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Forty-Four

ELSPETH

E dgar squeaked and dove behind the couch. “She looks terrifying. Why does she look so terrifying?”

She was a formidable woman, even though she was small. She wore all black, a tall witch hat perched on her head. Her shoulders were back, her chin raised, her ancient face lined with wrinkles. Yet her green eyes were piercing and hard, her gaze cutting as she set it upon our cottage, marching straight toward us.

I swallowed, and Draven grabbed my hand. “You don’t have to do this.”

I squeezed his hand, then untangled mine from it. “Yes I do.”

Witch Superior raised out her hand, her mouth moving as she said something. Our door burst open, and she stalked up to it. Right when she reached the threshold, it slammed in her face.

We all froze. Oh no. The cottage. It was being, well, its normal self.

“What is the meaning of this?” Witch Superior demanded. Once again the cottage door swung open, and once again it slammed in her face. “Open this door right now.”

I squeezed my eyes shut .

“I think the cottage is trying to protect us,” Prue said, gaze shifting back and forth.

“I think she’s right.” Draven stepped forward. “It might be a grumpy old cottage, but once it accepts its new owners, it will stop at nothing to protect you.”

Outside, vines snaked from the side of the cottage and toward Witch Superior, wrapping around her.

She scoffed, her arms pinned to her sides. “Unhand me. Why, I never...”

A smile lit up Georgie’s face. “This is amazing.”

“Oh my word.” Mama rushed toward the door, opening it. “Welcome.” She spread out her arms, and Witch Superior glared at her, vines wrapped around her body and holding her in the air.

“This is an outrage.” Her face turned a bright shade of red.

Mama chuckled nervously. “That’s enough, Cottage.” There was an edge to her voice. “You can let her go.”

The vines didn’t budge.

“Now,” Mama said.

The cottage rumbled, but the vines slowly unwrapped from Witch Superior’s body.

She huffed, then marched inside. Her gaze swept over Draven and landed on Georgie. “So this is where you’ve been hiding? Unable to come see your own grandmother?”

Her face was severe, and I saw some of Draven in it. But while Draven’s face could be serious, it wasn’t unkind or lacking humanity, not like Witch Superior’s.

She turned. “And I assume you are the witches who have been living in my realm illegally. I assume you know that in order to be a resident in the Witchlands, you must have magic?”

Mama came forward and hugged Auggie to her, and I stepped in front of all of them. “We are no less witches because we don’t have our magic. We were cursed by my grandmother, an accident.”

“And why didn’t you come forward?” Witch Superior’s gaze snapped to me.

“Because you’ve created a realm where everyone lives in fear of your laws, where witches don’t trust each other.” I shot a look at Georgie. “Where your own granddaughter is afraid of you. ”

Witch Superior’s eyes flashed. “Do not dare speak to me about my granddaughter.”

I’d hit a nerve. I stepped forward, shedding the fear that surrounded me. I could do this. I could be brave. I could stand my ground. “Well, now you know why we didn’t come forward.”

“It’s not an excuse,” Witch Superior snapped.

“So punish me,” I said. “It was my idea. My sisters, my mama, wanted to come forward several times over the years. I convinced them not to.”

“Elspeth, no,” Mama said, reaching for me.

I ignored her, keeping my gaze locked on Witch Superior. “It’s my fault. I take full responsibility.”

“The punishment for living in the Witchlands illegally and keeping curses a secret from your leader is one year in prison for every year the secret has been kept.”

I stiffened. That would be twelve years locked in the Dearthsten Prisons.

“No.” Draven stepped in front of me. “I won’t let you take her.”

Witch Superior tilted her head. “Ah, yes. The other disappointment in my family. You were one of our best cursebreakers, and you gave up all that power to come live here in this no-name village. What do you care about some magicless witch?”

Draven’s lip curled. “That magicless witch has done more for the Witchlands than you ever have.”

“You love her.” Witch Superior scoffed. “How utterly disappointing. No grandson of mine will be associated with such an embarrassment.”

Draven surged forward, and I grasped his arm to keep him from doing something he’d regret. “Don’t ever speak about her that way again.”

Mama whimpered from behind us.

“Well, it doesn’t matter.” Witch Superior waved her hand. “She admitted to breaking the law. Now she must pay.”

Voices erupted outside the window, and I looked to see Veldar marching toward our cottage, followed by Morty and—practically the entire town of Thistlegrove .

“What now?” Witch Superior rubbed her temples. “Who are all these people?”

“The residents of Thistlegrove,” Draven murmured.

Edgar peeked his head up over the couch. “Oh, look at that.”

Witch Superior ground her teeth together, then spun on her heel and marched outside. We all shot each other uneasy looks but followed, emerging in front of the cottage.

“You can’t take away our soup!” Veldar jabbed his cane at Witch Superior.

“Who are you?” she asked, lip curling in disgust.

“I’m old enough to be your father,” Veldar shot back.

Morty stepped forward, elbowing him. “I think what Veldar means is that you can’t arrest the Moonflowers. We already chased your spy away.”

Helena. The townspeople . . . chased her away?

Veldar smacked his cane in his hand, a smug look on his face. “She won’t be coming back any time soon.”

Witch Superior looked back at me, then at the crowd, who was murmuring in agreement. A few of them shifted from foot to foot, looking uneasy, but they stood their ground under Witch Superior’s assessing gaze.

“And why can’t I arrest the Moonflowers?”

Morty crossed her arms. “Because they’re residents of Thistlegrove, and we protect our own.”

My heart warmed. Draven mentioned that Morty was at the manor with his grandmother. She must’ve been there when Helena arrived and revealed our secret. She must’ve rallied the town. All of that. For us.

Witch Superior scoffed. “Unfortunately for you that won’t stand in the court of witches.”

“Then change the law,” Veldar demanded.

“He must really love that soup,” Edgar murmured behind me.

“No,” Witch Superior said, and my heart sank.

Morty raised her chin. “Then we’ll invoke the Witch Trials early.”

Witch Superior stilled. I gasped.

If enough residents deemed Witch Superior unfit to rule, they could invoke the trials early so a new Witch Superior could reign.

“Your entire legacy as Witch Superior would be a disgrace,” Morty said. “Your reputation ruined. Everything you’ve worked for: forgotten.”

It was a great dishonor for the Witch Trials to be invoked early, and though it had happened very few times in history, Morty was right. It had ruined the legacies of the Witch Superiors whom it had happened to.

“You care this much about some magicless witches,” Witch Superior snarled.

“Yes, we do.” Morty crossed her arms.

“We like their soup!” Veldar added.

“Okay, Veldar, we get it,” Morty said out the side of her mouth.

Veldar’s head dropped. “It’s not just about the soup,” he said, voice gruff.

I froze. Everyone did, all eyes on him.

“My husband died twenty years ago,” he said. “He made me soup. It was a small thing. But it started when we first met and I was sick. He brought me tomato basil.” He looked up, locking eyes with me. “It was my favorite. Then he started making more. We’d sit on our front porch and enjoy it together while listening to the sounds of the forest, while talking. He was better at the talking part than I was.”

My eyes welled with tears.

“So it’s not just about the soup,” Veldar said again. “It’s a piece of him that you’ve given me. It’s community.” He cleared his throat, his gaze moving to Witch Superior. “And I won’t let you take that away from me. From us.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. I’d never realized soup could be so powerful.

Witch Superior’s jaw locked, and she seemed to be thinking through her options. Finally, she huffed. “Fine. I don’t care enough about you Moonflowers to pursue this. I’ll pardon you.”

The residents broke out in cheers as I stood there, mouth agape. Mama squealed and clapped her hands. Draven swung me up into his arms while I remained limp, so in shock I still couldn’t process what had just happened. Auggie and Prue hugged and jumped up and down.

Witch Superior turned to look at us. “Well?” she asked Georgie.

Georgie stepped back. “Well, what? ”

“You’re coming with me,” she said. “That’s why I came here. To collect you.”

Georgie shot a panicked look at Draven, who set me down and stepped forward. “It’s your choice. I’m your guardian by law, but if you want to leave with her, you can.”

Georgie threw her arms around his neck. “I want to stay with you.” She let go of him. “But I want you to include me in things. I want to help you with your spells. I want to be part of your life.”

Draven nodded, and my eyes welled with tears. “I want that too.”

“You’re all pathetic.” Witch Superior spun on her heel and shoved through the crowd, everyone parting for her as she disappeared into the forest.

Everyone once again broke out in cheers, and I watched through teary eyes. This really had become our home, our community, and I made a promise to myself that I would never run again.