Page 19 of The Wolfing Hour

“Because you’re adorable,” a female voice called out.

Maya Reeves emerged from the storeroom in the back with a cardboard box clutched to her chest. Bronwyn’s best friend, Maya was a white woman in her mid-forties with shoulder-length blond hair and nut-brown eyes. She was also a rat shifter, though she hadn’t yet joined the local pack.

“Oh please. Adorable?” Bronwyn said. Adorably.

Yeesh.

Maya held up the box. “The lady from the crystal shop in East Pluto just dropped this off. Hi, Betty and Fennel.”

“Hey,” I replied.

Fennel meowed.

Bronwyn’s skirt swished as she whirled around and jogged behind the counter. She grabbed a small, rectangular bundle off a shelf. “Is she still there?”

“No. Just handed me the box and drove off. Looked like she was in a hurry.”

“Darn. The book she ordered came in this morning.” She returned the bundle to the shelf and faced us. “What can I do for you, Betty?”

“I have the PMS tincture for your customer.” I handed the bottle to her. “Two drops, dissolved in four ounces of water. Drink it all at once. Two doses, morning and night. Should help.”

“Looks good. I’ll send you the payment straight away.”

“Thanks,” I said. “How are you feeling?”

Last month, Bronwyn had been kidnapped and bespelled by her ex-coven mate Desmond Mace, the witch who’d cheated Margaux Ramirez out of the Coven Mother position.

“Desmond’s damned spell has taken it out of her.” Maya pulled a razor blade knife from her pocket and drew it along the tape seam on top of the box. “But she’s doing better every day because she’s strong and amazing.”

Oh, and Desmond was also Maya’s husband.Latehusband. The rat pack, a few wolves, and I’d all had a hand in killinghim, and none of us regretted it. Desmond Mace had been a thoroughly despicable person. Not only had he attacked Bronwyn, but he’d also spelled his own wife to obey him. Then he’d betrayed his earth magic by trying to take a shortcut with a cursed grimoire.

I hadn’t thrown a party to celebrate the man’s death, but I wasn’t running low on tissues, either.

“My biggest fan.” Bronwyn smiled at her friend.

Maya looked up from her task. “I am.”

As she should be, in my opinion. Bronwyn had saved her life—had sent me to do it, actually. If I hadn’t gotten Maya away from Desmond when I did... I shuddered to think what would’ve become of her.

“Before I forget to ask, did you need more saguaro spines for the park protection spell?” Bronwyn made apspspssound at Fennel, who immediately leapt onto the glass countertop for pets. “Unfortunately, the price has gone up by thirty percent, and I have to order two months in advance. Even your friend in Arizona who was supplying them to us at a discount is experiencing shortages. It’s not easy to find naturally shedded spines from a reputable source.”

“No need. The saguaros have returned.” I couldn’t keep the joy out of my voice or the smile off my face. It had felt like a miracle the day it happened, and the excitement hadn’t worn off.

“Are you serious?” She squealed. Bronwyn understood what this meant.

“Even better, not only are they back, they’re growing fast.”

“That’swonderful, Betty.” She glanced around the store to be sure no one was around. “You’ve truly fully connected with the soil, haven’t you? Your magic is at full power again.”

“Yeah.” The gray-faced mirror reflection from earlier popped into my mind, wiping my smile away.

Maya was delicately placing crystals on a soft cloth on the opposite counter, her gaze on her task, and Bronwyn was too focused on Fennel to pick up on my change of mood.

Fennel, however, had noticed.

His copper Bombay eyes stared straight into my soul. “Meow?”

I gave my head a quick shake, which Bronwyn did catch.