Page 85 of Sugar, Spice, and Magical Midlife

MagaSagredo leaned forward, crossing one arm over the other, her wand dangling as if she hadn’t a care in the world. “He’s not part of this negotiation.”

My face and chest flushed with rage. “Why not?”

“How about you surrender and we spare your lives?” Serena spat.

I inwardly tensed. She wasn’t helping by pissing off our enemies.

SignoraOscura flew in front ofMagaSagredo, leaving no doubt who was really in charge. “Do you honestly think we’re afraid of you and your little resistance?” She waved her wand, whispering an incantation beneath her breath, and the rest of the cavern lit up, revealing dozens more robed witches hovering behind her on their brooms. “You’re not the only one who’s been creating a secret army.”

I wasn’t comforted when the color drained from Serena’s face.

The walls shook again, followed by a troll-sized groan, gurgle, and splash, then another wave of unbearable stench.

We would’ve died in those sewers.

“MagaSagredo, listen to me,” I said with a plea in my voice. “SignoraOscura is a succubus. She’s controlling you.”

MagaSagredo let out a laugh. “My daughter has been making that false accusation for years. If I didn’t believe her, what makes you think I’ll believe you?”

“Think about it for a moment,” I said, remembering how I’d been so disoriented while staying with Antonio. “She’s causing your migraine and brain fog.”

She gave me a funny look, and that’s when I saw the haze in her eyes. “I don’t have a migraine or brain fog.”

“You do,” I insisted, “but you’re so disoriented you don’t realize it. I know how it feels. The succubi had done the same to me the other day.”

Groan. Gurgle. Splash.

Shu pinched his nose. “Grody to the max!”

Everyone moved a few more paces away from the troll’s bathroom door, and I vowed to myself that if I escaped this mess, I’d never eat another taco again.

MagaSagredo splayed a hand across her chest, her facial features pinching. “Don’t you think if the demons have been controlling me all this time, they’d have possessed me, too?”

“They only possess strong witches, Mother.” There was no mistaking the disgust in Serena’s voice. “And as much as you like to pretend otherwise, you’re weak.”

Wow. If and when we survived this, my aunt and grandmother were going to need some serious family therapy.

Sparks flew offMagaSagredo’s wand as she shook it at her daughter. “I should’ve disowned you the day you betrayed me!”

“I didn’t betray you, Mother.” Serena’s shoulders fell, a weariness in her eyes that I felt in my soul. “I got away before the succubus tried to control me, too.”

“Do you see this hourglass?”MagaSagredo waved her wand, revealing an hourglass that floated in front of her with only a few grains of sand in the top portion. “When the last grain of sand falls, the stool will vanish, and the minotaur will die unless you surrender your wand and come peacefully with us.”

I sucked in a sharp breath, even as a powerful migraine formed at the back of my skull. I shook a fist atMagaSagredo. “What you’re doing is illegal and a violation of every Tribunal code of ethics!” My hand flew to my brow as the migraine intensified.

“Don’t you lecture me about ethics!”MagaSagredo clucked her tongue. “FromThe Practical Witchcraft Guidebook: Protecting the phoenix from demonic threats must be done at any cost.”

“You’re the demonic threat, Mother!” Serena shrieked.

Damn, that headache was getting worse. Much worse. I looked up atSignoraOscura, whose crimson gaze was laserfocused on me. Oh, crud. She was spellcasting me! So much for my aunt’s shield. I shook my head, trying to clear the fog, but it was no use. What happened if her spell worked? Who would save me from myself if the succubus took over my mind?

I want what you want, Luciella.Dread sluiced through my veins when the succubus’s voice echoed in my skull.To end the reign of the evil nobility so all striga will be equal. Relinquish your wand, and together we can do that.

I hunched over with a cry. “Get out of my head!”

“Time is almost up.”MagaSagredo’s voice reverberated around me. “Surrender your wand, Luciella.”

I loosened my grip on my wand. Maybe this headache would stop if I gave it to her.

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