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“I can’t believe Niko was in your shower the entire time we were there this morning,” Prim said, fanning herself with a napkin. They were still at the coffee shop, taking their time sipping their lattes and nibbling on their pastries.

“What I can’t believe is that she was in the living room talking to us when she could have been having slippery shower sex instead,” Sage added.

Indigo groaned. “Enough. I don’t need you three to analyze my sex life, thank you very much.”

“Are you sure?” Lily asked, giving her a cheeky grin. “We could give you some pointers.”

Indigo snorted as images from the night before flashed in her mind. “I’m sure. Now, our grandmother sent you three troublemakers to me with a mission. Should we get started?”

“Not yet,” Prim said as she stood and picked up her paper coffee cup. “We have something else to do first.”

“We do?” the other three asked in unison.

They all started laughing.

“Nothing ever changes,” Prim said, her eyes glinting with humor.

“That’s the beauty of being an Easton sister,” Lily assured her.

“Come on.” Prim walked to the door and held it open for them. “We’re going to have a bonding experience before we do the protection spell. It’ll help it solidify better.”

“Should I even ask what that might be?” Indigo asked.

When Prim shook her head and stepped outside, Sage slipped her arm through Indigo’s and said, “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

“You will and you’ll love it,” Prim called over her shoulder.

Indigo didn’t doubt that was true. Even if it was an activity she wouldn’t have chosen, in the end, she’d no doubt feel closer to her sisters. And that was something she was desperately needing at the moment. She was glad to have Niko in her life, but with everything else going on, her grandmother was right. Indigo needed her sisters. With it appearing that her new employee, Kinsley, was somehow involved in the compulsion spells, she needed all the support she could get from people she trusted.

“We’re walking to this outing?” Sage called as they trailed Prim down Main Street.

“Yep.” Their youngest sister called back.

It soon became apparent what Prim had planned as they walked down the hill to the edge of Befana Bay and found four paddleboards waiting.

“It’s a good thing we’re all dressed for this,” Indigo said, grateful that she’d worn shorts and a T-shirt.

“Please, when’s the last time any of us fell off a paddleboard?” Prim asked with a roll of her eyes.

She had a point. For years they’d participated in early morning coven meetings on paddleboards with the other witches of Befana Bay. They were all expert riders.

They all put on their life vests and launched their paddleboards. Prim was in the lead with the other three following. It was a gorgeous sunny day out on the bay. The water was as still as glass with only the slightest breeze.

Indigo glanced around and was surprised to see that no one else was on the water. To have no one around was highly unusual. A feeling of unease started to take over, and Indigo paddled over to Sage.

“Where is everyone?” she asked her sister.

Sage shook her head, clearly just as in the dark as Indigo was.

“Prim!” Sage called. “What’s going on? Did you curse the water to keep everyone away or something?”

Prim just gestured for them to keep following her.

Sage, Indigo, and Lily all shared a confused look, but they trusted their sister and picked up the pace to get a little closer.

Finally, they made it to the very middle of the bay, and Prim let her board come to a stop. It was where the town witches usually met for the early morning coven meetings. She met her sister’s gazes and said, “Form a circle.”

“You mean a square?” Lily asked.

“Whatever,” Prim shot back. “You know what I mean.”

Indigo took the northern spot on the water with Sage at the south and Lily and Prim at east and west.

“Are you going to tell us what’s going on?” Indigo asked her. “Or is it all a surprise?”

Prim laughed. “I asked the coven witches to grant us an hour this morning and they spread the word. That’s why no one is out here.”

“Why? We’re not doing the binding spell here, are we?” Sage asked, glancing around with confusion.

“No. We need the dirt beneath our feet for that,” Prim said.

They all nodded in agreement.

Indigo stood on her board, soaking in the sunshine, and then she saw it. The movement in the water as the magnificent black and white creature appeared along with her new baby. The two orcas rose right in the middle of the sisters.

“Oh wow,” Lily said, awed.

“Hello, mama and little one,” Sage said, crouching down on her board to get a little closer.

Indigo watched the pair with love in her heart. Baby orcas had a hard time thriving in the Salish Sea due to diminished resources. She knew that Prim had brought them out there to cast the protection spell for Arabella and her baby. With all of the recent drama in Indigo’s life, it was exactly what she needed. She met Prim’s steady gaze and mouthed, thank you .

The youngest of the four Easton sisters gave Indigo a faint smile and then raised her hands in the air.

The other three followed suit, and then Prim nodded to Indigo. “Will you lead us in the protection spell?”

“It would be an honor,” Indigo said as she focused on the mother and baby swimming in their circle. “Goddesses of water and love, hear our call. Protect this precious mother and daughter and give them the strength to thrive. From north to south and east to west, the Eastons of Befana Bay cast our energy, intentions, and light over these two beautiful souls. Take this offering as a gift and live a long life, knowing that you are blessed.”

Magic tingled all around them in a beautiful display of sparkling light that glinted in the sun.

Arabella turned on her side, floating with her daughter beside her as the magic floated down and covered their powerful bodies.

Time seemed to stand still as Indigo was lost in the beauty of the moment. Nothing else mattered but the protection being cast over the two orcas.

Then Arabella and the baby suddenly dove into the water. She quickly reappeared just outside the circle as she emerged just enough to let out a blow, thanking them for their service.

Then they were gone, and the water was as smooth and motionless as it had been when the sisters arrived.

Prim brushed happy tears off her cheeks and said, “I’ll never get tired of seeing them.”

All the sisters agreed.

Indigo felt an energy inside of her that hadn’t been there before. It was a kernel of hope and wonder at the renewal of life and the reminder that there was always something greater than herself. She smiled warmly at her sisters and said, “Let’s go get that spell done. I can think of nothing better than to reform that Easton connection.”

Her sisters all fell in line behind her as they made their way back to shore.

Once they had their paddleboards stowed, they walked up the hill and the short distance to their grandmother’s house. But instead of going inside, they walked through the garden gate and into the wonderland that was their grandmother’s garden. There were honeysuckle vines covering the west-facing fence, dahlias, hydrangeas, sunflowers, zinnias, and a variety of other brightly colored gorgeous flowers that covered the half acre of land that bordered an aged wooden path. They followed the path until they got to a round clearing that looked like a perfect spot for a gazebo, but Bethany Befana kept it open so that the family could conjure their spells there in the magic of the garden.

“In the middle, Indy,” Sage said as she took the spot on the northern most point of the garden circle.

Lily and Prim stepped on the circle to form a triangle. Immediately white pillar candles popped into existence, hovering in front of each of the sisters.

“It’s good to see that our grandmother keeps the garden ready,” Indigo said as she focused on the wick of her candle. It suddenly lit with a flame, and then the other three came to life too, powered by the magic of the center candle.

“I’m sure she checked everything this morning before she left for her meeting,” Sage said.

Indigo raised one eyebrow. “She’s not here?”

“No.” Sage picked up a canvas bag that had appeared at her feet. “She said the spell would be stronger if it were just us four. Sister’s blood and all that.”

Indigo nodded, knowing that was correct. While Bethany Befana was one powerful witch, her strength couldn’t match that of the four Easton sisters combined.

“This spell will give all four of us the power to harness each other’s magic if need be. It will also bind us together, making it possible to find one another with just a short incantation.” Sage looked at each one of them before putting on her deadly serious face. “Are each of you comfortable with possibly giving up your magical control and your privacy for the time being until we know that Indigo is safe?”

Before Lily and Prim could answer, Indigo spoke up. “You know I’ll understand if you’re not comfortable with this. It’s a huge invasion of energy and privacy. If you’re not one hundred percent on board, just say so and we’ll stop this right now. No hard feelings. I promise.”

“I don’t like you three knowing exactly how much time I spend at home or in my shop, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make,” Sage said, her face flushing a mild shade of pink. She was the one sister who had hermit tendencies. In fact, she’d even found herself at odds with their grandmother not long ago because Bethany said Sage was working too much. She’d magically neutralized Sage’s power in order to make her live a little. It hadn’t gone well, but in the end, Sage had found August and fallen in love, so it hadn’t been a total disaster. And while she did work less now, she was still a hermit. She just did her hermitting with her boyfriend… until he dragged her out somewhere.

“I’m in,” Prim said with a solemn nod. “Anything for Indy.”

Lily was quiet. Too quiet.

Indigo was certain that she was going to back out of the spell. Disappointment clogged her throat, but Indigo put on a patient smile and said, “I understand, Lily, we?—”

“It’s cool, Indigo,” Lily said, cutting her off. “I was just clearing my own energy to make sure I was fully on board. I am now.” She glanced at Sage. “Let’s get this party started.”

Indigo let out a sigh of relief as she watched the canvas bag fly from Sage’s hands to Prim’s. The youngest Easton sister upended the bag, pouring out a collection of herbs. They clung together in a clump as if they were magnetically connected and floated right in front of Prim. While Prim wasn’t an herb specialist per se, she had studied the practice with their grandmother when she was younger, so she was the best one to wield them during the spell.

The best one besides Indigo, that was. Sage was gifted with fire and Lily had a way with words. Indigo was the one who dabbled the most in spells that used herbs and potions. Or at least she had until she’d walked away from the practice after Tricia died.

Indigo stifled a sigh and watched as a wind picked up around them. One by one, the herb bundles broke off the main clump and settled, each in front of one of her sisters. Finally, the last bundles flew toward Indigo and dropped to her feet.

“We’re ready now,” Sage said, holding her arms out to her sides. Lily and Prim did the same. They were too far away to be holding hands, but their magic stretched out, binding them each together and binding Indigo to them from the middle of their triangle.

Magic pulsed in the air. Indigo could feel her sisters’ magic fusing with her own, filling her up, fortifying her. She felt almost invincible. Throwing her head back, she stared up at the cloudless blue sky and let the magic seep deep into her soul.

“From one to four and four to one, let our will be done,” Indigo’s sisters chanted.

Their words seemed to come from a far-off distance as they chanted over and over and over again.

And then suddenly, magic funneled into her at a lightning speed, only to have it funnel right back out. But instead of feeling empty, she was warm and fulfilled as the wind and the chants suddenly stopped.

The air was still, and a bird chirped in the distance.

Indigo turned slowly, looking at each of her sisters’ flushed and dewy faces and then laughed. “My goddess, it’s been a long time since we’ve done anything like that. I think you’ve all gotten more powerful.”

“So have you,” Sage said as the three of them rushed her and folded her into the middle of a hug. “With that energy, I think we’ll be spying on you for at least a few weeks.”

“Great,” Indigo said with a groan, and they all laughed.

They stayed like that in Bethany Befana’s garden for what seemed like forever, until finally Prim stepped back and said, “I need to get back to my shop.”

Lily said, “And I have an article to edit.”

Indigo and Sage said their goodbyes as the two youngest Eastons left the garden.

Then Sage grabbed Indigo’s hand and said, “Lunch?”

“Absolutely. Magicking takes it out of a witch.”

They both laughed, and without even discussing it, they headed to The Salt Circle.

Two hours later, happy and feeling better than she had in weeks, Indigo climbed the stairs to her apartment, ready to pamper herself a little before her date with Niko. She was just about to let herself in when she noticed the door to her office was open just a crack.

She sucked in a sharp breath as she inched toward the door, certain that she’d closed and locked it the last time she was in there. Was Paul back? Had he come to spy on her? It seemed the most likely scenario, and the very idea fueled her rage.

She briefly considered calling the cops, but her history with them made her hesitate. If she was going to call law enforcement, there was only one person she trusted. She quickly sent off a text to Niko, telling him she suspected a break-in.

Her phone pinged almost instantly with a reply. Are you okay?

Indigo quickly tapped out, I’m fine. I’m outside the door.

Do not go into the office. I’m on my way.

Indigo stared at his message, knowing that she could call on her enhanced magic at any time. She really wanted to know who’d broken in, but she knew it was best to wait for Niko. At best, the trespasser had already left. At worst, they were lying in wait for her. And while she trusted herself and her abilities, there was no reason to put herself in danger over some accounting records and extra inventory.

What about your spells? The voice inside her head asked.

The spells in the safe! If someone got to those, there was no telling how many people could be hurt. As much as she wanted to wait for Niko, she just couldn’t. It was too risky. Even though those spells were locked up, there were always ways to break charms and locks. She had to do what she had to do.

Without further hesitation, she burst through the office door and then came to a dead stop when she saw the woman crouched down by her safe. “Kinsley?”