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One

ELSPETH

I t was never a good sign when a witch wanted a love potion.

The witch in question stood in front of our cart, a countertop between us, as she planted her hands on the wood and glared at me. “I can see the potion right there.” She pointed to the bottles of brightly colored liquid sitting on the shelf behind me. “I’m telling you I know a love potion when I see one.”

The sun barely peeked through the thick cover of clouds, its light haloing her mop of curly red hair. A chill bit the air, and goosebumps prickled along my arms. The breeze picked up, dirt from the road where our cart was parked swirling behind the witch.

I grabbed the sage-colored potion from the shelf next to me and popped open the cork. Sage smoke swirled up into the air in front of us. “I’m telling you it’s not worth it,” I said, shaking the bottle, the liquid inside sloshing around. I shoved the cork back in. “Whatever man you’re trying to snag, a potion won’t fix the problems between you. You can’t magic him into loving you. Not for real.”

She stuck out her bottom lip, which trembled ever so slightly. Now I felt bad. Sort of. I was actually saving her a world of trouble. She just didn’t realize it yet. But if she had to seek out a love potion to get his attention, then whatever was between them clearly wasn’t love.

She shoved her hand in the pocket of her apron and pulled out a fistful of gold coins, slamming them on the counter. “Are you running a business or not?”

I leaned forward, pushing the coins back toward her, slow and intentional. “I decide who I sell to. My potions. My rules.”

Technically these weren’t my potions. They were my mother’s. But semantics.

“What is going on here?”

I winced at the familiar singsong voice. Mama and my sisters were back earlier than expected. Well, sister.

Mama and my youngest sister, Prue, approached, Prue with her nose stuck in a book as usual. Auggie and Adelaide must have still been at the market.

Mama patted her round cheeks, red from the cold. “Is there a problem?”

“Yes.” The woman gestured to me, and I straightened my shoulders. “She won’t sell me a love potion.”

“Oh, not this again,” Mama said with an admonishing gaze.

Prue lowered the book she was reading to stare at me through her round spectacles. She opened her mouth to say something, then raised the book again and walked toward the back of the cart, ignoring all of us.

“I’m simply trying to steer her away from a bad decision,” I said evenly, swiping the bangs from my forehead.

“Oh, hush, you.” Mama bustled up to the cart, opening the little door in the back and stepping in. She sidled over and bumped me with her hip, smiling brightly at the woman. “So it’s one love potion you’d like?” She leaned forward like she was telling the woman a secret. “You know, two can be more effective. Especially if you throw in some”—she turned, surveying the herbs hanging from the ceiling by little strings—“rotwart.” She grabbed the stalks of bright blue herbs tied together with a ribbon and laid it on the counter. “These won’t just make him more amenable to love but to other things as well.” She waggled her eyebrows.

“Oh.” The woman’s eyes widened with understanding, and I grimaced. “Yes, I’ll have the potion and two of the rotwart. ”

I glared at Mama while she ignored me.

She took the woman’s gold and handed over one bottle of the sparkling sage liquid and the herbs. The woman continued her way down the dirt road, humming to herself, probably thinking she just solved all her problems with that purchase.

“Honestly, Elspeth.” Mama turned to me as she smoothed out her frizzy gray hair, pulled up in a bun. “I leave you alone for twenty minutes and come back to you harassing a customer.”

I pressed my lips into a thin line. “I just don’t think love potions are the answer to her problems.”

Especially not when they didn’t do as advertised. No magic could make a person change their feelings if those feelings didn’t already exist. If they did, the magic nudged them to admit it. The witch likely knew this, but desperation made people do stupid things.

“And why is it not the answer?” Mama planted her hands on her wide hips. “Because some man broke your heart? So every man must be the same? Unworthy and unlovable?”

Prue snorted from somewhere behind the cart.

Mama shook a finger at me. “Those are our best sellers, and you’re going to sabotage our entire business with this attitude of yours.” She folded her arms onto the counter and sank her head into them.

“Here we go,” I muttered as she sobbed dramatically.

“I did everything right,” she said, voice muffled. “Everything I could to raise four strong, smart women, and what do I get for it all?” She shot up, peering at me with her narrowed chestnut eyes that were suspiciously absent of any tears. “Ungratefulability.”

“That’s not a word,” Prue shouted.

“Why is everyone always attacking me?” Mama wailed, her plump cheeks like two red apples.

“No one is attacking anybody.” I put out both hands. “I just think we could focus on other potions, ones that actually help people. That aren’t... dishonest.”

I glanced at the cauldron situated toward the front of the cart, filled with a bubbling blue liquid, a new potion Mama was making that I’d suggested. One that could heal itching from fairy mites, vicious little bugs that infested wood—and liked blood. They emerged at night and feasted on sleeping witches, who then woke up covered in the tiny glittering bites.

I’d have to test the potion before we could sell it, which I intended to do later.

“Well, Elspeth, if you made any of these potions, maybe you’d have more say in them.”

I winced at the jab.

“Besides, we are not being dishonest.” Mama put a hand to her chest. “We are harbingers of hope. Hope that these poor, unfortunate souls may finally get the love they’re so willing to give.”

“Because that’s what everyone needs to be happy?” Prue said, still somewhere behind the cart, presumably reading.

“You could do with a nice witch,” Mama shot back. “Get you away from those books you’ve constantly got your nose stuck in.”

“If any real men were as good as the ones in my books, maybe I’d be more interested,” Prue yelled.

“She’s only twenty.” I peered at the liquid, fat bubbles skimming the surface of the cauldron. “She has time.”

Mama looked up toward the sky. “What did I do to deserve this? Four beautiful daughters. Not one of them married. None of them with any interest in finding love.”

“Sorry to be such a disappointment.” I grabbed my wand off the shelf and stirred the cauldron. The potion would be finished soon.

She leveled me with a stare. “Now you know why I care so much about my girls getting married.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Your magic depends on it.”

“I know,” I said softly, the fight draining out of me. “I’m sure one of us will have some luck soon.”

Mama gazed out at the winding dirt road, fields on either side, and mountains in the distance. “It’s hard when we’re always traveling. You know, it would be so much easier if we found a place to settle down?—”

“You know why that’s not possible.” I stopped stirring and pointed the wand at her. “Mama, I’m doing my best to keep us all safe, and moving from place to place is the most sensible way to do that. We’ve talked about this.”

“Or, rather, you’ve talked about it and decided for us,” Prue shouted .

I looked toward the back of the cart with an irritated glance, even if my youngest sister couldn’t see me. The only reason Prue wanted to stay in one spot was for the local bookstores and libraries—and so she could have a bookshelf to store her books, something we didn’t have room for in our tiny traveling apothecary shop.

Mama sniffed but didn’t respond. “It looks like a slow day,” she finally said. “You can start setting up camp, and I’ll handle the shop.”

Guilt swarmed me, and I wondered for the millionth time if I was doing the right thing by my family. My sisters and mama all wanted a home to call our own, friends, marriage. But with that came risks, ones we couldn’t afford. I seemed to be the only one who ever remembered that, so I always had to be the bad guy, even to my own mama, who pouted like a child far too often.

I stared at my black wand, the handle engraved with intricate swirls. If only I could actually use it, make my own potions, do magic of any kind. Then we wouldn’t be in this mess. Every day this wand was a reminder of all the things I couldn’t do. My sisters and I all had wands. It would be noticeable if we didn’t, would raise suspicions. Something we couldn’t afford unless we wanted to lose everything.

“Oh, finally, your sisters are back.” I didn’t bother looking up until Mama gasped. “And they brought a gentleman with them.” Glee filled her voice.

My head shot up as Auggie and Adelaide walked toward us, Auggie hanging on to the arm of a tall, muscled man with his black hair tied back into a ponytail, his skin a warm brown. Tendrils of curls hung around the sides of his face. He was huge, built like a mountain.

There was only one species who grew that big—werewolves. I wondered what he was doing in the Witchlands.

Auggie was gazing at him, but the man kept sneaking glances at Adelaide. My eldest sister walked next to them, carrying a sack of what I assumed was ingredients for our lunch, plus a few things for some new potions. Auggie giggled at something the werewolf said, flipping her brown waves over her shoulder and batting her eyes at him.

Mama squealed in delight, pushing past me and toward the back door. She threw it open and ran to greet them. “Well, what do we have here?” she asked as my oldest sister continued toward the cart.

“Who is that?” I whispered to Adelaide when she approached .

She pursed her pink lips. Even when she frowned, she was impossibly beautiful. Her blonde hair was tied back in a simple ponytail, and her light blue dress complemented her pale peach tones. “Oh, you know Auggie,” she said. “Latches on to anyone who will give her attention. His name is Elm Kingsley.”

I knew I shouldn’t have let Auggie go to the market, but she wouldn’t stop pouting and eventually wore me down.

I chewed the inside of my cheek. Mama continued to chatter away to the man while Auggie stared at him adoringly. My gut churned. I didn’t like strangers sniffing around our camp. Maybe I could get rid of him quickly. I turned to look at some of our potions. I could give him a sudden, harmless rash if I combined a few of them, and?—

“Elspeth!” Mama waved. “Get an extra plate out for lunch. We have a guest joining us!”