Page 7 of Uncharmed

‘It’s never that they’re not good enough,’ Annie replied, quick to justify her actions. ‘They’re all perfectly nice chaps, in their own ways. And I’m so grateful that you take such an interest in trying to set me up with someone special. I know you’re all trying to help. It’s just that . . .’

‘It’s just that they’re not bloody perfect,’ Vivienne groaned, never one to enjoy the softer, romantic angle of anything. Gossip was considerably less interesting to Vivienne Cinder when any genuine feelings were involved. ‘I’d get a move on if I were you, Annie.’ She sighed dramatically. ‘No offence, it’s not like you’ve reached hag status just yet. But there’s always a younger witch just waiting to step out of the shadows and take your place – and your warlock. It was us once, right? Harmony’s favourite hobby, in fact.’

‘They’re fun to play with,’ Harmony giggled.

‘You’re dating, huh?’ Ruby asked Annie as she began to rummage through the box of biscuits. Harmony continued to look entirely horrified by Ruby’s existence, particularly as she took two biscuits before deciding to add a third for luck. ‘What?’ Ruby paused to ask Harmony indignantly. ‘You said we were going for dinner. Cocktails do not equate to dinner, you know.’ She turned back to Annie. ‘The way these ladies talk, I was beginning to think that anyone single and over the age of twenty-five around here was resigned to the Old Crone shelf.’

‘I shouldn’t think you could call Annie’s escapades dating,’ Vivienne snorted.

‘She tries her best,’ Romily said with a pitying headshake.

‘The folks around here aren’t particularly appealing to me either. Unless you’ve got a thing for warlocks who wear cravats, you’re screwed,’ Ruby said. ‘The guys all look like they’re carved from soap. Or maybe grown in a lab. Are they the result of some sort of teenage dream boyfriend enchantment?’

‘Annie’s been desperately dreaming of her Mr Right since we all started at Aconite together,’ Harmony said chirpily, as though sharing a fun fact.

‘Alas, it’s only ever Mr Fright,’ Vivienne said.

‘I’m sure Ruby doesn’t want to hear about my utterly calamitous love life,’ Annie laughed, waving away the subject before it could claw itself too firmly into the room. She was already starting to feel her face warm with embarrassment. She held the back of her hands against her skin to try to cool it down. ‘Is it hot in here?’

‘There’s been a few warlocks over the years, but she always seems to end up with a broken heart, don’t you, babe?’ Vivienne said, not gentle in her tone or expression. ‘And here we are, still no rock on that finger. It must be getting cold without one.’

‘We’re constantly trying to set her up with every gorgeous warlock we can think of. We’ve even moved on to non-wicche now – and still no luck,’ Harmony said softly, pouting as she patted Annie on the knee, her own ring emblazoned with an obnoxiously massive emerald that caught the mirrorball lights. ‘It’s the least we can do. Planning weddings is honestly such fun. You’re missing out, Annie. I don’t know why you don’t just find someone!’

Annie smiled serenely. ‘I’m fine as I am. Everything is just fine.’

‘It’ll happen when you least expect it,’ Romily said with a cool nod. She leaned back and swilled her frosted martini, studded with pale fruits that looked as though they were made of glass.

‘One witch’s spinsterhood is another witch’s independence,’ Vivienne said. ‘But we totally admire your tenacity, Annie. You’ll catch up. Who needs a hubs? Take mine, if you’d like. Half of the Sorciety seems to. Fortunately, his money and magic remain firmly mine if he wanders too far.’

‘You’re so brave,’ Harmony said with wide eyes at Annie, surprisingly sincere with her condolences considering almost everything that left Harmony Morningstar’s mouth was carved backhanded by a double-edged sword.

Annie laughed. ‘Again, thanks, Harm. But I am the polar opposite of brave.’

‘Look at you,’ Harmony said admiringly. ‘You’re wearing suede in the winter months. You’re totally brave.’

‘She’s right, Annie. To be on your own,’ Vivienne said, ‘especially with things still so . . . precarious for you.’ She emphasized ‘precarious’ with a pointed eyebrow. Her voice dripped with so much white-hot pity that it felt like spots of acid rain that Annie should have thrown up an umbrella to.

‘I wouldn’t say precarious,’ Annie said, inhaling to push down the flood of uncomfortable feelings that the conversation was starting to crack open.

They didn’t mean it the way it sometimes felt. They loved her. She was always the first one at the end of the phone line on a bad day, when they needed to talk about their problems and offload them onto willing ears. She was part of the gang. They truly cared about her, were always so supportive.

The spell reminded her to keep herself in check when too much of their company started to make her skin itch.

‘You know. Since your dad,’ Harmony stage-whispered, as though she were embarrassed to say it out loud. Harmony’s eyes darted to both Romily and Vivienne, tripping over herself at the prospect of opening up their favourite topic of conversation. It hurt, but Annie understood the interest. Scandals like theirs didn’t happen often.

‘Am I missing something? What’d your old man do?’ Ruby asked after a loaded pause. She snapped another ginger biscuit in half and used it to point across the circle between them.

‘It’s nothing. All a very long time ago,’ Annie replied, giving the girls a look she hoped would signal to steer the subject somewhere else.

Vivienne gave a dry laugh. ‘Rubes is going to find out sooner or later. It gets brought up at practically every symposium, even after all these years. Annie’s dad was . . . well, he’s not exactly a revered and respected member of the Sorciety like the rest of our fathers.’

‘Not a member of any kind. At all, in fact,’ Harmony said between giggles and Vivienne spluttered in return, both covering their mouths as though to chastise themselves.

‘Harm, don’t be unkind,’ Romily said. Harmony sulked with a flounce. ‘It was terrible for Annie of course, wasn’t it, babe? But the whole thing was maybe even more awful for the rest of us. I still can’t believe what he put us all through, making the whole Sorciety suffer. And your poor mother. Just dreadful.’

‘Sounds to me like complicated family stuff. Probably isn’t anyone else’s business,’ Ruby said, directly to Annie rather than to the circle. Annie gave her a weak smile.

Vivienne interrupted. ‘I’m afraid Griffin Wildwood made it everybody’s business when he started gambling his supply of sacred magic, as though it were a handful of dirty pennies. Honestly, Annie, I still don’t know how you’ve lived it down. The thought of him tossing his and your magic around in all those revolting wraith lairs. Mortifying, truly.’ Vivienne rested her chin on her fist, a twinkle in her eye.