Page 103 of Big Little Spells

I’m home at last. Emerson remembers everything. And all this might change tomorrow night, but tonight we are...us.

And a better us than we were a decade ago, because we all know, now, what there is to lose.

But it can’t all be fun and games and telling stories about high school shenanigans, as entertaining as that is. I need my friends’ help. I’m not sure how to approach it, though. I’m not sure the best way to get them involved—much less invested. I’d hoped a margarita or two might loosen my tongue, but instead I find myself getting quieter and more tense.

Until Georgie reaches out and squeezes my hand. “We’re missing one crucial piece of our coven tonight,” she says. “But for good reason.”

Well, there’s always the direct approach. Funny how that never occurs to me.

Everyone’s staring at me, making this moment feel bigger than it should. There’s no reason my heart should be thumping at me. But I follow Georgie’s lead. Direct. “I’m pretty sure Nicholas is going to sacrifice himself for us. Tomorrow.”

Zander snorts. “Yeah, that sounds like him. That’s why he’s nine thousand years old. All that sacrificing himself.”

“Is that even...possible?” Ellowyn asks.

I shrug. “I can’t tell you how I know, but he knows how to make it possible. And I know he will.”

“It isn’t necessary,” Emerson says before Zander can say anything else insulting. “We’ve got this.”

“We don’t know what the Joywood will bring tomorrow night, Em,” Jacob returns, earning a scowl from Emerson. “No matter how prepared we are. That’s just an unfortunate fact.”

“The point is, we need to do something,” I say, sliding in there before Emerson can respond in her rallying-the-troops way. “He’s helped us. Repeatedly. Maybe not with a smile and an encouraging word, sure. But he’s done nothing but help since Emerson killed those adlets.”

“It’s true,” Emerson says forcefully. So forcefully that I wonder if she actually likes Nicholas more than I thought she did. Or maybe she likes the fact I like him. Either way, she’s going full speed ahead and I love her for it. “I’m with Rebekah. We need to do something.”

I nod, trying my best not to look desperate, though that’s how I feel. “Georgie and I found an old protection spell we think might be the answer.”

Georgie explains the spell. I fight my disappointment that Zander still looks irritated and Jacob appears decidedly neutral, like he’s hiding his true response. At least Ellowyn looks curious, if cautious. For once, I’m with Emerson and Georgie, who are so eager and ready they might as well be bouncing.

I would be bouncing myself, but I feel that might be off-putting.

“I got everything we need,” Georgie says. She slides a look my way, then back toward the group. “Sage was a great help. I didn’t tell him what it was for, specifically, but he knows not to let anyone in on what he shared.”

“Got him whipped already?” Zander asks with a laugh, which at least means Georgie is too busy glaring at him to see the way Emerson and I exchange a quietly raised eyebrow.

But all the sniping fades as we gather in a circle in Jacob’s living room.

“I’ll lead the spell,” Georgie explains. “But you’ll each play a role. You’ll each bring something, and Ellowyn, we’ll rely on you to speak to the spirits and gods.”

Ellowyn goes a little pale. “Is that necessary?”

Georgie holds her gaze. “Yes.”

Ellowyn turns to me, eyes a little desperate. You really want to leave protecting the guy you love up to my half magic?

“Nothing about you is half,” I answer her out loud, scowling.

“Control—”

“Doesn’t it ever get old?” Zander asks with a smile that is not nice. “Always blaming things on your lack of control?”

She whips her furious gaze to him, but Emerson cuts in.

“We are a coven. We are doing something important. You can fight and bicker all you want.” She holds Zander’s gaze, then Ellowyn’s. “But for this spell, we trust and believe in one another to be what’s needed.”

Wynnie, I say, just us, using her rarely used nickname so she knows how serious I am. You helped save Emerson. I know you can help save Nicholas too.

Ellowyn does not look convinced, but she nods and squeezes my hand. Whether she believes in her control or magic or not, she’s in.

---