An Imperfect Witch (31 page)

Lauren smiled beside her. 
Indeed.

A somewhat befuddled Raven walked by, pushed by a swarm of young Sullivans and Walkers.  And that would be the other reason,
thought Moira quietly.  Trinity’s kids were the project—an outlet so that Lizard’s driving need to do something, take a big stand in the world, didn’t land on her sister’s shoulders.

Lauren was staring now.

Moira smiled.  “Having a little listen, are you?”  She never minded the eavesdropping—an old witch had very few secrets worth keeping.

“Damn.”  Lauren shook her head.  “I was about to set up a quiet collection to help out with the mortgage on the castle.  A wedding gift.”

A lovely thought, if an entirely wrongheaded one.  Some things in life were important enough to be earned the hard way.  Moira slid an arm around the wonderful woman who would have figured that out on her own in another minute or two.  “I can hear a different idea already brewing in that smart head of yours.”

“Yup.”  Lauren grinned, eyes taking in the battered walls of Lizard’s new living room.  “I’m going to make her a list of everyone in Witch Central who knows how to use a power tool.”

Moira laughed, delighted.  That was a very fine gift indeed.

Epilogue

Moira sat in the middle of the delightful chaos of yet another Witch Central wedding, Kenna sound asleep in her lap, and decided she was quite possibly the luckiest witch on the planet.

Lizard had been resplendent.  And the three flower girls trailing her would never forget the magic of watching a bride enter the wedding circle dressed in a gown made by their own hands.  That it had started life as a Halloween costume for a reluctant princess had only made the moment sweeter.

An old witch wouldn’t forget doing up all its buttons on this fine day, either.

Lauren and Raven had stood on each side of the bride—a sister of her heart and a sister of her blood.  Moira’s Irish genes had deeply approved. 

And no one had missed the bride and groom’s new tattoos.  A tree and a tumbleweed.  With temporary versions for everyone present.

But easily the best moment of the wedding had been an insistent small girl running into the circle, holding out her most prized treasure.   It wasn’t every bride who got married with a Dr. Seuss book cuddled in her arms.   And Kenna had been very clear afterward, when Lizard had tried to return the fishies.  “’Izard keep.”

Sometimes love shone very brightly indeed.

She looked around Lizard and Josh’s home, seeing echoes of that love everywhere.

They’d chosen to start their married life here, on the humble foundations of a house that needed much work and diligence.  A quick team of witches had made sure nothing would fall down—the rest was up to the two who had chosen to make it their home.

They were, however, getting lots of help of a different kind. 

Moira’s eyes misted as she looked over by the fireplace, where Raven had been holding court over a table of miniature paint pots.  Her gift to the newlyweds, and it was a truly epic one.  Wedding goers had wielded small paintbrushes on every wall of the house.  Messages of hope and love and well wishing.  One very excellent MonsterZilla rendition.  Bits of poetry, on love and things rowdier, and a very nice Paris streetscape in an upstairs bedroom.  Some graffiti that had been left by a pair of teens with shadowed faces and alert eyes, and more hearts and circles and Celtic knots than the eyes could count.  There was even an old Irish blessing in a lovely shade of green, just above what Moira imagined would be the kitchen table. 

Words, for a poet who needed them.

Magic, from a community who needed to give it.

And an endearing act of love from a new sister.  The eradicating of taupe.  Nothing about this home would ever be boring.

A stir, over by the paint pots.  Moira craned her neck, eager to see. 

Lizard approached the table, eyes on her sister, besotted guy at her side.  “Got anything in purple?”

Raven pointed at a small pot, mute.

Carefully, Lizard painted Josh’s palm.  And then her own.  And with the unity of two hearts acting as one, they laid their handprints above the fireplace.

Two who understood permanence.  Moira looked at the two purple handprints, one large and sturdy, the other tiny and fierce.  Delight beat in a hundred watching hearts.

And then Josh turned to Lauren, and Lizard turned to her sister.  She held out a paintbrush, intent clear.

Raven froze.  And then, barely breathing, held out her hand.

Lauren added her print with pleasure and joy.  Moira smiled.  Lauren had done very well—the old magics had an excellent ambassador in the modern world, even if the woman they’d chosen wasn’t fully aware of it yet. 

Raven’s handprint came with a gulp and a glance still laden with tinges of fear—and then a quiet, shy smile that could have melted an iceberg.

Any dry eyes left in the house didn’t last past Lizard and Josh turning to their guests, two paintbrushes in the air.

An invitation.

Witch Central lined up, palms, hearts, and clean-up spells ready. There would be a hundred purple handprints before the hour was done. 

Moira stood in line to add her own, and watched the wondrous thing that bloomed on the wall.

Every home needed a garden. 

And for more witches…
For my loyal readers, don’t worry—
book 2 of the
Witch Central
series
should be out just before Christmas.
For those who have just found my witches,
I have lots of reading for you!
For more of Lizard’s backstory,
I invite you to pick up the
WitchLight
trilogy
The whole crew of Witch Central and
more of Moira’s village can be found in
my seven-book
A Modern Witch
series
Visit
www.deborageary.com
to
sign up for my
new releases
email list
and know when the next book is out!

Thank you!

I hope you’ve had a wonderful time immersed in my witches :-).  If you have a moment, please help others enjoy these books, too.

Lend it.
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Review it.
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A Quick Note on Characters :)

Yes, my books have a lot of them!  I made my very best attempt to write this one so that those of you new to my work won’t be hopelessly confused.

However, if any of you, new readers or old, would like a helping hand keeping things straight, a group of my fans has created a wonderful
character wiki
, with all the information you would ever want.

Thank you for spending time with my witches.