up from her mixing bowl.
Did someone leave the refrigerator door open? Because there was definitely cold air blowing from somewhere.
"I'm sorry," I said. "My sister took the car and..."
She finally looked up. Her eyes were glowing green. Witchy eyes. I sensed danger, but I couldn't look away.
"It won't happen again," she stated.
"It won't happen again," I parroted. I tried to move, but I was frozen there.
She smiled. "Good."
The ice in my spine dissipated and I was able to move. I took one faltering step and then another until I reached her side.
"What are you working on?" My mouth felt stiff as I spoke.
"A new truffle sauce recipe," she replied.
Personally, I thought truffles smelled like old socks soaked in vinegar, but they seemed to be popular with the customers at Wilder's.
Still, the idea was to learn a little more sophisticated method of cooking, so I kept quiet about my doubts and watched her carefully.
She took something out of her pocket and sprinkled it into the pan. A strange aroma filled the kitchen.
"Is that a new herb?" I asked her. "I've never smelled anything like it before."
"It's ... my own blend," she said. "A Circe Silvertongue secret."
That was a secret she could keep. It smelled horrible. At least at first. A few minutes later, the smell of the sauce bubbling on the stove was making my mouth water.
"Can I have a taste?" I said eagerly.
She gave me a long measuring look. "Not yet," she decided. "Maybe someday."
She went to the walk-in refrigerator and returned with a small container of white rice. She scooped some of the rice into a doggie bowl and then poured the sauce over it.
"Balthazar," she cooed. "Mommy has something for you."
Balthazar ran up and ate his meal eagerly. When he had finished, he went obediently back to Circe's office.
The rest of my "cooking" lesson consisted of me scrubbing the pots and pans she'd left soaking in the sink. I thought about protesting, but one look from Circe's green eyes changed my mind.
When I was finally finished, I texted Poppy to pick me up "or else" and waited in the break room. About ten minutes later, she sent me a message that she was in the Wilder's parking lot.
It was dark, but I cut through the patio anyway. The restaurant was empty of customers, but the French doors were still open. I heard Bianca's raised voice and stopped.
"You can't do this," she said. "I won't let you."
"You can't stop me," Circe replied. "I can't let the information..."
They moved out of my hearing. I tried some psychic eavesdropping, but I didn't pick up anything else, except that one of the busboys had a crush on Samantha. Big surprise. So did half the senior class.
I walked to the parking lot, wondering the whole time what Circe and Bianca were arguing about.
When I got in the car, Poppy rolled the windows down. "You smell like you've been rolling in a pig pen," she said.
"I've been working," I said. She could be such a pain in the butt sometimes. The next minute, she made up for it. She handed me a big cup of coffee.
"You are the best sister in the world," I declared. I sipped it and then told Poppy about the weird experience I'd had with Circe.
"She has a pet pig?" Poppy asked.
"That's not the weird part." I told her about the blast of icy air and feeling rooted to the spot.
"Do you think she's a witch?" she asked.
"Not exactly," I replied. "But she's definitely something. "
She agreed with me, but we couldn't come up with any ideas.
We had just walked in the door of our house and I was ready to relax, when my cell rang. It was Samantha.
"What are you doing tonight?" she asked.
"Why do you want to know?" I replied suspiciously. I was in no mood to be roped into volunteering after the long day I'd had with Circe, but that didn't mean anything. Not when it was Sam I was talking to.
"Jordan's having a slumber party," she explained. "And you're invited."
"A slumber party?" I said doubtfully.
"C'mon, it'll be fun," she said. "All the
Did someone leave the refrigerator door open? Because there was definitely cold air blowing from somewhere.
"I'm sorry," I said. "My sister took the car and..."
She finally looked up. Her eyes were glowing green. Witchy eyes. I sensed danger, but I couldn't look away.
"It won't happen again," she stated.
"It won't happen again," I parroted. I tried to move, but I was frozen there.
She smiled. "Good."
The ice in my spine dissipated and I was able to move. I took one faltering step and then another until I reached her side.
"What are you working on?" My mouth felt stiff as I spoke.
"A new truffle sauce recipe," she replied.
Personally, I thought truffles smelled like old socks soaked in vinegar, but they seemed to be popular with the customers at Wilder's.
Still, the idea was to learn a little more sophisticated method of cooking, so I kept quiet about my doubts and watched her carefully.
She took something out of her pocket and sprinkled it into the pan. A strange aroma filled the kitchen.
"Is that a new herb?" I asked her. "I've never smelled anything like it before."
"It's ... my own blend," she said. "A Circe Silvertongue secret."
That was a secret she could keep. It smelled horrible. At least at first. A few minutes later, the smell of the sauce bubbling on the stove was making my mouth water.
"Can I have a taste?" I said eagerly.
She gave me a long measuring look. "Not yet," she decided. "Maybe someday."
She went to the walk-in refrigerator and returned with a small container of white rice. She scooped some of the rice into a doggie bowl and then poured the sauce over it.
"Balthazar," she cooed. "Mommy has something for you."
Balthazar ran up and ate his meal eagerly. When he had finished, he went obediently back to Circe's office.
The rest of my "cooking" lesson consisted of me scrubbing the pots and pans she'd left soaking in the sink. I thought about protesting, but one look from Circe's green eyes changed my mind.
When I was finally finished, I texted Poppy to pick me up "or else" and waited in the break room. About ten minutes later, she sent me a message that she was in the Wilder's parking lot.
It was dark, but I cut through the patio anyway. The restaurant was empty of customers, but the French doors were still open. I heard Bianca's raised voice and stopped.
"You can't do this," she said. "I won't let you."
"You can't stop me," Circe replied. "I can't let the information..."
They moved out of my hearing. I tried some psychic eavesdropping, but I didn't pick up anything else, except that one of the busboys had a crush on Samantha. Big surprise. So did half the senior class.
I walked to the parking lot, wondering the whole time what Circe and Bianca were arguing about.
When I got in the car, Poppy rolled the windows down. "You smell like you've been rolling in a pig pen," she said.
"I've been working," I said. She could be such a pain in the butt sometimes. The next minute, she made up for it. She handed me a big cup of coffee.
"You are the best sister in the world," I declared. I sipped it and then told Poppy about the weird experience I'd had with Circe.
"She has a pet pig?" Poppy asked.
"That's not the weird part." I told her about the blast of icy air and feeling rooted to the spot.
"Do you think she's a witch?" she asked.
"Not exactly," I replied. "But she's definitely something. "
She agreed with me, but we couldn't come up with any ideas.
We had just walked in the door of our house and I was ready to relax, when my cell rang. It was Samantha.
"What are you doing tonight?" she asked.
"Why do you want to know?" I replied suspiciously. I was in no mood to be roped into volunteering after the long day I'd had with Circe, but that didn't mean anything. Not when it was Sam I was talking to.
"Jordan's having a slumber party," she explained. "And you're invited."
"A slumber party?" I said doubtfully.
"C'mon, it'll be fun," she said. "All the
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