Page 56 of Just a Little Wicked (Wicked Sisters #2)

Missy

I’m at my sister’s wedding. Remember how you were going to be my plus-one?

Gregory

Missy, I’m sorry. You know I’ll always care for you, but I just can’t be with you right now.

Missy

What does that even MEAN, Greg?

S ix hours later Winter stood at the outdoor bar, the bartender handing her a champagne glass fizzing with delicate bubbles.

The quartet played beautifully in the corner, and guests were laughing and merry as they mingled and ate apple-themed hors d’oeuvres while the outdoor heaters pumped hot air beneath the white tent.

Holly and Connor were at the center of attention, Holly’s cheeks rosy and her eyes sparkling with joy as she and her new husband thanked people for coming.

Connor’s hand never once left her lower back, and he kept gazing at Holly with such wonder and rapture that Winter’s heart squeezed a little every time she caught it.

The ceremony had been perfect. After the Shadow Council had disappeared and the adrenaline had worn off, Winter had worried that Holly’s day was ruined, but Holly had cheerfully helped straighten chairs while Erikson and Connor collected all the branches Winter’s outburst had blown off the trees.

Then they’d fixed their hair and pushed aside all discussion of what had happened as guests began to arrive.

There would be time for a postmortem, to discuss possible repercussions, and to meet with the Witches, but not today.

Today, Winter was going to watch her oldest sister marry the love of her life, free from the threat of the Shadow Council.

And watch she did. She might have even wiped her eyes at one point when they were exchanging vows, but she’d never admit it to anyone.

“I’ll take one of those,” Stacy said to the bartender, nodding at Winter’s champagne glass.

She dropped a bill into the tip jar, and she and Winter wandered away from the party so that they wouldn’t be overheard.

Stacy and her brothers had suffered through the close proximity to the Wickeds, but Winter could tell they were flagging and would have to leave soon.

“It was a beautiful wedding,” Stacy said, taking a sip from her flute. She was, as usual, dressed to perfection, but Winter found it didn’t annoy her nearly as much as it used to. The Witches were not her enemies as she’d always believed. In fact, they’d become staunch allies.

“Yes, it was,” Winter agreed. “Stacy, I don’t know how to thank you.”

Stacy put some distance between them and swallowed half her glass.

“No thanks necessary. Winter—I think it was my mother who helped your mother put the protection spell on you and your sisters. I’ve begun to wonder if, back when Wickeds and Witches worked in harmony, there were spells that required both magic and power to work.

Maybe that’s what brought our mothers together.

Maybe it’s even what started to change your mother’s mind.

She swallowed her pride to ask my mother for help to keep you safe, and they ended up becoming friends. ”

Winter nodded. She’d never met Stacy’s mother since she’d died of cancer before Stacy and the Celestes were friends, but she wished she had. “It seems the Witches have been helping us longer than we realized.”

Prismatic magic shimmered briefly over Stacy’s skin, and if Winter had been a normal human, she would have chalked it up to a reflection from the champagne glass. “I’m sure you’ll return the favor if we ever have need.”

“You have my word.” Winter hesitated for a moment, Nova’s words ringing in her ears.

You’ve put a target on the Witches. They helped you, and you harmed them in return.

You are nothing but wicked, and that’s all you’ll ever be.

“I’m worried,” she admitted. “I think telling them I gave the Witches the book might have been a mistake.”

Stacy shrugged, entirely unconcerned. “We volunteered. The blunt truth is that despite how powerful you and your sisters are, the Witches are more in number because the world will always need more ‘good’ than ‘bad.’ We have a network of magic we can access at any time. We’re organized, and we’re practiced with our magic.

Not only that, but all we need to do is touch the Shadow Council, and their powers are void. So let them come at us.”

“They can hurt you in other, more insidious ways that aren’t a direct assault,” Winter warned.

“Like I said, they can bring it.”

Winter grinned. “What do you think is in the book?”

Stacy’s expression turned solemn. “I don’t know, but it sounds powerful, which means we need to find it before they do.”

“I’ll timewalk, but I’m almost certain the Witch and Wicked who hid it will have concealed their actions on the timeline. But that’s a problem for another day. Today, I’m going to enjoy my sister’s wedding.”

After a few more minutes, Stacy left to meet up with her brothers and say goodbye to Holly and Connor.

Winter remained on the outskirts of the tent, watching the happy couple and the boisterous guests.

She swallowed the rest of her champagne and tried not to think about what she’d learned about her mother.

She needed time to process the idea that her mother had been an assassin.

Had killed other Wickeds. Had possibly killed Atlantes’ mother.

She and Missy and Holly and their aunts definitely needed to have a family meeting.

Winter had grown up isolating herself from her family because she didn’t want to hurt them with her visions, but she was learning that she didn’t have to do that anymore.

This was shared pain, and it was okay to process it together.

To open herself to the hurt and allow it to show.

Atlantes had, surprisingly, stuck around for the wedding—she thought to ensure that Stacy and her brothers were okay.

She spotted him now, about to turn around from the bar with a glass of whisky in his hand.

Too late, she also realized that Missy was approaching the bar, but was looking down at her phone and not paying attention.

Before Winter could call out, Atlantes spun around with his full drink and slammed directly into Missy.

The amber liquid sloshed down the front of Missy’s dress as Atlantes threw his arm behind her to catch her from falling, his flat palm landing on her bare back. The moment they touched light flared between them—iridescent green and black meeting and bursting into gold sparks.

What the hell ? A powerful Witch touching a powerful Wicked meant both of their powers should have blinked out, so what had that been?

Atlantes instantly released Missy and they stared at each other in visible shock before Atlantes backed away two steps and then stormed off.

Before Winter could approach Missy and ask her what had happened, Erikson appeared at her side, his warm palm traveling over the silky lower back of her dress and sending a flare of heat through her veins.

Without hesitation, he dropped his head and nuzzled into her neck.

Winter closed her eyes and allowed herself to sink into him.

“Come to the house with me?” he murmured.

She was powerless to say no. Linking hands, she followed him to the empty Celeste house, the strains of the violin and the lights of the twinkling fairy lights fading in the distance.