“A few weeks ago, just after Cally joined the coven.”
“Interesting.” Amelia focused back on Cally, her expression carefully neutral, but her eyes narrowed.
“It’s not all about Cally,” Zara said, carrying a tray with a pot of tea, a small jug of milk, and a single cup and saucer. “I am the High Priestess of this coven, and—”
“No, you’re not,” Lily said. “We don’t have one. We just let you run this because it’s your apartment.”
“Iamthe High Priestess,” Zara said firmly, “and—”
“Nothing ever worked before Cally arrived,” Priya told Amelia.
Eve rose abruptly, jerking her chin toward Cally, who got up to follow her out of Zara’s living room and into the spare bedroom used as a home office. Behind them, Priya started asking Amelia questions in an excited voice.
“We’ve already said too much,” Eve began as soon as the door clicked shut. “We don’t know anything about this woman.”
“I know,” Cally replied, her brow furrowed in thought. “But we need help learning about witch magic, right? Maybe she has access to things we could use.”
“And maybe she’s just an interfering old busybody that knows no more than Zara does.”
“Well, if that’s the case, then what we’ve shared won’t make any difference, will it?”
“I suppose not,” Eve admitted grudgingly. “Is that why you agreed to perform like a circus monkey for her amusement?”
“I’m picking up on clues that you don’t like her. They’re subtle, but they’re there.”
Eve raked a hand through her damp hair. “The whole thing stinks to me. Zara goes all big-mouthed and indiscreet on the forum, and then some stranger turns up, claiming to be a ‘High Priestess’? Don’t you want to know why?”
“I don’t disagree.” Cally made a face. “I think it’s fishy as hell. How many people like Zara boast all the time on those forumsabout stuff they’ve done? Does Amelia tour around Boston meeting with all the covens?”
“Well actually, I did get that impression. She seemed very uninterested, like she’d done this a hundred times. Right up until you made the crystals glow. Then all of a sudden, you were her best friend.”
“Yeah. Did you see her send a text straight away?”
“And the photos?” Eve grimaced. “That got my Spidey senses tingling.”
“Still, there’s no threat. I’m going to go out on a limb and say she isn’t a third-dan taekwondo black belt.”
“Boosted with the super-strength of a vampiric bond.”
“Exactly.”
“So we wait and see?”
“Yeah,” Cally nodded. “I think the risk is small enough to be worth the potential reward.”
“All right, babe, I’ll take your lead. Want me to play up it’s all you and not Zara at all?”
“Uh, I think the others have already done that.”
“God, at least we didn’t tell them about Antoine before Amelia showed up. Can you imagine Lily keeping her mouth shut if she knew?”
“Not a chance.” Cally winced. “I’m really curious what Amelia’s after, though.”
“Me too. Let’s go find out. But be careful, right?”
Cally smiled ruefully. “Is that you warning me not to be impulsive and reckless?”
Eve blinked innocently. “Now, why would I need to do that?” She didn’t wait for a reply but opened the door, leading them back into the living room.
