“He got mad and threw his beer, then the other guy got mad and punched him. When he…” She bites her lip and actually looks scared to say the next words out loud. “When he stood, heaccidentallypushed my stool back. Thimble was in my pocket, but fell out when I did. Of course his boneheaded friends had to get involved, and I don’t know—someone must have stepped on him.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, not wanting to provoke Agatha when she’s being so honest with me.
“How long have you been out here?” I ask, still kneeling in front of her. “Alechemy closed at three.”
“A little over an hour,” she says in a small voice and finally breaks eye contact. “Monty was still reeling after we were kicked out and needed to ‘let out some steam.’ So he brought me here.”
I scoff in anger. It’s no surprise he left Agatha in distress. It makes me want to send a hex his way as a final goodbye.
“You should have come to get me,” I scold and stand.
She looks to the side, where Hexate is waiting by my suitcase. “Good thing I caught you on your way out, I guess.”
Her tone is disinterested but there’s a hint of hurt in her eyes that I try to ignore.
“I’m leaving,” I say.
She nods slowly, looking at me intently. Like she’s trying to remember what my face looks like—as I’m doing with hers.
“Good,” she says in a low voice. “You should leave.”
I’m unsure if it’s a grievance or encouragement, but I don’t let it affect my already waning nerves. I turn on my heel and grab my suitcase.
“And Renata,” she calls before I turn the corner to the porch steps, “Don’t come back.”
This time, her voice is quieter and filled with sincerity. There’s a hint of envy in there too.
My brows furrow, thinking back to the woman in my dream.
“I won’t,” I say. “And break up with Monty already—fuck himandhis dad.”
She lets out a soft snort, but I don’t stay long enough to let her respond.
Chapter 3
Renata
With Hexate coiled up in the passenger seat, we slowly roll into Briarhollow’s town limits. My magic starts to buzz through my veins, similar to when I first got Cordelia’s letter. It’s a clue I’m headed in the right direction.
Hearth, Green, and Love Witches all harness their magic through the land and their connection to the earth. Gray and Divination Witches are tied to our environment as well, since all natural magic originates from there, but we’re also tied to something… different. Something that isn’t tangible like the other elements.
I don’t make predictions or have any sense of perception like Divination Witches. I have a connection to my spirit that often reassures me—or warns me—when I’m on a new path.
Without anyone to teach me about my abilities, I learned mostly everything on my own. I would consider myself successful, having performed resurrections on insects and small animals, hexing my sisters and bullies with twenty-four hour warts, and binding rituals. I’ve never been given the space to let my magic fully bloom.
Due to our connection, Hexate also feels the spark of life to my magic. She slowly lifts her head until she’s watching the trees pass outthe window.
From the corner of my eye, I see her tilt her head in inquisition, and I know what she’s trying to ask.
Are you sure you want to do this?
Taking a deep breath, I take in the tree line and the rundown buildings coming into view. We’re entering through what looks like Main Street. From what I can see, there is a diner, a small bar, a billiards pub, a post office, and a city hall. The street breaks off into more roads lined with homes and shops—some open, others permanently closed.
It’s not modern like Hemlocke. My hometown is full of multi-story buildings in sleek exteriors, large windows, and neutral colors. I’ve always loved how the town integrated plants into the designs. Otherwise, it felt like it lost a lot of its character compared to the old photos and paintings I’ve seen.
Briarhollow looks like it’s stuck in time, in the best way. From the amount of boarded up buildings and abandoned homes, it’s clear this was once a thriving community. It’s mostly brick storefronts with double-hung windows and symmetrical details. Some of the buildings have a more laid-back, simple style of Colonial architecture, whereas others have the ornamental features of Georgian like decorative doorways and columns.
There’s a few Queen Anne touches thrown in occasionally. Random houses painted in vibrant colors with wrap-around porches and towers added on, creating asymmetrical styles that contrast the surrounding buildings. It all complements each other somehow, not feeling out of place.
