Page 90 of Boss Witch

“Where in the world did she go?” Ethel asked.

Danica folded her arms, the picture of resolve. “I’m not supposed to tell. She wants to give everyone all the details when she’s back.”

“When will that be?” Clem demanded.

I can’t believe Leanne took a vacation in the middle of all this.

But if the situation went bad, maybe Leanne would turn out to be the smart one, having already bailed on potential problems. Everyone in the coven had their issues, and for Leanne, it was commitment. Ironic, because she loved getting married, but staying married was a different kettle of fish entirely.

“Two or three days, depending,” Danica said.

The whole coven was itching to ask for more details, but just then, the feed cut off. No more livestream. Whatever happened now, the world wouldn’t know about it.

I shouldn’t care. I’m not worried about him.Except she was. They might be beating Gavin to death for betraying the order, and she couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Clem exhaled shakily, wishing with all her heart that things were different.

Instantly, Priya was beside her, offering a one-­armed cuddle. “It will be all right. I bet the council will send an envoy soon to take the situation in hand.”

“You got that right.” Gladys strolled in like she owned the place.

Ethel slapped her knee and grinned practically ear to ear. “I knew it! You wouldn’t admit it when I asked, but I had the feeling they tapped you in the last rotation.”

“We’re sworn to secrecy, apart from the direst emergencies,” Gladys said primly. “And you know I can keep my mouth shut.”

“That’s right, you do know where all the bodies are buried,” Ethel shot back.

The younger witches swapped wide-­eyed looks while Clem asked Danica silently if she thought Ethel and Gladys were being literal. Danica responded with a bewildered shrug that didn’t seem to rule anything out.

“Shouldn’t you be in disguise?” Ethel asked.

Gladys shrugged, lowering herself carefully on an armchair that Kerry vacated. “The term will be over soon, and you’d probably recognize me anyway. We’ve known each other for fifty-­odd years.”

“True enough,” Ethel admitted.

Gladys turned to Clem. “I hope you didn’t think you were carrying this situation entirely on your shoulders, child. I’ve been minding the danger since that hunter first rolled into town. We always had your back, you know.”

She blinked, softly delighted at hearing that from the head of the other St. Claire coven. “That means a lot to me.”

“Me too,” Ethel said. “I figured you’d blame me when everything went sideways.”

Gladys shook her head.

“Thank goodness,” Danica breathed.

That’s so reassuring. A witch is never alone. We have our coven sistersandour community.

Kerry grinned at Clem. “Maybe they’ll start an award and name it after you.”

Clearing her throat to quiet the room, Gladys went on, “In light of recent revelations, the council has come to a consensus. All former witch hunters expressing remorse will receive education and commence a program of reparations, locating witches that have been forcibly converted as mundanes and helping restore them to their rightful places in the community. Those who resist our judgment will be visited by our…agents.”

The pause made Clem think there wouldn’t be much talking in those encounters. Not that she gave a shit about unrepentant assholes. The council could do whatever they liked, as far as she was concerned, including dropping those monsters down a deep hole.

“Why are you giving us a personal update?” Margie asked.

Vanessa inclined her head like she’d been wondering that too. Normally, big news came across the usual channels. Clem had never been personally involved with a council decision in her whole life; she read about such matters online like all modern witches.

“Because of the role Clementine Waterhouse played in getting these secrets exposed,” Gladys replied.

Yikes, she used my whole name. At least she didn’t call me Odette.For some reason, it felt like she was about to be scolded. “About that—­”

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