A sigh of frustration fell from Brooke’s lips. Her past now reared up to haunt her and destroy her relationship. “Thanks for the reminder, cuz.”
“Why don’t you start us off, Brooke?” Willow asked, breaking through the heaviness in the room.
“Right.” Her stomach twisted into knots. Pulling out the copy of the spell she’d written from the inside of her bra, she kept the slip of paper close to her heart. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.
“Through flame and flare I dissolve this curse forever.
The love in my heart will be the true measure.
I want to let go of the sins of the past
And move forward with the new spell I cast.
This is my will, so mote it be.”
One by one, all of the witches joined hands. They repeated the words over and over again, until the room vibrated with energy.
The air hummed with sparks of magick. Brooke silently prayed with everything in her for the incantation to work its way through time and space. Pink and green smoke billowed out of the cauldron and circled around the room.
“Time to drink this bad boy.” Saje picked up the ladle from the pedestal and plunged it into the smoking cauldron. She used a sieve to strain the bubbling concoction into a mason jar. After she finished, she handed the potion to Brooke and smiled. “Bottoms up.”
“Here’s to your health.” Brooke downed the potion in one gulp.Big mistake.The liquid burned her throat and made her gag. She coughed, hoping she didn’t puke. “How will I know if it worked?”
“You just go right up to that gorgeous man of yours, tell him you’re nuts about him and lay one on him. You’ll know, honey; believe me, you’ll know. I’m betting he feels the same way,” Ellen said with a wink. Her words lifted the heaviness in the air.
Brooke laughed. “I can’t wait to see Nico and test your theory.”Could I finally be free?
“Let’s clean up and go celebrate.” When Willow lifted the cauldron, she sucked in a harsh breath. She squeezed her eyes shut. After several agonizing minutes, her eyes flew open wide. She turned to Brooke and shook her head. “I just had a premonition of you on the balcony of your room crying. All the leaves on the trees had changed color. I’m so sorry, Brooke, but the spell didn’t take.”
Brooke’s stomach dropped. “I thought it was too good to be true.”
Rushing to her side, Gillian touched her arm. “You can’t give up. We’re going to find a way to break the curse and let you live a normal life.”
“That’s all I ever wanted. What do you think went wrong?” Brooke glanced over at Willow. “Why didn’t the spell take?” The crushing disappointment forced her to fight back tears. She’d been searching for a piece of her that had been missing for years, a constant craving for love and intimacy. She’d finally found it with Nico, and in a matter of a few short weeks, it would be ripped away.
Willow ran a hand through her red hair and shared a look with Gillian. “If I had to guess, I’d say it’s because we only used something personal from you and Nico, but nothing from your ancestor, Melinda. I know it’s a long shot, but if you could find something that was passed down from her, then we might have a chance.”
Tears burned behind Brooke’s eyes. “There’s only one person alive who may be able to help. I need to pay a visit to my mom. In the meantime, I plan on doing whatever it takes to make sure Nico doesn’t forget me.”
CHAPTER10
NICO
“Are you enjoying the festival?”
Nico glanced over at Brooke and his chest grew tight. She stood at his food stand under a canopy of fairy lights, eating a cup of chocolate gelato. Wisps of blonde hair came loose from a messy bun. Her Luna Lovegood costume consisted of a form-fitting white top under a black cape and a pair of crazy glasses perched on top of her head.
“How could I not? I’m here with you.”
Laughter and shouts boomed over a jazz band playing in the background. Nico turned to the sound, reveling in the spectacle before him. “Welcome to Raven’s Hollow” banners hung from every storefront. The sidewalks buzzed with people dressed up as some sort of famous witch or wizard from pop culture. Crowds milled around Washington Street, now cordoned off from traffic. He turned back to face her. His gaze moved over her face, taking in the stress lines around her mouth.
“Let’s make the most of this night.” Brooke finished her gelato and threw her cup in the trash. Nico picked up on the melancholy in her voice. Something seemed to be bothering her all night.
Closing the distance between them, Nico whispered close to her ear, “Are you okay?” The scent of her perfume flared in his nostrils, reminding him of her naked in his bed tangled up in the sheets. He’d woken up with her breasts cupped in his hand, their legs intertwined like vines. He wanted to get her alone and hold her in his arms again, take the weight of the world off her shoulders.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something,” she said, a sad note to her voice.
“You can tell me anything, Brooke. I’m here for you. What’s going on?”