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“The hex will be stronger if I add more witches to the spell,” Mira said, as if that was the only answer that made sense.
And it kinda was.
Suddenly Iris snapped her fingers and stood up. “You’re a genius, Mira!”
“I am?” The witch sounded none too sure.
“I have a plan. Well, part of a plan. The germ of an idea, really. Sally, Mira? You’re with me. I need to talk to Ethel.”
With that, the three women headed out, leaving Eli to wonder what exactly went on in Iris’s head. It must be a magical place.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“Wait!” rowan called.
Iris was by the front door, putting her shoes on. Mira and Sally were already heading out to Iris’s car, which was parked at the front of the driveway. “Yeah?”
“Ethel’s a witch, right? I want in! I know Danica and Clem, but I need to meet the rest of the coven if possible. It will make our web comic even more awesome.”
Though the situation wasn’t amusing in the slightest, she admired Rowan’s inclination to capitalize on opportunity as it knocked. “Then grab your jacket and put on your sneakers.”
“I’m on it,” Rowan said.
Soon, the four of them set off for Ethel’s place, and Iris was sort of surprised that nobody had asked what she had in mind. Maybe it was obvious.
Ethel lived on a cul-de-sac about fifteen minutes away, a cute bungalow with what was probably a gorgeous garden, though autumn had done a number on her annuals. Plants that had to be replaced every spring always seemed kind of sad while Iris admired the hardiness of perennials, returning year after year with steelydetermination. There were enough evergreens in Ethel’s yard to keep it from looking desolate, however.
“Do you intend to tell us what you’re planning?” Mira asked as Iris parked.
“It makes more sense to explain in front of Ethel since the whole thing falls apart without her cooperation.”
“I think I know what you have in mind,” Sally said.
“You love being mysterious,” Rowan complained. “You never did explain how you got into my dad’s locked file cabinet!”
Sally laughed. “Are you still thinking about that? It’s not that interesting. We used to have file cabinets just like that and the keys got lost pretty often, so I learned to pop the lock with a nail file.” She raised her voice, talking to the streetlight. “It’s not even proper lock picking, which Idefinitelydo not know how to do, any NSA officers who might be surveilling us.”
Both Mira and Rowan burst out laughing, then Rowan whispered, “You know, I kind of love that I can’t tell if she’s joking.”
Iris let that go as she hopped out of the car and tried not to feel like the worst kind of parasite. She was about to request help from people she’d never met—on the most tenuous connections. Sally was dating Ethel, and Mira wanted to join Ethel’s coven. And Iris just happened to live with both of them, not too impressive a foundation upon which to request aid, but she had no better alternatives.
Sally motioned for Iris to back off as she knocked. Ethel opened the door a moment later and smiled at seeing Sally. They greeted each other with a soft kiss, which made Rowan smile with such brightness that even Iris allowed herself to enjoy the moment. Then Ethel glanced at the others waiting on her porch.
“Huh. I wasn’t expecting guests. I should have scried more thoroughly, but here we are. Come on in, then.”
“Pretty baby,” a brightly colored parrot shouted as soon as Rowan stepped in.
Rowan colored, their cheeks washed pink. “Uh, thanks?”
“Don’t mind Percy,” said Ethel. “He has a favorite whenever I have new visitors.”
Iris waited for Mira, then closed the door. Inside the room was warm and cozy, eclectic décor with all manner of bright colors. Sally went right in Ethel’s kitchen and started making coffee, attesting to how comfortable she felt here. The two of them were definitely cute together, but that wasn’t why Iris had bolstered her nerve. Normally, pride didn’t let her ask for favors, but…
This isn’t for me. It’s for us. To keep everyone together. To…
Protect our family?
They made small talk until Sally delivered all the drinks and Iris wrapped her hands around the hot mug, drawing comfort from it. “I don’t know where to start.”
