhouse of hers, letting the coven rot away like a corpse.”
“You don’t mean that. She’s come a long way since you found each other again.”
“Yes. She loves me as I do her. But let’s be honest. If it weren’t for you, she would have never returned to the coven. As much as you didn’t want the job, Gwynedd, you are the anchor for all of us.” She lays a wrinkled hand on mine and smiles. “I hope you’ll keep it.”
I don’t respond and continue eating. Being an anchor is a heavy burden. I’m not sure I want the position.
After meditation with the geode, I lie in bed, contemplating how I will twist Seamus’s arm to divulge his cat sith secrets. Mr. Yeats jumps onto the quilt and stares at me, blinking. I pet his back.
“What am I going to do, Mr. Yeats? How do I convince a cat sith witch to break centuries of rules? Don’t answer. It was rhetorical. Scoot, now. I need privacy.”
He meows at me, hops onto the floor, and scuttles out of the room. I shut the door and call Archie to fill him in on my suspicions about Courtney.
“Hard to say what it all means. She’s a follower, not the makings of a rogue witch, in my opinion. Don’t you agree?”
“I guess. But I’m eager to see how things go down tomorrow night at the council meeting.” I yawn into the phone.
“You sound exhausted. Get some rest. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Sleep well, my love.”
“You, too, honey.”
After class on Monday, I rush across the Green to the alleyway, hoping to catch Seamus while he’s eating lunch. The sun is shining, and the temperature is nearly sixty. I practice my speech on the way to Kent and Drummond. He has to acquiesce when I tell him about the coven’s theory regarding a narcissistic witch.
A neighbor strolls by, waving, as I knock on Seamus’s front door. But he isn’t coming. Damn. My shoulders fall. He must have remained at school today. As I step off the stoop, he calls to me.
“Gwynedd, I wasn’t expecting you. Please, come in.”
“Thanks.” I enter the house, fiddling with my backpack strap.
“What can I do for you on this lovely day?” he asks, leaning on his cane.
“Yes. It’s warmer than expected.” My gaze drops to the floor.
“Something is wrong,” he says, laying a hand on my shoulder. “Please, you can confide in me. Have you had another vision?”
Whatever words spill from my mouth will play on his affections. But I tell myself I have to do it. For my best friend—to keep her future baby safe.
“No. I shouldn’t ask you, but I am so worried about the children in our town, especially Ronnie’s little one that’s due in about a month…” I stare into his eyes. He gazes back silently, inviting me to keep speaking, so I do. “Will you teach me how a cat sith witch increases their intuition? Even a tiny morsel of your knowledge could aid me, intensify my skills enough to sniff out the witch who’s put money above rectitude. I’m asking my protector for help.”
He looks away for a long minute, then returns his gaze. “If I share my secrets, you must promise never to divulge what I show you to anyone—not even Archie.” He grasps my hand. “This is knowledge I share only with those I consider special to me.”
“Yes. I promise you I won’t tell anyone.”
He smiles. “I will be in touch when I have a break in my schedule.”
“Thank you, Seamus,” I say, laying a hand on my chest. “I’m indebted to you.”
He gestures to the dining room. “I was about to eat lunch. Would you join me?”
“I would love to, but I have to get home and eat quickly. I’m babysitting Dr. Lewis’s son Aidan this afternoon.”
“Ah, yes. She has a class at one. You better make haste, then. We can have lunch another time.”
“Yes. Let’s do that. Have a wonderful day.”
“And you as well, Gwynedd.”
I step out onto the stoop, waving goodbye. On the way home, my stomach churns. Agnes says there are repercussions for everything we do. Will I regret this?
Standing in front of Nick Evans’s old apartment, my chest tightens. I haven’t been here since the night I stabbed him with Archie’s dirk, turning his fairy body into a mummified corpse. Why did I think I could come here and babysit? My heart beats against my ribcage and my hand trembles as I knock. The door swings in.
