Page 143 of How to Flirt with a Witch

“Bring back something useful, Natalie!” Fiona shouts from nearby. “Agnes, let her through.”

Ignoring Agnes’s outrage, Natalie uses magic to open a hole in the barrier, just big enough for us to slip through. The ease of passing through it doesn’t bode well for Sophia being able to do the same… But at least it’ll impede Freddie and Oaklyn.

Beyond it, I sprint after Natalie, gritting my teeth against the throbbing pain in my ankle. The roar of the fight fades into the distance, replaced by my ringing ears and loud, frantic breaths. We follow a maze of hallways to a four-way intersection with a street lamp in the middle. There, she leads me to a corner suite with the number 52 on the door.

My heart skips. Finally, I get to see Natalie’s room—and it’s on the day this whole building might be destroyed.

Chapter 34

No More Secrets

The walls in Natalie’ssuite are exposed brick like mine, the dark wood furnishings simple and elegant, the space as organized as I expected. Books are arranged neatly on shelves beside the desk, and bonsai trees cover every surface, meticulously trimmed and nurtured. The scent of her fills the room, warm and comforting—but even that can’t loosen the knot of fear in my gut.

The only clutter is a corkboard, which is swamped in photos, trimmings, and maps—maybe related to curses she has yet to find. This is the side of her that won’t rest until she’s freed the world from dangerous magic… Until she’s fulfilled her sworn duty to CSAMM.

She pulls my gauntlet from her bedside drawer, pausing before holding it out to me. “It was our mom’s.”

A fist clenches around my stomach. Wait, Sky gave me afamily heirloom?

I don’t take it, backing up a step. “I shouldn’t have it, then. This belongs with you and Sky.”

She shakes her head and presses the gauntlet into my hands. “She was right to give it to you.”

I hesitate, then gently close my fingers over the enchanted fig leaf, brushing a thumb across the cool, smooth surface—this connection to the mother she lost. Am I worthy enough to wear it?

Natalie steps closer, the heat of her body enveloping me. “Katie, there’s something I have to tell you.”

My stomach tightens. “About the gauntlet?”

“About my mom.” She pauses as if unsure of what she’s about to say. She swallows hard. “Your cat, Lucy… She was bio magic that my mom stored and hid.”

I stare at her. Her own mother, who swore the same oath as everyone else here, had a secret supply of bio magic?

She must see the disbelief on my face because she says quickly, “I would never have thought she would do something illegal… But we never knew the extent of the magic she stored, and we kept finding it after she died. When you told me about Lucy, I knew it was her work.”

I blink, struggling to absorb what she’s telling me. “But how could you tell it was hers?”

“The curse’s…” She waves a hand. “Personality, as we put it earlier. She used to tell us that when she was first learning how to do magic, she had a knack for accidentally melting everything. You said Lucy melted her food bowl, and when I took her away for treatment, the kennel door started melting before I could get her out. That isn’t a typical curse symptom. That had my mom written all over it.”

I exhale, my shoulders sagging. I wish I didn’t have to be the cause of a painful memory for her. “Natalie, I’m so sorry—”

“Don’t apologize.” She steps closer. “I’m the one who needs to say sorry. Remember when you said it’s not my fault that you got dragged into this world? Well, it kind of is. If I’d been able to find my mom’s stored magic in time, you wouldn’t have stumbled on the kitten, and none of this would have happened.”

I shake my head. “You can’t blame yourself. She was the one who hid bio magic, not you. Besides, I’m positive I would have stumbled on magic anyway because of my ability. Like, the doll had nothing to do with your mom, right? There are so many other ways I could have found a curse. This isn’t your fault.”

She says nothing, not meeting my eye.

I furrow my brow, thinking of Lucy’s tiny cotton-swab tail and baby-soft fur. “But the kitten was so young. I thought your mother died years ago.”

The corner of her mouth lifts in a sad half-smile. “The kitten wasn’t a kitten.”

“Right.” I don’t know why it’s so hard to get that through my head. “What was she, then? Is that what bio magic looks like?”

“No, it’s…” Her eyebrows arch sadly, her gaze pleading. “I’ll show you one day. This isn’t me keeping a secret, I just need to show you.”

I nod. Not knowing doesn’t bother me this time. Maybe I’m finally understanding why witches keep so many secrets.

With no time to waste, I fasten the gauntlet to my hand and flex my fingers.