Page 78 of Boss Witch

“I have no idea what your deal is,” Clem told the retreating cat.

Who ignored her.

Honestly, it was baffling since they were cousins with thesametype of magic, but Goliath only had one witch in his heart. With a mental shrug, Clem headed inside to shower. She tried not to linger, conscious that if she waxed everything and moisturized thoroughly, it would feel like getting ready for a date. With that in mind, she also dressed in the first comfortable clothes that came to hand: a pair of blue shorts and a striped tank top.

I can do this.

Four came and went, and she occupied herself by slicing some watermelon.Maybe he didn’t get my reply?But the growl of his bike engine broke the quiet ten minutes later, and Clem peered out the front window, checking to ensure it was Gavin. He strode up the walk and sounded a firm knock, not seeming to share her misgivings. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped back to invite him in with a gesture.

What am I even supposed to say in this situation? There’s no greeting card for this.

“Hey,” she said finally.

Gavin stared at her intensely, seeming to drink her in from head to toe. “You’ve been keeping safe?”

“Yeah. Our spell worked on the others. Thanks for keeping my secret.”

“I have one too,” he said unexpectedly. “And I’ll need your help with it, so it’s only fair to offer mine in return.”

He ran a hand through his hair and now that she was looking closely at him, she could see he hadn’t been eating or sleeping well. His face was thin and drawn, darkly stubbled from several days without shaving, and dark shadows cradled his eyes. Even grubby and disheveled, he still made her pulse flutter, dammit.

This is so wrong.

But she found herself asking, “Did something happen? What’s the matter?”

I shouldn’t ask. I shouldn’t even care. He’s the freaking enemy. He came here to hurt us. I can never forget that.

“I could tell you what I’ve learned, but it’s easier to show you. Wonder if you’ll be as shocked as I was.”

Then he glanced around the room until his gaze settled on a wilted plant set on a side table near the window. Normally, Kerry or Priya tended their greenery, but things had been hectic lately. Clem had no freaking idea where this was going when he headed that way, picked up the little pot, and closed his eyes. Incredibly, she sensed the kindling of energy, not the frightening witch hunter sort, though, and the plant brightened and greened before her eyes, the fronds spilling over in lush profusion.

“Surprise,” Gavin said. “Everything about the history of the witch hunters is a lie.”

***

While Clem stared in astonishment, Gavin summarized what he’d learned from his grandad’s email.

He finished with, “And it turns out that the mouse you gave me? He’s my familiar.”

She suddenly sank down on the sofa like her knees had given out. Her eyes were huge as she stared up at him, seeming unsure how to process the deluge of information. “That’s a lot to dump on me all at once, English.”

It put a smile on his face to hear that nickname when he’d thought maybe they’d never be on speaking terms again. “Trust me, I’m aware. My grandfather’s been on the run since he found out the truth twenty years ago. Back then, he couldn’t figure out how to put a stop to this hypocrisy. I will.”

“Is that what you need my help with? If what you’re saying is true, then it’s been witches hunting other witches all these years, driven by greed. So we’d be talking about going to war. And contrary to what you’ve been brainwashed to believe, most witches aren’t violent. Most of us aren’t skilled in using offensive magic. You do that tous.”

Gavin dropped to his knees in front of her, bowing his head. “I don’t expect you to forgive me. There’s no excuse for the way I’ve lived my life until this point. I shouldn’t have needed to learn I’m a witch to realize that oppressing you is wrong.”

“Yeah, I don’t want to talk about any of this right now. There’s no telling how long our countermeasures will work.” At his look, she waved away his silent request for clarification. She’d trusted him enough to meet, not to spill the coven’s strategies. “We need to come up with a plan for when those assholes return. It’s one thing to say you intend to stop this. Figuring out the logistics is the hard part.”

She bent, tugging him up with hands he hadn’t expected ever to hold again. Granted, she didn’t linger, but the fact that she hadn’t slapped him or punted him into the street seemed like a good sign. Carefully, Gavin perched on the edge of the sofa. His whole body felt strange, energized in a way that was brand new. Maybe it was related to the new ways he’d been using his abilities, old witch senses crackling to life when previously they’d only been used for violence and aggression.

Now the flicker of life was tangible all around him, ebbs and flows from every little thing in the world, from blades of grass to the flutter of the wind in the trees. Perhaps there was a way to manage the information overload, but he doubted Clem would be in any frame of mind to indulge his curiosity.

Not with people she loves at risk.

“You’re right.” His voice sounded rusty, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten or had anything to drink.

I need to get myself together because I’ve made some big promises. I must keep them.

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