When the older of the two, the one with the yellow hair, sees us, she says, “Are you here to see Mama?”
Beside me, Poppy nods. “Professor Silvermoon sent me. I’m Poppy Waverly.”
The girl smiles. “Mama told me Auntie would be sending someone. She’s inside. Come on.” She stands from the tree swing, then helps the younger girl down. Holding hands, they both set off across the autumn grass at a run, their bare feet thumping against the earth as they go. Wefollow behind them, crossing the clearing to the cheerful yellow cottage.
Before we step onto the porch, Poppy looks up at me, nervous energy radiating off her. “Ready?” she asks.
I grin and squeeze her hand. “Let’s do this.”
Chapter 26
Poppy
THE GIRLS DISAPPEAR INTO THE cottage, leaving the door standing open behind them. Aric and I climb the stairs and step onto the veranda, and we’re enveloped in the smell of sourdough as it twines out of the house and into the crisp air. Despite the breakfast we had at the Golden Lantern, my stomach grumbles.
Though the girls left the door open, I hesitate at the threshold, feeling like I shouldn’t just let myself in. But a moment later, the yellow-haired girl pokes her head through a doorway in the foyer, her green eyes catching the sun. “Come on,” she calls to us. “Mama’s in here.”
I glance up at Aric, but he just shrugs and smiles.
So I step into the cottage.
Boots are piled near the door, and I notice there are multiple pairs of men’s shoes, alongside what must be Aurora’s and plenty of children’s pairs. I reach to pull mine off, butthe girl says, “It’s okay. Come in.” She waves a hand for us to follow, then ducks back through the doorway.
There’s plenty of dirt on the hardwood floor—probably from the kids running inside and out—so I don’t feel too bad about leaving my boots on. I walk down the hallway, and my gaze flits briefly into a sitting room through one doorway, where the windows are cracked and colorful drapes dance in the autumn breeze. In front of me, a staircase leads to the second floor, and to my left, an open doorway leads to a kitchen.
A very warm, very chaotic kitchen.
“Poppy!” says a woman I assume must be Aurora. “I’m so glad you made it.”
She’s stirring something in a big wooden bowl, and her waist-length green hair is twined back into a long braid. A young child—she looks maybe two or three—sits at her feet, curly brown hair dusted with flour. Aurora wipes her hands on her apron and steps around the child like she’s used to it. “I’m Aurora.” She shakes my hand, then notices Aric as he steps up behind me. “Oh, hello.”
“Um, this is Aric,” I say quickly, “my...”
My friend?
I’m not sure why, but I don’t much like the sound of that. But he’s not myboyfriend, is he? No, of course not.
Before I can continue, Aric says, “Thanks for having us, Mrs. Silvermoon.”
“Oh, call me Aurora, please. And besides, Mrs. Silvermoon is my mother. I never married.” She smiles, then glances at the stove, where something is starting to bubble.Vegetable soup, smells like. “Soleil, go grab some spinach from the garden please.”
The golden-haired girl—maybe she’s a solar witch?—opens the back door, and she leaves it open as she skips down the back porch steps and sets off toward the sprawling garden.
“Are you hungry?” Aurora asks as she resumes her stirring. “I’d love if you’d join us for a meal.”
With the delicious smells filling the kitchen, I’m quick to smile and say, “We’d love to.”
Aurora grins. “Wonderful. We’ll eat outside—this kitchen is too cramped. Aric, would you mind grabbing the bread?” She nods to the fresh loaf of sourdough I smelled from out on the porch. “And, Poppy, could you grab that pitcher of tea?”
We both grab what she asked of us, then head out the back door, where a big outdoor table comes into view, hugged by ten beautifully crafted chairs. A vase of fresh-cut flowers decorates the center of the table, and a fluffy white cat lies sprawled beside it, soaking up the sun.
“That’s Harrison,” Soleil says as she skips by carrying a wicker basket overflowing with spinach.
I turn back to the cat, reaching out a hand to let him smell me. “Hi, Harrison.”
He opens one bright green eye, flicks his tail, and then resumes his nap. Over my shoulder, Aric laughs.
“This place is amazing,” he says while setting the fresh loaf down. It steams in the cool air as we both look around, admiring the garden and the forest in the distance. There’seven a big chicken coop beside the garden, and the gate to the pen is open, so the chickens can come and go as they please. One walks up to Aric and pecks his boot before ruffling her feathers and scurrying away.
