CHAPTER 2
M ia pulled out a bacon, egg, butternut squash, and potato casserole from the oven early the next morning.
Abigail had made sure that the rest of breakfast, which included muffins, orange juice, and fruit salad, was on Mia’s small kitchen table, along with plates and silverware.
Mia could feel the excitement from Gloria as the doll watched the gathering.
True to her kitchen witch roots, Gloria loved watching people eat.
Grans had arrived with Muffy and a suitcase.
Trent’s letter from the coven leadership had called together what Mia liked to call her “mini coven.” Trent was filling everyone’s coffee cups and making sure there were enough chairs.
His parents were there, including his father, Thomas, who had tucked into the table on the window side of the room.
He was currently watching the baby dragon sleep in the oak tree in the backyard.
The only people missing were Christina and Levi, and they were in Oregon, setting up their new lives.
But Trent had talked to Levi last night as they drove home from the training facility.
“How in the world did you get him back from Wolf Creek?” Thomas asked. “I mean, without someone seeing him.”
“We told Cerby that the dragon had to turn invisible. He told Buddy to stay close but not to show himself.” Trent nodded to Mia. “Everything on the table?”
“Looks like it.” She put a serving spoon in the casserole, then pointed to the fridge. “Grab that homemade ketchup and salsa and put it on the table. I can dish up the casserole here and pass out the plates if that works.”
“The dragon’s name is Buddy?” Thomas asked.
“I think it’s Bryghananth but Cerby calls him Buddy,” Trent answered as he sat at the table.
“Perfect.” Abigail set the plates on the counter next to the stove. “I’ll hand them out. Mary Alice, sit down, and we’ll get the breakfast going.”
The system worked well, but Mia couldn’t count the number of meals they’d had up here. And the kitchen couldn’t hold any more people. If Levi and Christina were here, they would have been squeezed in. Maybe moving to Trent’s house wasn’t a bad idea.
As if he’d heard her thoughts, he winked at her. She frowned. If you’re in my head, you’d better get out and stay out.
A surprised look passed over Trent’s face, proving that he had been listening to her thoughts. He took the plate his mom handed him and said, “I’m sorry.”
“We are going to talk about this,” Mia said as she dished up the last plate for herself.
Thomas looked from her to Trent. “Did I miss something?”
Grans waved Mia down with her fork. “I guess we have one more lesson I need to tell you about. The good thing is, it seems like the two of you are bonding well.”
Abigail laughed, then focused on the meal. “Remind me to explain this to Christina as well.”
“It works with humans?” Now Mia wanted to talk about the telekinetic bond she’d discovered.
“I’m not sure what you all are talking about but we need to focus on Alfred Howard’s arrival,” Thomas said, trying to bring the conversation back to Trent’s letter. “Can I say it’s a bad time for a dragon to be hanging around? Maybe you should have left Buddy at the camp for a few weeks.”
Now Cerby woke up from his nap and growled at Thomas.
He’d been sleeping next to Muffy on the floor near the window seat where Mr. Darcy had been curled up. Now all three animals were staring at Thomas like he’d taken the last treat and thrown it away.
“Dad, Cerby and Buddy have bonded. You can’t break up a pair.
You should know that.” Trent reached back and rubbed Cerby on the top of his head.
“But you’re right on both counts. We need to set up a game plan for this investigator.
It’s a bad time for us to have a dragon.
I don’t think there’s been one in the area for years. ”
Mia shook her head. “When was anyone going to tell me that dragons are real?”
“Well, since we haven’t had one in Idaho since the nineteen fifties, the subject wasn’t relevant to your training,” Grans mused, tapping a finger on her chin.
“This does remind me that I need to add you to the archives access so you can do research. I’m sure the library still has an open access point.
They never close those off like they should. ”
Mia’s left eyelid started twitching. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Every time she thought she had a handle on this being-a-kitchen-witch role, something else was added to the mix.
Like Trent reading her mind. And the archives.
And, well, dragons. She stood and refilled her coffee cup.
It was a good thing she didn’t have to work today.
It was going to be challenging enough on Friday to pretend that the world was normal and without magic.
“Mia, don’t worry about Trent and the investigator. We’ll handle it. I know you’ve got a catering event tomorrow, and we need to formalize your graduation as well as the Halloween party. And your transfer night.” Abigail pulled her planner from her purse. “When are you taking the exam again?”
“She’s scheduled for Monday. Howard’s showing up on Tuesday.
The transfer ceremony is next Thursday, and of course, the coven’s Halloween party is the next day.
Maybe Mia should consider taking off time from the Lodge for the next few weeks.
” Grans leaned over and watched Abigail make notes in her planner.
“And we need to set up the archive access no later than Saturday. She might need it before her exams. And it might take a few tries to get right. One more thing, too, Robert and I are having an engagement party in a week or so. It will be held at the Lodge. I’ve told that woman I insist that Mia’s Morsel’s cater the party desserts.
I guess Robert has enough pull to get that done. ”
“Blake hasn’t said a word to me about it.” Mia’s heart started racing. She stood and grabbed her planner. “Grans, I’m not sure we can get everything done in time.”
“Well, then it’s a good thing you have a few extra hands for the next two weeks,” a voice answered from the living room. Christina and Levi stood with their bags in the hallway. Christina rushed over to Mia and kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll get it all done.”
“I thought you were training?” Mia squeezed her friend into a hug. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed seeing her.
“After Trent’s call last night, I negotiated a later start date. I’ll need to be there by December first. And, since we’re home now, I’m having my engagement party in November too.”
Levi hugged his mother. “To be perfectly clear, the princess is having two parties. One here, and one in Boise at that fancy hotel where Isaac works. It was a compromise. And if you want it, her brother said you could cater the one in Magic Springs. He said he owed you one.”
Mia didn’t think her eyelid was ever going to stop twitching.
“Oh, good, there’s still food left.” Levi grabbed two plates from the cupboard. “I’m starving.”
“You’re always starving,” Trent said as he stood to grab two more chairs out of the storage closet.
“We need to get back to planning what we’re doing about Howard’s visit,” Thomas grumbled as he looked out at the oak tree where Buddy was putting out a small fire on the branch where he was perched. He rubbed his forehead.
Christina sat in Trent’s spot and took the plate of food Abigail had handed her, moving Trent’s plate toward Mia. She followed Thomas’s gaze as she asked, “Who is Howard, and . . . is that a purple dragon?”
* * *
They got Christina caught up on Cerby’s new friend.
Levi had forgotten to mention Buddy to her after Trent called last night.
He’d told her he needed to come back to Magic Springs for a week or so.
The Majors family was going to need to put on a show for the magic inspector when he arrived, so it would be better if the brother who was supposed to have the powers was here in case something happened.
Mia didn’t think anyone was going to be fooled.
Coven canon said that in a generation, only one child would wield the family’s magic.
It was perfectly fine for Abigail and Levi to both have power.
They could even add Thomas to the fun. But Trent was one step too many.
He’d given up his power to Levi in a formal ceremony overseen by the coven, but his power hadn’t left him like it should have.
And now, Trent had a Goddess-delivered familiar, Cerby.
Levi hadn’t even found his familiar yet.
Life was going to be interesting around here for the next few weeks.
Her phone rang, but after glancing at the display, she let it go to voice mail.
If the Lodge had been calling, she would have jumped on the excuse to leave and go to work.
Instead, the call was from Sabrina, the coven membership chair.
Probably asking, again, if Mia was going to join the coven on Halloween.
At least Abigail was dealing with all of the coven’s requests and questions on the Halloween party.
“You need to be focusing, not letting your mind wander,” Grans chided her. “Abigail’s been trying to instruct you on the different powers from the herbs, powders, and potions as we’re setting up your lab, and you’re worried about the coven.”
“The girl’s got a lot on her plate.” Abigail tried to come to Mia’s rescue. “Besides, I’m going to leave my potions cookbook with her just in case. I think I’ve got all her supplies in containers and labeled.”
“As will I, but that’s not the point.” Grans turned to Abigail. “Mia needs to bond with the room. And she can’t do that without understanding how it’s being set up.”