Page 116 of Bound to the Orc King

“You bet we will,” Naomi says.

“We’re witches, bitches!” I say.

“Oh, I like that!” Hannah says. “‘Witches Bitches.’ That could be the name of our Ferndale Falls coven.”

“We could make T-shirts,” Naomi says.

I laugh. “I’d wear the shit out of one of those.”

“You guys are the best.” Hannah leans closer. “Now tell me all about your adventure.” She sticks her tongue out at Naomi. “Naomi wouldn’t tell me anything fun.”

“I was chosen to free the Moon Goddess from god prison,” I say.

Aldronn’s voice in my head sounds amused.“God prison?”

“I’m making it exciting.”I grin at him, then launch into the entire story.

When I finish the big finale, Hannah says, “Eee, that’s so exciting!”

I lift an I-told-you-so eyebrow at Aldronn, who smirks.

In all of her excitement, Hannah’s mind brushes against mine. All I feel is happiness for me. There’s none of the doubt or disbelief old May would have expected. It seems I really did judge my friends through the lens of my own issues. These two women have always had my back.

“I’m so happy for you, May,” Hannah says.

“Not gonna lie. I’m pretty damned happy for me, too.” I wrap an arm around each of them and hug them to me. “And I’m so thankful for the two of you. Thanks for sticking with me for all these years while I figured my shit out.”

“Are you kidding?” Naomi says. “I only just got my life sorted.”

“I’m still a work in progress,” Hannah says.

“You? Miss ‘I’ve known I wanted to be mayor since high school’ Hannah? Girl, you’ve spent your whole life as the dictionary definition of ‘together.’”

“Yeah, I try to make things look good from the outside. It’s kind of expected if you want to be mayor.” She taps a finger to her temple. “But in here it’s all ahhhhhhh.” Hannah throws up her hands and shakes them wildly, like jazz hands on a caffeine bender.

“Hey.” I grab one of her flailing hands and squeeze. “I didn’t know that. If you ever want to talk and be messy and shit, you know I’m your girl.”

“And me.” Naomi reaches over to tangle her fingers with ours. “I’m always game for some real talk.”

“See?” I say. “You two are the best.”

“We’rethe best. All three of us,” Hannah says. “Now tell me more about these dragons.”

“The two dicks?” Naomi makes an upside down V with two of her fingers, waving them near her crotch.

“What? No!” Hannah says, sounding both horrified and fascinated. “I meant more that if they know a lot of magic history and scholarship, they might have a way to tell what kind of witch I am.”

“Oh.” Naomi’s eyes twinkle as she hooks a thumb toward me. “Because if you want to know about two dicks, May here’s your girl.”

“I feel like there’s somewhere else I should be,” Aldronn says, his lips twitching as Hannah’s shocked gaze bounces back and forth between the two of us.

When she murmurs a dazed, “Two?” we all burst out laughing.

An hour later, Hannah needs to return to work. I walk with her to town hall, chatting all the way, and take a leisurely stroll back along Main Street, taking in the familiar sights of all the adorable gingerbread-trimmed buildings.

Ferndale Falls really does feel different now. Magic tingles in the air, filling it with a feeling of potential. I don’t need Aldronn’s premonition magic to know big changes are on the way for my small town. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen here next.

When I get to the bookshop, Naomi pulls my backpack out of her backroom. “I kept it for you instead of returning it to your dad. I didn’t want him to worry.”

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