Page 8 of Herbs & Hex-breaking

Hattie looked from the gown and then back to me. “So, the gown isn’t cursed?”

“No,” I said, “the gown is fine.”

Dex had caught my slight inflection on the word ‘gown.’

Hattie frowned. “Then my fiancé and I have just had a run of really bad luck?”

“May I touch your hand, Hattie?” Dex asked politely.

“Sure,” Hattie said. Letting go of mine, she gamely held her right hand out in front of her, palm up.

Dex reached out and rested his fingertips on top of her palm. His eyes scanned over the bride-to-be and narrowed in concentration. I would have sworn that the color of his eyes changed. They had shifted to a deeper shade of midnight blue.

“Spider webs...” Dex muttered, lifting his hand away from Hattie’s. His eyes swung straight to mine for confirmation.

“Yes,” I said quietly. “I saw them too.”

“So...can one of you tell me what’s going on?” Hattie asked nervously.

“Well,” I said to Hattie. “The good news is that the gown is not cursed.”

“What’s the bad news?” Hattie asked in a small voice.

I chose my words cautiously. “It appears that someone has laid a jinx against you.”

“I knew it,” she hissed. “I knew something hinky was going on!” Hattie’s face flushed with anger, and she began to swear under her breath colorfully, and with a vengeance.

“Easy,” I said, even as my lips twitched in admiration for her chutzpah. Here I’d been worried that she’d be terrified...which is exactly why I’d said jinxed and not hexed. But Hattie seemed more angry than scared.

“Why on earth would someone do that to me?”

“Jealousy most likely,” I answered. “In my experience, when someone throws negative magick, it’s because they are jealous and/or they want revenge.”

“Can y’all get rid of the jinx?” Hattie wanted to know.

I nodded. “I absolutely can.”

“What do you need from me?” she asked.

“Would it be all right if I held onto the gown for a few days?” I asked her. “Seems to me this whole thing started over the gown.”

“It’s the catalyst,” Dex agreed.

“I’ll take excellent care of it,” I promised the bride.

“I trust you,” Hattie said. “Thanks, Kate.”

A short time later, I escorted my friend to the door. I kept my arm around her shoulders as I walked her outside. “You keep that protective herbal sachet on your person, going forward.”

“I will,” Hattie promised, patting between her breasts. “I’ll keep it close, like you said.”

“Either in your pocket or tucked in your bra exactly like you’re doing now.”

“And I’ll give the other one to Johnny, tonight.”

I gave her a bolstering hug. “Call me if you need anything.”

“I will. Thanks, Kate.”