Page 63 of The Hocus Pocus Handbook

“Then you called me a knobhead.”

She laughs, which I’ll take under the circumstances. “We insulted each other until we both got so mad that we burst into tears.”

“That’s when Da came in and we had tea. I have the ingredients right here.” I pat the pouch around my neck.

“You’ve already apologized for what happened with Tempest. And I have cups,” Tara says. “Very well. Let’s do it.”

We work quietly together until the tea is brewed. I didn’t recollect this part from when we were little, but Da was right. The brew smells strange, and the taste is medicinal. But it’s warm, and I listen as Tara begins to speak.

“Tempest…they’re important to me. We met in the market. I stopped to see if they had anything that could improve the quality of wine starting to turn. Amend the vinegary taste. My dad likes to cut corners,” she adds self-consciously. “At first, we were friendly acquaintances, and then they distilled a decoction especially for me. For our wine issue.”

“Oooh,” I tease. “A custom concoction.”

Tara playfully makes a fist. “Shut it, or I won’t tell you anything else.”

But she doesn’t get the chance to say more. “I can’t believe you two ridiculous baggages are having a tea party,” Rosa snaps.

Her wings flutter faster than the eye can see as she zips back and forth, trying to rise over the fog. She finally swears, a series of vicious and venal curses that practically blister my ears. Mentally, I make notes: Gag-sacking seed jerker is a good one.

“It’s no good,” she growls. “I can’t get above it. It’s all around us.”

“Does anyone else smell that?” Tara asks, wiping the cups we just used.

Zeph glances around. “What? All I can detect is the dank water.”

“Something else, more like hops or yeast,” Tara answers.

“I can’t smell anything,” I admit.

Rosa glares at me. “You shut up. This is all your fault.”

I can’t even defend myself. We wouldn’t have had to flee from Summer if I hadn’t incapacitated Tempest. I wonder how they’re doing; I hope I didn’t hurt them too badly. They didn’t seem sick, but sometimes it’s not obvious from looking. Guilt rebounds, even after the ritual, and I crouch, burying my face in my hands. Tara comes up behind me and puts a hand on my shoulder.

Then she raps on my noggin with her knuckles. “That’s enough. We have no time for self-blame past this point. It won’t change anything.”

That is partly why I adore Tara. She never lets me wallow. Somehow she manages to be both charming and pragmatic. I’m sure Toad in the Hole benefits from her presence on a daily basis. She pulls me to my feet, and I offer a hug again.

This time, she accepts it, and it means everything that she’s not afraid to touch me, after what I did to Tempest. I don’t know how I’d cope if Tara treated me like a monster.

She tries to keep our spirits up, and she’s telling an amusing anecdote about Nerys when it hits me. “Nerys,” I say, as she’s getting to the good part.

“What about her?” Tara gives me a confused look.

“Water is everywhere. I don’t know if the water here ever passes back to the wildlands, but if it does—”

“We can get word to Nerys!” Tara finishes, her citrine eyes sparkling.

I nod. “It might not help immediately, but it can’t hurt.” Crouching down, I stir the water carefully with two fingers. “Nerys? I don’t know if you’ll ever hear this, or how long it’ll be. But this is Thea. Tara and I are trapped in the In-Between. Can you please tell my dad…?” Here, I hesitate. “Tell him I love him.”

“That’s all?” Rosa asks.

“It’s everything.”

Tara goes next. “Nerys. This is Tara. I have my own message for my parents. I love them bunches, and I’ll see them again. Don’t know if it’ll be soon.”

Zeph joins us and takes a knee, earning a scoff from Rosa. “Nerys. You don’t know me, but my name is Zeph. Please tell Lady Mirralee not to worry.”

I blink at them. “Isn’t Lady Mirralee the queen of the Autumn Court?”