The Hidden Grimoire by Karla Brandenburg (pride and prejudice read TXT) 📕

officially met any of the people at the solstice celebration, at least not that I could remember. I’d spent the day trailing after Nora up until the point of my revelation. “I don’t think I knew her name.”

“She owns a retreat for corporate customers.” Nora lowered her voice with a glance toward the open door, “Or for wiccan gatherings. She has a broad range of knowledge. I’m sure she’s run across prodigies before.”

She kept her attention focused on the soaps. Was she suggesting I shouldn’t consult the grimoire? “In case we can’t find anything in the book.”

“Yes. Or in case she’s dealt with something more recently.”

I chose not to press for more answers, at least not while Kyle was in the next room.

As I wrapped the last of the bars of soap, I glanced at my phone to check the time. “Georgia had already visited by this time last night. She must be sleeping better tonight.”

“You don’t think Jason would hurt her, do you?” Nora set her hands on the worktable. “Jason’s parents never did you physical harm, did they?”

“No. For the most part, Uncle Jerome tried to be kind. Aunt Theresa was the one with the chip on her shoulder, but no, they never hurt me.”

Nora furrowed her brow. “I keep wondering why this little girl is worried about her dad, Jason, being angry—if she feels threatened.”

“I wondered the same thing. She snuggled into him when he picked her up the other day. She wouldn’t have done that if she was worried he’d hurt her, would she?”

“Children are born with an innate need to please,” Nora said. “She might think snuggling with him would pacify him.”

“Or she snuggled him because she felt safe with him,” I said.

“Whatever the case may be, Jason needs to be made aware. Now.” She brushed her hands and surveyed the workshop. “What stock are you still replenishing here?”

“I’ve been using a lot of turmeric. Arthritis season. And I used a fair amount of thyme recently, so I should pick more of that to dry.”

Nora inspected the crock pots and the still I’d bought, humming her approval and asking questions about the features her old equipment didn’t have. I showed her the multicooker, something she’d never had, and explained how it reduced the time it took to process some of the oils.

Kyle leaned into the room to say goodnight and I promised to follow him upstairs shortly.

When I returned to the worktable, the hidden grimoire lay open.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Nora whispered. “It’s just I’ve never heard of gifts manifesting themselves on one so young.”

I settled onto the stool beside hers and looked over her shoulder. “What did you find?”

She closed her eyes and held a hand over the book. The pages turned slowly, by themselves. When they stopped, I laid a hand on her arm. She opened her eyes and we looked at the text together.

The drawing showed a baby on a cloud, with a triquetra marking the cloud.

Raise thy children with love that they may know empathy.

Raise thy children with truth that they might learn honesty.

Raise thy children with discipline that they might learn self-control.

Teach thy children to respect the earth, the sky and the sea. Dance with them in the rain, show them the bounty of the earth, the might of the oceans.

“She isn’t my child,” I said.

“No, but you are responsible for teaching her the things her parents don’t know.” Nora chuckled. “A sort of fairy godmother?”

I scowled. “That’s not even funny.”

“Funny or not, it’s true.” She cocked her head as she studied me. “Maybe you can’t raise her, but you can teach her. Take from the text what you can.”

“That requires her parents to trust me with her.”

“Her mother does.”

I glanced toward the staircase Kyle had climbed. Raise thy children. The tingle at my temples told me Nora was tuned into my thoughts. She took my hands and leveled her gaze on me.

“In the time I’ve known you, your cycles have been all over the place,” she said. “Have you always been that way?”

“You mean my periods?”

She nodded. “That’s often a sign you aren’t ovulating. There are some remedies to try, but as much as it pains me to say, you might not be able to have children. Will he mind very much?”

My eyes burned and, for the first time, a hungry emptiness opened inside me. My voice came out choked. “He said no, although he wants to revisit the subject.” I let out a shaky breath. “But this isn’t about me.”

The book flipped more pages on its own. I swiped at my eyes and focused on what was written. The drawing, an eye inside a triangle. I hesitated to read the text, which was marked by another skull and crossbones.

To Separate a Witch from her Powers.

Chapter 19

“I’m sure the book showed you that page as a last resort,” Nora said while she donned her wool, winter cape. “But I’m going to call Hannah this morning to see if she has time to meet with us. She might not have anything to add, but at this point it doesn’t hurt to gather whatever knowledge we can.”

I hugged myself against the morning chill and nodded.

“In the meantime, try to keep the lines of communication open with Jason’s wife. If anyone can persuade him to another way of thinking, it will be her.” Nora gave me one last hug and left.

While I waved to her from the kitchen window, Kyle’s arms wrapped around me from behind.

His voice tickled my ear. “You miss her, don’t you?”

“I do.” I turned in his arms. “She’s the only real family I have.”

“Technically speaking, that’s not true, but I know what you mean.”

I broke away and took a mug from the shelf for him.

“You want to tell me who Hannah is?” he asked while I poured his coffee. “Or why you want to reconcile with the cousin who came over here to explicitly tell you to leave him alone?”

“Hannah is a woman