Page 32 of The Witch's Spell
“Oh.” Lydia perks up a bit. “That’s a great idea. Lilith always knew what to do.”
Aurora’s smile twitches. In response, my chest squeezes.
I know Lydia didn’t mean anything hurtful by it, but I imagine Aurora took it that way. I think it bothers her sometimes, how powerful the other witches in her family are. It makes me want to pull her close and tell her she’s perfect just the way she is.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” I ask Lydia, trying to pull the attention away from Aurora.
“Oh, yeah.” My sister takes a sip of tea, then reaches for a slice of bread. I can tell she’s already feeling better about the fog, comforted that Aurora is trying to do something to alleviate it. “Liora’s roof caved in. Well, not the entire thing, but part of it. It left a huge mess in her kitchen. James is there now trying to help clean up, and I told Rowan about it when I passed him in Faunwood.” She takes a bite of bread, then says around it, “Could you help patch it up?”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” I ask, a small bolt of irritation going through me. “Fixing the roof could take days, depending on how bad the damage is. I need to get started right away.”
“Sorry.” Lydia takes another bite of bread, then covers her mouth. She holds up the still-steaming slice. “I just got a bit distracted.”
With a sigh, I drag a hand down my face. “Come on. I’ll grab my tools, and we can walk back into the village together. You can help me carry what I’ll need.”
Lydia’s eyes narrow, and I swear it’s like looking at her when she was sixteen and constantly causing trouble. “But—”
I hold up a hand. “But nothing. There’s no way I can get my cart through the snow, so you’ll have to help me.”
Lydia’s grumpy sigh makes Aurora crack a smile. At least her frown is taking a break for a moment.
“I can pack some snacks for the road.” Aurora pushes to her feet, a slight huff to her breath, and begins arranging slices of steamy bread on a square of cloth. By the time I herd Lydia to the door and we both have our boots and cloaks on, Aurora has finished tying off the package.
“I’ll try my best with the fog,” she says, handing the bundle to Lydia. Worry flashes in her eyes, but I don’t think my sister notices it.
“Thank you, Aurora. Truly.” Lydia steps forward and pulls Aurora in for a hug. “I’ll let everyone know. It’ll put them at ease.”
“Oh, great.” Aurora’s uncomfortable smile is almost painfully obvious, but Lydia is already pulling away and reaching for the door handle.
“Be back as soon as I can,” I tell Aurora. Then I press a kiss to her lips and sweep Lydia out of the cottage before she can say something else to pressure Aurora. That’s thelast thing she needs when she’s already trying so hard to figure this out.
After my sister and I fetch what we can carry from the shed, I sling my tool belt around my hips, and we set back off down the snowy path toward Faunwood. As we walk, I keep glancing into the trees, and though I can’t see the fog, I feel it lurking in the shadows just out of view.
And I honestly don’t know what we’re going to do about it.
Chapter 18
Aurora
AS SOON AS THE DOOR closes behind Alden and Lydia, I slump against the foyer wall. Worry turns my stomach into a twisted mess, and even my chest feels tight.
The villagers assume I’m as talented as Auntie, but the truth is, I’mnot. Of all the women in my family, I’m probably the least gifted in the magical arts. Getting through Coven Crest was hard enough, and I thought everything would be better here, easier. And it has been in many ways. But without Niamh here to help me, I have no idea what to do about this fog. I never expected the villagers to need me for anything—except perhaps magical pests in the garden, andthatI can handle.
But this?
This is so out of my comfort zone I don’t even have the slightest clue what to do. If Auntie’s spellbooks don’t reveal anything, we’ll be back to square one.
“Hey.”
The voice startles me from my reverie, and I look up to find Thorne leaning in the parlor doorway. His eyes are like winter ice in this light, and he has to push his shaggy hair back lest it impede his vision.
Harrison stands at his feet, head canted at me. Of all the guys I’ve brought home, he’s warmed up to Thorne the fastest. Add it to the list of oddities Thorne is stacking up.
“You okay?” Thorne continues.
“Me? Oh, I’m fine.” My tone is higher pitched than usual, and though I’m smiling, it feels forced.
Thorne doesn’t look convinced. He pushes off the doorframe and says, “I wanted to take a closer look at the fog. Would you care to join me?”
