Page 28 of The Most Wanted Witch

“No. Just her. I’ll run over and tell her employees that she’s okay. They’ll figure out something to cover the shop tomorrow. They’ve been with her a while.”

I put out my arm, blocking him from going. “I’ll go. The grouslies won’t bother me, and they might still be nearby.”

“It’s not a big deal. I’ll shoot over—”

“Zab, let Tippi do it. We know they’re close, and they won’t touch her,” Hawk said from where he was bent over working on Gilli.

I gave Zab an I-told-you-so look, knowing he wouldn’t go against Hawk, not that he should. It was common sense.

“Before you go, what was that weird light-up thing you did when you were running at them?” he asked.

My stomach clenched and my mouth was suddenly dry. “What are you talking about? I thought that was you.”

“That was definitelynotme. Your skin was nearly glowing.”

“I don’t know. I guess I just got excited or something.” And now I knew why Gilli’s employee was looking at me weird, afraid to get close. I probably should’ve offered to escort Zab over there, but I couldn’t walk it back now. The girl would have to get over it.

By the time I got back, Gilli and Hawk were no longer in the back room but everyone else was hanging around, having tea and basically sharing their nerves with each other. Oscar had gotten back and Bibbi was there too, petting something on her lap, which could only be Dusty, unless she’d developed a weird nervous tic.

“Where’s Gilli? Is she okay?” I asked.

“Hawk put her in a room upstairs,” Zab said, looking at the cocoa in my hand.

“She was rattled enough. I didn’t even want her to give me this one. I couldn’t very well ask her for another.” She probably would’ve given me ten to get rid of me. The only reason the employee had made it was that she’d been looking for an excuse to keep her distance.

“Aren’t you going to share?” Bibbi asked, as if she’d missed out as well.

“Sure. I guess. Who wants some?”

“Me,” said everyone. I managed not to groan as my cocoa, the only bright spot of the evening, was decimated.

“What room is she in?” I asked.

“In his wing somewhere, I suppose,” Bibbi said, in a slightly less cheerful way than normal. That was understandable, considering what Gilli had just gone through.

She was ripped up and attacked. Only a sicko would want to trade places with her, so what did that make me? Obviously a sicko.

I glanced down at the small drop of cocoa I had. This night was not going well.

13

“Did anyone see Gil yet?” Zab asked as I made my way into the back room for breakfast.

“I didn’t,” Bibbi answered, chewing on a pastry, the likes of which I’d never seen before.

When strange food started appearing, it meant only one thing: Bertha was on edge. Musso had admitted recently that as much as he hated when his wife was upset, there were a few perks to it. Looking at the spread on the table, he might be right. It looked like a wedding brunch spread.

“No, but I’m sure they’ll be down soon.” Bertha stopped moving for all of two seconds before turning to reach for another bowl. “We need more biscuits.”

“Great idea, Bertha. Couldn’t agree more.” Oscar grabbed two more off a towering heap.

I followed Bertha over to the side, where she was cracking black eggs into a bowl. “Bertha, are you okay? I didn’t know you were so close to Gilli.”

She put the bowl down and began wringing her hands. “I’m not. I have to tell you something horrible. I used to get annoyed with her and her chocolate, always carrying on about how hers was the best and no one could make chocolate or fudge like her.” She looked about the room, making sure no one was listening before she leaned in closer. “Sometimes I wished she wouldn’t be able to make chocolate for a while just so she’d shut up.”

“You didn’t do this to her, though, and you have nothing to do with the grouslies.”

“I don’t know. Thoughts can be a tricky thing. You don’t know how they might manifest. The least I can do is give her the best breakfast when she gets up, just in case my thoughts somehow contributed to this. It will make me feel better.”

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