Page 11 of Love’s a Witch (The Scottish Charms #1)

“Is that true?” I asked the room, and the coven members that already had their magick all looked away except for Raven. She shrugged, a sympathetic smile on her face.

“It’s a useful tool to have, Sloane. And as you grow more confident with your magick, you might be able to tap into a few other strengths down the road. Not always, but sometimes that is how it works.”

Mandy Meadows struggled at the door, hissing as her hand touched the knob.

“Damn it, Broca.”

“Mandy, as president of the Charms, would you say this was the appropriate manner to welcome a new member, and her newly discovered magick, to the coven?”

“I welcomed her yesterday.” She blew on her hand, glaring at Broca.

“Leadership is done by a vote, isn’t it?”

“You wouldn’t.” Mandy narrowed her eyes at Broca. The rest of us swiveled our heads between the two like we were watching a Ping-Pong match. Broca shrugged one shoulder, concentrating on a stitch.

“I would. I’ll do whatever I feel like, Mandy Meadows, and you should remember that.” Broca didn’t look up from her sequins.

Blue leaned forward, sniffing toward the food on the counter, and I remembered my promise of cheese to him.

Walking over to the fridge, I opened it with one hand and pulled out a container of cheddar cheese cubes, and then some chicken breasts that Lyra had cooked the night before.

I knew I’d have to ask Raven what an emberwolf’s proper diet is, but for now Blue wriggled in my arms, ecstatic at the sight of food.

“Ugh, fine.” Mandy rolled her eyes and stomped back over to the kitchen and put her purse on the counter. Taking the container of cheese, she walked across the room, and Blue whimpered softly.

“It’s okay, buddy. I’ll get you your cheese,” I promised him.

“Levitation is a useful tool for any witch to have in her bag of tricks,” Mandy began, and lifted the lid on the cheese. “It doesn’t require spell-casting, ingredients, charms, or any sort of ritual. Some more advanced magicks require a level of preparation that can’t be done at a moment’s notice.”

“Like what?” Lyra asked, swiveling on the couch.

“A healing,” Raven said, playing with a strand of rose quartz beads around her wrist. “A proper healing requires not only an investigative assessment, but then a gathering and harvesting of correct spell ingredients, as well as careful thought into the words you’re using to ask the magick to heal.

Intent is everything in magick, but preparation and research magnify it threefold. ”

“That’s one. Divination, protection, elemental, banishing, binding, love—” Mandy Meadows ticked them off on her fingers, nails painted ballerina pink.

“You can really do a love spell?” Nova glanced up.

“There’s a spell for everything. But the Charms stick by our code of conduct.”

Never harm, always charm , Nova mouthed at me, and I bit back a grin.

“Most witches will be able to use several types of magick, once they learn where their specialties lie. For example, I’m not a great healer.”

Surprise, surprise. Mandy Meadows was about as nurturing as Darth Vader.

“But I could heal if I needed to. I’ve gained enough knowledge and expertise that I could manage it. But someone like Raven, who comes from a long line of healers, will require very little effort and be far more effective than I could ever be.”

“So a specialist, really.” Blue wiggled in my arms, and I gave him a chunk of chicken from the container on the counter.

“Essentially, yes.” Mandy held up the container of cheese. “And you may discover yours as you go along. But since it is just levitation, for now, you don’t need the entire coven at your disposal.”

“Agreed.” Deidre sniffed and typed furiously on her phone.

“I’ll stay with you today, Sloane.” Felicity hugged her tote more tightly, bobbing her head at me.

“Me too,” Tam offered. “Raven has to open the shop, Deidre doesn’t have time for anyone that isn’t a client, and Mandy must have a salon appointment.”

“At least I know what a salon is .” Mandy flicked a disparaging look at Tam, who only grinned more widely.

“So it’s like popping the cork on champagne? Once the cork is out, the magick will bubble up?” Lyra asked.

“Yes, most likely. She can harness it now. We were here on the off chance she was hugely powerful, which could disrupt… things… so to speak. We don’t need the whole town rockin’ and rollin’ because Sloane’s inherited some high-level magick.

Levitation is good, though. It’s a great start and a useful tool in an everyday witch’s pocket. ”

An everyday witch.

Even getting magick made me sound boring.

I sighed.

“Now, let’s practice your levitation.” Mandy Meadows held the container of cheese up. “I’ll toss some in the air and you direct where they go. It can be a game for Blue.”

“Cheese?” I asked Blue, and he struggled to get out of my arms. I let him go, and he hurtled himself at Mandy, a drooling, depraved, flying doggo hell-bent on getting his cheese.

Mandy took one look at his slobber, squealed, and tossed the entire contents of the cheese in the air. Blue howled in excitement.

“Oh no!” I exclaimed, and focused on moving the cheese.

The pieces went everywhere, and Blue gave chase.

“Damn it, Sloane,” Mandy Meadows shrieked as Blue dive-bombed her, chasing a piece of cheese over her head.

His wing clipped her hair, ripping out her hair clip, and she screeched as she grabbed her head.

Blue dipped, snapping the cheese from the air, and swerved to race after another, hovering over Deidre’s pile of folders.

“Noooo!” Deidre shouted as Blue dove at the folders, his wings scattering papers everywhere, and scooped up the next piece of cheese. Deidre slammed her body onto the table, trying to keep the rest of the papers in place, and Blue swerved onto the next.

A sharp whistle caught his attention.

“Here you go, sweetie.” Tam held a piece in her hand, and he air-waddled forward, slamming into her arms with all the grace of a toddler tripping on a pile of blocks, and nipped the cheese from her hand.

She held him while he panted in her arms, his smile wide and excited. “Gather the rest before I let him go.”

“Sloane.” This came from Broca, and I realized they were waiting on me.

I reached inside for that tendril of magick again and shivered as it rippled across my skin.

Imagining all of the cheese back in one spot on the counter, I blinked as pieces zipped across the room and piled themselves into a little lopsided pyramid on the tray.

Blue lunged, but Tam held him back.

“Now. One piece at a time,” Broca instructed.

My magick uncoiled and curled around a cube of cheese, lifting it gently in the air so it hovered over the counter.

“Now, Blue.”

Tam let go of Blue, and he careened over to the cheese, snapping it up as his wings beat lazily in the air.

“I did it!” I exclaimed. I didn’t care if it was basic, it was still my magick, and relief filled me.

I wasn’t turning into a werewolf. Nor was I going to be some deeply powerful sorceress.

Frankly, life could go on as normal, with just a tiny bit of added assistance from some levitation. All things considered, I’d lucked out.

Blue spied the pile of cheese on the counter and dove, devouring the rest in one massive gulp.

“Whoops.” I laughed. Blue flew to me, his tongue lolling out, a contented smile stretching his puppy mouth.

“Ridiculous.” Mandy Meadows grabbed her purse, and this time the door opened when she stormed out. Stroking Blue’s head, I smiled, pleased he’d annoyed her.

As birthday mornings went, it was better than most.