Page 150 of Sigils & Spells

“I recruited Hocus Purrcus,” Bygul said. “The kitten stole the note and hid it in his basket of cat toys.”

“Then where did the note she found come from?” Soraya asked.

“I used a tiny bit of goddess magic to create a different note in his handwriting,” Bygul said. “It barely took any magic at all. I’m sure Freyja won’t even miss it.”

“If you say so,” Tivali said.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Muezza asked. “It could backfire if the witch decides to hold a grudge.”

“Maybe,” Bygul said, “but she was already set to turn him down. This way, she thinks he’s not interested, so maybe she’ll be more receptive when he inevitably comes back for more.”

“Humans are so weird,” Muezza said.

“They really are,” Tivali agreed.

*.*.*.*.*

Pippa spentthe rest of the day with the kitten, practicing her magic.

The coven practiced with them.

Hocus Purrcus definitely helped stabilize Pippa’s magic which also stabilized the rest of the coven.

However, when any of the other witches tried to do a spell on their own, without Pippa’s involvement, any advantage they’d had disappeared.

“Imagine ifallof us had familiars,” Tempest said. “Our coven would be so strong if everyone’s magic was stable.”

Pippa snorted. “That’s the kind of thinking that got us all banished from our previous covens. They believed a coven could only be as strong or as powerful as its weakest members.”

“Good point,” Natalie said. “It doesn’t matter how stable or unstable our magic is, we’re here for each other. Powerful or not, witches or not, we’re strong because we’retogether.”

“Hear, hear,” Amaryllis said softly.

“Hear, hear!” everyone echoed.

“So, Pippa, I hear you had a visitor last night,” Morana teased.

“Oooh, was it one of the cougars?” Tempest grinned.

“Not if all the howling was anything to go by,” Jo said.

“Stop making things up,” Pippa exclaimed. “There was no howling involved.”

“Really?” Rowan asked. “I’m pretty sure you guys were doing it wrong then.”

“Don’t listen to Pippa,” Morana said. “My room is right next to hers and I’m telling you right now, the wolf was howling.”

Pippa rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“Is he your mate?” Annika asked. She hadn’t gone home the night before and had been hanging out with Jo and the rest of them all day.

More evidence, as far as Pippa was concerned, that the wolf wasnother mate.

After all, he hadn’t chosen to stay like Annika had.

Thank goodness.

“No. Just really good in bed.” Pippa grinned.

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