Page 68 of A Witch-ish Guide to Protectors and Pendulums

Lily Joy looked between Lilith, Connor, and me. “That’s unbelievable.”

“It’s beautiful,” Lilith added. “Adam turned men against us, convincing them to harm any magic holders. Once again, if he couldn’t have it, then no one else could. Adam was the biggest mistake the universe ever made. The only good that ever came from that man was my Peter and Shoshana. My beloved Shoshana didn’t survive the attack. But my Peter did. And you, my dear, Lily Joy, are the product of his union. I’m blessed to know you.”

A tear slid down Lily Joy’s cheek.

“When magic holders were forced into hiding, that was how the Baghests entered into service. The universe tasked them with protecting magic holders in their hiding spot, which the mortals deemed Hell, to scare any off from seeking magic holders out.”

“So it’s a PR game,” I said and my grandmother smiled at me, nodding. “Do you know who Beetle is?” I asked then, bringing this fun conversation back into the serious realm.

She shook her head. “Their magic is cloaked. I cannot sense who is behind it.”

“Cloaking magic? Is that something I can do?”

“We don’t yet know the full extent of your powers, my Simone. Whoever this Beetle is, they’ve somehow harnessed powerful magic. No magic holder should have the power to block me. Iamthe embodiment of magic in humans. When I left the garden, the universe saw fit to give small amounts of magic to those deserving of it, a sort of checks and balances.”

“Checks and balances?” Connor asked.

“Can you believe that the universe feared thatI’dbe the one to go off on a power trip?”

“The universe didn’t plan that one too well,” I replied.

“So what should we do about her powers?” Lily Joy asked.

“If an idea comes to you, then try,” Lilith said back. “The universe is whispering its secrets to you. But I’m not privy to those particular ones. I am sorry.”

“Are… Are my parents around?” I asked. “Can I speak with them?”

Lilith smiled and nodded. Two people, a man and a woman, appeared together and my eyes immediately filled with tears. “Oh my god,” I whispered. Connor’s arm squeezed tighter.

“My beautiful Simone,” my mother said. “Isn’t she beautiful, Baruch?”

“She’s a vision. Hello, my daughter.”

“Dad?” I threw my hand over my mouth to stifle an ugly sob.

“I’m sorry we were not there for you as you grew. We would have never left if we could have helped it.”

“You died trying to protect Mom. This is all on Adam. Not going to lie, I hate that I have any of that man’s blood running through me.”

“Magic was an experiment for humanity,” Lilith said. “The universe tracked my ability to yield it. The garden was created to make sure that no one was hurt should it go wrong. If Adam had been a good man, then I may not have wanted to leave. But theuniverse knew there were people ready to receive it. Thus, I had towantto leave.”

“But he took everything from me,” I protested. “You, my parents, my brother. I grew up completely alone when I could’ve had a family if it hadn’t been for him.”

“Oh, my dear girl,” my mother said. “You have a family.” She looked to Connor behind me, then to Lily Joy. “Your family is now. It is in your future. The children whom you will one day hold in your arms.”

“Only if we can defeat Beetle, which I’m not so convinced?—”

“No,” Lilith said sharply. “Do not manifest negative thoughts. You will defeat him. You must.”

I sighed. “Willandmustare very different, Lilith.”

“This is a lot for her.” Connor defended me, and yeah, despite our rocky start, I felt his love in every word. I wouldn’t tell him this, but the universe picked well. It still made me salty that Adam had taken away my birth family. That I spent my youth scared and alone. But if I’d lived out my life with Baruch and Shoshana, I wouldn’t have been alive to meet Connor. Life had its tradeoffs.

“I’ve been watching you with my daughter,” my father, Baruch, said.

I blanched. “Not atalltimes, right?” I asked, feeling a bit green.

He smiled in knowing indulgence, appearing to hold back a laugh. “No, Simone. There are some things a father does not need to know about his daughter.”

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