Page 27 of The Book of Unwritten Stories

Dora hugged Lenny, who patted her back as if she was a stray dog before gently pushing her away. ‘It’s been a couple of days, not a lifetime, Dora.’ Lenny’s cheeks tinged pink. ‘I’m sorry, Dora, that was mean. I’m tired and coming home to find out that old witch had summoned us to a council meeting just boiled my blood more than I care to admit.’

‘Should we continue this inside?’

Sephy strode past her sister and into her house. Lenny shrugged at Dora and followed her in. Dora looked around. Thankfully there were no neighbours looking out of their windows or on the doorsteps. She closed Sephy’s door gently, but not before looking around to see if she could see Hades. She hadn’t noticed him not being around because she’d been so busy grieving for Lucine and trying to come to terms with her new life. She didn’t know his habits like her aunt Sephy did. Sephy had the pleasure of having the bird to keep her company while she and Lenny had been in London.

Dora sighed, how her life had changed the last few weeks. It was unlike anything she could ever have imagined, but she loved it. Even though she was devastated about losing her mom days after meeting her, she knew that Lucine was there inside of her heart and hadn’t she been there that night in Howard Street Cemetery when she’d fought her arch nemesis, George Corwin, that she also hadn’t known hated her so much. Then finding out about Ambrose, the man who had loved her every single lifetime.

She locked the door behind her and followed her aunts’ voices down to the kitchen. Lenny was already pouring herself a large glass of wine. Sephy took another glass from the cupboard and pointed it at Lenny.

‘If we are to discuss Clara, I need a little something to take away the pain.’

Lenny filled the glass almost to the brim. ‘Dora?’ She waved the bottle at her.

‘No, thanks. I’m good.’

They sat around the weathered pine table. ‘What did that old witch want?’

‘She said we upset the equilibrium, and we should have consulted with the council before having a public fight in the cemetery and summoning Hecate.’

Lenny swallowed the huge mouthful of Chardonay. ‘Did she now? You know she’s only jealous because she couldn’t summon her dead mother, don’t you, never mind Hecate.’

Sephy choked on the wine she’d sipped, and Dora laughed out loud.

‘Lenny, that is not very nice,’ Sephy said once she’d regained her composure.

‘Neither is Clara, I mean what does she care? If she knew something was going down that night where was she? Where was her solidarity towards her fellow witches? Shouldn’t she have come out to help? I mean I almost died for Christ’s sake and she’s sitting around on her throne trying to make us feel like crap for saving ourselves. It’s bullshit, Sephy, I’ve a good mind to go and tell her that right now.’

‘I wouldn’t waste my breath, dear. She doesn’t listen, in fact she looked positively furious that we had gone against council rules. Just let her sit and ferment on the fact that once again we have proven ourselves a match for anyone who dares to cross the English women and for the good of all too. Who knows how many women and men Corwin would have gone after once he’d finished with us? We did our very best and she does not appreciate that one little bit.’

‘Can we talk about Brandon and Arnie?’ asked Dora.

‘What about them?’

‘Why are they on the council of witches? Are they witches?’

‘It’s complicated, Dora. They are not witches, but they are there to guide and protect the town. There are a lot of magical beings that reside within Salem, so they are the gatekeepers of the city.’

‘What kind of magical beings? Is it not just all witches and wannabe witches?’

Lenny laughed. ‘To believe in the power of witches you are acknowledging that magic exists, are you not?’

Dora nodded. ‘I know magic exists. I have used it under duress and haven’t used it much since.’

‘No, we need to work on it, dear, you are very rusty but it’s there. You have the power to do great things when you need to harness it.’ Sephy was sipping her wine and smiled at her over the top of the glass.

‘Yes, I’d like that a lot. I’d like to be prepared for any eventuality should the need arise.’

Lenny looked at Sephy and nodded. ‘We are going to help you now that things are settling down.’

‘Good, thank you. You still haven’t answered my question about magical beings and what they are.’

‘A magical being is someone who can carry out magic if they desire and also doesn’t necessarily take the human form naturally. They may cloak themselves, so they appear as normal as you and I.’

Lenny snorted. ‘Who said you and I were normal, Sephy?’

‘Shush, Lenora, must you always be so trite? You know what I mean.’

Lenny stood up to refill her now empty glass.