“Don’t say that.” Rene looks at him with wide eyes. “I am ready for sidewalk sales at our store and open windows at home. Plus, I’m dying to ride with Anora.”
“Oh, I rode recently,” I tell her. “I just walked, but if we get a good few days with no rain or snow, we can hop on.”
Rene’s face lights up and Keith shudders. “Horses are majestic,” he starts. “But they scare the shit out of me.”
“They can be dangerous,” I admit, not seeing the point in downplaying it. “They’re big and can kill you without meaning to.”
“You’re not selling me on the whole horse thing.”
I laugh. “You can hang out with Ross and Rachel while we ride.”
“Those are the donkeys?” he asks, and I nod. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
Since it’s a nice day in early March, a lot of other people in Thorne Hill must have had the same idea we did to come out and get lunch. We have to wait for a table, and I can’t stop looking around, wondering who else in here is a witch. Ruby did say a majority of the town are coven members.
“We’re splitting a pitcher of strawberry margs, right?” Rene opens her menu.
“Mango?” I suggest instead, ignoring the tickle in the back of my throat. I’ll be fine after I get some water. Because I’m not sick, just thirsty.
“Can’t,” Keith starts. “I’m allergic.”
“Well, good thing I asked.” Planning on ordering the same thing I did last time, I don’t have to look at my menu. We get our margaritas and Rene takes a selfie of us all, posting it on social media and tagging me in it.
I make the mistake of looking up right when Donna walks in. Her eyes go to me and she plasters a fake-ass smile on her face and waves.
“I swear that woman is stalking me,” I say under my breath and wave back.
“Maybe she’s a demon,” Rene suggests, sneaking a glance at her.
“Nah. Too obvious.”
“Who is she?” Keith asks. “And what crime is she trying to commit with that hair?”
“I’m guessing she takes that whole ‘T he higher the hair the closer to God’ saying literally.” I raise my eyebrows. “And she’s my neighbor. I have a knack of running into her when I’m in, uh, compromising positions.”
Rene cocks an eyebrow. “Like naked?”
“Hah. I kinda wish that was it. More like when I’m paranoid and crazy and think everyone is a demon so I jump out at you holding a dagger.”
Rene and Keith both laugh. “Yeah,” Rene starts. “Naked might be better.”
“She invited herself over and then came inside when Ethan and I first moved in. I’m sure my aunt was an interesting woman to the nons in town, but give me a little privacy lady.”
“Non?” Keith and Rene question at the same time. I freeze, holding a chip in the air, mouth open. Rene and Keith are my friends. They don’t have powers but know about demons and magic after Rene saw it first-hand. Rene helped with demon-research and was there when things went down only a few weeks ago. I’ve shared everything I know, but suddenly, I feel divided.
Should I tell them the secrets of the Covenstead? I wasn’t told not to, but witches haven’t revealed themselves to the world like vampires for a reason.
“Non-magical people,” I say slowly.
“Ugh. I hate that I’m a muggle,” Rene says with a laugh, crossing her arms.
“Hey, you’re a sensitive muggle, at least,” I add. “You’re more in tune with the supernatural than most people.”
“Wait.” Keith sips his margarita. “If there are non-magical people in town, then that means there are magical people. Like more than just you and your aunt.”
“There are.” I lower my voice, well aware that I could be sitting in a booth next to an entire family of witches. “I don’t know how many,” I say honestly since I don’t.
“Are witches going to be the next vampires?” Rene asks excitedly, leaning over the table a bit. “I mean, like, come out.”
“I don’t think so. Things didn’t go so well the last time society knew about witches.”
“True.” Rene nods and takes a big drink of her margarita. “We’re a tad more woke but my faith in society dwindles every day.”
“Hah. Mine too.” I’m starting to feel more and more congested as lunch goes on, and I end up taking half my food home with me. As much as I want to go home and snuggle with Hunter, I pause when we get outside and ask my friends if they want to go to Novel Grounds with me. Just as we’re waiting to cross the street, Ethan calls.
“Hey,” I answer.
“Hey, babe. You still at lunch?”
“We just left. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, in theory,” he says.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve been summoned to the Order headquarters, and they want me to bring you.”