I stared at Faith in stunned silence, my arms dropping to my sides.

“Murdered? Why?”

Faith let out a deep sigh, then leaned over and buried her face in her hands, massaging her forehead with her fingertips. She let her hands drop, and looked up at me. Suddenly, I didn’t see an eccentric weirdo, but a woman who’d been through unimaginable sorrow.

I sank down in the chair opposite her, still feeling numb over the revelation about my mother. Tears stung my eyes as I wondered what kind of monster would kill her.

“My dad said she died in a car accident.”

Faith reached out and put a hand over mine. Her hand was frail, her skin cold and paper thin, but the gesture filled me with warmth.

“I’m sorry that you found out like this. I’m not surprised Leo never told you. I’m sure he just wanted to protect you. Celeste was devastated when you and your dad left, but she didn’t blame him for leaving.”

I swallowed hard and looked up at her, the tears now streaming down my face. “But why? Why would anyone murder her?”

My voice came out in a hoarse whisper. Faith pursed her lips.

“That’s a very long story, and involves a lot more people than just your mother. To keep it brief, she fought against Chandra and the influence she and her coven had in this town, and Chandra didn’t like it. Willa did the same thing years before her. Anyone who goes up against the Farrows doesn’t survive.”

A torrent of emotions coursed through me. This family of murderers just didn’t fit with Theresa’s kindness. She’d known that I was a Black, but befriended me anyway. She could have been trying to get information from me, or track my movements, but that didn’t seem right either.

But I also couldn’t forgive her family for taking away my mother. If we ever met again, I wasn’t sure I could stay friends with her.

I picked up my mug again, desperate to give my hands something to do. “Aunt Faith, I need to know the story. I need to know what’s going on so I can protect myself and know for sure what I’m up against. Please, will you help me?”

Faith squeezed her hands more tightly around her mug, her face carefully neutral. I tried again.

“Jade mentioned that she killed a man, and that caused the initial fight between you and Grandma and Chandra.”

Her expression darkened. “Yes, Nick’s death is where it all began, but that’s a story for another day. The more important fact is that Chandra made your grandmother’s life a living hell. She did that to all of us, really.”

A hot flash of anger overtook me. “Then why hasn’t the Black family banded together to get rid of her? It sounds like this family has been cowed by this Chandra lady long enough.”

Faith shook her head solemnly. “No, Sage. Don’t even think about it. Chandra is pure evil, and too powerful. We’ve already lost too many to her…”

She trailed off, pressing a hand to her mouth. A single tear slipped down her cheek. I felt like a total jerk.

“I’m sorry, Aunt Faith.”

Taking a dainty lace handkerchief from her robe pocket, Faith dabbed away her tears. “It’s all right, dear. Part of me admires you for wanting to stick it out in this town, but I’m worried about you, too.”

The words were unexpectedly heartwarming. I’d never met this woman before, but she had allowed me in and told me at least part of our family history, a history that was very painful to her. On top of that, she cared about me.

“Thanks. I feel like if I knew more about magic, I could be better prepared for anything that might happen.”

Faith scrutinized me, her expression thoughtful. “Did you cast that protection spell with a wand?”

I nodded, then pulled the small length of wood from my bag. Her eyes sparkled, making her look years younger. “How did you feel when you picked it up?”

Looking down, I let my eyes run the length of the wood. “It felt like…I found a missing piece of myself. The wand just sort of feels like an extension of my hand and arm.”

I looked up to see Faith laughing. “I think you’re a spell caster, like me. How did the protection spell go?”

Though I tried to look modest, a triumphant smile tugged at my lips. “I got it the first time. I’ve had trouble with some other simple spells, but Jade says I have a knack for it.”

Faith glanced down at Jade, who was licking the bowl, trying to find any lingering crumbs. She looked up and gave a sort of shrug. She messed up that chair in Celeste’s living room and smacked me with a pillow, but she’s decent.

I shot her a sarcastic look. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Faith stood up and started rummaging through the stack of magical books, muttering to herself as she did so. “Aha.”

She stood up, clutching a book that had been near the bottom of the pile. Plopping it on my lap, she pointed to the cover.

“‘Basic Charms and Spells for Everyday Use.’ This is the best guide I’ve found on the basics of spell casting. You hang onto that, young lady, and study it.”

I ran my hands over the blue leather cover, a slight tingling coursing through them at the contact. “Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure! You need it more than I do, honey. You read that and then come back and we’ll practice. I’m here all the time, so come whenever you finish it. Sound good?”

“Okay.”

But another problem occurred to me as I gazed down at the book on my lap. “Where can I find replacement potion ingredients for the apothecary?”

Faith laughed heartily. “Oh goodness, I can’t tell you how many ingredients expeditions my sisters and I went on. We could get anything herbal from Willa’s garden, obviously, but we had to hunt for more exotic ingredients like toad skin and fish scales. Nowadays, everyone uses WitchNet, apparently.”

I raised an eyebrow. “WitchNet?”

Faith nodded. “It’s a website on the interwebs. I’ve never used it as I’ve no use for a computer, but your generation seems to love it. Celeste, Willa, and I used to drive down to New Orleans and get the more exotic stuff from witches down there, but it cost a fortune. We had a lot of fun, though.”

Her expression grew wistful, and I felt a sudden, deep sorrow that I’d never known my grandmother or Aunt Willa.

“I guess we should get going,” I said, giving Jade a gentle nudge. She gave me a grumpy glare, probably hoping for more crackers and cheese. I made a mental note to get some at the store.

I stood up, trying unsuccessfully to cram the book into my shoulder bag. Eventually, I gave up and set it down on the sofa. Turning to Faith, I opened my arms hesitantly for a hug. She reached out and pulled me in tightly.

“You take care of yourself, honey. Just come back if you need any more help, okay?”

I felt a surge of gratitude that I’d decided to come see Faith, and that she’d let me in. As we pulled apart, I looked down at the book. “Aunt Faith, my friend Theresa has gone missing, and I’m under suspicion over it. Are there any spells in here that might help me find her?”

Faith’s eyes grew wide. “You mean Theresa Farrow?”

Chapter Eleven

“Yes,” I replied slowly. To my surprise, Faith’s brow creased with concern.

“Oh, that’s a real shame. She’s one of the only decent Farrows.”

I let out a breath, feeling my shoulders slump with relief. “You know her, then?”