How to Stone a Crow (Witch Like a Boss Book 2) by Willow Mason (great novels txt) 📕

but it was a rough few months. I didn’t think Evie knew, but they thought at one stage they’d lose the house.”

“Summoning a spirit to ask him where he buried the treasure.” It seemed so simple. A kid’s game that got out of hand.

Pru buried her face into her hands and sobbed. “That’s why he appeared, isn’t it?” Her shoulders shook as the crying took hold of her. When she could speak again, she looked at Jared. “They tried to raise Benedict Kelburn and got Andrew instead. All this time, I thought he was appearing because he couldn’t bear to let go of me. And it was all just a stupid mistake.”

Her grief was unbearable. I had to look away as the sobs tore through her again.

“We have a connection,” Patrick said with a grim twist to his mouth. “But it doesn’t explain what set the whole thing off again.”

“They moved.” I glanced at Carson with an apologetic smile. “Why did your wife want to move house?”

“She…” He frowned and kissed Sara’s cheek, staring into her peaceful face. “I don’t know. She blamed Paisley, but…”

I thought of the abandoned feline, holding a grudge the size of a planet in her heart. She’d been tossed out of what should have been a loving household just days before the vanishing trio began moving around Briarton like pieces on a chessboard.

“You stay here,” I ordered Carson. “Andrew might be a noisy mess but he’s not trying to hurt anyone.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Jared growled, staring around the destroyed room.

“He’s angry but not against anyone here.” I flung the door open, breathing in a gulp of fresh air with relief. “Andrew has made a mess of things but it’s just his inept way of warning us.”

“Where are we going?” Patrick beeped open the car a split second before I grabbed the handle.

“To talk to Paisley. She’s the key.”

Chapter Eighteen

Gareth sat beside his daughter, an arm around her shoulders as she held onto the trembling cat. “Maybe you should just let them question her alone, honey. I’ll walk you down to the dairy for a treat.”

“No, Dad.” The word contained so much scorn that I winced on his behalf. “Paisley is my familiar and I’m not abandoning her to this witch hunt.”

“Your familiar?” Aunt Florentine leant forward in her chair with her eyebrows raised. “When did that happen?”

“We bonded last night.” Wendy pulled Paisley closer to her, letting the cat nuzzle into the side of her neck. “It was beautiful.”

<You can’t bond to a cast-off. That’s ridiculous.>

<You were a cast-off, too,” Paisley answered, barely deigning to glance in Annalisa’s direction. <What’s the difference?>

<My mistress isn’t a little girl.>

<She was when you first met. Whoever heard of a familiar bonding with a five-year-old? Instead of minding my business, you should concentrate on cleaning up your own house.>

“We’re just surprised.” I held up a hand. “Nobody needs to jump down anyone’s throat.”

<I’m amenable to a bit of throat-jumping.> When I gave Annalisa a stern glance, she added. <What? You’re not the one who’s had to stay with this dodgy cat for the past few days. She still hasn’t told us why she stole all the stuff to make potions with.>

<Nobody’s asked me.>

I clamped my lips together. That didn’t ring true but as I thought back over the past few days, I conceded it possibly was. “Sorry about that. We should’ve come straight to you with the question.”

<Instead of visiting all my friends behind my back? Yes, you should have.>

<To be fair—> Meep stopped short when Paisley gave him a black look.

“Perhaps we’d trust you more if you let your friends finish what they wanted to say,” Jared said. “Go on, little buddy.”

<Sure. Side with the dog, why don’t you?> Paisley snuggled even farther under Wendy’s arm. <Violet would never let such dirty animals into the house.>

“Why did you steal the ingredients?” I asked, pressing my hand into the small of Jared’s back for a second. Despite my sympathy, we needed to move things along. “What potion did you plan to make?”

<None of your business.>

“This is why nobody asks you anything,” Jared growled. “Now, will you let Meep finish?” He gestured to the chihuahua, who ran over to shelter behind his legs.

<Paisley made a potion to bond a familiar with a witch.>

Gareth’s eyes bulged and he snatched his daughter’s hand, dragging her off the couch. “No,” he shouted when Wendy reached back for Paisley. “She’s got you under a spell.”

“That makes more sense,” the supreme said with a nod. “And it’s against every regulation in the book. Familiars aren’t allowed to mess with bonding. How could any witch trust their companion if the process is open to manipulation?”

“Meep.” I knelt in front of the dog, catching his glance when he tried to twist his head away. “Are you telling the truth?”

He snorted and danced a step away. <I am. I am. I am. You can cast a truth spell on me, and you’ll get the same answer.> His face curled up in misery. <I’m a clean dog. No one ever had a problem letting me into their house.>

“Of course, not. Anyone can see that.” I scratched behind his ears until his rear leg began to stretch out in delight. “Did she use the spell on Wendy?”

<I didn’t see her use the potion at all.>

“Just concocting it is so far outside of the boundaries that it doesn’t matter.” Genevieve’s voice was tight with anger. “The only difference is the level of sanction we apply to you.”

<Sanction? SANCTION?> Paisley’s face twisted with a mixture of outrage and misery. <You’ll sanction me? What happened to the sanctions when my witch abandoned me after years of faithful service? How come this bonded relationship you’re all so proud of only serves one side? I didn’t do anything wrong and Violet cast me out like I was nothing. Well, I’m worth more than nothing.>

“Why did…” I swallowed as the cat swivelled to face me, her ears pressed flat against her head. “Do you