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“That sounds fun,” Rose says.

“Rose, you can’t just live your life on vibes.”

She laughs, then winks, and Dani and Veronica giggle.

Another message appears while I’m reading.

“If you want to proceed, your first task is simple. At the next full moon, go somewhere you’ve never been before. Walk without a destination. Don’t rush. Don’t look for signs or try to decide what anything means. Just pay attention to what catches your eye when you finally give yourself enough time to notice.”

I stare at the screen.

“That’s it?”

Rose leans closer. “What did you expect?”

“I don’t know. Candles? Salt circles? Possibly chanting.”

“You sound disappointed.”

“I paid five hundred dollars, Rose. I want production value.”

Veronica laughs, but I keep looking at the message.

There is one final line: “When you’re done, tell me what you noticed. Then we’ll move on to the next step.”

“So,” Dani says, “the witch is sending you on a treasure hunt.”

I sink back against the couch. “A witch hunt sounds more accurate.”

Rose smiles. “I love her.”

“Of course.”

I read the instructions again, already trying to think of somewhere I’ve never been, and despite myself, something small and unfamiliar stirs beneath my annoyance.

Curiosity.

Fine. If The Third Fairy won’t give me my money back, I’m going to get every last cent of magic out of her instead.

CHAPTER 8

FLORA

“You want to go to the Japanese Garden next Saturday?”

I look up from the bracelet stretched across the dining room table in front of me, one end of the elastic looped around my finger so the beads don’t scatter across the floor.

My mother is standing in the kitchen doorway holding two printed tickets.

“Why?”

She gives me a look. “Because it’s the Japanese Garden and they have a cool moonlight exhibit featuring some fancy glass artist.”

“I know what you’re talking about.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“Because you don’t usually invite me, your thirtysomething-year-old daughter, to moonlight strolls.”