Page 87 of The Hocus Pocus Handbook

A silver censer

A large red maple leaf

Etch the first initial of your loved one’s name on the leaf with the rose quartz. Wrap up the rose petals, and tie the bundle with any type of string. Your own hair will do in a pinch, though that may give the spell too much power, and it will smell horrendous when you burn the packet, which is the next step. Before that, speak your thoughts to the wind. It can be as simple as, “I love you, and I am letting you go.” Or it can be more philosophical: “This ended so something else can begin.” Others might take a more formal approach: “I honor what was and welcome what will be.” Whatever words you choose will be right for the occasion, my gem.

Next, place your leaf bundle in the censer and burn it down to ashes. Scatter the ashes around you in a circle; then step out of it without disturbing the line you’ve created. This symbolizes letting go and moving on. There is no fate but our own choices, my jewel.

I trust you to make the right ones for you.

Thea

The Autumn Palace is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.

While the Summer market was charming, this is exquisite, and I’m no stranger to luxurious surroundings. Where Winter is austere and ostentatious, Autumn exudes comfort and warmth. Even the walls glimmer with veins of gold, marbled through with luminous color. Splashes of red with brass accents adorn the bath chamber, where an attendant has just finished scrubbing me from head to toe.

Though I tried to wash on my own, she offered with such gentle insistence that I didn’t have the heart to keep fighting. Not when it feels this nice to let someone else take care of me for a while. Afterward, she offers a selection of fresh clothing, and it reminds me of the way Erdene tricked me into getting dressed for my own wedding.

But things are different in Autumn, right?

It would be a mistake to trust Lady Mirralee completely, but I doubt she wants the realm involved in open war. Skirmishes between Summer and Winter have the palace staff gossiping. I heard bits and pieces on the way here.

I’m here to make up for my failure. To keep the peace and save my dad. But first I have to get dressed. Naked people seldom stop wars.

The outfits are all beautiful. They range from formal gowns to split skirts with smart jackets to flowing trousers with a matching top that laces up the back. I like the last ensemble best; there’s something piquant and piratical about it. And I love the color, a pale gold that should go nicely with my hair and sun-kissed skin.

But I hesitate, wondering about the dress code, and point at the third outfit. “Will that be suitable for public appearances in the palace?”

“Everything I’ve laid out will suffice for any occasion,” the attendant replies.

That’s all I needed to hear.

After I dress, she guides me to the suite I’ve been assigned, and we pause outside the rounded door, gilt tracings on all the trim. “I requested a light repast for you. It should be set up already. Can I assist you further?”

“I’m fine for now. I appreciate your effort and expertise.”

“My pleasure. Ring the kitchens and ask for Sarene if you need anything else.”

“Get some rest,” I tell her because I know how hard palace staff works to keep important guests happy.

Then I slip inside. The room takes my breath away. I gaze up at the vaulted ceiling adorned with burnished copper tiles that match the sconces bathing the room in an amber glow. There are gold velvet chairs arranged around a table crafted from red jasper, laid with delicacies, just as Sarene promised: a silky red soup, creamy white cheese, crisp flatbreads, mushroom tartlets, and a platter of fresh sliced fruit.

Once I finish exploring, I’ll feast. In the opposite corner, I find a built-in bookshelf surrounded by silken pillows and overstuffed cushions all in the warmest of jewel tones. I can imagine how it would feel to lounge there with a book, sipping some cool honey wine or a cup of hot spiced tea.

I’m sure there’s a bed in here somewhere, maybe past the fringed curtains. It feels strange having all this space. I’ve hardly been apart from Kerboros since we left the stables together. I’m not sure how to measure the time we were trapped in the In-Between, as it didn’t seem like that long to us, but it was for the rest of the realm.

As I head for the unknown portion of the suite, the curtain parts, and Kerboros steps past, fresh from the bath. He smells of honeyed soap and jasmine lotion, and I can’t stop smiling. He moves toward me with intentional patience, and I glimpse the response in his eyes, a brightness he can no longer conceal. Not from me.

“I hope you don’t mind. I told them I’d rather stay with you,” he says.

My pulse flutters. “I’m glad you did. I was just thinking that it’s odd.”

“What is?”

“Being without you.”

His voice deepens to a rough and sensual purr. “I suspect you’re the only one who feels that way.”

It’s time for me to stop pretending. “Do you need anyone else?”