Page 93 of Bewicched

“I can take care of this right now.” She put her hand on his chest, her lips twitching with a silent spell. She looked pained for a moment and then she let out a breath. “This time, darling girl, I really could use help getting to that chair.”

I put my arm around her and slowly walked her back. “What did you do?”

“I’ve taken his magic. I’ll hold it until the Council is able to meet. And if he tries to harm a woman or coerce a woman on his own, the harm will visit him threefold.”

“Only three?” I helped her down.

“I tried for higher, but I’m not as young as I used to be.” She patted my arm, careful not to touch my ungloved hand.

“Still stronger than most of the people in this room, Gran.”

She smiled weakly. “True. I’m going to need a nap, though. Hurry up, now. The feel in the room is changing. I don’t know how much longer you have.”

“Hey, Ursula? You might want to come over here.” He was standing beside Serena.

Shit.I really didn’t want it to be Serena. She was vain and difficult, but she was also hard-working and loyal to her friends. She might have hated me, but I never thought she’d hurt her mother. Sylvia would do anything for her girls. I felt sick swiping her hand.

“No, I—” Declan began, but I was already gliding over Serena’s demon-free life. She was beautiful and used it to her advantage when she could but didn’t rely on it. Hard work and dedication were how she had built her shop into a success. She didn’t like me, but she also gave me very little thought, which was good. She loved her mom, though it annoyed her when Sylvia made too many suggestions. She was frustrated that everyone thought Calliope was the sweet one. It was all pretty normal stuff. She didn’t have a hand in killing her mother.

I looked at Declan in question.

“She has two different nightshade scents on her. Her right hand has an almost imperceptible aroma. She has a much stronger, more pure scent around her waist.”

Her waist? And then I remembered. “Where’s Calliope?” I scanned the room but didn’t see her. She was just here. She had to have run when I went for the patio door.

“Gran?”

“Oh, child. Tell me they weren’t doing this together. Not both of them.” She sounded so tired.

“I don’t think so. When I read Serena, there was nothing that indicated a hatred of her mother or an interest in sorcery. I heard the voice racing around Aunt Sylvia’s head when she was in the hospital. It wasn’t Serena’s.”

Staring at my mother, who was frozen in conversation with her brother Joe, I wondered what it would take to kill your own mother and then I remembered the Corey Curse. Calliope couldn’t be the one to kill Gran. She’d lose her powers.

“I bet the demon pushed Serena to deliver the poisoned cup to Gran. Cal couldn’t get her hands dirty because of the family curse. Serena, though, the older, prettier, more successful one, well, if we accused her of being the sorcerer, that might just brighten Cal’s day. Serena would have her magic stripped from her and she’d be banished. She’d lose it all and guess who could step right in and take over?”

Gran was lost in thought. “I don’t remember walking out to the patio. I have no idea who brought me the cup of tea.” She pounded the arm of the chair. “A demon used me like a puppet, and I didn’t realize, didn’t stop it.” Her gaze found mine and I felt her fear.

“It might have been the same for Serena,” I suggested. “The nightshade is strongest around her waist, which is where Calliope wrapped her arm when Serena was going at me. And she’s not here anymore.”

Declan held his hand low on his chest. “Is she the little one, short black hair, wearing a dark purple dress?”

I nodded.

“Oh, I believe it.”

“Yes,” Gran sighed, “unfortunately, so do I. Young man, would you walk me to my room? I need to lie down.”

“This is Declan. Remember? You met him before.” Gran usually had a mind like a steel trap. I wasn’t ready for her to start forgetting things.

“I’m aware,” she said, getting up and leaning her narrow frame against Declan. “If he proves to be an upstanding young man who sticks around, I’ll use his name.”

He patted her hand, watching me. “I’m not going anywhere, ma’am.”

She nodded as they moved to the hall entrance. “It’ll be nice to have an Alpha in the family.”

“Gran,” I warned. One kiss. We’d only had one incredible, earth-shattering kiss, and we were still working out if his touch was hazardous. We were not getting married. Damn pushy woman.

She tapped Declan’s arm and turned around. “They’re coming back. The energy in the room just changed.”

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