Page 13 of Seven Secret Spellcasters (Kitchen Witch Mysteries #7)

C hristina had already gone to bed by the time Mia returned from the library, so she didn’t have to face her to ask about her adoption.

Trent stayed over, sleeping in her room.

She lay there in the dark, tossing and turning until he sat up, turned on the light, and said, “Spill it. This can’t be about tomorrow’s test.”

Mia propped herself up on the pillows, and Mr. Darcy jumped on her lap. Cerby was sleeping between her and Trent. He opened one eye, watching while Mr. Darcy settled on Mia’s lap, then went back to sleep.

“It’s not about the exam,” Mia admitted. “I am concerned about it, but it’s normal test anxiety. I have had it before big tests for as long as I can remember. This is a can of worms I’m not sure I want to open.”

“And if you tell me, the can is open?”

Mia rubbed Mr. Darcy’s head. She was thinking about Trent’s link to Levi. “Maybe. Can you block your thoughts from Levi, or do you two share everything?”

“We don’t share everything. The link is more like a conversation. One of us has to initiate the discussion. Why are you worried about me telling Levi something?” he asked, looking at her. He was on his side, his head propped up with his hand.

Now she wished she hadn’t said anything. “You know, it’s probably the test. I’ll go out and sleep on the couch so I don’t bother you.”

“No way. Your bed. If I’m bothered, I’ll go out and sleep on the couch.

” He reached out and pushed a lock of hair out of her face.

“It can’t be an issue with work, or you’d tell me.

And if it was Mom, you wouldn’t tell me or Levi, which leaves Christina.

You wouldn’t care if Levi knew something about your grandmother, but Christina?

That’s different. There’s something you know about Christina that you don’t know if she should know. ”

“I hate it when you logic out an answer.” Mia lifted her chin and stared at the ceiling. “It might be nothing.”

“Nothing doesn’t make you toss and turn. Is she safe?”

Now Mia turned toward him. “Of course she is. I wouldn’t keep something potentially dangerous a secret. She’s not sick either. And she’s going to rock this new life in Oregon.”

“Yet there’s something that’s keeping you from sleeping,” Trent observed. “You might as well tell me. You know you want to talk it out.”

“That’s the problem. I do want to talk about it.

Grans is lost in the research side of the question.

I’m more worried about what my friend is going to feel and do when she finds out.

” She met his eyes and stared for a few minutes.

Finally, she sighed. “You’re certain you’re locked up from Levi knowing anything? ”

“I won’t be if we keep mentioning him, but yes, he’s locked out of my head right now.” Trent rested his hand on Mia’s arm. “Tell me what’s got you tossing and turning at one in the morning.”

She needed sleep. But until she talked this out, she’d never relax enough to let that happen. “Fine. Grans found documents that seem to indicate Christina was adopted.”

Trent stared at her, then turned over to reach for the light. “Sounds about right. Goodnight, Mia.”

“Hold on, don’t turn off the light. What, did you already know?” Mia turned toward him, and Mr. Darcy jumped off her lap, annoyed at her movements.

“No, but Christina’s normal. Her parents—heck, even Isaac—aren’t normal.

Sorry, but it’s true. Your ex has an inflated ego, along with his parents.

They are self-centered and cruel, all about the money and less about anyone’s feelings.

Christina’s too nice to have come from that gene pool.

” He had lain back down and was now rubbing Cerby’s ears.

“Although I am worried about her finding this out before the wedding. The girl has expensive taste, and if the Adams money is taken out of the equation, their wedding is going to be at the courthouse with a reception here at the school. She’d hate it. ”

“She wouldn’t hate it,” Mia countered, but even as she said it aloud, she knew Trent was right. Christina would hate it. She wanted the fairy-tale wedding. And she’d probably go into debt to make it happen. “So you think I should leave it alone?”

“I think you should let the decision marinate. Maybe you’ll see clearer in the morning. Or after you ace this test. You’ll have more brain cells to deal with Christina’s issues then.” He yawned.

“Why are you always so calm about everything?” Mia asked as she leaned over to kiss him. “Turn out the light, and I’ll put this on my list of things to worry about next week. After the exam and this Halloween party is done.”

“Smart girl.” Trent turned off the light.

But Mia stayed awake thinking for a while, even after forcing the information into a box marked Later in her head. She hoped her friend wouldn’t be destroyed by the discovery.

* * *

Christina and Levi were still in their bedroom the next morning when Mia left for her test. Trent needed to check in at the grocery store, so he drove her to the Magic Springs Center for Mental Wellness, the coven’s hidden-in-plain-sight headquarters.

They also had a counseling service available on site for any humans who happened to walk in looking for mental health treatment.

But almost nobody did. Trent pulled up and parked in front of the new brick building, then squeezed her hand.

“Do you want me to walk you in? They won’t let me past the receptionist. Especially now in my mere mortal capacity. ”

“If only they knew.” Mia smiled as she took a breath. “I can do this. I felt the same nerves when I took the SAT my junior year. No hints or crib sheets I can tuck in my bra?”

“Sorry, no. But you’ll do fine. As long as you trust your intuition.” Trent nodded to the building. “Your future awaits.”

“Great, that makes me feel so much better,” Mia responded as she got out of the truck.

She climbed the marble steps and pulled open the tall, wooden door.

It felt like she was entering a castle, and as she walked up to the reception desk, she noticed the large sculptures of what appeared to be Greek gods surrounding the circular entrance.

The outside of the building had been flat, not rounded, but the room inside had a circle of columns and bright windows.

She’d bet that on rainy days, sunshine still filled the room. They’d added magic to the décor.

“Hi, I’m Mia Malone. I’m here for a test.” Now Mia hesitated. Maybe there was more than one type of examination. She hadn’t ever asked Grans what the name of the test was.

“Mia, no worries, you’re in the right place.

” The receptionist laughed when Mia gasped at the response.

“No, I’m not reading your mind. But your face?

That I can read. You should never play poker.

The lobby only looks like this for people who have magic.

Humans get a boring waiting room at a medical center that looks like it hasn’t been remodeled since nineteen sixty.

Orange plastic chairs, if you can believe it. ”

“Okay, I’m definitely in the right place then.” Mia grinned. “I don’t think we’ve met before.”

“I’m Cleo. Head of the library, the archives, and receptionist, if the door opens. The book your grandmother ordered is right here. I’ll give it to you when you get done. And there’s your test examiner now. Hugh Charlton, this is Mia Malone. I’ll leave you two to get acquainted.”

When Mia turned back to thank Cleo, she and the reception desk were gone. In fact, the lobby was gone. They now stood in a large den or library. Two desks were placed in the middle of the room. Hugh motioned to one, and Mia sat down.

“Good morning. As Cleo mentioned, I’m Hugh.

I’ve been doing these examinations for years now, and I’ve never lost a testee.

” Hugh Charlton was tall, lanky, and dressed in a light-green tunic and matching pants.

He wore open sandals on his feet and a band of silver around his head, pulling his almost silver-hair away from his face.

And if that hadn’t told Mia he was fae, the point on his ears would have.

The man was too beautiful to be human. He chuckled at his joke, so Mia laughed too.

“We’ll be starting with an oral examination so I can get to know you and your goals and wishes.

Then, with the hard stuff out of the way, we’ll start the written part. Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’m going to be.” Mia nodded.

“Excellent.” Hugh smiled and asked the first question.

By the time the exam was finished, it was past five o’clock, and Mia left the building feeling a little dizzy and starving. She hadn’t been able to eat much before she arrived, so now that she was back in the truck with Trent, all she could think of was food. He handed her a turkey sandwich.

“Here, I bet you’re famished.”

“Starving. How did you know I was done?” She put her seat belt on, then moved the book Cleo had handed to her as she’d walked out of the building to the seat next to her.

“Cleo called me about ten minutes ago. She let me know to come and get you and told me to bring food. She can sense hunger.” Trent pulled out onto the street. “How do you think you did?”

“Surprisingly, I think I did well. Hugh stumped me on a couple of questions, but then I realized they were trick questions, so I answered based on my gut feeling. I either aced it or failed miserably, not knowing I was that much of an idiot.” She wolfed down the sandwich.

“How was your day? Anything I should know?”