Page 15 of Seven Secret Spellcasters (Kitchen Witch Mysteries #7)

W hen the results showed up on the coven’s website, Mia was ready to head to bed.

Finn had already retired to her room. Mia knew the rest of the group was ready to crash too.

Abigail had left at ten, when Thomas showed up to drive her home.

Grans was nursing a cup of coffee she’d poured thirty minutes ago.

“Refresh the screen.” Trent nodded to the laptop in the middle of the almost-empty table. Christina and Levi had cleaned up a few minutes before, and now everyone was gathered and watching the laptop screen.

Mia met her grandmother’s gaze. “If I failed, this is no reflection on you. You did your best. I came into the training way late.”

“Just push the button.” Grans patted her hand. “We’ll deal with the consequences tomorrow. Well, actually, later today.”

“Okay, here goes,” Mia said as she refreshed the screen . . . and it went completely black.

“Did the battery die?” Christina leaned in. As soon as she did, fireworks exploded on the screen and came out into the room. A man dressed in a tuxedo stood in their reception area.

“Mia Malone, you are now officially a Level Three Witch with all the rights and responsibilities that come with the title. Your coven representative will be arriving soon with a handbook and your entrance paperwork. If you choose to continue your studies, the examination board feels that based on your answers during your entrance exam, you should be ready to take the test for Level Four next year. Good luck in your endeavors, and welcome to our society. We are certain that a witch of your talents will do great things.”

The man disappeared, and the laptop closed with a bang .

“Huh,” Grans said, staring at the spot where the man had made his announcement.

Christina hugged Mia, but the other three, Grans, Trent, and Levi, looked at each other. No one said anything.

Mia stepped out of Christina’s hug. Something was wrong. “What? Didn’t I test high enough? I told you I was worried about taking the test this soon. We should have waited. How bad is it to be a Level Three? I bet you all are Level Five or more.”

Trent shook his head. “That’s not the problem, Mia.

Everyone I know tested Level One. I only know one guy who tested out as a Level Two, and he was the smartest in our high school and coven class.

He’s working for a coven in Europe now. I’ve never heard of anyone on their first test hitting Level Three, nor getting an invitation to test for Level Four in a year. ”

“I tested too high?” Mia shook her head. “The test must be wrong. There’s so much I don’t know.”

“The test doesn’t only test your knowledge, Mia.” Grans finished her coffee. “It tests your potential. There’s never been a kitchen witch over a Level Three, not since we started taking the exam. We might need to rethink your career plan.”

“My career plan is to build a catering business here in Magic Springs. Without having to moonlight at the Lodge to keep the lights on.” Mia picked up her laptop. “I’m going to bed. I’ll probably get a correction notice tomorrow morning.”

“You mean today.” Grans kissed her cheek. “I’m taking the elevator, if anyone wants to ride with me.”

Christina and Levi followed Grans, but Trent grabbed Muffy and Cerby. “I’ll take these two out one last time.”

Mia put the laptop away in her office and started turning off the lights. Trent was still at the door, watching the dogs, so she went to stand with him. “At least I passed.”

“Mia, you don’t understand. If you truly are a Level Three, you will be expected to work with the coven hierarchy. Maybe that’s why you can read my mind.” Trent watched as the pups jumped on Buddy’s belly, waking the dragon. “And maybe the Goddess sent Cerby to me because of your power.”

“What, you need protection from me?” She leaned closer. The cold was making her shiver. At least she thought it was the cold air.

He pulled her closer and into the curve of his body, with one arm around her.

He was still watching Buddy and the dogs wrestle in the small yard.

“I’m beginning to think that maybe I’m supposed to be your protector, not just your boyfriend.

This sheds a whole new light on what happens next in our lives. ”

“Let’s not go crazy.” Mia snapped her fingers, and the dogs came running. “I’m betting I’ll get a correction tomorrow morning. Good night, Buddy.” The dragon snorted and jumped back into a tree.

Trent followed her and the dogs inside the house and locked the door, making sure the outside light was still on. “I’m sure you’re going to get a message tomorrow, but I don’t think it will be a retraction. Let’s go to bed. Morning is going to come early. I have a truck coming at six.”

Mia wandered up the stairs, her thoughts on the exam results. She’d been so afraid of failing that she hadn’t thought about what it meant if she aced it. All she wanted was to continue her grandmother’s work as a kitchen witch.

Gloria’s giggle could be heard through the apartment’s front door.

* * *

When Mia walked into the Lodge the next morning, Carol, the front desk manager, waved her over to the desk, where she was stacking boxes of Lodge cookies to give to guests when they arrived. “Congrats on passing your test. I can’t believe you tested so high. What’s it like to be a genius?”

“I’m not a genius, and I didn’t realize you were part of the coven,” Mia admitted. She’d talked to Carol Hathaway a lot and had missed that.

“Flying under the radar is what we do best, right?” Carol grinned.

“Anyway, we’re not supposed to talk about witch business until after someone passes their initial test. It might skew the results somehow.

I don’t know, I’m a Level One and just lucky to have passed.

Anyway, Mark Baldwin is sitting over there in the lobby.

He’s been here for about ten minutes. I was about to call you.

And Brandon Marshall has called three times, trying to get ahold of you. You’re a popular girl today.”

Carol handed Mia a phone sheet with Brandon’s name and number. The only message was Please Call ASAP . “Thanks, I’ll call him as soon as I finish with Mark.”

“I wouldn’t wait too long. He is the coven board president,” Carol reminded her.

“Physical presence tops call returning. It’s a basic rule of customer service.” She smiled as she walked over to where Mark sat. He’d been watching her chat with Carol since she’d walked in, but only now did he stand up. “Hi, Mark, what can I help you with?”

“You haven’t heard anything, I take it?” Mark asked as he started toward Mia’s office. This wasn’t going to be a quick chat, then.

“No, I’m sorry. I was tied up yesterday. I got your messages.” She didn’t say “fifteen messages,” but by the blush on his face, he knew what she meant. She held up the pink slip in her hand. “But I’m supposed to call the coven president. Maybe he has news for me.”

“Or he’s congratulating you on this test thing. Sarah tried to explain it to me, but what I got was you did better than anyone expected.” Mark followed her down the hall.

“Including me. Of course, I didn’t know what to expect, so there’s that.” Mia unlocked her office door and saw Blake heading her way. “Come on in, and we’ll call him now.”

Blake met her gaze, then nodded and walked by them. What she had to say must not have been important, or she didn’t want to talk in front of the Magic Springs police chief. Maybe Mark could hang out in Mia’s office more often.

Mia booted up her computer and stashed her tote. “Can I get you some coffee?”

Mark nodded. “I left a little early from the house today. Sarah says I’m obsessing about this death.”

To his credit, Mark didn’t point out to Mia, and probably not to his wife, either, that he was paid to obsess over deaths in the small town.

Mia pushed the intercom, and someone from the kitchen answered.

“Hi, would you send a carafe of coffee with service for two and a basket of breakfast rolls to my office? The local police chief is here.”

He chuckled as she ended the call. “Is telling them that supposed to make the coffee come faster? Or not be brought by someone on my wanted list?”

“I don’t think we have anyone working here who’s on your wanted list. Besides, you actually have a wanted list?

I would think it would be on your computer.

Or do you have a board with wanted posters in the back of the building?

” When Mark smiled, she continued, “I wanted to make sure that James didn’t burst in here talking a mile a minute with the tray.

Sometimes he can be less than professional unless there’s a client in the room.

He’s a great source of local gossip, though. ”

“That makes sense. Before I forget, Sarah said to congratulate you on the exam results. What does this make you, head witch or something?” Mark grinned like he was kidding, but Mia could see the questions in his eyes. Did this mean she was one of them? Or could he still trust her?

They paused the conversation as a knock came on the door and a server from the dining room came in with a tray. She set it on the table and poured the coffee into cups. Then she stepped back, staring at Mark Baldwin. “Anything else I can do for you?”

Mia smiled and shook her head. She could hear the stories that would be going around the kitchen staff regarding why the police chief was sitting in her office first thing this morning. She checked the woman’s name tag before saying, “We’re good. Thank you, Dana.”

After the woman left, closing the door behind her, Mia set down her coffee. “I don’t know what the test results mean. I know too many people already know about my test. I liked being on the edge of both worlds. Now I feel like they are going to force me to choose one or the other.”