Ruby leans back, lips curving into a smile. “Tabatha Greystone,” she tells me. “She was the Headmistress at the time. Now she’s our coven’s High Priestess, and the fox is her familiar.”
“Artemis,” we say at the same time. My heart speeds up. I’m really going to find out the truth.
“Why is that memory so vivid?”
“My aunt was arguing with the Headmistress, saying something about not wanting me to have her fate because of something she saw in a vision. But I don’t know what the vision was.”
“The High Priestess may know. I can bring you to the Covenstead, introduce you to people you’ve probably met before but don’t remember.”
I chuckle. “It’s so weird. Is there a way to undo the memory spell?”
“Yes,” she answers with no hesitation. “But undoing it all at once wouldn’t be advisable. Everything you know is going to change, and there’s no telling how deep Estelle’s spell went. Removing it all at once would challenge your sense of self as well as reality.”
I’ve had enough of that lately. “Yeah, don’t want that to happen.”
“What else do you remember?”
“Not much about the Academy, um, there was a girl with dark hair and a black cat. I think she was getting in trouble or something, and that’s why my aunt and I left the Headmistress’s office.”
“Callie.” Ruby rolls her eyes. “Of course, you’d remember her.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No. She’s actually a friend. And she most likely was getting in trouble.” She smiles again and I’m hit with such relief it makes me emotional. “The best thing is to talk to the High Priestess. I can show you through the door.”
“Now?” My eyes light up and when I blink, I see the blue door glowing before me in the forest.
“I have to go back tonight anyway. Are you free to come with me?”
I’m already on my feet, having forgotten that I’m not dressed for the weather and my hair is still wet and hanging unbrushed around my face. The kitchen door opens as soon as I open my mouth to say yes, and Hunter shadows in the house, circling around me before shifting into dog form.
“Hello,” Ruby says to Hunter, automatically recognizing him as a familiar. He stops in front of her, sniffing, and then wags his tail.
“Hey, babe.” Ethan, my boyfriend, steps inside, closing the door behind him. His dark t-shirt is wet with sweat from his run. He’s in incredibly good shape, and his tattooed biceps fill out the sleeves of his shirt perfectly. “Did Rene get a new—” He stops short when he sees Ruby.
“Ethan.” I turn, a smile coming to my face. “This is Ruby. Remember that letter I said I wrote to find witches in my coven…well, I sent it without meaning to and it worked.” My smile grows bigger. “She’s from my coven and knows—knew—Aunt Estelle.”
Ethan’s eyes go from me to Ruby to Hunter, who’s still wagging his tail as Ruby scratches under his chin, then back to me again. He’s overprotective of me, and a tad possessive, if I’m being honest. If a time ever comes when he meets someone new and doesn’t suspect them, hell probably has already frozen over. “How did she get that letter? I saw you burn it.”
“That’s how I got it,” Ruby answers. “The fireplace is spelled to send papers from the house to the academy.”
“It’s a good thing I didn’t burn anything questionable,” I add and sit back down.
“You can still burn things,” Ruby says. “You have to have an intention to send something magically that way. And if you wrote this intending on sending it one way or another, that was enough of an intention. And I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. It’s…it’s been an interesting few weeks for me.” She inhales and turns her attention back to me. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to have your memories taken like that. No one should alter your mind,” she adds softly.
“Like vampires,” Ethan grumbles, coming up behind me. He rests one of his large hands on my shoulder.
“Vampires can’t hold witches spellbound,” Ruby says and chuckles. “You really don’t know anything.”
I let out a snort of laughter. “Total noob here.”
“We can change that.” She smiles again, brown eyes holding my gaze. “Slowly, so you don’t go crazy.”
“Yeah, I’ve had enough of that lately.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s another long story, but basically, this—”
“Anora,” Ethan interrupts, sliding his hand down a bit. I know what he’s going to say; don’t blab my whole life story to this woman I just met. But if I’m going to go with her through the woods and find that door, then I have to trust her.
“It’s okay,” Ruby assures us both. “It’s good to be skeptical. And I should probably arrange something with the High Priestess before bringing you to the Covenstead. I’m curious, as well, if you’re in the book.”
“The book?” Ethan echoes.
“Any witch or warlock who is part of our coven has signed a book, stating such. If you’ve already signed, then you’d be free to come and go as you please,” she explains to me. “Once you can master the spell that opens the door.”
“Oh my god,” I whisper, feeling like I just got my letter to Hogwarts. Only this is real and it’s happening. “That would be amazing.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, babe,” Ethan says gently, and Ruby’s expression shifts, looking at Ethan as suspiciously as he’s looking at her. “If your name isn’t in the book, I wouldn’t rush to sign it. Signing something like that comes with a cost.”
“You’re not signing your soul away,” Ruby goes on, but there’s no humor in her voice and it’s then I realize how at ease she seems. She must be pretty damn good at magic because Ethan can look very intimidating when he wants to—and for good reason. “And you’re free to leave the coven at any time if you so wish.”
Reaching up, I put my hand on Ethan’s, giving his fingers a squeeze.
“Did you know about witches before you two met?” Ruby asks and Ethan’s fingers press against me.
“I’d heard of them,” Ethan says but doesn’t elaborate. If Aunt Estelle and others from the coven worked together to track and kill demons, then I’m sure crossing paths with demon hunters isn’t out of the question.
“Really? We work hard to keep our identities hidden.”
“Really.”
A few awkward seconds of silence pass before Ruby pulls out her phone, reading the energy shift in the room. “I’ll text you when I get a meeting with the High Priestess set up.”
“Thanks.” She passes me her phone to put in my number. “For everything.” I give her phone back and stand to walk her to the door.
“Of course. Like I said, I can’t imagine having someone alter my past like that.” Hunter follows us to the foyer. “Be careful, Anora,” Ruby says before she steps out of the door. My first thought is she means be careful with magic, but then I notice she’s looking right at Ethan.