“Is it hereditary?” Now that I’d said it out loud, my mouth went dry. I’d wondered where my magical abilities came from. But part of me was afraid to learn the truth. “Was my mother a witch, too?”
“No, dear. You didn’t get this from your mother.” Agatha’s smile was as enigmatic as it was sad, and I knew what that meant. The father I’d never met.
I knew better than to prod for more. I’d done that a dozen times growing up. When it came to my father, both Agatha and my mom had been vaults.
“So I broke the ward when you came to visit me.” I pulled up my notes from the meeting, some of which I’d shared with Ethan a week earlier. “Patient refused to give full name, asked to go by Stella only and paid in cash.” I scrolled further. “Had an immediate and positive response to the miracle question technique.”
“An act of desperation from a dying woman.” Agatha shrugged her shoulders. “What can I say, it worked didn’t it?”
“Stella, huh? The woman I saw had striking red hair and impeccable dress.”
“I hoped you’d sense my presence or break the glamor.” Agatha chuckled again. “And I’m a sucker forA Streetcar Named Desire.”
“I’d said it would take a miracle to get me to return to Treater’s Way.” I wanted a cool drink of water, asked House for it, and took my time drinking it down. “What did I say to you that worked?”
“At the end of our session, as you walked me to the door”—she sighed, as if suddenly exhausted—“you said we’d made a miracle happen. It only proved I was right.”
Agatha’s form faded in, out, and back in. I was running out of time with her. I didn’t understand why I’d said we both had a miracle. It wasn’t my usual choice of words. Maybe part of me had known it was her.
Or maybe I was just ready to come home. Agatha wouldn’t have the answer to that, though. And I still had questions.
“It proved you were right about what, Agatha?”
“About you, Simone Cecelia Bardot, who was clever enough to keep her own name when she married. You fought against the ward, even without realizing it. Even when you thought you didn’t deserve it.” She tapped the edge of her rocker. “You were meant to be here, CC. Never forget that. I believe in you.”
Her encouragement filled the air like a distant tune. I leaned forward to catch it.
“Are you leaving, Agatha?”
“Not quite, dear. I’m here until the next board meeting, no matter what.” She’d never sounded more tired. “Now listen closely, it took a lot of energy for House to bring me to you, and we’re running out of time.”
“You can stay a moment longer.” The words flowed from me like a cool breeze. “I will hold you here, Agatha.”
“Well done, dear.” Her form solidified. Her shoulders dropped in relaxation. Power traveled between us, streams of light in varying shades of blue.
“Tell me all that you can, Agatha.”
She heaved a breath and closed her eyes.
“Mind the Twins. They are mostly harmless but can be mischievous. They will test you as often as you let them, but they won’t stand in your way as long as you push back. Sweet Lauren has grown a lot over the years. You’ll have obstacles to overcome, but she’s solid as they come. Relish your friendship with Brianne. I believe you two are soul mates, such as friends go. It’s why she’s here.”
I’d had that feeling about Brianne from the moment we met. She and I were meant to do great things together. With each word, hope glimmered stronger inside me. I had everything I needed now to repair the damage.
“If you make things right with Doug, your other patients will fall in line. There’s nothing wrong with your methods, Simone.” Her voice hardened. “But not everyone wants to know an end is in sight.”
She was fading again. Fatigue hammered at my limbs. Sweat coated my upper lip. Holding her here was taking a toll on both of us.
“One last thing.” There was a warning in her tone that set my teeth on edge. “The chains of magic can bind, but the bonds of family can shatter even the strongest link.”
“What?” As far as warnings went, it was a doozy. A shiver shot up my spine, like lightning in a summer storm. “What does that mean, Agatha?”
Her lips were moving, but I couldn’t make out words. House seemed to shudder with the efforts to hold her in place. I was sweaty and exhausted.
“I love you, Sweets.” With her final words drifting through the air, Agatha disappeared. The blue blanket flitted to the ground. The rocker swayed a moment longer, moving with the momentum of her presence. Then it too stilled, and I was alone.
CHAPTER 27
There was a first for everything. And this was definitely the first time I’d visited a patient’s house.
