A plume of perfumed air rises to greet my nose, and I have toadmit, she smells divine. “Is that the allure?” I ask, overcome. “That intoxicating smell?”
She giggles. “No, silly. That’s perfume. It’s called Jump Up and Kiss Me by Clive Christian.”
I shake my head to disperse the fragrant cloud and gesture toward her. “How do you afford all this?” It’s rude to ask, but I can’t help myself. “You’re so young.”
She wrinkles her nose. “Don’t you know it’s impolite to talk about money?”
“Yes, of course. Sorry.” I break eye contact, feeling like an ass.
She shoves my arm playfully. “I’m kidding! There are no secrets in the venery. Look, Myrtle probably hasn’t parsed it all out for you yet, but here’s the gist. We have money.”
“We?”
“Thefamily,” she says under her breath. “Generational wealth, you could say. It’s important that we have a way to take care of ourselves and to do what we’re called to do. So, it’s something they’ve been working on for a very long time.”
“They?”
“Yes, they.They.The venery in perpetuity. The bane witches who’ve gone before us.” She quirks a brow at me like I’m being weird but it’s cute.
“Oh, right.” I nod as if I understand.
“Rose and Donna are the biggest holders,” she says, eyes darting to where they stand. “And of course, Great-Grandma Bella. But assets are distributed between us all. They just kind of stay on top of that part for everyone. Like, if you’re playing Monopoly, they’re the bankers.”
“Oh.” My eyes must widen because she tries to reassure me.
“Don’t worry. Your needs will be met. We all do our part to add to the funds of course. And, you know, I have ways of taking care of myself.” She flutters her lashes demurely.
“And where did this money come from? Or does?” I scrunch up my brow as I wait for her to answer. Henry never liked me involved in our finances, but I listened well and overheard enough. And I’d run a successful business for years before he showed up.
She turns her head toward me. “Where do you think?” And then she laughs.
“Right.” I swallow hard.From marks.“But how does that work? I mean, I thought we couldn’t, you know, have relationships or be connected to our… our victims.”
“Aren’t you full of questions tonight,” she chides. “Look, it’s complicated. So it’s only ever taken on by a select few bane witches, and only after the whole venery agrees. But on occasion a mark might be coerced into marriageifhe has substantial assets to be gained. We think of it as financial karma, an investment in justice to lift a bit of the stain from his soul. But it’s incredibly hard to pull off; it takes enormous care, planning, and self-control. So don’t go getting any ideas. Your mother could have done it, I’m told. That’s what the venery had selected for her, but she refused. So, Rose took her place. Nearly got herself killed. It’s left her a little bitter.”
I nod slowly. “I picked up on that.”
Azalea passes me a hot toddy from Myrtle’s abandoned tray. “Drink. It’ll help.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?” I ask, taking a sip.
She assesses me a moment, then shrugs. “I like you.”
I harrumph at that.
“Seriously,” she insists. “You don’t believe me?”
I eyeball her. “How will weknowshe’s proven herself?You know, for a moment there, I thought you had my back,” I reply with heavy skepticism.
“I did have your back,” she tells me. When I don’t look convinced, she keeps going. “If I don’t point out the obvious, someone else will. We can’t dance around the issues, Piers. We would never last that way. We have to confront risks head-on, the reality of who we are and what we do and how to keep ourselves safe. Myrtle says you’re the real deal, that you’re not your mother. Thatyou just need instruction. And I believe her. I believe in giving you a chance to prove yourself. You may not realize it, but I went to bat for you in there. I gave them a reason to try. Parameters make them feel safe. You didn’t stand a chance otherwise. I bought you those six weeks, so don’t flub it up. And for what it’s worth, I think what you did was brave.”
“WhatIdid?”
She rests a hand on my knee. Suddenly, in spite of the perky ponytail and the exposed midriff and the lime-green nail polish, Azalea seems decades older than she is. “Standing up to them,” she whispers. “It was stupid, but brave.”
I look down into my toddy. The caramel color is inviting, like being underwater in the Cooper River. “I’m out of practice.”
This time, it’s Azalea’s turn to look confused.
