Page 49 of Love’s a Witch (The Scottish Charms #1)
I thought Mandy had banned her from calling emergency meetings?” Nova opened a bottle of champagne and poured the four of us a glass each. Broca stood at the door, ushering in the Charms, who came in looking decidedly different not all bundled up and covered in snow.
“I guess Broca does what she wants,” Lyra said, leaning forward to wave at Diedre, who immediately veered off to commune with her folders at the table.
“I can’t believe you’re a Fireheart witch,” Nova said. We waited to cheers until Broca returned to the couch and took a glass. She was standing more, her enforced physical therapy slowly giving her more mobility, and now her daily walks could be taken outside instead of on the treadmill.
“I don’t fully understand what that means, but I’m pleased about it too.
I think. I just have so much to learn.” I leaned back against the cushions with a soft sigh, the glass of champagne still in my hand.
The black crystal dragon figurine I’d coveted from Raven’s shop sat on a side table, eyes glittering red in the sunlight, a gift from my sisters for solving my part of the curse.
“But the good thing is that Knox has a massive library and Henry has already pulled some books for me. I’m going to throw myself into research mode and see if we can uncover anything else about our past.”
“Particularly since the ritual only broke the curse for you.” Lyra bit her lower lip, her eyes worried as she gestured with her glass. “You know what else we realized, last night after you left?”
“What’s that?”
“Someone in that room had family ties to the original witch that cursed us.” Nova’s eyes were serious on mine.
“Oh… but of course .” I hadn’t even thought about that, but I realized they were right.
That was why Knox’s one-fell-swoop approach had worked so well.
Instead of trying to figure out which family had cursed our ancestor, he’d just included everyone.
It was an expedient, though some may say sloppy, way of achieving his goal.
“Because the way the ritual was worded, it did seem to indicate that everyone involved in the curse should be a part of the unbreaking,” Broca agreed, her expression thoughtful.
“It was clever on Knox’s part, indeed,” she added.
“And because we just have one piece of the quartz heart, it does mean it’s likely a ticking time bomb on when the next curse kicks in.”
“Something like that.” Broca moved to the door when a knock sounded. “Felicity.”
“Och, she’s out of the hospital?” Putting my glass down, I sprang up and rounded the couch to greet Felicity.
Raven stood at her side, carrying Felicity’s emotional support tote, and a white bandage stood out on Felicity’s forehead.
She used crutches to help her inside, but the color was back on her cheeks, and her eyes were bright.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I said, gently pressing a kiss to her face.
“Thank you for your help,” Felicity said, and I waved it away, guilt filling me. Had it not been for the snow, she wouldn’t have been hurt.
“I didn’t do anything. Raven healed you. This was all my fault. It was the snow that caused all this.”
“No.” Felicity shook her head. “No, it wasn’t, Sloane. I was being stupid. I dropped my phone and reached for it. I know better.”
“Wait, that’s what happened?” I’d been convinced the snowstorm had caused her car to skid out.
“I mean, the snow didn’t help the situation, but it wasn’t the cause. I was being reckless.” Felicity pursed her lips. “A lesson I likely won’t forget.”
“We are all learning and growing, aren’t we?” Tam appeared behind Raven, water bottle in hand, running shorts on.
“Ladies. To the table?” Broca waved us over, and we all sat.
Except for one Mandy Meadows.
“It’s not like Mandy to be late,” Felicity looked around.
“She’s not. I wanted to make sure you were all up to speed on coven code of conduct prior to her arrival,” Broca spoke and all eyes turned to her.
“Oh boy.” Raven sucked in a breath.
“Not only did Mandy refuse to participate in a ritual meant to benefit a coven member, as well as the entire town of Briarhaven, but she also universally rejected an ordinance vote yesterday. Despite her insistence that covens are not democratic, that is untrue. We are allowed to put any matter to vote, and the winning choice is the path forward.”
“I see someone’s been reading up on the coven rules.” Mandy Meadows stood at the door, resplendent in a blush-pink pantsuit and pearls.
“I didn’t have to read up on them,” Broca said. “Won’t you come in, Mandy?”
“Of course I’ll come in. I’m president of the Charms.” Mandy strode inside, slamming the door behind her, and Blue jumped up from where he’d been snoring lightly on the couch.
He was worn out from his playtime with Haggis, and he gave Mandy a grumpy look before burrowing his head back in his blankets and tucking his wings around him.
“This is an unsanctioned meeting of the Charms, and thus anything here does not go on public record.” Mandy put her Chanel handbag on the table and sat, her body stiff.
“There is no public record,” Tam said, taking a slug from her water bottle. “Not sure what you’re talking about, but if you’re trying to sound fancy or something, it’s not landing.”
I could have hugged Tam.
“Either way, as president of the Charms, I will be the one to call the meetings. Is this about the ordinance, Broca? I already told you that it is too time-consuming. There is no way you can ask us to dedicate our lives to making sure the curse doesn’t hurt Briarhaven when it would be much easier if you all would simply leave. ”
My mouth dropped open. She’d finally come out and said it. As welcoming as Mandy Meadows had pretended to be when we’d first arrived, the sheen had worn off her glamour.
Broca raised her chin, her eyes steely.
“As is my right as a standing member of the Charms, I am invoking Ordinance Thirteen, a forced vote to elect a new president of the Charms.”
A gasp went up around the room, and everyone sat back in their chairs, Mandy included.
“You… you… you can’t,” Mandy said, her hand fluttering in front of her face.
“I can and I will.” Broca’s voice was like steel. “You’ve shown that you don’t hold goodwill toward all members of the coven, you’re willing for harm to befall them, and you’ve acted against the wishes of the group as a whole.”
“But—”
“I nominate Sloane MacGregor as coven president of the Charms.”
A second gasp filled the room, mine the loudest of the bunch.
“But, Broca, I don’t know the first thing about running a coven.” I whirled on Broca, my hand on her arm. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
“Sloane. I’ve watched you take care of everyone else around you since you were far too young to do so. You’re a natural leader, you genuinely care about others, and you’re good at thinking long-term. All elements of what is needed by a coven leader. The history of magick can be taught.”
“She can’t even control her magick,” Mandy protested, two red spots appearing on her cheeks. “This is ludicrous. You’ll turn this coven into a joke.”
“Actually, she can,” Lyra said, her expression fierce. “She’s a Fireheart witch. And that’s pretty badass, in my opinion.”
A third gasp went around the room, and I was pretty sure I’d have to get smelling salts soon if we kept it up at this rate.
“A… a…” Mandy stammered, her hands clutching the handles of her purse. “But we haven’t seen one in—”
“Centuries. Since Bonelle MacGregor was cursed in this very village by one very dark witch.” Broca’s eyes sharpened as she looked around the table. “Now I will repeat myself. I nominate Sloane MacGregor for coven president. I will now call the vote.”
“You can’t… without a majority…” Mandy hissed, her face contorting.
“What makes you think Sloane won’t get a majority?” Broca asked, and the room went silent. I looked around the table and realized everyone was looking anywhere but at Mandy. “All those in favor of Sloane as president, say aye.”
“Aye.” Raven raised her hand. As did Broca, my sisters, Tam, and Deidre.
Felicity looked between Mandy and me, her eyes filling with tears.
“I’m sorry, Mandy, but they may be right. It might be time for a change. She’s a Fireheart, after all. Her magick will help all of us.”
Mandy’s mouth dropped open when Felicity raised her hand.
“Nae.” Mandy stood, her purse clutched in front of her.
“You don’t know the first thing about running a coven, Sloane MacGregor.
Do you even know what casserole to bring for a crystal cleansing?
Or what spell keeps spirits away from a newborn?
You’ll make a mockery of this coven, I can promise you that. Disgraceful.”
Mandy turned on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door after her, while I gaped at the table.
What had just happened?
“I didn’t even vote,” I said.
“You can’t,” Broca said cheerfully. “Not when you’re the candidate. Congrats, love. You just became president of the Charms.”
And made myself a powerful enemy in the process, it seemed.
“I’m the new president?” I blinked around the table, and my eyes landed on where Nova smirked at me. Bringing her hands beneath her chin, she fluttered her eyelashes at me.
“Just remember…”
The entire table joined her: “Never harm, always charm!”