Page 140 of De-Witched

Julian nodded, hard-faced. “I agree.”

“You two are not romantics.” Isabella sighed, then tapped her manicured nails on her lap. “So, your argument is that you were swept away by passion? How very...un-society-like of you.” Her tone didn’t make it clear whether she approved or not.

She switched her focus to Leah. “And you? You’re happy for Gabriel to take punishment?”

Leah’s nails bit into her palms but she met that gaze head-on. “No. We’re partners. I’ll take whatever he does.”

“I see.” Intrigue shimmered in Isabella’s face. “What if the punishment was to give each other up? You could keep your memories, but would not be permitted to be with each other. What would you say to that, Gabriel?”

Gabriel’s eyes glittered bright green. “Fuck. That.”

Leah had never truly got what it meant to hear a pin drop until right then.

“How delicious.” Isabella smiled, proving to Leah she was only toying with them. “One more question, Ms. Turner. Why do you think you deserve to be welcomed into our world?”

Leah absorbed the question, the little stings across her exposed skin. Memories rushed up, of being shut out, of being kept in the dark. One more test and she could be in the ultimate club.

Well, to use Gabriel’s phrasing: Fuck. That.

“I don’t care if you think I deserve it or not,” she said, standing tall beside the man she loved. “I don’t really care if you like me or want to have me around. I might not be able to do magic, but I have value. I don’t have to prove myself to anyone,” she said, realizing it was true as Gabriel’s hand tangled with hers. She looked up and saw him smiling at her, in full view of others. With maybe a hint of healthy fear. She looked back at the witches who thought to judge her. “I love Gabriel and he loves me. That should be enough.”

Arlo grunted. A punctuation mark to her speech, but she wasn’t sure which one.

Isabella considered her, and if Leah wasn’t imagining things, she swore she saw some respect there. Then the witch clapped and the look was gone.

“So,” Isabella said, as if Leah hadn’t completely disrespected them, and in hindsight, it hadn’t been the best time for her epiphany, “it comes to a vote. Do we wipe the human’s memory? I say nay.”

“I say—”

Luisa’s vote was cut off as the sounds of an argument broke out beyond the room. They all swiveled to the door, which burst open to emit a snarling Tia, followed closely by Emma, who looked one “boo” away from melting into the floor. Leah’s mouth fell open at the sight.

“I said we need to talk to them,” Tia was insisting to Bianca, who had a grip on her wrist. “You teleport me again and we’re going to throw down.”

“That will not be necessary.” Isabella didn’t rise, but nodded at Bianca. The butler let go and with one steamed look at Tia, who returned it in kind, drifted away.

Tia brushed off her jeans. “I apologize for the lack of etiquette.”

The male blond—Julian’s—eyes glinted in quiet amusement. “Do you?”

“We had to see you, Your Excellencies.” Tia bent in a formal bow, as did Emma. “We have an objection to make.”

Leah’s stomach took a dive as Gabriel spun back to the family. “No, they don’t.”

“Yes, we do.” Emma’s voice squeaked and her face went bright red as everyone turned their attention to her, but she didn’t cringe away. “We’re not letting you do this, Gabriel.”

“Do what?” Arlo wanted to know.

“Leah already knew about witches before Gabriel said anything.” Tia’s voice trembled on the last word before she coughed, clearing it from her throat. “We told her. We’re here to plead for her.”

“Not for yourselves?” Luisa asked from the sofa.

Emma shook her head. “Leah is an exceptional person,” she said on a swallow. “She deserves to be welcomed, not wiped.”

“She’s known for years,” Tia pointed out, hands in fists, posture stiff. Only her eyes showed her nerves. “Never said anything. Even when Gabriel came to work for us, she didn’t tell him she knew.”

Leah and Gabriel shared a look, both silently agreeing not to point out that he’d guessed anyway.

“Doesn’t her knowing that long prove she can be trusted? And she helped Gabriel out when he needed to work in the human world, to fulfill the terms of his father’s will. She didn’t have to. All we’re asking for is a chance.” Tia tipped up her chin, a proud legacy witch. “She’s our sister in every way that matters.”

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