Page 52 of The Accidental Witch

Robbie threaded her fingers through the iron slats and looked to him. “Are you okay, Greer?”

His cheeks puffed outward as he peered inside. “Yes.”

Nina slapped him on the back. “You got this, Cover Model.”

Marty, Wanda, Darnell and Tottington gathered around him in a protective circle. “S’all good, man. Either way. We’re here for ya.”

Yeah. Either way.

He turned to face them, the words he wanted to say choking him up. “I just want to thank you all. If it hadn’t been for your support, I don’t know if I could have done this alone. I hope we’ll all stay in touch. So whatever happens, thank you. All of you—even Nina,” he said with a playful wink at her.

Everyone laughed, hugging him, enveloping him in the kind of acceptance he hadn’t felt for a very long time.

Robbie looked up at him, her soft eyes full of concern as she cupped his cheek. “You sureyou’reready?”

He looked to Robbie and smiled. “Yep. All you have to do is put your hand on the latch and you’re in.”

Reaching forward with her beautiful eyes closed, her small hand covered the latch and, like music to his ears, it popped open.

Everyone cheered. “Way to go, honey!” Marty called, planting a kiss on Robbie’s cheek.

Her glance at him was tentative, but he encouraged her as the gate swung open. “Take a step inside.”

“Hold my hand,” she whispered, pulling him to her as she took the first step inside the gate.

His heart throbbed in his chest when his work boots landed on the sacred ground he’d missed so much and foolishly tossed away.

They looked at each other before they quietly smiled.

Robbie pulled him deeper inside, past the enormous arborvitaes and the round gardens lined in stone. Just as they reached the tip of in the inner workings of Moonfall, she whispered, “Welcome home.”

The comfort he felt made him close his eyes and inhale deeply. The smell of oils and the fresh herbs he’d been raised with, grown for potions, teas, and poultices, rife in the air. It was the scent of home. The scent of love, warmth—of his mother.

Now he tugged Robbie, pulling her deeper into the town as the others followed behind, incredulous at the idea they were all able to get inside.

But in seconds, he understood why.

As the village came into full view, his heart hammered in his chest and his legs went soft.

“Jesus Christ,” he whispered, his eyes scanning the village, his chest so tight he thought it would explode.

No one spoke, you almost couldn’t hear anyonebreathe, until finally Nina said, “What the ever-lovin’ fuck went on here?”

His town—all the tiny little cottages, the mercantile, the stores—were leveled. As if someone had come in with a plow and run them down. Trees were uprooted, the fountain in the center of the village smashed to smithereens, glass from store windows and the cottages was strewn across the road, glinting in the sun.

Robbie gripped his hand harder, her fear evident on her face. “Maybe we should go?”

But he shook his head, his expression pained. “No… I have to see…I have to…”

He didn’t knowwhathe had to do, but he did know something evil had swept through Moonfall. He couldn’t smell it the way he’d once been able to, but dark magic had been here.

As he walked down the cobblestone road, stepping over crushed planters and furniture, as he passed the obliterated café a sweet, elderly witch named Julia had opened, he slowly began to run.

Toward his mother’s.

He heard everyone take off behind him, the stomps of their feet in his ears as he rounded the corner of Main Street and headed toward Tarragon Lane.

Skidding to a halt, he choked out a cough to keep from screaming.

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