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I sighed. It was like that movie, Just My Luck, where she was a lucky girl. That’s what it was—I was just a lucky girl. Nothing else. Taking some deep breaths, I opened my eyes and saw we were close to home.
A few minutes later, I was unlocking the door and taking off my shoes. I headed toward the kitchen. As Charli had said when I left tonight, she would have a meal ready for me. Sure enough, on the counter was a bowl of fettuccine Alfredo with grilled chicken. I looked toward the ceiling, where Charli was probably asleep already, and said a silent thank you. A blanket of warmth wrapped around me, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Bruno
I hadn’t been in Placer Town since the last coven meeting ten years ago, but on walking around, nothing had changed. I had arrived early in the hopes of finding Lira. And now that I was here, the string that connected me to her felt as though it had tightened.
I’d arrived at the address on the envelope, only to find it ended at a church. As there was no residence in sight, it told me Lira could be anywhere. Following my instincts, I’d paid a visit to the community center and laughed when I’d come across the sign on the door—Meeting of Covens.
They weren’t being subtle about it anymore—or maybe being in plain sight was the safest bet? Miti would be here tomorrow. There were always humans who attended the coven, but most didn’t know there were real witches surrounding them. Probably for the best.
“Here, have a program.”
I turned to see a young girl with dark brown hair and dark crafty eyes staring at me, a piece of paper held in her hand.
Taking the paper, I read the conference title on it, then the list of key points being covered at the meeting this year. Many were controversial subjects that most humans didn’t know about, but within the paranormal world, they were causing quite a stir. One being the latest news that covens were breaking up into two factions after centuries of working cohesively. One side wanted change to keep up with the modern world, while the other wanted to keep their traditions intact, including hierarchy and distinct lines of who could and could not do certain things. Miti was very much on the voice for change, and I pitied anyone who dared to challenge her.
“You should join us,” the girl said. “Everyone is invited, even those who don’t believe.”
I took a whiff of her scent and realized she was a witch. The metallic smell of potions lingered around her. There was no need to tell her I knew more about witches then she probably did. “I’ll be there. I have witches who are friends. Sounds interesting.” No reason to tell her who I was either.
The spark that ignited in her eyes made me smile.
“Oh, it’s going to be very interesting. We meet every ten years unless someone calls an emergency. We talk about the latest potions and crafts, as well as any tensions with other parties that need to be decided upon as a group. It’s usually a small meeting, but this year is supposed to be big. Many covens are joining us this year.”
That was saying it mildly. From what I had overheard Miti saying to Dad, an all-out war might break out if tensions weren’t reigned in. She was hoping this coven meeting hadn’t convened too late.
“It all sounds wonderful, but I’m looking for someone at the moment.”
“Oh, maybe I can help. I know everyone in this town.”
“Yeah?”
“I grew up here. Name’s Trixie.” She held out a hand for me to shake.
“Nice to meet you. And yes, maybe you can. I’m looking for a girl named Lira. She’s?—”
“Lira! You know her?”
“You know her?”
“We just hung out last night. She’s hiding out in the old Wu estate. She’s a descendent, which is great. It’s such a pretty house, and it’s been so sad to see it forgotten all these years.”
“Where’s the old Wu estate?” Time to see if the address was correct.
“Not far. It used to be where these coven meetings would take place. That is, until the family disappeared. But Lira’s back now; I hope she revives the home. All you can see of it right now is the church.”
I tried not to jerk at her response. My mate was here. She was close. “How did you meet Lira?” I asked her as casually as I could.
“Charli asked me to meet her at the local bar last night. We chatted and hit it off, but when I introduced her to my friends, she ran. It’s all very odd. She clearly has the gift. I can feel it emanating off her, but she doesn’t want to accept it.”
Was this Charlie guy seeing Lira? My wolf growled. This made Trixie jump. I tried tempering my emotions by clenching my hands, but it wasn’t helping. “Who’s Charlie?”
Trixie stared at me until I growled again. Her words came tumbling out. “A grandmother figure to Lira.”
At that comment, my wolf instantly calmed down. “Sorry about that,” I said, taking some deep breaths to calm myself.
With my brain back in focus, I thought about what Trixie had said about Lira. She wasn’t human? From what Jacob said, Millie was definitely a human. My concern for Lira doubled. I needed to find her as soon as I could. Miti would know how to help her, and if she really was clueless about her heritage, she would need all the help she could get.
