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“We were just finalizing our plan for the day,” said Willow. “Tea?”
“Yes please. And some of those apple tarts if you have them.”
“I was just telling the girls,” said Esme as Willow poured the tea, “that we should split up this morning when we cast protection spells on the town, that way we can cover more in less time.”
Montgomery, not able to cast any spell, was eager to do something to help. “What would you like me to do?”
“You will sprinkle a barrier of salt. We brought enough to cover the entire perimeter of Mysthaven proper and a little extra for the town square, where the Harvest Festival will take place.”
Ivy produced a bag of what seemed to be rocks and dropped it on the table with a soft clunk.
“I made these,” she said, taking out one of the objects inside. It was a coin sized bead made of blue glass, painted to look like an eye. “We can hide them in places as we cast the protection charm around the square.”
“These are beautiful,” said Esme. “Truly stunning work.”
Ivy seemed pleased with herself as he started passing the beads out to her sisters. “Thank you. They’re made from copper, molten glass, iron, water, and salt.”
“What are they?” Montgomery asked curiously.
“They are Nazar amulets,” Ivy said. “And they’re meant to shield people from evil.”
Esme turned one of the beads over in her fingers. “An amulet is an ornament, really. Usually meant to wear like jewelry. They do have some protective qualities but aren’t meant for big jobs.”
“Big jobs like fighting the most powerful coven on the earth for instance?” Montgomery said cheekily. Willow passed him his cup of tea with a saucy glower.
“You’re right about that,” said Esme. “But for our purposes, the salt, the amulets, the protection spells… will be just enough to shield the town as we prevent the coven from even coming near it.”
They’d sat down the night before, having a conference through mirrors, and worked out a plan. Willow had suggested they use a thing called Zoom. But the other witches wanted nothing to do with it. Especially Gladys, who was there as a sort of consultant. She was mostly useful, except for the ten or so minutes she went on about that time she got called up on stage at a Jimmy Buffet concert. Then she went off to magic up a margarita.
The plan was very simple. Not to let the coven get anywhere near the Moonstone. It would have to be carefully executed. Willow would go to the pre-festival gathering at Nadine Bickford’s house. Meanwhile, the other Ravensong women would form a circle around the house, casting a spell (one of Gladys’ special inventions), preventing anyone from leaving the house for at least twenty-four hours. The tricky part would be for Willow to sneak out before the spell took effect, but with just enough time so that the bad witches couldn’t get out after her. Thus, keeping them away from the Moonstone and trick-or-treating children while the super blue blood moon was in the sky.
Meanwhile, Montgomery’s job was to lay down a long string of silver wire around Nadine’s property. The silver would be inscribed with an incantation to drain power from magical beings. That was why the Ravensong witches could not do it themselves. Willow was worried the magic that was keeping Montgomery alive would seep out of him from touching the silver, but he seemed alright when he tested a small sample. Until then, the wire was stored in an iron box.
“Can you ride a bike?” Esme had asked Montgomery.
He replied that he could although it had been a while, but he quipped it would be just like riding a bike.
After breakfast, the team went about the town of Mysthaven planting the various protections against danger. The Ravensong women, already decked out in black robes and pointy hats, didn't draw the attention it would have on any other day. But on Halloween, it was not only encouraged but celebrated. In fact, people frequently muttered, ‘nice costume’ or ‘looking good, ladies’ and then there was the one guy who suggested they come over and stir his cauldron. Bliss gave the man a wart in the middle of his nose for that remark.
Montgomery had to admit, they did look rather stylish. With the robes flapping open as they walked, exposing shiny boots, long, stockinged legs, and taking strong, purposeful strides, they didn’t look like anyone you’d want to mess with.
Montgomery simply sprinkled his salt everywhere the best he could.
They convened for lunch at Bo’s ordering their steaks as rare as possible. It must have been a food witches ate when preparing for battle, Montgomery thought. Bo delivered the steaks medium and refused to cook them any less.
“You’re not getting E. coli on my watch,” he grumbled and walked away.
“What’s with the town misanthrope?” Bliss asked.
Willow waved her hand down. “Oh, just a little local color.”
“And what color would that be? Plaid?”
Willow shrugged, and was just about to cut into her steak, when her phone rang. She quickly took it out of her robe pocket and frowned.
“It’s Astrid. Should I answer it?”
“Yes,” said Esme. “If you don’t, it might raise suspicion. They don’t know you’re onto them, do they?”
