I had torn Dom down.
I had tornmedown from what they all thought I was. Strong and independent and fierce. But I was nothing. I was pitiful, in fact, all because—
“I cursed Dominic Rovnik!”
The kitchen came to an abrupt halt.
Lu blinked a few times. It was impressive she never faltered from her attention on me to look at anyone else’s reaction. “Can you repeat that?”
Everyone slowly nodded their agreement.
I cleared my throat. “I cursed someone—or hexed them. I’m really unclear what the difference is, only that it’s not good. That’s where I’ve been. He showed back up here. I cursed Dominic Rovnik, and it actually worked, apparently, and now, here we are.”
“Was that the man you were seeing last summer?” Celeste asked. “The big one with the dark hair?”
Still in shock that I had basically just shouted that out at them all, I forced myself to nod twice. I hadn’t known that anyone had seen him last summer, though then again, of course they had. Even if I had neglected all my responsibilities in the few weeks we were together, it was still a small town.
Lu’s eyes widened at that piece of information. “Where has he been hiding?”
“At my apartment. He showed up, and then the curse that I had sent out got worse. It’s threefold now unless we are basically joined at the hip. Which …”
“You have been,” Celeste filled in the blank, her eyes wide and face slack in sudden understanding.
Understanding began to dawn on them all.
I, Ana Wharton, had really cursed someone.
“I thought I could figure this out on my own. I thought I could figure out how to fix this. I didn’t want to tell anyone. I didn’t want to tell all of you what I’d done.” I held my breath so no other emotion other than determination could show through. “But I can’t figure out what to do. I’ve tried stupid spells, symbols, begging the gods—though I’m pretty positive they’ve turned their backs on me at this point.”
“Oh, Ana,” Gertie whispered. There was oddly more pity than any disappointment or anger, which I’d figured I’d find in her voice.
“When did you even do this?” Faith asked.
“I don’t know.” Though, of course, I did. “Three months ago, give or take a week?”
“I thought you were over him,” said Lu.
Honestly, by the looks of things, I wasn’t sure if I would ever be over Dom, no matter how hard I tried. I bit the inside of my cheek, keeping myself in check as I forced myself to face the full attention of my entire coven.
“Okay,” said Lu. “Forget I said that.”
Gertie nodded.
“I think I need something a whole lot stronger than tea,” I muttered, putting a hand to my head.
“The cakes will be out in three minutes,” Celeste said, peeking into the oven.
Cakes. Unless they could solve the world or were filled with rum, that wasn’t exactly what I’d meant, but I wasn’t going to say anything.
“Start at the beginning.”
Taking a deep breath, I started right there—the night after the fateful baby shower, the red wine, and the spell I’d made up, still written in myBook of Shadows, which I exposed before them on the table.
I told them everything.
13
“You’re right,” said Celeste. She watched as I stuffed my face with mini chamomile cakes while everyone else politely took their petite bites. “Maybe you did need something stronger.”
