Page 35 of Bewitched By the Voodoo King
“Can I help you?”
She leaned down to my level. “Babette was in line to be the Voodoo Queen. The new matriarch. You stole that from her, and she doesn’t take kindly to others taking what rightfully belongs to her.”
My brows rose on my forehead, and I felt myself straighten up a bit. “Babette? She was dating Rune?”
The woman rolled her eyes and bobbed her head. “Dating? They were going to get married.”
My heart gave a little stutter. Married?
No. Rune would’ve said something. Wouldn’t he?
I swallowed and lifted my chin. “Well, Rune has the right to make his own choices.”
Her smile sharpened. “He does. And he did. Until you showed up with big, innocent eyes and little frame. You thinkjust because he’s taking you out for dinner and beignets, you mean something?”
I said nothing. Mostly because I didn’t think it would actually matter. Women like this would always try to win, and sometimes you had to pick and choose your battles.
She stepped closer, close enough that I could smell her perfume—sickly sweet with something sharp underneath, like honeysuckle andblood.
“Let me give you a little advice, Maple,” she hissed. “Coven politics are like tarot cards. You might be dealt something shiny, but it doesn’t mean it was meant for you. Rune? He’s not your fate. He’s a storm you’ll drown in.”
My fingers curled around the strap of my clutch as I stared the woman down. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I know how to swim.”
She blinked, clearly not expecting that.
I sidestepped her and reached for the door, but her voice followed me.
“Babette won’t let this go,” she said, almost sing-song. “She doesn’t lose. Not to girls like you.”
I paused with my hand on the doorframe and turned back just enough to meet her gaze.
“Then maybe sheshouldn’t have let him go in the first place.”
I turnedon my heel to leave the bathroom. When I reached our table, I realized the crème brûlée had been delivered, and Rune’s expression was concerned. “Is everything okay?”
I tried my best to plaster on a happy smile, but I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. “Yep, and that looks delicious.”
I didn’t wait for him and immediately dug into the dessert with fervour. Anything to keep me from blabbing about whathappened in the bathroom. I didn’t want anyone to overhear our conversation because I knew the Babette fan club had to be listening in somewhere nearby.
He polished off the fruit while I enjoyed the hard sugared topping.
He was still watching me, spoon idle in his hand. “Maple.”
“Mhm?” I replied around a mouthful of caramelized sugar.
“You’re lying.”
I froze for a beat too long, then forced a swallow and shrugged. “About what? I love crème brûlée.”
“About being okay.”
I set the spoon down gently and leaned back in my chair, eyes flicking to the nearby tables. Two witches were definitely eavesdropping while pretending to argue over wine lists. “I’m great. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Is it the food?” He frowned as he looked down at the mostly gone dessert.
I shook my head and continued to smile as if nothing was bothering me. “Not at all. Nothing is wrong.”
His jaw worked as he watched me. “The light that radiates from you has dimmed significantly, and I want to make sure it wasn’t something I did.”
