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Now, this part reminded Willow of every wicked witch in every movie she’d seen, because Nadine swooshed around her arms, conjuring the wind to circle around her, and gradually, the floor opened up into vast nothingness.

That was definitely going to be expensive to fix.

“These are original hardwood,” she shrieked. But the other witches in the coven were already in a magic match with Ivy and Bliss.

One of Ivy’s talents was numbing her opponent. With a twitch of her elegant fingers, Rowena and Daria slumped to the floor unable to use their limbs.

“That should hold you for a hot minute,” Ivy gloated, just as Jewels sent some kind of spell her way, which was quickly blocked by Bliss.

Meanwhile Esme and Astrid were literally pulling each other’s hair, having discovered they were matched too well in magic. Zephyr didn’t approve of a cat fight if he wasn’t invited, so he pounced on Astrid’s back, clawing at her clothing.

“Fight all you want,” Nadine cried with a cackle. The wind had gained momentum and seemed to be coming from the big hole in the floor now. And Nadine chanted something ominous and probably super evil. Then extending her hand to Willow said, “Come, coven sister. All the power of the universe is ours.”

For some reason, after all the crap this coven had put her and her family through, and the forced wedding and the creepy crystal ball, that last thing Nadine said really set Willow off. It’s like she just snapped, and with clenched fists and gritted teeth, she felt magic race from her toes to the top of her head. It was a surge of power, akin to being electrocuted but she was the source.

Everyone froze, staring at her in awe.

“Willow,” Esme said with open astonishment. “Your eyes are on fire.”

But Willow was fixed on Nadine. “I don’t need another coven. I am a Ravensong witch.”

Somewhere in the distance, barrels of thunder cracked the sound barrier.

“You cannot break the Circlet of Nebula. It’s a dark and all-powerful bond.”

“You know what’s more powerful than your stupid bond? Love.”

Love for her mother and her sisters and the true unbreakable bond she had with them. No enchanted bracelet could ever replace that.

Willow realized as the words were coming out of her mouth, that it was the cheesiest thing ever. The cheese was so Velveeta, she could hardly contain groaning at herself. But it was the truth. And the cheesiest thing of all… it worked. She held up her arm and the Circlet of Nebula dissolved into dust.

The complete look of shock on Nadine’s face gratified Willow for about one-point-two seconds. Then, the hag tilted her head with mild surprise and admiration and began to slow clap.

A slow, menacing grin stretched across Nadine’s leathery face, and she said, “I knew you were worth bringing into the sisterhood. I’m impressed. But there’s one thing you may not realize. Sisters!”

She summoned the rest of her coven to join her, all of them coming to stand on the edge of that great big hole in the floor which was the opening to the Nexus. “Show her.”

One by one, each witch exposed her arm, putting their veins on display. They glowed an unnatural purple.

With her arms outstretched, Nadine’s own veins became visible, glowing in the same way.

“Go ahead,” she urged, “Look at your arms.”

Willow lifted her hands, bringing her forearms to her eye level, and like watercolor paint on wet paper, the veins in her arms appeared with the same purple glow. The look of horror in her eyes was question enough.

“Remember the papercut?” Daria said, wiggling her fingers. “We’re blood sisters.”

The papercut. When they made her read that silly agreement. The sneaky witches.

At this, Esme, Bliss, and Ivy flew to Willow’s side, but Nadine was quicker, pricking her finger, and sending a single drop of blood into the Nexus. From there, the floor stretched, separating Willow from her family. They ran to be by her side, but with every step, the floor stretched even more. And when Esme lifted her arms, they seemed to be stuck in molasses. It was the same with Bliss and Ivy.

Willow looked down at her feet. They were on the edge of the Nexus opening. One misstep, and she’d fall in.

“Join us or die, Willow. It’s your only choice.”

Astrid stretched her arm over the Nexus and pricked her finger in the same way Nadine did. The three others did the same, each one standing on the precipice of the gaping gap in the floor. It seemed to go on forever with no bottom in sight.

The witches spread out around the Nexus, so they could just hold hands without stretching too much. Then they began to chant.