Page 21 of Love's a Witch
“Yes, I know.” Broca shook her head. She never made excuses for our mother, something I deeply appreciated, instead just accepting the facts of what was. “But now I’ve had my vision, and I really think you’ll be able to break this curse and settle here. If you’d like.”
I highly doubted I’d stay in Briarhaven, even if we did break the curse, but that was a discussion for another time.
“Tell us more about your vision,” Nova said, pulling out her sketchbook to start drawing an outline of the emberwolf.
“I’d been in Portugal, actually. Delightful lovers there, you know.”
“Broca! No, ew!” Nova hissed, and Broca laughed.
“How have you all turned out to be such prudes?” She marveled.
“I think it’s fabulous,” Lyra said, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
“Can we focus?” I asked, shaking my head, amused.
“Naturally, my love. So it was after a particularly vigorous session with—”
“Noooo,” Nova whined.
“My masseuse,” Broca finished with a wink. “And I was feeling loose and relaxed, and then it just came over me. It was a vision of you three, in Briarhaven, finally breaking the curse.‘Three sisters to right a wrong, a heart shattered, once again strong.’”
“What does that even mean?” Lyra wondered.
“I have no idea, and I have tried, many a time, to get more information. But the scrying ball does not let me see.” Broca held her hands in the air. Her scrying ball was a simple crystal ball, or sometimes she used a mirror, and when particularly invested, Broca could determine deep insights into the future.
“Do we have to be a part of the coven in order to break this curse?” I asked. I really wasn’t keen on joining the Charms. The emberwolf shifted, letting out a snuffle, and then he rolled so his stomach was available for scratchies. We all cooed in delight.
“You are a part of the coven.” I met Broca’s steady gaze. “You all have legacy seats. The MacGregors have been a part of the Charms for a very long time.”
“But…” Nova poked out a lower lip in a pout. “Never harm, always charm?”
“It’s trite, but effective. As good slogans often are.”
“I think it could be fun,” Lyra said, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.
“I think I don’t like other people telling us what to do,” I said.
“Ah yes, always in charge.” Broca made a tsking noise with her lips. “I don’t know if that is a firstborn trait or because of your mother, but you can let others help, you ken?”
The emberwolf snorted again, a puff of smoke coming through his nose, and my sisters and I gasped, the Charms forgotten.
“Will he shoot fire?”
Broca looked at me like I wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer.
“He’s an emberwolf.”
“Oh my goddess, we’re going to have to fireproof the place.” I looked around, imagining all the streamers going up in flames.
“It’ll be fine, Sloane. You worry too much. Just look at the sweet darling. He’ll be just fine, won’t he, then?” Broca cooed over him from her spot on the chair.
“What’s his name?” Lyra looked up at me.
“Blue,” I said, without hesitation. “His name’s Blue.”
At that, Blue let out a little rumble of satisfaction, rolled to his feet, and took off on an easy glide around the room. We all gasped, and I clapped my hands together, my heart dancing inside my chest. When he landed on the kitchen counter and promptly buried his nose in a plate of cheese Lyra had left out, I jumped up.
“Blue,” I said, testing his name.
