Page 17 of Hexed & Hazy

I always feel overlooked.

“Sometimes you won’t see how helpful it was until after it’s all over.” Juniper inspects the reading quietly, her fingers running over the Lovers card. “Trust me. That’s exactly how it was when she did the tarot reading for me all those years ago—and every time since.” She picks up the card, holding it between two fingers. “Is this the Lovers?”

“It is.” Maple gasps. “How romantic.”

“Not really.” I stifle a yawn. “Seth is cursed to be lonely forever.”

“Hey!” Seth says, laughing. “Not forever—just until this thing wears off.”

Juniper crosses her arms. “Have you tried a cleansing bath?”

I blink. “No…”

I hadn’t considered it. Our family grimoire is large but unorganized, and none of us has seen every spell in it. While Juniper is quick to flip through the pages, I’ve never discovered this exact spell myself. I scan the scribbled words—all common ingredients.

She shrugs. “Could be worth it. It will only work if it’s a weak hex, the sort that’s accidental—feeble emotions with no outside magic backing it.”

“This could be accidental?” Seth asks, his eyes sparkling.

As optimistic as ever.

“Of course.” Maple plops into a chair and picks up one of her scones, sniffing it. “A witch accidentally thinking about something to the point where it sends negative energy in the person’s direction? It’s easy to do. Accidental blessings are a thing, too. A nicer thing, but a thing nevertheless.”

“Those kinds of hexes are usually much weaker,” I say. “They only last a few days.”

Which means it may not work for Seth. It sounds like his hex has already lasted longer and begun to affect his mental health. We may be beyond a simple cleansing bath.

“Well…” Seth looks at me, as if he’s asking for my permission. “We could try, right?”

All eyes are on me.

“All right,” I say weakly. “Let’s try.”

Chapter 6

Seth

My boxers are still on, but I’ve never felt more naked.

I’m standing in the Hawthornes’ giant bathroom—the biggest in the house, and the only one I’ve never been in. It’s attached to what was once their mother’s bedroom, but Juniper took it over years ago, replacing the earthy tones that once draped the room with darker ones.

Thick, heavy, black curtains, a dark purple accent wall, and a giant cauldron shoved off in the corner. She keeps the space tidy, her bed made up in dark gingham, the wooden floor squeaky clean, and the large floral rug in the center, free of a single dog hair. Quite a feat, considering the family’s golden retriever.

And the bathroom is pretty nice too, even though the surfaces are littered with potions and lotions. The tub is detached from the shower. Clawed. Big. Round.

Oh, and Rowan is here. Juniper and Maple are still chattering downstairs, their voices drifting through the open doors. All open. No privacy. Maple’s jovial laugh floats up now and then—the only reminder that we’re not alone.

It does nothing to calm my body down. Or my mind. Or any part of me.

Because I’m alone with Rowan, I’m practically naked…

And she won’t even look at me.

I don’t exactly have anything to hide. I pride myself on my body and usually jump at the chance to show off the abs I worked on all summer. She’s definitely seen me shirtless when we go on trips to the lake, to the beach, or when I’m playing basketball.

But this is different. Rowan doesn’t care about my abs.

With her back to me, she grinds herbs and ingredients together, and the air smells of salty, sweet goodness.