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I like my job, too. Jewel was right, it’s not nearly as fun and creative as what Sterling does. He even gets to spend his afternoons at the park sometimes, which I’m a little jealous of. But I like setting up her schedule, screening her calls, and hanging out with her.

Our mentorship still isn’t going anywhere. I still don’t have a single sign of my magic, which means there’s nothing for us to work on, but I like the routine. Who’s going to turn down free tea? Not me.

After work, when most people have cleared out, we have our usual meeting. Tea, tarot reading, and a little chat.

“Would you like to talk about what happened at the harvest festival?” she asks after I’ve finished my second cup.

I glance at the clock on her wall. Our meeting is supposed to be over in ten minutes, and we don’t have time to unpack everything that happened at the festival—nor do I want to. There’s a reason I spent most of our meeting yapping about pointless things. The constellations, Starbrook gossip, and my new shoes. She lets me focus on the distractions.

Until now.

I lift a shoulder, brushing off the guilt of lying to Jewel… and for so long, too. “Just wasn’t feeling up to the ritual.”

It’s a wonder Sterling hasn’t told her the truth. Say what you want about him, but he’s a good secret keeper.

She exhales slowly, nodding. “I’m beginning to worry you haven’t been feeling up to any ritual. Do you know how Sterling and I spend our meetings?”

I shake my head. My heart races. Caught. I’m prey in a trap, waiting for the jaws to snap around me, for everything to finally go dark. It was only a matter of time before Jewel realized I’m a failure of a witch, and there’s no way she’ll want to keep mentoring me once she does.

It’s over. I’ll probably get to keep my job, but everything else about my new life—the coven, the mentorship, Sterling’s help—it’s gone. Everything leaves. Everyone does, too. Did it have to happen this quickly?

Jewel continues calmly. “We spend a lot of time working on keeping his magic calm and controlled. Sometimes, when he asks, I help him learn new rituals, spells, and potions. But you… you don’t ask. Why did you agree to this mentorship? What do you hope to gain from it?”

I swallow thickly.

At first, I agreed purely because I wanted to get under Sterling’s skin, but more importantly, because I needed help. I still need it, but I don’t know how to ask without turning my world upside down. Again. Sterling is so magical that he needs more help controlling his magic than using it, and I still can’t even light a candle—one of the first things most witches learn how to do.

Why is she considering me for a mentorship, let alone more? I don’t deserve this.

Jewel is giving me an opening to ask for assistance, but the words are caught in my throat.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” I say slowly. “We can probably wrap up early today.”

I leave work that day a little worse for wear, but there’s no one around to notice.

My family is out of town for the week. Mom has an art show back in Moonglade Harbor. Luke went to support her, and Leo took any excuse to get out of Starbrook. I’m the only one who’s still here. I look up at the cottage, loneliness settling in my belly.

I can feel her loneliness, too. Wind whips through my hair, and the gray skies of the afternoon loom heavy over the cottage.

“Don’t worry,” I whisper. “You’re not alone. I’m here for the night.”

I step inside, and it hits me. This odd little cottage is really starting to feel like home. All of Mom’s old furniture is out, but it’s more. Mom’s paintings. Her easel, which is always home to a half-finished art piece. It smells like home—pine and musk and flowers—and feels like home. A strange home. An annoying home. But still home.

I turn on the speaker, and her classical, upbeat music plays through the house.

The cabinets rattle and shake as I slip off my shoes and hum to myself.

“Sort of nice to have the house to ourselves tonight, yeah?” I say. “I’m thinking we treat ourselves? Order a pizza?”

The fridge flies open.

I wrinkle my nose. “You sound just like Mom. I know we have food at home, okay?”

But that doesn’t stop me from putting in the order. There aren’t many places that deliver here, but pizza is easy. The delivery arrives about thirty minutes later. Finally. My stomach is growling, and I open the door, cash in hand, ready to pay them.

But it doesn’t budge.

“Not now,” I mutter, pulling harder. “Please!”