Page 61 of The Book of Unwritten Stories

‘What, they drink the stuff?’

‘Not literal black magic, it’s their signature cocktail but it’s very deceiving. It tastes divine then blows your head off, so be careful if they offer you one.’

‘I like them already; they sound like my kind of women.’

They left the café and Dora looked around for Hades, who was nowhere to be seen.

‘Where’s your bird?’

‘Probably gone on ahead of us, he knows stuff. He’s good at judging situations.’

‘And people, I like him. I never knew birds could be so human like.’

Dora smiled. ‘He is, isn’t he? He might have gone to warn the aunts we’re on our way; he’s also a snitch at times.’

Morana laughed. ‘A talking crow who snitches, whoever would have guessed this. Where do your aunts live?’

‘Well, Sephy has a house on Chestnut Street and we kind of gatecrash there.’

‘She does? That’s my favourite street in all of Salem. How lucky are you that you get to live there. My apartment is tiny, it’s next to the wharf so it’s nice to be able to open the window and listen to the sea but Chestnut is the dream.’

Dora agreed with every word Morana had just spoken. The more they talked, the more she liked the strange woman who didn’t seem as cold and distant today. Dora purposely cut away from the corner where Addison had died yesterday, instead taking Morana down a side street. They walked past Blood and Thorne Tattoo Studio.

‘Olivia and Britt are excellent if you need a new tattoo,’ Morana said, pointing to the studio.

‘Thanks, I am always thinking about a new tattoo. Have you got any?’

‘No, never been into them. I like them though, just not my thing.’

They turned onto Sephy’s street, and when they reached her perfect pink house with the white picket fence and garden still in bloom, Morana sighed.

‘Perfection. I even like the pink paint and I’m not a pink kind of woman.’

Dora nodded. ‘I know, me either. It really is pretty though.’

She pushed the gate open and looked up into the branches of the oak tree expecting to see Hades. Maybe he’d given up on the pair of them. She just hoped he hadn’t gone off and found another long-lost witch that needed help. Morana was more than she could handle at this moment in time.

Inside the house the radio was on low, and Ophelia was sitting on her favourite step.

‘Watch the cat, she’s mean sometimes,’ Dora said. She walked past, and Ophelia reached out a paw, claws extended to scratch her leg.

Morana stopped, bent down and began to stroke her gently behind the ears. Ophelia began purring and rubbing herself against Morana’s leg.

‘Well, would you look at that?’ Lenny’s voice sounded deep and gravelly as if she’d been smoking. She was standing at the top of the stairs.

‘Hi, Lenny.’ Dora realised she was still clutching the bag with the three witch hats in it, and she turned around, opened the entryway cupboard door and shoved it inside quickly before Lenny saw it.

Lenny came down the stairs, and Morana stared at her for a moment before looking away.

‘And you are?’ Lenny arched an eyebrow at Dora.

‘Morana.’

‘Morana, dear, welcome to my home. It’s so lovely to have you here, isn’t it, Lenny?’

Sephy had come out of the kitchen and was smiling warmly at both her and Dora. Lenny on the other hand slowly came down the stairs eyeing Morana up the way a python eyes up a mouse before it strikes.

‘How are you, dear, I am so sorry about your friend. It was just horrible.’ Sephy had hold of Morana’s arm and was leading her into the kitchen.