I nodded my head, my suspicions confirmed.
Their act finished with a final freefall that left me breathless and on my feet, clapping with the rest of the camp.
Then Iris crossed the stage, giving the group her congratulations, her words drowned out by the crowd. “That marks the end of our show?—”
“Wait!” A voice cut through. Astrid and two of her friends bounced up onto the stage. Astrid whispered something into Iris’s ear, then paused. Iris looked over to Dagmar, who shrugged.
My stomach churned.
“I guess we’re in for a surprise.” Iris gave Astrid and her friends a wary look before she stepped away and gave them the floor.
Astrid smiled wide, and some people clapped for her as if compelled by her bullishness to do so. I’d forgotten for a moment that I wouldn’t be rid of her after the summer was over. She was going to be a major Maple Hollow thorn in my side, I was sure of it. But if enduring her presence meant I could learn more about myself and my magic, it would be worth it. And maybe I’d be stronger for it.
“The Harvest Moon cabin has put together a skit for you!” Astrid announced to a growing smattering of applause.
One of Astrid’s lackeys took out a baseball cap and fake mustache and slapped it onto her top lip. Astrid and her now gender-bent accomplice turned their backs to the crowd. The lights narrowed in on the last witch, who put her hands over her face and pretended to cry.
Astrid turned toward her, and with a flourish of her hand, she declared, “I’m done with this life. I don’t need anyone or anything but my man.”
She faced her “man” and batted her eyelashes, swooning like an old Hollywood damsel.
The witch portraying the sobbing character lowered her hands and loudly proclaimed, “Don’t be a coward running away in the middle of the night with him. If you turn your back on your coven like that, you’ll never be able to come back.” She turned and stared right at me. “Not even if you send your spawn to Lake Nevermore one day out of desperation. You’ll always be an outsider.”
What in the actual fuck?
Faith gripped my forearm. “Are they for real?”
I looked around at the shocked crowd, all of us too stunned to do anything other than gape.
“I don’t care,” Astrid said with a dramatic pout. “I’m too good for this small town, anyway. And besides, I’m terrible at magic. Any daughter of mine would be useless to the coven. I won’t even tell her she’s a witch because all she’ll be is useless.”
“No kid of mine will be magical,” cut in the last witch, who I realized far too late was supposed to be my father.
My hands started shaking, and I could feel the heat of my anger rising up my neck.
Fuck these bitches and their ridiculous play.
“Come on.” I heard Faith’s voice, but it felt like I was underwater. “Gwen, seriously, let’s go before I turn her into a rotten pumpkin.”
In an instant, we were on our feet. But before we could reach the door, I heard Astrid scream.
33
Sabine
All I felt was white-hot, burning rage as Astrid and the others looked at Gwen and laughed. Worst of all was how they’d branded this treachery as something sanctioned by the Harvest Moon cabin, meaning Gwen might think thatIhad something to do with this little skit.
Would she think I could be so cruel as to mock her? Would she believe I’d rub dirt in the wound?
But I also knew that Astrid was targeting me just as much as she was Gwen. This outburst was because I was choosing to leave the coven and because I’d chosen Gwen over her.
This was why she hadn’t told Dagmar about Gwen and me. She wanted me to be present when she humiliated me and the girl I loved.
I balled my hands into fists, trying to contain my magic. I thought I might be able to keep it under control until my eyes landed on Gwen and saw her holding back tears as she andFaith scrambled toward the door. I knew how badly she wanted to belong in this place, and Astrid had done everything in her power to make Gwen feel like an outsider all over again.
Something in me snapped.
Magic shot from my hands, lifting Astrid into the air and squeezing the air from her lungs. Astrid’s eyes flew wide, her hand lifting to her neck as her face went bright red.
