Page 76 of The Witch’s Daughter

Nope.

I spun on my heel to leave. This was far too witchy, even for me.

“Trish?” a voice called out.

Damn it. A tense smile strained my cheeks as I turned back to the darkness, looking for the sound of his voice. “Charles? Is that you?”

“I’m over here.” His laughter followed the ominous words.

Honestly, you barely know the guy, my wolf warned. Maybe let’s not be stupid.

I took a steadying breath, listening to my intuition that was buried just beneath my wolf’s initial fear. Charles had tried to help me. If he was mixed up in Vincent’s craziness, I needed to help him too.

Alpha Kera, Mom, my sisters, and Jaxon were all just in the next valley over. Worst case, I could run screaming straight back to Cerberus Pack and pretend none of this ever happened.

But it wasn’t the worst case yet.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, heading deeper into the darkness to where I thought I’d heard his voice come from.

The caw of a crow. A ruffle of feathers. Darkness gave way to a small corner illuminated by candle light.

The smell of incense thickened. Earthy and rich. It filled my lungs. I exhaled, watching the cauldron Charles stirred bubble and pop as smoke billowed out on either side.

“I’m making potions.” Charles’s eyes were glossy as they looked up, seeing through me. “I can’t stop.”

“You can put the spoon down.” I took a cautious step toward him. Then another.

The scene before me wavered and slipped. Like on water’s reflection. A mirror. Something not quite, but there.

“I can’t.” Sweat dripped down his brow. “You come stir it for me.”

Don’t you dare touch that spoon. My wolf bared her teeth.

I sniffed again, realizing a second too late that I was getting high. Uh-oh.

“Trish?” Charles called again.

“I can’t.” I shook my head. “I’m a horrible cook.”

The cauldron bubbled over and Charles started laughing, dropping the spoon into the green rising potion and disappearing into the smoke.

“There you are.”

I spun around.

Frances shuffled her tarot deck as her silver hair framed her glowing face. “The Tower is yet to fall. Let’s have another reading, shall we?”

“I’m good,” I whispered.

“Don’t you want to hear what the cards say?” Frances cackled.

I told you not to do this, my wolf groaned as the wind howled louder, sending a tornado of dust and smoke spiraling around me.

I crouched down and clamped my hand over my ears, breathing through my nose.

It’s just a bad magic trip, I reassured her. We have to see it through.

The howling wind stopped and a card dropped at my feet. The High Priestess in her blue robes and intuitive smile stared up at me.