Page 27 of Bewitched By the Headless Horseman (The Bewitching Hour #1)

Stevie found Roxy curled up on the rug beneath the coffee table after she got home from the costume shop. “Has Kit been here at all?” she asked, resting her dress on the back of the couch.

The fox shook her head, then barked.

“Fine. I’ll go look for him.” She had to know if there was a possible way that Levi could’ve been a seer all this time by using the Horseman’s ghost head.

It had to be the reason Kit never felt it, not just the dark spells.

As for his actual skull, Levi’s magic had to have hidden it extremely well when he was part of the living world.

She stepped out into the fog, and Roxy took off for the woods. Stevie whistled, causing the fox to still, her ears perking up as she trotted back toward their home.

“I know it’s not ideal, but I don’t want you going into the woods alone right now. You can ride with me though.” Stevie patted her seat and the fox hopped up.

As Stevie drove through town, the fog grew thicker, sliding up just past her waist. She went down a quiet street where a ghost walked beside a middle-aged woman, most likely anticipating the Eye opening. Unless he was a pervert as Stevie’s mom would’ve said.

She pulled up near the woods, and before she trekked down the trail to look for Kit, a horse’s hooves filled the air, coming in her direction. A second later, a broad white form on horseback broke through the trees.

Stevie waved, and as Kit slowed, her heart pounded like heavy drums in her ears. And it wasn’t from nervousness, only the comfortable sight of seeing him.

Kit tugged on Inferno’s reins, and the horse’s gaze met Stevie’s. The stallion let out a low whinny, puffs of smoke escaping his nostrils.

Kit easily slid down from his horse, his feet striking the earth. “I heard your ride. You were planning to traipse in here alone?”

“I wasn’t alone,” she said. “Roxy’s here. Besides, aren’t you alone?”

“I’ve been taking care of myself for centuries, Pumpkin.”

“So that means we’re both stubborn.” Stevie smiled.

“Anyway, when I was with Lucia earlier, I thought of something.” She told him about the brew Lucia had given her, the spell her sister-in-law would soon perform at the bonfire, and then Stevie’s theory about Levi.

“Do you think that maybe he’s been using your eyes to see things over the years, and that’s why you can’t feel them?

Possibly even why your head vanished so quickly when Lucia used the wishbone?

Not just because of dark magic? It’s possible that your ghost head was in the satchel Rainier saw Levi with. ”

Kit’s fists tightened at his sides, flexing and unflexing his fingers. “That has to be the case. He’s planning something, and I know he’s been using my eyes all along. But I don’t know where he is or why he would do something to you. I will tear his ghost apart before he gets near you again.”

Stevie bit her lip, mulling over more. “The council library book mentioned that his grandson was a seer. I think they might’ve had contact.”

“He could’ve.” Kit paused, his shoulders pulling back as he studied something above him. “There’s certainly more to it than sending me to the Hollow. Clara once told me that Levi wanted to learn more about the demons’ home, and she had me help her make a few spells to make him forget about it.”

“So a Hollow obsesser… The council weeds those people out whenever possible. An illness took him a year after your death, but somehow he still had your ghost head hidden during that time. He knows something about the Eye that we don’t, and it would have to be from dark magic.

Tonight we’re coming back here for the bonfire and we’ll see if Lucia’s spell helps find your head.

And if it’s not here, then we’ll just continue looking for it and Levi.

The Crowned Witch got the letter and is coming soon, and I know she’ll help us uncover something. ”

“This bastard is tricky,” Kit ground out. “If I’ve been riding every night for over two hundred years and have never spotted him while sweeping up and down every square inch of Sleepy Hollow, then he must be using a cloaking spell.”

“We’re getting somewhere. Little by little.” Stevie frowned, a chill racing up her spine as she peered around, wondering if Levi was watching them right then. If he did use that spell, he could’ve been around her at any time, any moment.

“Slowly but surely. Time is truly of the essence now.”

Kit was right. A little over a week was left until the second Eye opened, and if nothing happened in Sleepy Hollow besides the living getting to visit the dead, and their theory was wrong, Kit would still spend eternity in the Hollow regardless.

Before she met him, she would’ve sworn on her life that he was a demon and was meant for the Hollow.

But one visit to an abandoned house had changed everything.

She let out a long sigh. “Let’s go home and get ready for the bonfire. Lucia and Gideon will be meeting us soon.”

Stevie gathered a small garden shovel and rake from the back of the dusty shed. The tools were pitiful, but they might be able to perform their duty. She hadn’t thought to search the shed before since the owner sent someone every week to take care of the garden and yard.

Stevie drank a glass of milk before finding Kit hovering over her dress in the living room, trailing a finger down the material. “If you like it that much you can cuddle it tonight.” She grinned.

He snapped his hand back. “I was only wondering what it was.”

She laughed softly, plucking the fabric up and dangling it in front of him. “It’s my gown for our meeting with the Crowned Witch. I have to dress fashionably like you for a night, so we’ll be twins. Even though you’ll be Mr. Invisible to her.”

“Mmm, I prefer the clothing you wear.”

“And why is that?” she drawled, placing her bare foot on the coffee table. “Do you like seeing my ankles and calves?” She held up her arm. “Or maybe these pretty appendages.”

He cleared his throat. “You’re very peculiar.” But his voice came out deeper than usual.

Stevie’s heart pounded faster, her teasing manner fading as tension filled the air.

The doorbell rang and Stevie jolted, tearing her gaze from him. “That’s probably Lucia.” Without another glance at Kit, she hurried to the door.

“Good news before we go.” Lucia smiled, wearing a deep purple cloak for the bonfire. “Levi’s remains are being dug up tonight for me to have a look at in the morning.”

“The council is finally getting on the ball? That’s a surprise,” Stevie said. “Let me grab my things. The tools from the shed are pretty pitiful.”

“Gideon actually borrowed a shovel from your mom.” Lucia grinned. “Do you have the bone?”

“Yep, give me a second.” She plucked a black velvet cloak from her closet and met Kit near the kitchen counter.

His tall form hovered above her and her breath caught at the sight of him.

“Cape off. Check. Gloves still gone. Check. Sword is fine since it might be needed. But can you make sure Inferno doesn’t go so things aren’t obvious? ”

“I’ll keep my whistles to myself,” he uttered, pushing away from the counter and closer to her.

She opened her mouth to say something when the door pushed open. “I’m still out here. Waiting on the porch,” Lucia called.

“Come in.” Stevie fished out the bone from her purse. Lucia walked in and handed her a vial of gold dust to lightly coat across the bone. With each brush to the remain, she noticed Kit flexing his fingers, feeling her strokes. The bone flickered, then shone like real gold.

“Now add one drop of blood and tuck it away for now,” Lucia said.

Stevie pricked her finger and pressed a droplet to the bone. It instantly absorbed the red bead before she slipped the remain into her backpack.

“Kudos for thinking about the shovel.” Stevie patted her brother’s shoulder as she slipped into the backseat of his beastly truck with Kit just behind her.

“You know I always think ahead, baby sister.” Gideon smiled, pulling his brown hood over his head.

When he took off down the street, he asked Kit annoying questions that Stevie had to answer.

How did it feel to have your head cut off?

Why didn’t you try harder to snap Clara out of her trance?

Why did you ride the horse everywhere instead of walk?

It felt like death. Because it wouldn’t work and could make things worse. Why not?

Gideon eventually pulled into a grassy field where cars were starting to park since along the curb was already filled. As she stepped down from the truck, the fog glided across the grass and tickled Stevie’s ankles like tiny fingers caressing her flesh.

“Don’t forget the pumpkins!” Lucia shouted, standing on the back of the truck to hand one to each of them.

“Whoa! It just vanished,” Gideon said, looking toward where Kit had grabbed his. “That’s genius.”

Cradling her pumpkin, Stevie skirted around the trees and the foliage to get to the bonfire. Smoke billowed toward the sky—the stars half gone, their light muted—from the blazing bonfire. The Crowned Witch needed to hurry .

Lit torches burned around clusters of people who stood near the fire drinking, snacking, and chatting.

Stevie’s pulse thrummed in anticipation of tossing her pumpkin into the crackling orange flames.

It was a tradition that she’d done ever since she could remember.

When she was younger, her mom and dad would host the celebration on a smaller scale in their backyard with just the four of them and Roxy.