Page 42 of Herbs & Hex-breaking

I smirked. “Circe and I figured out a long time ago that the New Moon Book Club was a cover for the local coven leaders to gather together and check in with you once a month.”

“And here I thought we’d been so discreet.” Lorna smiled.

“You might be, but the coven leaders tend to dress the part whenever they arrive for the ‘book club,’” I said, using air quotes around the last two words.

“Bless their hearts, they really do.” She smiled at that. “But honestly, the book club does gather to discuss a wide variety of topics. Books, current events, and so forth.”

“I have no doubt.”

Lorna rested her arms on the desk and leaned forward. “This situation with Hattie and her fiancé is serious. It seems to me that the hex started slowly. First there was the financial problems.”

“Her debit card. The car issues,” I said, counting them on my fingers, “and the difficulties with their mortgage paperwork.”

“Then things ramped up with Johnny and his severe allergic reaction.” Lorna shook her head. “I’ve not seen a curse that was so destructive in quite a while.”

“Terrific,” I muttered.

“My working theory is that when you gave your talisman to Hattie yesterday, you lessened your own personal protection. It likely gave the negative magick a new target since it couldn’t get to Hattie so easily any longer. You’ve already worked against the curse once. It may have very well recognized your energy, and so the spell’s focus shifted—”

“To me,” I said.

“I think this may indeed be the case,” she agreed.

“And so now the hex is trying to remove the obstacle that’s keeping it from fulfilling it’s goal?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “That obstacle being you.”

“Well, shit.”

Lorna steepled her fingers as she considered me. “Hex-breaking is much more complex than most practitioners realize. In fact, this one damn near killed three people already. First Johnny and the out-of-nowhere anaphylaxis, and Hattie getting knocked down a flight of concrete stairs, and now your close call this morning.”

“So, what’s my next move?” I asked.

“Our next move,” Lorna corrected as her entire posture changed. “You’re not dealing with this alone, Kate. Not any longer.”

As I considered her, I felt the energy shift around her. I was speaking to the Magistra now, and so I chose my next words carefully. “Magistra, I greatly appreciate any assistance you can provide.”

Lorna inclined her head. “I’m going to work some protection for Hattie and her fiancé, and also for you—right away. Afterward, I’ll put out some feelers and call in a few favors. The book club is gathering tonight. Let me see what I can uncover.”

“I appreciate it, Lorna,” I said.

“Do you suppose Circe would have a candle I could use?” she teased.

The door to Lorna’s office swung open without warning.

“Way ahead of you,” Circe said, plunking a large purple jar candle in the middle of Lorna’s desk. “One hex-breaking jar candle. On the house.”

***

Despite the fact that there was a dangerous hex that needed to be broken, I also had a business to run, as did Circe and Lorna. I returned to The Apothecary Shoppe, determined to not let some hex mess with me or my business. Not any longer.

Honestly, I was also a bit pissed that someone had the balls to come after me with magick. The anger I could work with. Because I much preferred being angry to being scared.

I could also admit that I felt better knowing Lorna was on the case so to speak. Admittedly I was curious as to what sort of information she thought she would glean from the local coven leaders. Maybe I should have asked Lorna if I could have attended that night…but then again I was a solitary Witch, so I wasn’t sure what the protocol was for being invited to a gathering of magickal community leaders.

Circe walked over a short time later and handed me an ice pack she’d put together using ice cubes and a couple of plastic freezer bags. I accepted the ice pack and held it against my ribs by keeping my arm down for a while. I did take a couple of ibuprofen capsules for the pain, and then I got on with my day.

Dex popped in to let me know that he’d called Taylor—simply saying I’d slipped and had dropped the crockpot—and she was going to stop on her way in and pick up a new one for me. Once Taylor arrived, she washed it out and set up the mulled cider. It was a fancier crockpot than I’d originally had…bigger too. When I asked for the receipt to reimburse her, she informed me that Dex had already taken care of it.