Page 65 of The Witch is Back

Especially as he’d handed her the first piece of good news since this whole thing had started. Apparently he’d asked around and had heard of a powerful warlock who could infuse a blocking spell into an inanimate object. Once enchanted, the object could block any curse.

“Just have to track him down.” Kole had squeezed her hand. “Give me a week or so. What kind of thing would work?”

“It would have to be something he’d wear all the time. Something that wouldn’t raise his suspicion when I gave it to him.”

Her brother didn’t ask whether she was sure that not telling him was the smart thing. He didn’t like Bastian and didn’t trust what the other warlock might do if he learned about the Joining clause. “How about a ring? You could give it to him at the ceremony.”

Relief made Emma light-headed. “Perfect.” She really was lucky to have him on her side.

She was not so lucky at trying to convince him to stay away from the bar. Considering he hadn’t been back for a few years, he apparently wanted to play big brother, do a walk-through, knock on the walls and pretend he understood how it sounded when a wall was solid.

She strode arm in arm with him through the double doors, having dropped Sloane off at her house. Any second, she thought, with an inner grin. Three. Two. One.

Leah’s blond curls jerked up as if she’d scented him from by the bar. She screeched, drawing attention from the Monday-afternoon crowd, and barreled over, throwing her petite body against his. Emma dove to the side to avoid being pancaked.

“Big brother Kole,” Leah crowed, linking her arms around his neck. She’d decided when they’d first met that she was going to adopt him as a brother. Kole, who’d had limited experience with humans and no experience with a human like Leah, had accepted it with good grace. They’d been like siblings ever since. Well, Emma amended. Kind of siblings.

He grinned down at Leah. “What was your name again?”

She swatted him. “Emma didn’t tell me you were released from prison. What’s it like showering without eyes on you?”

“Strange. You could help me out with that, come by my house, watch through the glass...”

Leah laughed, delighted that her playmate was back, and linked her arm through his, drawing him to the bar.

“She’s kidding,” Emma reassured the nearest patrons as they blinked. She caught up with them as Leah was pushing Kole onto the stool nearest the register. “Leah,” she admonished, “you’re scaring the customers.”

“She shouldn’t be out in public.” Kole swiveled on the stool, took a look around. “A good crowd for a Monday afternoon.”

“We do okay.” Leah hiked a thumb at the glass domes covering Emma’s recent bakes. “Your sister’s baking helps. I keep saying we ought to hire a chef, pull in the real lunch crowd, but you know Emma.”

Emma folded her arms. “Because I’m sensible, I’m the bad guy?”

“I’ve only just got her to switch from vanilla ice cream,” Leah told Kole in a mock-whisper.

“You’re meant to be my brother.” Emma nudged him. “Defend me.”

“Vanilla is a perfectly acceptable flavor. For old ladies.”

“You suck.”

Leah grinned. “Beer?”

“One. Then I have to get home for dinner. Mother wants to discuss—” He shot a look at Leah who rolled her eyes.

“The secret’s out, Kole. I know you listen to Manilow in the morning while you’re gelling your hair.”

“Cute,” he told her. “Shoo. You’re not meant to know this stuff.” He’d realized Leah knew the big secret a couple of years ago and had not taken it well. Not because Emma and Tia had broken the rules, but because he didn’t want anything to happen to Leah. Was there any real doubt why Kole was the only person in her family Emma got on with?

“Talk to your sister.” Leah held up her hands. “She forced the knowledge down my throat, even when I was screaming for her to stop.”

He snorted. Pointedly turned his head to the side. “She wants to discuss something,” he told Emma.

Something to do with the Exhibition, no doubt, which Emma had been less than happy to learn was in a couple of weeks, toward the end of the Divining month. A good show to round everything off. Sweat licked her temples at the thought. Goddess, she hoped Bastian wasn’t all talk when he said he could help her.

Leah plunked a beer in front of Kole, sneered when he pulled out his wallet. “Your money’s no good here. You just have to tip.” She tapped her cheek.

He grinned, boosted himself forward and put a smacking kiss where she’d indicated.

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