Page 94 of Reckless Witch

She snorts.

“No, I don’t want anyone to know I have the book.” I release a breath. “I guess it’ll have to be enough.”

A knock sounds on the door. I lunge for the book and shove it inside the top drawer.

“Who is it?” I call.

“Open the door, please.”

Shit, it’s Ariel.

“What do you want?” I call.

“We heard noises. Open the door, please.”

The word ‘please’ is emphasized in a way I interpret, open the door before I huff and I puff and I blow your house down. If I didn’t have Grams’ spell book, I would double dog dare little Ariel to try. But not tonight. I cross to the room and open the door.

Ariel pushes past me into the room.

“Uh, most people ask permission before entering someone’s room,” I say.

She scans the room. “Someone reported noise from this room.”

“Am I supposed to not make noise?” I ask.

Ariel whirls on me. “Unusual noise.”

“Like a pig snorting?” I nod at Stony, who’s sitting on her butt staring up at Ariel.

Ariel curls her lip and looks at Stony. “So, that’s the pig.”

Stony snorts.

Ariel’s eyes narrow. “Careful, piggy. I happen to like bacon.”

I take two quick steps, so that Ariel’s nose is level with my chin. Her head snaps up and I stare down at her. “Don’t you ever threaten my familiar.”

Her pupils dilate but, to my surprise, she doesn’t back down. “Make sure your familiar stays out of my way.”

I give a low laugh. “I suggest you stay out of her way. And, for the record, right now, you’re in my way.”

Ariel stares for several heartbeats, then spins and walks to the door, Stony trotting along behind. Ariel steps into the hallway, then looks over her shoulder and says, “Anymore unusual noises and I’ll—”

Stony pushes the door shut with her snout.

“That’s gonna cost us,” I say.

Stony tosses her head and says, “Too hot tonight.”

I hesitate.

She snorts and I snap my gaze onto her.

“Truth is, we don’t know I’m not like Grams,” I say.

“I know,” she says in as plain an English as I’ve ever heard her use.

I grimace. “Yeah, well, you’re not always right.”