Zara paused for effect, letting the words settle as she swept her gaze over them. Cally sought Eve across the circle, a silent question: was Zara being moreZarathan usual? Eve was expressionless, but one shoulder rose in a half-shrug.
“Magic is more than intention, more than belief,” Zara continued, her voice thick with theatrics, each syllable drawn out just enough to sound portentous without quite tipping into parody. “It is action, connection, and the willingness to step beyond what we know. Some nights, we cast our spells into the universe, trusting the right eyes will see, the right forces will answer.” She took on a distant look. “And sometimes, the universe peers back.”
Cally frowned. Had Eve already told her? Cally thought they were going to tell them together.
But Eve looked just as puzzled, her brow furrowed as she couldn’t help glancing at Cally before she interrupted. “What does that mean, Zara?”
Priya and Lily stirred in surprise. No one ever interrupted Zara; it was best to let her just finish, so that they could get on with the spells.
“Well might you ask, Eve,” Zara replied, as if she’d been expecting the question, her mystical voice particularly strong. “The reason I called you all tonight is that we are to be blessed with a visitor.”
That explained why Zara wore her best Wiccan dress: a flowing, floor-length midnight blue affair in velvet with bell sleeves, embroidered with silver symbols of the moon and stars, and a surprisingly deep neckline. It was all the more out of place when everyone else was uncomfortable in damp jeans and sweaters. Even now, the heavy rain drummed against the window.
“Visitors?” Priya echoed, surprise mingling with excitement.
“Indeed,” Zara said pompously. “Our coven has earned the interest of wise and knowledgeable forces.”
“What did you do, Zara?” Eve asked flatly.
Zara looked momentarily taken aback. “I don’t know what you mean,” she replied, her voice defensive and far less mystical. “I merely shared some of our spells on the forum.”
Eve let her skepticism show. “That forum gets spells all the time, and no one cares. What else did you say?”
“Well, I…” Her gaze flicked briefly to Cally. “I may have mentioned the vision.”
“Uh-huh,” Eve said. “And?”
Zara straightened her back where she sat on the floor, legs folded beneath her. “It is our duty to let other witches know the success of our magics.”
“You told them about the blood, didn’t you?” Eve pressed.
“It’s not uncommon—” A sharp knock on the door interrupted Zara. “Ah! Our visitor has arrived.” It was difficult to rise gracefully from a cross-legged position in a long dress, but she gave it her best attempt, brushing back a curl of her blonde hair as she went to open the door.
Cally met Eve’s gaze with a dubious expression, then pushed herself to her feet. She had no desire to meet anyone while sitting on the floor. As if waiting for her example, the other coven members also rose.
Zara welcomed in a short, rounded, bespectacled middle-aged woman with a friendly face, juggling an oversized handbag with a wet umbrella, which she left by the door. She beamed as shetook in Zara’s small apartment and the gathered coven members, then without waiting to be asked, crossed to one of Zara’s armchairs and perched on the edge of the seat, resting her bag on her lap.
“This is High Priestess Amelia,” Zara said, with a note of reflected pride. “She has come to observe our coven tonight.” To Amelia, she added, “Would you like a cup of tea?”
“No, thank you.” Her gaze lingered on Zara’s plunging neckline and her mouth pursed in disapproval.
“High Priestess?” Cally echoed, trying not to raise an eyebrow.
“That’s right, dear,” Amelia replied. “Don’t mind me. Please continue as you usually would. I’m afraid I don’t have long.”
Eve brushed back a damp auburn curl and gave Amelia a piercing look. “What are you a High Priestess of?”
Amelia didn’t make eye contact. “Spiritual authority, dear.” She showed no sign of elaborating.
Zara returned to the circle, tucking up the long skirt of her dress as she sat once more, and with an air of reluctance, the others followed. Only Priya seemed excited to have an audience, fidgeting with her hands and casting frequent glances toward where Amelia watched.
“Focus, please, ladies,” Zara said, drawing their attention. “Tonight, we shall start with—”
“You said you could make the crystals glow,” Amelia cut in. “I would like to see that, please.”
“Of course,” Zara responded smoothly, while a frown of irritation flickered across Eve’s brow. “Your pins, please, ladies.”
“Wait,glow?” Lily whispered, leaning forward across the circle. The apartment was quiet enough that Amelia would clearly have heard her. “We can’t—”
