"Jen was Meg, right?" Bess asked.
Tilly nodded, smiling. She was happy for her friend. When she invited Judy over for their post-Halloween garden brunch, Jen nodded eagerly. She had never seen her poised, classy friend do anything eagerly with a romantic interest.
"Did you hear about Astra?"
Tilly's eyes widened as they all leaned in. "She was being investigated for election tampering. Cora and Theo are working with authorities in Texas."
Eloise shook her head. "What are the chances that the evil three ended up in the same town Theo relocated to?"
Ursula agreed.
"Oh, Astra is in love with Theo," Bess said easily. "What?" she asked when they gave her questioning looks. "No way she just happens to show up here after wrecking a town politically to do the same thing. And then uses dark magic to try and get betweenyou and Theo. Power-hungry witch," she held up one hand. "Hot vampire, who, if corrupted, could help her get more power?"
Eyes swung to Tilly, who shrugged.
But Bess was closer to the truth than the young woman realized.
Theo told her that night in the woods that he'd told Astra to leave Salem. She would never get what she wanted from him or from the town. Tilly hadn't realized it that night, but he knew that Astra's dark magic was no match for The Lost Souls Coven.
"Well, good riddance," Kelsea said. They clinked mugs.
"Hey, Theo said he was here?" Tilly asked.
Bess picked up the tray. "Yep. He and the guys are having a guys' night in the greenhouse."
"What." She deadpanned.
Bess's smile was mischievous. She nodded over her shoulder as she made her way through the back door. "Come on."
To Tilly's surprise and delight, through the stained-glass door, she found Theo, Jenson and Taylor sitting around a potting table with black and sage candles lit and a deck of tarot cards splayed between them.
She looked at Eloise and Ursula, who were smiling into their steaming mugs. Kelsea was between them, and Eloise passed her her mug.
"So," Taylor frowned, looking at the card. "Theo is going to die."
Jenson frowned and shook his head. "He's a vampire. That cannot be right."
"Can you die?" Taylor asked him, and they looked at him.
He nodded. "Very difficult."
"So, Astra is being moved to Texas for trial?" Jenson asked
"Election interference," Taylor replied. He nodded to Theo, who nodded.
"My father lost favor with the people, so enlisted her help. Texas doesn't take kindly to being manipulated."
Taylor raised a bourbon glass. "To father issues."
Jenson whistled then pointed to the card. "I don't think the Death Card is literal. Look at the book," Jenson directed Taylor.
"What is happening?" Tilly whispered.
"Oh, the guys are trying to bond," Ursula responded.
"And Taylor paid me to make them a cake."
Eloise nodded. "After their failed attempt at baking, I think it was wise for him to ask you," she said to Kelsea, to which everyone agreed with murmurs.
