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A clatter of plastic tubs sounds from the stairs. “Hey, I thought I was the best!”
“You’re the bestest!” I call.
Tris clatters past with his arms full of buckets, heading toward the kitchen.
A moment later, he trots back toward the door, now with a colander on his head, and the screen door bangs shut.
I give Ros another squeeze. “You’re also the bestest, oh master of spider slaying.”
“Now you’re just trying to butter me up,” he grumbles.
“I can butter you up and still mean it.” Releasing him, I hoist up my bucket. “I hope Delilah likes this.”
“She’ll appreciate that you’re letting her use it.” He taps the puffy glitter paint on the side, where I labeled it Special Bucket, along with stars and wavy lines to represent water. “How could she not when it’s so special?”
I had added the decorations before allowing Haut to hide it, so it wouldn’t get mixed up with my other not-so-secret buckets. If I ever need to speak to another witch through water, or need to track someone down, I want to use something tried and true.
My head lifts with excitement. “Hey, do you think this could be considered a magical tool? Aspen seemed pretty disappointed we didn’t have any, but we used this bucket to find Delilah and the others, so it’s pretty magical, right?”
Warmth fills Ros’s face, and he cups my cheek. “Yeah, it’s pretty magical, all right.” Then his eyes narrow. “Do you have Aspen’s cell number?”
I frown up at Ros. “Why?”
He strokes my cheeks. “Just something I’d like to discuss with him.”
I shrug. “It’s in my phone if you can find it. Can’t remember where I left the darn thing, but I added Aspen under Stick Up His Ass.”
Ros dips his fingers into my pocket and pulls out my phone. “Got it.”
“Huh.” I glance down at my leggings. “That should have been obvious.”
“You have a lot on your mind.” He turns me around and gives me a little shove toward the door. “No more avoiding your homework.”
“I wasn’t avoiding.” I peer back over my shoulder at him. “This was an important pause. And if you’re really hungry, I can drop the bucket off with Delilah, then come back inside for a little nibble.”
He swats me on the ass, leaving a delicious sting behind. “You won’t be using me to escape your homework.”
“Fine,” I pout and let him push me out onto the porch.
While he heads around back to the spider-infested shed, I return to the garden.
I find Delilah kneeling next to a bush of stinky purple lavender and present her with my special bucket. “Here we go, one herb-transportation device!”
A smile spreads over Delilah’s lips, and she takes it to admire my artwork on the sides. “Oh, my. Are you sure you want to loan this to me?”
“Of course. This is a magical bucket.” I poke the puffy paint that forms squiggles on the side. “This represents when you made the water lead us to you and the others. I’d say that makes this very important magical tool half yours.”
“Oh.” Her hands tremble on the bucket, and she blinks a few times. “Thank you, Rowe. This means a lot.”
I glance at the few clippings she holds in her lap. “Looks like you’re making good progress with finding things that speak to you.”
“Oh, no.” She touches the green leaves. “I just thought this rosemary and oregano would go well with tonight’s dinner.”
“Ah.” I nod like I know what she’s talking about. “Delicious weeds for the…soup?”
“Pot roast,” she supplies. “Rodney down at the butcher gave me a pot roast. He’s such a kind young man.”
“Rodney’s good with meat.” I waggle my eyebrows. “And single.”
