Page 135 of Sigils & Spells

Amaryllis let out a soft whimper from where she was hunched at Pippa’s side.

Pippa reached over and rubbed her shoulder, “Sorry, Amari.”

Amari just shook her head and whispered, “No. It’s my fault.I’msorry.”

Pippa’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean it’s your fault? What did you do?”

“I lost control of my magic,” Amari whispered.

“When?” Pippa exclaimed.

“When didn’t she?” Natalie asked dryly.

Amari hunched down further and Pippa glared at Natalie, who rolled her eyes, then said gently, “It’s okay, Amari. The effects will wear off soon enough.”

“Yeah, in about seventeen hours,” Tempest muttered.

Pippa sighed and looked around. “Did you lose control in here?”

Amari nodded.

“Plus the grocery store, the bookstore and the clothing store,” Jo said cheerfully.

Pippa closed her eyes. Dear goddess.

“Sorry,” Amaryllis whispered again.

“It’s all right, Amari,” Pippa reassured her. “There’s nothing we can do about it now, just try and ride out the side effects. Did any of you guys get hit with the whammy?” She glanced around at the others.

Natalie shook her head. “No, my casting seems to have held and made us immune to each other’s magic, or at least to Amari’s. Fingers crossed it works for the rest.”

“So, ladies.”

Pippa looked up to find a vampire towering over them, an inquisitive look on his face.

“You’re witches, right?” He snagged a chair from the next table over and shoved his way in between Amaryllis and Pippa.

Amari instantly shrank back from his form, which towered over both of them even sitting down.

The vampire was huge.

“I’m Lassiter.” He held out his hand to Amaryllis.

Silence fell as everyone waited to see whether Amaryllis would acknowledge him or not.

For a long moment, Pippa thought she would ignore him, but the vampire clearly had infinite patience because he just waited until finally, Amaryllis lifted her hand and set it in his.

“Amari,” she whispered, stunning Pippa and the others.

Amaryllis rarely spoke to strangers and when she did, shealwaysintroduced herself as Amaryllis.

“Amari,” the vampire rumbled, holding her hand between both of his and staring down at her bent head. “It’s a true pleasure to meet you. Would you introduce me to the rest of your coven?”

Silence, then Amari shifted a little and without raising her eyes once, went around the table and said each of their names.

Lassiter didn’t bother to look away from her to acknowledge any of the others as they were introduced. He simply repeated each name, then waited for the next.

Great.

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