#jake spellman

SO, AFTER 22 COMPLETED CHAPTERS (2 SEASONS, A CHRISTMAS SPECIAL A ND AN PART 4 REVAMP) IN THIS FANFIC, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO DO A ‘ROLL CALL’, A LIST OF ALL THE CHARACTERS IN THE STORY (THAT I CAN REMEMBER) SO FAR, AND THEIR ROLE IN THE PLOT.

JUST IN CASE YOU’RE NOT ALL CAUGHT UP, PLEASE CONSIDER THIS YOUR WARNING FOR SPOILERS!

LEGEND KEY: SHOW CHARATER=(SC) MY ORIGINAL CHARACTER=(OC) REAL-LIFE PERSON (RLP)

CHAPTERS 1-13=SEASON 1 CHAPTER 14= CHRISTMAS SPECIAL (STANDALONE) CHAPTER 15=MY TAKE ON PART 4 (STANDALONE) CHAPTERS 15-22= SEASON 2

THE SPELLMANS:

ZELDA (SC)-The high priestess of the Order of Hecate and the headmistress of the Academy of Unseen Arts; Older sister to Hilda and the deceased Edward; aunt to Sabrina and Ambrose; Sister-in-law to Dr. C and Diana; wife to Faustus; stepmother to Prudence; step (and later adopted) mother to LJ and Jake; birth mother of Cordelia

FAUSTUS (SC)-Former high priest of the church of night/Judas; former headmaster of the Academy of Unseen Arts; Son of Lord Liam and Lady Drusilla; Half brother to Brutus and all of Liam’s bastards; Husband of Zelda; Father of Prudence, LJ, Jake, and Cordelia; Brother-in-law to Hilda and Edward; best friend of Dr. C; Uncle to Ambrose, Sabrina, and Sara; Due to his abusive past and trauma due to the insanity curse, Faustus is often misunderstood. He feels so guilty about the past, he barely mingles with the coven; He worked first at Dr. C’s bookstore and currently teaches mortal children at Greendale Middle School.

HILDA (SC)-Sister to Zelda and Edward; Wife to Dr. C; Aunt to Sabrina, Ambrose, and Cordelia; a teacher at the academy;

DR. ROBERT CERBERUS AKA DR. C (SC)-Hilda’s husband; Brother-in-law of Zelda and Edward; Faustus’s best friend; owner of Dr. Cerberus’s Books and Spirits; could be considered an ‘honorable Spellman’;

AMBROSE (SC)-From a different branch of the Spellman family tree; Raised by his auntie Hilda; also nephew to Zelda; cousin to Sabrina and Cordelia; Prudence’s boyfriend; Shares the day-to-day duties of running the mortuary with Jake; sometimes serves as the academy’s librarian

PRUDENCE BLACKWOOD AKA PRUDENCE NIGHT (SC)-Another ‘honorable Spellman’; Faustus’s daughter with Madeline Wells; Siblings are LJ, Jake, and Cordelia; adores stepmother Zelda; informal leader of the Weird Sisters, ( a witchy trio consisting of her, Agatha, and Dorcas); Long-time girlfriend of Ambrose; teacher at the academy;

SABRINA (SC) –Daughter of Lucifer and Edward’s mortal wife, Diana; raised by her aunties Hilda and Zelda; Cousin to Ambrose and Cordelia; This former troublemaking teenage witch has grown up a lot and is now a therapist;

LJ (SC)-Born to Faustus and his 1st wife, Constance; Zelda knew Blackwood would be cruel to the girl so she whisked the baby away and named her Letitia, when Blackwood got her back, renamed her Judith; when she was reclaimed by the family, she decided to call herself LJ and after being adopted by stepmother Zelda, she took the surname Spellman; Older twin to Jake; half-sisters are Prudence and Cordelia; Now all grown up, LJ is a witch doctor who can also practice mortal medicine;

JAKE (SC)-Originally named Judas, Jake changed his name to forget about being raised by Blackwood; Younger twin of LJ; half-sisters are Prudence and Cordelia; Not as strong a warlock as Faustus or Ambrose, Jake is good-natured and easygoing; Runs the mortuary with Ambrose;

CORDELIA (OC)-The youngest member of the Spellman clan; Cousin to Ambrose, Sabrina, and Sara; Half-sister to Prudence, LJ, and Jake; is the only biological child of Faustus and Zelda therefore she had the blood of both Blackwoods and Spellmans; Her parents later learn are the 2 most ancient bloodlines of magic; meaning that they are all descendants of Hecate due to her grandchildren, the man who spells and the lady of the blacken woods; Because she has both bloodlines, Cordelia is the divine child who is fated to become the most powerful witch ever born; all the family knows about the prophecy-except for Cordelia herself;

OTHER MAINS:

LILITH (SC)-The 1st woman and the 1st witch; Started this story as Lucifer’s pregnant handmaiden, now is the queen of hell; looks exactly like mortal teacher Mary Wardwell; Wife of Adam, 3rd earl of Masters; Mother of Zander (Alexander; who she hopes to marry off to Cordelia 1 day) and newborn Nora;

LUCIFER (SC)-Heaven’s fallen angel; the dark lord; Father to Sabrina and Zander; Been in numerous flesh prisons, including Faustus; currently trapped in a witch council member in hell;

ZANDER(OC)-Son of Lilith and Lucifer; believes himself betrothed to Cordelia;

BLACKWOOD (OC)-Is not a person, just a curse; a spell; put on Faustus by Lucifer and Edward when Edward was seeking permission to marry Diana; curse started when Faustus and Zelda got married…or was it earlier?; It bears the mark of Cain which makes it immortal; currently buried alive in the Greendale woods;

HARVEY KINGLE (SC)-Sabrina’s mortal friend and 1stboyfriend; comes from a long line of witch hunters;

ROZ WALKER (SC)- Sabrina’s mortal friend; a seer;

THEO PUTMAN (SC)- Sabrina’s mortal friend; later to be the vice principal of Greendale Middle School;

ERIN, EMILY & ERICA WARNER (OC)-Mortal triplet sisters; all are Cordelia’s best friends; recently learned that the Spellmans are witches.

SARA REED AKA SARA NIGHT AKA SARA BLACKWOOD (OC )-Known for driving Cordelia crazy as she tries to steal her friends; turns out to be a bitter Blackwood cousin;

NINA ROBINSON (OC)-Greendale Middle School’s new 8thgrade teacher; in lust with Faustus; won’t leave him alone no matter how much he rebukes her;

EDWARD SPELLMAN (SC)-Brother to Zelda and Hilda; adopted father of Sabrina; once haunted Faustus as a ghost; Edward is known for 2 things, being a powerful warlock and keeping life-changing secrets from his family;

MINION (SC)-An ever-loyal servant of the throne of hell and whoever sits upon it;

MINOR CHARACTERS

MAMBO MARIE (SC)-Brief love interest of Zelda’s; lives in New Orleans with her new wife;

LORD LIAM BLACKWOOD (OC)-Faustus’s abusive father;

LADY DRUSILLA BLACKWOOD (OC)- Faustus’s abusive mother;

MADGA (OC)-Faustus’s beloved governess; the only person who truly loved him as a child; murdered by witch hunters;

JOAN (OC)-Faustus’s mind guide;

MADELINE WELLS ( OC)-Prudence’s mother; She and Faustus mutually agreed to a purely physical, emotionless affair (her heart belongs to her dead husband Barnabas, and his to Zelda; Yet at some point, Madeline fell for Faustus and got pregnant to trap him; Even after she gave birth, Faustus made it clear that he wouldn’t marry her so Madeline threw herself in a river; Prudence was only 1 day old;

CONSTANCE BLACKWOOD (SC)-Faustus’s 1st wife; biological mother of LJ and Jake; Edward forced the marriage with blackmail and lies; Haunted Faustus as a ghost but later apologized;

SHIRLEY JACKSON (SC)-Former teacher at the academy; Haunted Faustus as a ghost;

BROTHER LOVECRAFT (SC)-Briefly plotted with Blackwood to steal the coven from Zelda;

SAM (OC) & MIKE (OC)-Dr. C’s brothers

SARA (OC) & ROSE (OC)-Dr. C’s sisters-in-law

BRIAN (OC)-Dr. C’s cousin; a minister that, along with Zelda, married Hilda to Dr. C;

SABRINA MORNINGSTAR (SC)-Sabrina’s dark side; was briefly queen of hell;

ELIZABETH TUDOR (RLP/OC)-History’s Elizabeth I; half-breed; her mother was a witch and her mortal father was a king; Is immortal due to the mark of Cain given to her by Lucifer as a punishment; lives in a rip in time that allows her to protect and rule her people to this day; An ally to the Spellmans;

MAXINE AKA BROTHER MAX (OC)-A witch that used a glamor to make herself a warlock so she could serve on the witches council;

THE WITCHES’ COUNCIL (SC)-The final word on the government on witch law;

THE SISTERHOOD (OC)-A secret underground, council made up of women, Maxine is a go-between them and the witches’ council; They are the 1stto realize that Cordelia is the divine child;

BRUTUS (OC)-The new Lord Blackwood; Sara’s father; Half-brother to Faustus and all of Lord Liam’s other bastards;

MR. & MRS. WARNER (OC)-Parents of the triplets;

MR. HOPPER (OC)-Principal of Greendale Middle School

GUS (OC) -Owns an auto body shop somewhere between Greendale and Salem; helped Faustus when he blew a tire;

MRS. APPLEGATE (OC)-Another teacher at Greendale Middle School;

DRUSILLA & SHELLEY (OC)-2 witch/maids who work in Salem;

ADAM, 3RD EARL OF MASTERS (OC)-Originally from Elizabeth’s world; He left to marry Lilith; Father of newborn Nora;

PETER WATSON (OC)-Brief boyfriend of LJ’s;

NORA (OC)-Newborn daughter of Lilith and Adam;

FAMILIARS:

SALEM (SC)- Sabrina’s cat;

VINEGAR TOM AKA VINNE T(SC)-Zelda’s dog;

KING (OC)-Faustus’s panther; that was murdered right in front of him;

APOLLO (OC)-Jake’s greyhound;

OCTOBER (OC)- LJ’s dove;

CORDELIA FIGHTS FOR HER FRIENDS AS ZELDA FIGHTS TO KEEP LILITH’S FAMILY AWAY FROM HER OWN.

As soon as she got her bearings, Zelda marched up to Adam and ripped the spellbook out of his hands. “Hasn’t Lilith ever told you that mortals shouldn’t do magic. It’s dangerous!”

Adam nodded. “She did, in fact. But we’re in a crisis here! As I said before, Lilith’s in labor!”

Zelda was confused. “How can that be? Lilith’s not even out of her 1st trimester. It would be too soon for a mortal, let alone a witch-like Lilith.”

“As I understand it,” Adam said slowly, “Lilith was holding a normal, run-of-the-mill council meeting this morning. I don’t know when or why it happened, but Lilith and the council had a huge disagreement. That, in itself, is nothing new, but the advisors got so mad at Lilith this time that they casted a spell to advance her pregnancy and put her into labor.”

Zelda opened her mouth to speak but before she could talk, a scream of pain came from down the hall, as if to confirm Adam’s story. Speaking of Adam, without thinking, Adam grabbed Zelda’s hand. “See? I told you. Now, come on!”

But as Adam started to run, Zelda jerked her hand away. “I’m sorry, but I’m still waiting to hear why this involved me? As I told Lilith herself 2 months ago, back in September, that I had no interest in becoming her midwife. Surely, the queen of hell can find her own midwife?”

“She has 2, actually,” Adam answered. “Which 1 shall I tell you about first? The midwife who fainted at the first sight of blood, or the one who ran out of here declaring that she would sooner die than deliver the queen’s half-breed.”

Zelda closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She really did resent this one-sided relationship she was having with Lilith. Whenever Zelda needed something, anything really, Lilith quickly reminded her that she wasn’t part of hell’s court and was dismissed just as swiftly. However, if Lilith ever wanted anything from her, Zelda was expected to drop everything. Lilith’s latest spell had literately dropped her from the sky. Now even 2 minutes before, Zelda had planned to do nothing, but Lilith had known the other witch’s weakness and had told Adam to make sure to remind Zelda that their child was a half-breed. Sure enough, that was exactly what was giving Zelda pause. She knew how dangerous a witch’s delivery could be without a midwife, Hecate, it was dangerous even with a midwife. Deep down, Zelda knew that she couldn’t leave Lilith in the lurch. The fact that the upcoming baby was a half-breed only deepened Zelda’s guilt. If she walked away now, how could she ever face her beloved Sabrina again?

Zelda sighed again. “Alright, I’ll do it, I’ll deliver the child.”

Adam’s sigh was 1 of relief. “Thank you, Zelda. Lilith and I sure do owe you-“

Zelda moved to leave the room but as soon as she heard Adam, she turned back. “No!” She snapped. “I don’t want to hear that! I don’t want to hear words like ‘owe’ and ‘favor’ and do you want to know why? Because every time a member of my family makes a deal from someone from down here, we’ve lived to regret it. Now, I’ll deliver this baby, pro bono, and then I’m going home, end of story. Before I get to work, I’m going to need 2 things.”

Adam nodded. “Of course, there are fresh towels and linens are already in Lilith’s chambers.”

“That’s good but not what I was going to ask for. I was about to tell you to send the minion to watch over to Lucifer’s cell-“

“That won’t be necessary. We just check on him this morning.”

Zelda shook her head. “That’s not good enough. For every moment that I am here, I want Lucifer and his flesh prison watched.”

Adam nodded. “Of course. And what’s your 2nd request?”

“Get a letter to my family, send it to the academy or my house, tell them what’s happening here. After all, you can’ teleport someone off a moving plane and expect no one to notice.” Zelda muttered while walking away.

“Hi, Sabrina.”

Sabrina looked up for the magazine she was reading while she was sitting in the triplets’ hospital room. “Cordelia? When did you all get back?”

“About an hour ago,” Cordelia answered. “How are my girls?”

“They’re good, stable.”

Cordelia made sure to stare at the floor to make sure her cousin didn’t see her frown. She knew that Sabrina was only trying to be encouraging, but Cordelia was beginning to hate the word ‘stable.’ By now, the word stable was code for nothing had changed.

“So, how was England?” Sabrina asked, trying to fill the silence.

“It was good,” Cordelia answered. “I’m happy that Dad was able to make some meaningful connections and the family all seem like good, decent people.” All except Sara, a bitter Cordelia added silently.

The 2 cousins were still talking when Hilda rushed in. “Girls, you won’t believe what happened.”

Sabrina looked worried. “What’s wrong, Aunt Hilda?”

“I just received this note at the academy. Apparently, Zelda is in hell to deliver Lilith’s baby?”

“So, that’s where Mom went!” Cordelia exclaimed. “I was just telling Sabina how Mom just disappeared right off the plane.”

Sabrina, however, was confused. “Isn’t Lilith not due for months?”

Hilda shrugged. “She’s not. I guess we’ll have to wait until Zelda gets back to hear the whole story. Which is kind of why I’m here. Since I was expecting Zelda to be home by now, I was expecting her to do evening assembly but since she can’t, I’ll have to do it, which means I can’t stay.”

“Well, neither can I,” Sabrina objected. “I have a patient at 6.”

“Guys,” Cordelia cut in. “I’ll stay with the triplets, it’s no problem.”

“Are you sure? Mr. & Mrs. Warner just left for dinner and won’t be back for half an hour.” Sabrina explained.

“No problem,” Cordelia assured them and sat down after watching her cousin and aunt leaving the room. “Hi, guys,” Cordelia said when she was finally alone with her friends. “I’m back from England and I came right back to visit with you, just like I promised. The good news is if Sara knows what’s good for her, she never comes to Greendale and we’ll never have to see her again.” Cordelia continued to talk softly when she a soft grunt coming from the bed nearest to the door.

“Emily?” Cordelia shot out of her chair and rushed to her friend’s side, sitting on the side of the bed.

Cordelia smiled. “Oh Em, I’m so happy that you’re finally awake!” Cordelia tried to hold the other girl’s hand, but Emily pulled her hand away. “I heard it,” Emily explained in barely even a whisper. “I heard Sara call you cousin and I heard the 2 of you call each other witch.”

“I can explain everything.”

Emily shook her head. “I don’t need an explanation, I just need you to go away.”

Cordelia was utterly dumbfounded. “You can't be serious.”

“We’ll keep your secret.” Emily assured her, “Just stay away from me and my sisters.”

“Alright,” Cordelia said slowly, dazed. “If you’re sure that’s what you what.”

“I am,” Emily said firmly and then looked away.

Cordelia got off the bed, her legs suddenly feeling like jello. She slowly walked to the door and after a sad look behind her, left the triplets’ hospital room. In the hall, Cordelia found a nurse to sit with the girls. Once she exited the hospital, Cordelia put her back to the brick wall and slid down to sit on the pavement. It was only then that Cordelia started to cry.

The next day was Monday. Before she even left the house that morning, Cordelia called the nurses’ station to get an update on the triplets. It was truly bittersweet news. Cordelia was thrilled to learn that all 3 triplets were awake now and were doing great. Yet Cordelia was sad because they didn’t want to see her.

It was past 3 AM on Tuesday when the dark Spellman front door opened and closed. Zelda silently placed her medical bag on a side table. She took off her coat and lazily tossed her coat on the sofa as she walked through the living room. Zelda walked into her daughter’s bedroom and watched her daughter sleep for a few seconds. Then she kissed Cordelia’s forehead and tucked her in. Zelda then climbed the stairs to the attic where she was happy to find that Jake was also peacefully asleep. Back on the 2nd floor, Zelda peeked into LJ’s room and sure enough, the good doctor was asleep and nothing was amiss. Yet, Zelda still had a nagging sense of worry. So, Zelda put her finger in her mouth and drew a ring of spit on a nearby hallway mirror. With the aid of this enchanted mirror, Zelda was able to look in on Sabrina, Ambrose, and Prudence, and even Hilda and Dr. C. Everyone were asleep and all seemed well. As Zelda’s worry subsided, exhaustion hit her with full force. So, after Zelda tiptoed into her own room, she realized that she was too tired to go searching for her nightgown in the dark. She was even too tired to spell them on her. So, after slipping out of her heels, Zelda unzipped her dress and laid down on her side of the bed in nothing but her slip. Mere moments later, Zelda could feel movement beside her and before she knew it, Faustus’s arms were around her.

“Did I wake you?” Zelda asked.

“No.” Faustus lied before kissing her temple. So, Hilda got your note. Did hell welcome a little prince or princess tonight?”

“A princess,” Zelda answered simply, “a little girl who Lilith and Adam have decided to call Nora.”

Faustus smiled. “As happy as I am that you’re finally home, dearest, I’m even happier that you returned home alone.”

“So am I,” Zelda agreed. “That was the deal. I help Lilith complete her family and she stays far away from mine.” Zelda sighed. “I just hope she keeps her word.

Cordelia was grateful that due to Thanksgiving on Thursday, it was a short school week. Cordelia also thanked Hecate that it happened to be her year to be the Spellman family member to be in the lottery. Feasts of feasts wasn’t the bloodbath it used to be. Zelda had found a way to unite the coven and celebrate Freya without any bloodshed. Cordelia was chosen as a handmaiden and the queen of the feast was a friendly girl from the coven that was easy to attend to before the 2 witches cooked a meal for the entire coven, under the supervision of Aunt Hilda, of course. Cordelia was grateful for all the activity for it kept her busy and her mind was kept off of the triplets and the fact that they didn’t want to see her. Yet the holidays could last forever, so bright and early Monday morning, Cordelia found herself back at school. Yet as she dashed across the snow-dusted grass to the school’s front door, she noticed a group of people forming around a nearby table. The Warners were back and were holding court. Cordelia, who locked eyes with Erica, smiled and waved. It completely broke her heart when Erica simply looked away.

It was a complete freeze-out. For the next 2 and a half weeks, the triplets avoided Cordelia at every turn. This made Cordelia completely sad and lonely. Late 1 night, Zelda heard crying coming from her daughter’s room. She opened the door to see Cordelia crying on her bed, a photo album filled with pictures of her and the Warners in better times in front of her.

They don’t want me, Mom.” Cordelia wailed after she looked up. “They don’t want me because I’m a witch. I don’t get it. I mean, they could be queens of the mole people and I would still want to be with them.”

“Oh, honey,” Zelda rushed in to comfort her.

As Zelda put an arm around Cordelia, Sabrina passed by in the hallway and came into the room. “What’s wrong Cordy?”

“She’s just upset because her friends won’t talk to her,” Zelda explained.

“They haven’t in weeks,” the child sobbed. “Why can’t they accept me as your friends accepted you, Sabrina?”

“They didn’t take it that well. Harvey really took it really hard at first, but he came around and so will the girls. Just give them time.”

Cordelia hoped Sabrina was right, but personally, she had her doubts.

A week later, Cordelia entered the cafeteria and saw the triplets’ table. Her 1st instinct was to turn away, but something inside her made her go up to the table.

“Look, this is nuts! I know you don’t want to hang out with me anymore and that fine. But this is a small town and we’re the same age, we go to the same school, we’re in the same class, we’re bound to run into each other. Can we just, you know, talk for a while.”

There was silence before Erica said, “You’re right. Have a seat.”

Thank Hecate, Cordelia thought. It was a small victory but a victory nonetheless.

“Where’s Sara?” Erin asked, frightened.

“Gone, home to England.”

“What if she decides to come back?” Emily asked, sounding frightened.

“Not on my watch,” Cordelia muttered.

“Why didn’t you ever tell us that Sara was your cousin?” Erica asked, folding her arms.

“Because I didn’t know! Trust me, I found out the moment you 3 did!”

An awkward silence descended upon the table. It was Emily who spoke next.

“Have you ever thought of, you know, maybe, not being a witch?!”

“First, please lower your voice, and second, it doesn’t work like that. Despite what books and TV tell you, you can’t wake up 1 day and decide to become a witch. Magic goes through the bloodline. You’re born a witch or you’re not. I can no sooner decide not to be a witch than you can decide not to be triplets anymore.”

Erica made a face. “Are you even human?”

There was a long silence before Cordelia spoke. “I’m not a human as you might think of 1, but I’m very much a person.”

Emily shrugged. “So, you’re a witch. Maybe we can still hang out if you can promise us that you will never again use magic.”

Cordelia bit her lip. “I’m sorry, but I can’t promise that either. You see, my body works differently than yours. I’m fine if I don’t use magic for a few days, but the longer I go without it, I will get weaker, sick, and then I will die.”

“Well,” Erica said, her tone cold as ice “It appears that you can’t give it up and we can’t hang around with a witch. My sisters and I refuse to be hurt again.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone, least of all the 3 of you.” Cordelia cried.

Yet, Erica went on. “So, I guess our friendship is at an end.”

Cordelia sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.” Cordelia stood and walked quickly out of the room, biting her lip to keep the tears at bay.

Faustus walked around his classroom, raising his voice to be heard above the final bell. “You all have a quiz on Monday so do yourselves all a favor and be up to date on reading Ch. 4 in your history books. Have a good weekend.”

Faustus got back to his desk just as Erin, Emily, and Erica reached the door.

“Warners, may I see you for a moment?”

The triplets walked up to their teacher.

Faustus smiled at them. I just wanted to check in on what’s going to happen tomorrow. Will your mom get off work early enough or should I pick you up?”

The triplets looked at each other. They didn’t have any idea what he was talking about. “Tomorrow?”

“It’s the 2nd weekend of the month. It’s time for your monthly sleepover with Cordelia.”

The triplets looked at each other. “Um, about that,” Erica started. “Things have changed. We hate to be the ones to tell you this, Mr. Spellman, but Cordelia is a-“

Faustus cut them off with a howl of laughter. “You’re not seriously going to confess to me that Cordelia is a witch, are you?”

“You knew?”

“Of course I knew! The whole family are witches. I’m a witch.”

“But I thought that guys couldn’t-“

“For the last time, warlocks are real! I wonder if it’s too late to sue that author?”

Emily took a step forward. “Wait, if you’re all witches, couldn’t you find a spell or something to make us forget everything.”

Faustus nodded. “We can certainly can do that and we discussed it but Cordy refused. She didn’t want to keep it a secret from you anymore."

Guilt slammed into all 3 girls. “What would you have us do?”

Faustus shook his head. “It’s not my place to tell you what to do. However, I will say this. I know that true witch culture is new to you. Also, you have every right to be angry or even traumatized by all the horrible things Sara did to you. But I think it would do us all some good for you to remember that Cordelia is not Sara. You’ll always be welcome in our home, but what are you going to trust? The 2 and a half months that Sara tried to mess with all our lives or the 8 years of strong friendship you share with Cordelia. Think about it.”

“I’m going.”

Emily looked up from the book she was reading on her bed and Erica looked up from her desk to see Erin in the doorway of their room.

“Going? Going where?” Erica asked.

“To the Spellman’s. I’m going to talk to Cordelia.”

“What?” Emily jumped up. “Why? We agreed that we would be safer if we stayed away from Cordelia and the other Spellmans.”

Erin shrugged. “Well, maybe we were wrong. What Mr. Spellman said yesterday about Cordelia not being Sara made sense. Plus, I know something you guys don’t. I didn’t tell you because I simply didn’t remember when we were in the hospital and later, well, because I’ve just as frightened as you be.”

“What are you trying to say?” Erica wondered.

“That night, the night of the hanging, I was the last to pass out so I saw when Cordelia ran in. She fought Sara to get to us, like really fought with her and Cordelia’s the one who got us out of the tree that night. I talked to Mom and she said that when the Spellmans weren’t in England, Cordelia was always in the hospital, watching over us. She saved our lives that night and now all she wants is to talk to us, so I’m going.”

“Are you going to sleep there?”

Erin shrugged. “I don’t know yet, I guess I’ll see how our conversation goes, but I packed a bag, just in case. I’m choosing to trust my friendship with Cordelia. You can come with me or not. Your choice.”

Emily and Erin looked at each other before;

“Erin!”

“Wait!”

Cordelia just got into bed and reached for the book on the nightstand when a knock came at her door. She was thrilled that it was Warners at the door.

“Hey, are we bothering you?” Erica asked.

Cordelia shook her head. “No way. Please, please, come in!”

“Hey, what are you reading? A spellbook?”

Erin gave Emily a dirty look. What a stupid question!

“No,” Cordelia said casually putting the open novel down on her chest for the girls to see. “V.C. Andrews, Flowers in the Attic.”

The triplets knew that this was Cordelia’s favorite book. All the girls had a good laugh. It was the perfect ice-breaker. After the Warners settled in, the girls talked for hours and hours. Cordelia told her friends that Sara purposely set her up again and again, with the book, movie, play, and especially the trip to Salem. Shame flooded the triplets; they hadn’t thought of that. Soon, the talk changed to true witch culture. Cordelia told them that, if you look hard enough, you could pretty much find a spell for anything. Her favorite spells were cloaking spells. Cordelia explained that due to a cloaking spell, that old grey building on the outskirts of town looked like an abandoned train station to mortals, when it really the Academy of Unseen Arts, 1 of the finest witch schools in the world. Cordelia also explained about Hecate and the witch government. Minor crimes were usually handled by the coven and its high priest or priestess. More serious crimes were brought before the council in Rome. The girls talked and talked all night until they all fell asleep. That’s how Zelda found them, late that night.

“So, I just got off the phone with Mrs. Warner. The girls are officially cleared to stay the night.” Faustus said, coming to stand beside his wife.

“Then, we should tuck them in.”

Faustus helped Erin, who was dangerously close to falling off the bed, roll back to the center of the bed, beside Cordelia. Meanwhile, Zelda put a blanket over Erica, who was in an armchair facing the bed, and the 2nd blanket over Emily, who was asleep on the window seat.

“Are you sure this is wise?” Faustus asked in a whisper. “Letting the girls know that we’re witches?”

“They only needed time to come around, darling. I truly believe that they would never betray Cordelia. After all, they’re her best friends forever.”

IT TOOK ALL MY ENERGY TO FINISH THIS, SO GIVE IT SOME LOVE 😘😘😘

THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF ZELDA

CHAPTER 21-RETURN TO BLACKWOOD MANOR

NEW INFORMATION COMES TO LIGHT; BOTH ON EARTH AND IN HELL

Cousin?! The single word rang in Cordelia’s head like a bell. Why? How? The word that had been reserved, rather affectionately, all her life just for Ambrose and Sabrina, could not possibly apply to Sara. The first person 12-year-old Cordelia considered an enemy.

“Please…please h-help us.” Erin’s voice was strained and growing weaker. A direct result of the hanging.

Suddenly, who Sara really was and her relationship with her was the very last thing on Cordelia’s mind. Her friends were in dire danger and right now, nothing else mattered. “It’s okay, guys. I’ll have you down in a sec.”

However, when Cordelia raised her arm, Sara grabbed her wrist. “No, don’t save them!”

“Why?!” Cordelia demanded. “They’re innocent, they’ve done nothing to you!”

“They’re mortal! The only good mortal is a dead mortal!”

Cordelia yanked her hand free. “You’re crazy!” She turned back to the tree.

“No!” Sara screamed and jumped on Cordelia’s back, knocking them both to the ground.

The 2 witches rolled around on the ground, battling for control.

“You’re a complete psycho!” Cordelia screamed as Sara slammed her into the ground and got on top of her.

Sara got her hands around Cordelia’s throat. “If you don’t want to watch your friends die, maybe you should die with them.”

Cordelia had just enough room and strength left to head-butt, Sara. Dazed, Sara stumbled back a little. Cordelia sat up, and then, as if acting on autopilot, made a fist and punched Sara in the face, as hard as she could. Sara, now out cold, simply fell over.

For a second, Cordelia could do nothing but stare in stunned silence. Up until today, Cordelia had never even slapped anyone, let alone punch someone so hard that they passed out. Weaken and breathing hard from the struggle, Cordelia turned her head towards the tree, raised her arm, and finally said “down,” in Latin. The branches went back to normal and all 3 triplets fell to the ground. Cordelia’s heart jumped into her throat. None of the triplets were moving and Cordelia feared the worst. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Erin, who lay in the middle of her sisters, moaned and turned her head toward Cordelia’s direction.

“Erin!” Cordelia cried out, both from joy and desperation. “Erin, if you can hear me, please open your eyes.”

Slowly, Erin opened her eyes.

“Good, now I know we’re in a weird place right now and you must be afraid and confused about what’s happening right now, but I need you to do something for me. I need you to take a hold of your sisters and don’t let go. Can you do that for me?”

Erin gave a faint nod.

“Good.” Cordelia grabbed the triplet nearest to her, as well as Sara’s pant leg, and transported them all away.

“Hecate, I’m such an idiot.” LJ buried her head in her hands. “Why am I so stupid?”

Zelda frowned. “My daughter stupid? Poppycock! LJ, you are still the same woman who studied mortal and witch medicine at the same time and you began your internship before you were 30. Don’t tell the others, but I consider you the genius of this family. Plus, you’re so lovable.”

“Peter doesn’t think I’m so lovable,” LJ muttered.

“Bah,” Zelda dismissed as she put an arm around LJ, pulling her closer and causing the younger witch to fold her legs, put her feet up on the sofa and let her upper body hover above Zelda’s lap. “Then the boy is nothing but a fool,” Zelda said before planting a kiss on LJ’s brow.

Just as it seemed that LJ was starting to relax, her eyes bulged, she gasped and sat up. “Oh no! All my stuff is at Peter’s! I sold my apartment and now I have nowhere to go!”

Zelda was, as ever, the calm mother. “We will make arrangements to collect your things. Until you figure things out, you can stay here. Your old bedroom is just waiting for you.”

LJ sighed and let her head fall back onto the back of the sofa. “Moving in with a guy I only met 7 weeks ago.” She sighed. “You would never make such a mistake.”

“Don’t be so sure. Everyone has their own love problems. You acted too fast and I acted far, far too slow. It took me over 3 and half centuries to admit, even to myself, that I Iove your father. I lost count of the times I looked at your father and thought about how easily I could have lost him.”

LJ gently patted Zelda’s arm. “You would never lose Dad. He adores you. We all do.”

The mother and daughter were only able to smile at each other for a few seconds before a white light flashed and Cordelia appeared in the room with the other 4 girls. “Help me!” Cordelia cried anxiously as she collapsed under the weight of holding the others up.

Her doctor’s instincts instantly kicked in as LJ jumped up out of her seat and went to check on the now passed-out triplets.

Zelda was right behind her. “What on earth happened?”

“She happened!” Cordelia hissed as she turned her head to look at Sara, who was currently groaning and prompting herself up on her elbows.

“Oh, you saved the triplets,” Sara said as if it was a bad thing. “You Spellmans are so weak!”

“I’ll deal with you later.” Cordelia used her magic to force Sara to sit in a nearby chair.

Zelda was shocked. “Cordelia Spellman, do I really have to lecture you about not using magic in front of a mortal?”

“No, Mom, you don’t,” Cordelia answered. “Because Sara is not a mortal. She admitted to me that she was a witch while she was busying hanging my 3 best friends!”

This statement just gave Zelda a million more questions, but it was LJ who spoke next.

“I think I don’t like how slow these pluses are.” LJ looked up. “I think I should get the triplets to the hospital ASAP.”

Cordelia nodded. “I’ll be right behind you.” She called as LJ teleported with the triplets.

“Well, if you’re all busy, I guess I’ll just show myself out.” Sara sneered and got up out of the chair.

“YOU AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE!” Cordelia thundered and forced Sara into the chair so hard it nearly fell over. “Does Ambrose still keep rope down in the morgue?”

A still confused Zelda nodded and Cordelia ran down to get it. She started to tie Sara to the chair when-

“Ow! You don’t have to tie it so hard, you know.”

“I know,” Cordelia muttered with a fake smile and then pulled the ropes even tighter on her wrists and ankles. “I have to catch up with LJ and check on the triplets. Can you watch her, Mom?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.” Cordelia hugged her. “I love you. Be careful, she’s sneaky.”

Cordelia started to leave when something inside her made her turn around and ask. “Mom? Do you have a 3rd sibling you never talk about? Someone other than Auntie Hilda and Uncle Edward?”

“No.”

“I didn’t think so.” Cordelia threw 1 last dirty look at Sara and then left, leaving her mother in front of the fireplace, still not completely understanding what was happening.

“How are they?” Cordelia asked her sister as she found the hospital room where LJ was tending to the triplets.

LJ sighed. “Not very well, I afraid. I'm sorry, Cordelia, but I can’t seem to get them to stable. All 3 are in comas.”

Cordelia frowned. “My poor girls. What are you doing now?”

“I’m just magically removing the red marks from their necks. I doubt we could explain it away to their parents or the other doctors.”

“Let me help.”

As both sisters worked their magic, LJ questioned her sister about what she didn’t understand. “So, if Sara has been a witch this whole time, what does she want with mortal triplets?”

I’m here for you, Sara’s hateful confession pulsed in Cordelia’s ears but until she understood what exactly what meant, Cordelia would keep it to herself. “Who knows?” she said out loud. “I’m more worried about what the triplets heard when Sara and I were discussing being witches.”

“Oh, Cordy.”

“Well, it all happened so fast!”

Once they had removed all the marks, the sisters came up with a convincing story to tell other people, Cordelia called Mr. & Mrs. Warner to tell them about the triplet’s condition. Unlike LJ, who left shortly after she made Erin, Emily, and Erica comfortable and got them stable, Cordelia stayed at the hospital all night with Mr. and Mrs. Warner. Because the parents last saw their daughters at the play with Sara, Cordelia felt the need to make a fake call to Sara and stated that she couldn’t get in touch with her. Cordelia couldn’t help but notice that the Warner parents were treating her nicer than the girls had in weeks.

1 hour past dawn, Jake drove his twin to work and while he was there, he picked up their sleepy, groggy little sister and bought her home.

Once they got home, Cordelia immediately looked into the sitting room and frowned when she didn’t see Sara. She found Sara, who was still tied to the chair, was in the kitchen while the family was having breakfast. Faustus and Zelda had called in backup, for Hilda, Dr. C and Sabrina were there too. They took turns trying to get information from Sara but she was not talking. That made Cordelia furious. She marched into the kitchen, placing her hands on the armrest of Sara’s chair, bringing them face to face.

“TALK!” Cordelia demanded. “Who are you? What do you want? Where did you come from?”

The smug smile on Sara’s face was maddening. “I’ve already told you who I am, cousin.”

“Cousin?” The others looked at each other in confusion and talked.

“Bah!” Cordelia dismissed as she drew herself up to her full height. “I don’t believe you. You see, I had a lot of time to think in that waiting room with the impossible to sleep in chairs and the only sound you can hear is Mrs. Warner weeping for her children. I thought about how great a lair you are and I remember how you said how all us Spellman were weak. No, Sara, you are no cousin of mine!”

“Is your head so far up your ass that you truly believe that Spellmans are your only bloodline?” Sara asked.

Jake looked up, shocked. “Are you saying that you’re a Blackwood?”

Sara nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

Cordelia, who finally calmed down enough to sit down, was still angry. “Now, I know you’re lying. Dad’s an only child.”

Sara rolled her eyes. "Just because Faustus is lord Liam’s sole legal heir does not make him an only child. Why half the village are his bastards. The oldest being my father.”

“And did he put you up to this?” Sabrina asked.

“Hades, no.” Sara laughed bitterly. “He’s too weak to think up such a plot. I did this on my own.”

Hilda was confused. “But you’ve been here for a few months, where do your parents think you are?”

“You mean they’re not always out of town on business like you told the triplets,” Cordelia muttered, crossing her arms.

“I told them that I was accepted into the Academy of the Unseen Arts.”

“But you’re too young to attend.” Zelda pointed out.

“Actually, I could go to that school, because I’m not 12. I’m 17.” When the glamour spell fell away, Sara looked the same, only taller.

“Wait a minute!” Faustus was the first to recover. “You said your surname was Reed. As in the wild reeds that always grow on the riverbank beside Blackwood Manor?”

Sara stared at him. “Why, Uncle, you surprise me. This is the 1st time in the months that we’ve known each other that you’ve proven yourself capable of intelligent thought.”

Faustus ignored the insult because he needed more answers. “If you were a witch the entire time, why the need to say you were Wiccan? Why suggest the play? The trip to Salem?”

Sara smirked. “Oh, that was a…experiment. I thought that if I put enough pressure on both you and Cordelia that you would crack and admit that you were witches. Get rid of your shame.”

Cordelia slammed the table as she stood up. “I have never been ashamed of being a witch! The only thing I’m remotely ashamed of is being related to someone like you!”

“So you believe me now?”

“At this moment, I don’t know what to believe,” Cordelia confessed honestly. “The only thing I know for sure is that my 3 best friends are in the hospital because of you. So, cousin or no cousin, you can go straight to heaven!”

Shortly after Cordelia stormed off, the others went their separate ways. Thinking it would be a good idea to keep Cordelia and Sara apart, Faustus, Hilda, and Dr. C took Sara back to the bookstore for further questioning. Not that it mattered, for after a few hours' sleep and a quick sandwich for lunch, Cordelia returned to the hospital and was dismayed to learn that there was no change in the triplets’ condition. She stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Warner all day again. Cordelia didn’t want to leave when Zelda showed up at 10 PM to take her home. But all 3 adults could see that Cordelia was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. So, they coaxed her into leaving, Mrs. and Mr. Warner even promised to call if there were any changes with the triplets. Thanks to the foxglove Zelda left under her pillow, Cordelia fell right asleep. Zelda kissed her daughter and tucked her in before retreating to her own bedroom. Zelda had bought some paperwork home with her from the academy, so after changing into her nightclothes, Zelda made a makeshift desk out of her vanity table. She got so wrapped up in her work that she didn’t notice the next 2 hours pass and only looked up when Faustus came in, sighed deeply, and laid across their bed. Zelda immediately went to him, knelt on the bed, and gently took Faustus’s head into her lap. She kissed his cheek before she whispered in his ear, “Penny dreadful for your thoughts, my love?”

Faustus opened his eyes and looked up at his wife. “It’s true, Zelda, it’s all true! As you know, we took Sara to the bookstore to talk-okay, to question- her for hours. The girl had an answer for everything. Then Dr. C came up with the brilliant idea to call her bluff. We gave her the phone and told her to call her father, which she did. The phone call she made was to a man called Brutus, her father…and my brother. Can you believe it, Zelda? I have a brother! And to hear him tell it, there’s many, many more than 1.”

“Are you sure that you can trust him?” She asked cautiously.

“I asked myself that very same question,” Faustus answered, getting up and looking at his wife in the eye. “But the more we talked, the more convinced I was. He described the village I grew up to a tee and he said things that only a Blackwood would know, even a bastard one. I also got some insight into what Sara might have wanted here. You see, the village has fallen on hard times. Months of drought have ruined a lot of crops and some people are even starving. I felt so guilty that the next thing I knew; I was agreeing to hop on a plane early tomorrow morning with Sara. It was so entirely in the heat of the moment and I’m so sorry I didn’t call and tell you about it.”

Zelda wasn’t concerned with that; her mind was elsewhere. “You say you feel guilty, why so?”

Faustus reddened. “You see, dearest, problems like this has happened before but it has always fallen to Lord Blackwood to attend to it. Since my father is dead, I’m technically Lord Blackwood, but in the 13 years since I took the name of Spellman, I’m afraid I’ve not spent much time thinking of the manor or the village.”

“That’s not surprising,” Zelda said gently. “Given your rough history with your childhood home.”

“Indeed, and since I have no intention of taking back the Blackwood name, I decided to give the name, the manor, the fortune, and the duties to the oldest bastard of my father’s, which just happens to be Sarah’s father. That’s the whole tragedy of this whole situation. I was willing to give Sara what she wanted all along. She didn’t have to torment Cordy, or whatever she did to those poor triplets. Maybe she would’ve come at all if I wasn’t a moron and forgot to check in!” Angry now, Faustus got off the bed and went to the window.

Zelda too got off the bed and joined her husband. On her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek. “Didn’t you once tell me that your father just mentioned that he had other children only in passing?”

Faustus sighed. “Once or twice, I suppose.”

“And have you ever met any of these people face to face?”

“Hecate, no!”

“Just as I suspected. As usual, my darling, you’re being too hard on yourself. Surely, no one expects you to be responsible for people you didn’t even know existed.”

Faustus sighed, turned to his wife, and took her hand. “You understand why I have to go. I can’t do all this legal stuff over the phone.”

“I understand. Do you want me to go with you?”

Faustus shook his head. “I couldn’t ask you to that. Feasts of feasts is almost upon us and we both know that’s the start of your busiest season. I mean, you were working when I came in here.”

“I can change things around.” Faustus gave her a look that ensured his wife that he wouldn’t be changing his mind. “Okay,” Zelda continued. “Well, the least I can do is give you a proper goodbye.” Zelda then kissed Faustus passionately and led him off to bed.

Early the next morning, before driving to the airport in nearby Riverdale, Faustus and Zelda made a fast stop by the academy. It was there, Zelda soon learned, that Sara spent the night under the watchful eyes of Prudence. Turns out that Prudence didn’t like the idea of her father returning to his hometown anymore than Zelda did. With the aid of her stepmother, Prudence managed to convince her father into taking her with him. At the last moment, Ambrose decided to go too, to lend support to his uncle and girlfriend. By the time Zelda dropped the group off at the airport and went back home, it was late morning. As soon as she opened the front door, Zelda was hit by all the pleasant smells coming from the kitchen.

“Mmm, sister, when did you get here?” Zelda called from the hall while taking off her coat.

However, it wasn’t Hilda who was laying the food on the table. Zelda entered the kitchen and was greeted by a smiling LJ.

“Hey, Mom. I thought you might be hungry after your long morning and it turns out I can cook!”

Zelda returned LJ’s smile. “This looks wonderful, thank you.” The kettle started to whistle, and Zelda turned but LJ stopped her.

“I will get the coffee. You sit down and enjoy your food.”

However, Zelda only had time for 1 bite because she heard a coffee cup smash to the floor. She looked up to see that LJ was staring at something on the kitchen island, and she was shaking.

“LJ, honey, what’s wrong?”

LJ pointed. “What’s that?”

Zelda got up and went to her daughter’s side before answering. “Why, that’s just Cordelia’s new class picture.”

LJ nodded. “And, um, who is that?” Her voice sounded odd, strained as if she was on the verge of tears.

“That’s Nina Robinson.”

LJ looked up sharply. “The schoolteacher who keeps trying to seduce Father away from you?!”

Puzzled, Zelda nodded. “LJ, what am I missing here? Do you know her?”

LJ swallowed her breath sharply. “We weren’t formally introduced, but this is the woman I caught Peter sleeping with 2 days ago.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“That’s it!” Zelda growled. “That woman has gone too far!” Food now forgotten, Zelda turned to go.

Yet, LJ knew that look on her mother’s face. “Mom, I know you going to do what you have to do, but, um, don’t kill Peter.”

Zelda nodded and was gone.

20 minutes later, a furious Zelda was knocking on Peter’s front door. When there was no answer, Zelda turned to go, but then she remembered the listing she had seen in the lobby. Not only did Nina live on this very floor, but she was only 4 doors down. So, Zelda walked down and knocked on her door. At this point, Zelda was so angry, she didn’t even have it in her to be surprised when Peter opened the door.

“Mrs. Spellman! Um, I was going to call LJ later, I swear.”

“Can it, lover boy. Save it for someone who might actually care.” Zelda swept past him and went straight to the bedroom when Nina was naked under her sheet and was looking the other way.

She must have heard the door open for she started to speak. “You left me alone in this bed for far too long. Come here, big boy, and make it up to me.”

Without saying a word, Zelda walked across the room and ran the back of her hand against Nina’s bare arm.

“Mmm, that’s nice. Now, why don’t- “Nina turned around and gasped when she saw Zelda, who was folded her arms.

“You really are a whore. Tell me, for I need to know, was this a random thing or payback for Faustus?”

Nina had a blank look on her face. “Who are you?”

Zelda was confused, but only for a moment. “Oh, that’s right; I spelled you the last time we met. Well, I did come to talk to you.”

Zelda snapped her fingers and it was like a light went on in Nina’s brain as she tried to cover herself. “Zelda?! What the hell are you doing here?”

“And we’re back to our regularly scheduled program,” Zelda muttered and looked away long enough to allow Nina to slip into a robe. “So tell me,” Zelda continued, “do you really care for Peter or did you do this to spite us?”

Nina raised an eyebrow. “Who’s Peter?”

Zelda’s jaw dropped. “You don’t even know his name?! For your information, Peter is the half-naked young man in your living room. Also, before you came along, whenever that was, he was happily dating Faustus’s daughter.”

Nina’s eyes widened. “If he’s sleeping with a 12-year-old, what are you doing in here, yelling at me?”

“It’s not Cordelia, your idiot!” Zelda snapped. “Just so you know, Faustus has 4 children, 3 daughters, and a boy! I love all my stepchildren as if they were my very own, but you hurt 1 of them, which means that now I must hurt you!”

“Calm down, will you? You can tell your stepdaughter that she can have her boyfriend back. He means nothing to me. I’m just having some fun until my man comes to his senses and leaves you for me.”

“You’re never going to give up, are you?” Zelda said slowly as if she just realizing her own statement. “You’re never going to leave my family alone. I mean, I wiped your memory clean and you’re still bothering us.”

“I think it’s time for you to just accept that Faustus and I are destined to be together.”

The entire situation was so absurd that Zelda couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sorry but you bought up destiny and that brings up the concept of forever and you don’t have that kind of time. Even when mortals die of ‘old age’ it barely lasts a century. Mortals are so, so…” As Zelda talked, she came closer, seized Nina by the back of the neck, and squeezed until she heard Nina’s spine snap and watched the dead body fall to the floor, “fragile.”

It was only then that Zelda noticed there was something on the nightstand. It was the plane ticket that Zelda had ordered Nina to get when she was bewitched. Zelda picked up the ticket and magically spread some blood around Nina’s head and left the room. Peter jumped up as soon as he saw Zelda and he opened his mouth but Zelda spoke first.

“I think your girlfriend fell in there and if I were you,” she slapped the plane ticket against his chest, “I would leave town.”

Faustus looked at his wife. “You killed her?” The past few days had been an emotional rollercoaster for

Faustus. He had been nervous and didn’t know what to expect when he, Prudence, and Ambrose arrived in England. Brutus was found at the exact address he had given to Faustus. Brutus had, of course, been very angry at his daughter, Sara, but he couldn’t have been nicer to his guests. Although they had been strangers when they first met, the 2 brothers liked each other instantly. Faustus and Brutus were always together, talking about everything and anything. Brutus introduced Faustus to their other siblings, (all 687 of them!) Lord Liam had once joked that he had fathered half of the village. It was only now that Faustus realized that he wasn’t joking at all. The brothers also worked well together with their business. As the oldest illegitimate child, it made sense to make Brutus the new Lord Blackwood, meaning he would be responsible for the village and its people but there were other things to consider. First, they asked the others if wanted to be recognized and which ones wanted to take the Blackwood name. They also set about trying to divide the family fortune and Brutus decided to reopen Blackwood Manor. He offered to let Faustus stay there but Faustus preferred a hotel room. What surprised Faustus the most was just how kind and gracious Brutus was. Oddly enough, it was Sara’s mother who came across as angry and entitled. Faustus told all this and more to Zelda when he called her nightly. One night, he called and said that Markus badly to meet the rest of Faustus’s family. Zelda, who wanted to join her husband in this from the very beginning was thrilled and agreed, as did Jake, who was hungering for a new adventure. LJ was happy to go anywhere that she could get her mind of Peter for a while. The only 1 who didn’t want to go at all was Cordelia. For the past few days, Cordelia’s life had revolved around the hospital. She would go and visit the triplets every morning before school and return after class, where she remained until visiting hours were over. Although LJ said that Erin, Emily, and Erica were all stable and were getting stronger every day. Yet they still in their comas. It didn’t seem right to Cordelia to leave them to fly halfway around the world only to see Sara get everything she wanted. Zelda told her that this trip wasn’t about Sara. Zelda explained to her daughter that they would only be gone a few days. They would attend a public signing of papers which would make some of the siblings official Blackwoods on Friday and a grand ball on Saturday to reopen the manor and celebrate family unity. On Sunday, they would fly home. It wasn’t until Hilda and Sabrina both agreed to look in on the triplets that Cordelia finally agreed to go. Yet, it was midway through their Thursday flight, Cordelia had a panic attack. What if the triplets woke up and she wasn’t there? Would they think she abandoned them?! Fortunately, LJ foresaw this and bought along a sleeping spell. The sleeping spell was more powerful than LJ realized, so much so that no one could wake Cordelia when they landed. That’s why when Faustus picked them up from the airport, he saw that while LJ and Zelda handled the bags, Jake carried his sleeping baby sister in his arms. After they settled Cordelia in her hotel room and left a note on the bedside table, the family went down to the lobby for dinner. After dinner, the kids went to a pub down the street while Faustus and Zelda when up to their room. It was here that Zelda told Faustus the whole story about Nina and Peter. Faustus wasn’t upset about Nina’s death. After all, mortals died all the time, and witches murdering them was not unusual either. If anything, Nina’s death was more good news in Faustus’s already amazing week. But it did leave him with 1 question.

“Why didn’t you kill the boy, as well?”

Zelda shrugged. “LJ asked me not to. But I did give him the plane ticket to New York. Now, when the police found the body, who do you think they suspected? The wife of a co-worker, or 1 of her lovers who fled the state only 1 day after the murder?”

“You’re as brilliant as you are beautiful. What else could a man possibly ask for?”

“No one betrays our daughter and gets away with it.” Zelda declared before surrendering completely to her husband’s kiss. They made love all night long and most of the morning. They almost missed the signing ceremony.

What am I doing here? I should have never agreed to come here. I should be at home. It was Saturday night and despite being dressed to the nines and attending the grand ball at Blackwood manor, Cordelia Spellman was in no mood to party. Out of respect for her father and his family, she had agreed to come, but Cordelia had been miserable ever since she woke up from the sleeping spell yesterday. She was still insanely worried about the Warners. Both Hilda and Sabrina had sent her numerous texts but they have yet to speak in person. In fact, Cordelia was just coming down the stairs, having tried and failed to reach her aunt and cousin, because of time zones, Cordelia wasn’t even sure what time it was in Greendale. Cordelia was thirsty, so she made her way to the punch bowl. However, she barely had time to fill her cup and take a sip before:

“Hello, cousin,”

Cordelia closed her eyes. 1 of her biggest worries about this trip was coming face to face with Sara. Faustus calmed his daughter’s worries by telling her that he hadn’t seen Sara since the day they landed. Cordelia was pleased to hear that Markus saw fit to punish his daughter by basically putting her under house arrest for the past 5 days. Cordelia guessed correctly that Sara was only let out for the ball. “What in Hecate’s name do you want, Sara?” Cordelia snapped angrily.

“I wanted to talk to you. I was hoping we could start over. Let bygones be bygones.”

Wordlessly, Cordelia put her cup down, then quick as lighting, she grabbed a knife off the table and pushed her cousin out of public view. Sara’s back was against a pillar as Cordelia held the knife to her throat. “First of all, I need you to know that the only reason I’m not shedding your blood all over these marble floors is out of respect for our fathers,” Cordelia whispered evenly. “Second of all, have you gone mental, witch? You want to make peace after you made my life torture for how many months? My friends are still in the hospital because of you!”

“They’re just mortals!”

“They’re still my best friends! And I want you to remember what you did to them because if I ever catch you in Greendale ever again, I will bury you under the hanging tree. Understand?”

A shadow passed by the girls, reminding them that they were not alone. Cordelia sighed as she backed off. She rounded the corner and tossed the knife back on the table. Sara could have walked away at this point but she chose to follow Cordelia.

“You know what? I don’t understand you. All this fuss and worry about 3 mortals, while your father was the high priest who murdered half his coven.”

Cordelia was too shocked and confused to respond and that’s how Faustus found them.

“Are you girls okay?”

“Your niece is a real piece of work, Dad. After all, you’re done all week for Sara and her family, she still sees fit to slander your name.” Cordelia finally spoke. “Well, according to her lying mouth, you’re a high priest who murdered his coven.”

Sara looked from Cordelia to Faustus and gave a short laugh. “She doesn’t know? How can she not know?! Everyone in the world knows! You’re like a legend, but not in a good way.”

It was only then that Sara felt the floor move under her feet, like a tiny earthquake.

Meanwhile, Cordelia stared at her cousin. “You know what? I’m getting so sick of you!” Cordelia went forward and tried to grab Sara, who stepped backward and noticed the floor was steady again, with 1 arm while Faustus led her away by the other arm.

“Cordelia, I need to talk to you.”

They ducked into a nearby room then Faustus let go of his daughter’s arm.

“Look, Dad, I’m sorry that I lost my cool and lunged at Sara but we have to get back out there. Who knows what other lies Sara could be telling about you.”

As Cordelia spoke, Faustus got a chill up his spine when he realized that they were in his father’s old study. He glanced over to the fireplace to that old painting of Lord Liam and his cold, harsh, unforgiving eyes. Faustus hated that painting. If it was up to him, he would get rid of all of his father’s things. Yet, during the course of the week, he learned that his siblings saw Liam as the village’s distant overseer, not the abusive parent he had been to Faustus. This room was the site of all Faustus’s childhood confessions. How fitting that it was about to witness his most important one.

“It wasn’t a lie,” Faustus whispered, his eyes filling with tears.

“What?”

“Before your mother founded the Order of Hecate, I was Greendale’s high priest, and 1 day, I poisoned some of the others.”

Cordelia shook her head. “No, it can’t be true. You’re not the type to kill your fellow witches without remorse.”

Faustus fell to his knees in front of his daughter. “But I do feel remorse! I think about those we lost every day and there are not enough words to express how sorry I am.”

“Then, why kill them?”

“Because he had no control about it.”

Faustus and Cordelia both looked up to see that Zelda had joined them. After Zelda helped him back to his feet, she gave him a tender kiss on to cheek, and then led Cordelia to a nearby sofa. “We didn’t plan to tell you this way but I think it’s time you knew about the insanity curse.”

For over 2 hours, the trio talked, with Faustus and Zelda telling their daughter everything about the curse. It was near the end that Cordelia had to ask,

“Why didn’t you say ever anything to me about this?”

Faustus looked at the floor. “I was afraid, afraid that you wouldn’t look at me the same way. That you wouldn’t love me the same way.”

“Oh, Daddy! It wasn’t your fault and it wasn’t as rare as you think. I mean, isn’t it an actual law issued by the council that no witch or warlock can’t be held accountable for their actions while under a curse?”

Zelda smiled. “It’s certainly is.”

Faustus looked at his daughter and then to his wife before declaring, “I’m the luckiest man in the universe.”

Later, Faustus was looking out of the motel window when Zelda came in after settling Cordelia in for the night in the next room.

“What are you looking at?” Zelda asked.

“Come here, dearest.”

Zelda took his outstretched hand and he spun her into him. Now, her back was supported by Faustus’s front and he draped an arm around her front. “Oh, Faustus, it’s beautiful. The stars are so big, they’re like diamonds and it’s like there are so close, you can touch them.”

“Yes, this village has always been famous for its stars. When I was a boy, Magda and I used to wish on stars all the time.”

“Oh? And what did you wish for?”

“A great many of things when I was younger, yet as I got older, it was more of a single wish. Namely, you in my arms.”

“So, your wish was for me to be where I’ve always belonged.”

Faustus’s only reply was to cupped her chin, turning her head toward his, and kissed her passionately. They were both naked before they got to the bed, 4 feet away.

At 3 AM, Zelda tried not to wake Faustus as she got out of bed and slipped into a robe on the way to the bathroom. On her way back to bed, she heard faint crying. Zelda opened the door between her room and Cordelia’s.

“Cordy? Are you alright?”

“Oh, Mom, did I wake you?”

“No. What’s wrong?” Zelda sat down on the bed beside her child.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I tried to call home,” Cordelia explained, “and I got to talk to Aunt Hilda and there have been no changes in the triplets’ condition.”

“Oh honey, I’m sorry. But LJ said that all 3 are stable and should wake up really soon.”

“LJ been saying for days. It’s been over a week. I’m getting scared.”

“Oh, baby. As far as I know, LJ is only giving them mortal medicine. How about when we get back to Greendale, we see what magic can help.” Zelda suggested.

“We can do that?”

“It won’t hurt to see our options. Now, try to rest. We need to be at the airport in a few hours.”

Zelda returned to her room to discover that Faustus was awake and he was worried that Cordelia was upset about the curse. She set him straight and they went back to sleep.

The next day, on the plane, Zelda took Faustus’s hand. “Darling, I’m so proud of you. I know it wasn’t easy to spend a week in your old village.”

Faustus smiled. “I learned 2 things this week. That I am so proud to be a Spellman and that my home is where you are.” Faustus smiled and kissed his wife. Yet, mid-kiss, he couldn’t feel Zelda’s lips anymore. He opened his eyes to see that she was no longer on the plane. “Um, Zelda?”

Zelda was just as confused to find herself transported to hell.

“Oh, thank god that worked!”

The redhead turned to see Adam holding a heavy spellbook.

CORDELIA LOOKS AT SARA IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. LJ TAKES A BIG STEP IN HER RELATIONSHIP.

Everyone was gathered around Faustus and Cordelia’s motel room and no one seemed to noticed that there was also blood on the triplets’ door. Suddenly, there was movement within the crowd.

“Excuse me. Excuse me!” said a man who fought his way though the crowd. “Hello, sir,” He addressed Faustus. “I’m the manager of this motel and I’m so sorry about this. This blood on the door is a prank that the local kids do ever now and then. I’m also sorry about everyone’s rude awakening this morning. The very least I can do is give you and your class a discount.”

“Well, that very nice of you, sir, but I’m not exactly here with the class.”

The manager now seemed confused. “I’m sorry. I thought you were a teacher.”

“Well, I am.” Faustus answered. “In fact, half of these young people are my class, but I’m here on a private, family matter.”

Now, the manager now seemed very, very confused.

“Perhaps, we can sort all of this out in your office.” Faustus suggested. The manager nodded and walked away, in the direction of the office as Faustus turned to Cordelia and whispered to his daughter.

“It seems the storm has passed. There doesn’t seem to be a cloud in the sky. Go get dressed and we leave as soon as I get back.”

Cordelia nodded. “Right, Dad.” She turned on her heel and re-entered the motel room. Her clothes were waiting in the bathroom for her. They had been hanging out to dry all night. The good news was the clothes were dry enough to wear. The bad news was the patches of mud were still visible. Falling in that mud puddle didn’t hurt half as much as when the triplets threw her out…again. Cordelia sighed. After all those years of friendship, Cordelia had NEVER lied to the Warners sisters until last night. After an entire afternoon of going around Salem, the girls went into their motel room, the Warner sisters and Sara talked about all these new spells they brought today and how excited they were to try them out. Knowing how mortals and magic could be a dangerous mix, Cordelia felt she had to lie, and that’s when Cordelia declared she didn’t believe in witches or witchcraft. That was all it took for the girls, her 3 BFFS, to turn on her.

“What, I can’t even have a different opinion?” Cordelia asked before she was kicked out. The door was slammed so hard that Cordelia fell off the porch and into the mud. Cordelia sighed again as she slipped into her clothes and went into the other room to collect the few personal items they had bought into the room. Let’s see, there was her phone, her father’s phone, the car keys. She turned and saw Faustus in the open doorway, smiling at her.

“Ready to go?”

She nodded and Faustus closed the door as they left and got into the car. As Faustus pulled out of the motel’s driveway, Cordelia looked at the triplets’ room, hoping that at the very least, they were at the window to wave her off. They weren’t.

Faustus and Cordelia drove 40 minutes from Salem before stopping for breakfast. The original plan, that was cancelled due to last night’s storm, was for Faustus to drive all night until they reached Greendale. That’s why Faustus’s car was stocked with pillows, blankets, and even the novel that Cordelia was currently reading, taken from the top of her night table. However, Cordelia was way too tense to relax. She was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Okay, Dad,” Cordelia said when she couldn’t take it anymore. “I know that Mom will no doubt have some words for me when we get home but I don’t think I can wait until we get home so come on Dad, let me have it. Scold me, yell at me, whatever you have, give it me.”

“Why should I scold you?” Faustus asked casually.

Cordelia shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. I was expecting something like ‘what were you thinking, young lady? How could you even get on that bus knowing that it was headed to Salem?’ Things like that.”

Faustus chuckled softly. “There is no need for that, Cordy. You were set up. Nothing that happened yesterday was your fault.”

“Really? Thanks for believing me, Dad. It means a lot.” Her tone was sincere. Then she lowered her voice. “I swear I’m going to kill Sara!”

“As much as I hate to defend the girl that been driving you crazy but for once, Sara didn’t do anything. Mrs. Robinson did everything.”

“What?! How do you know?”

“Well, I went to her motel room last night and, um, she was waiting for me there because, um”

“She likes you?” Cordelia offered, an amused look on her face. “It’s okay, Dad, I know. The whole class knows.”

“Great.” Faustus muttered. His grip tightened around the wheel, wishing it was Nina’s neck.

“Some kids are even taking bets on how long it will take for her to seduce you.”

“That will be never!” Faustus snapped. “I am completely devoted to your mother!”

“Dad, I know.” Cordelia soothed. “Just as I know that your signature on that stupid permission slip had to be a fake.”

“It was, and thank you, Cordy.” Faustus smiled at his daughter.

Then Cordelia remembered something. “Wait a minute, the message I got was sent from Erin’s phone. That’s why I fell for it.”

“Nina stole Erin’s phone. I found it in her room.”

“Nice move for a teacher.” Cordelia muttered.

Her father couldn’t agree more.

Once they had compared notes and cleared the air about what truly happened in Salem, it was a happy and peaceful ride home. However, because neither Faustus or Cordelia slept well the night before so by noon, Faustus’s energy was running low. Since he was the only 1 who could drive, Faustus performed a spell that would keep his eyes open no matter how tired he got. Early in the afternoon, Faustus pulled into a gas station, he turned and his heart melted. Cordelia was asleep in her slightly reclined seat. Faustus placed the blanket over her shoulder and kissed the top of her head before reaching for his wallet.

It was early evening when Faustus’s car drove up the Spellman’s driveway. The car wasn’t even in park yet as the family ran down the steps in a row. They barely had the time to get out of the car before Faustus and Cordelia were pulled into hug after hug and seemingly endless echoes of welcome home. The others cleared the way as Zelda came forward and picked up her daughter as if she was as light as a toddler and hugged her tightly.

“Oh, sweetheart, I was so worried.”

“It’s okay, Mom. I told you I’m fine.” Cordelia said as she hugged back.

Zelda put the child down and frowned. “Now, young lady, would you like to tell me what you were thinking about getting on a bus bound for Salem?”

Faustus went around the car and placed his hand on the small of his wife’s back. “Dearest,” He whispered into her ear. “None of what happened is Cordelia’s fault. I don’t want to explain it while the whole family is here but I tell you the whole story soon, I promise.”

The others must have felt the tension, for Hilda flung an arm around Cordelia, leading her up the stairs and into the house. The family gathered around the kitchen table and talked for hours. They talked about Salem, of course but Cordelia didn’t give them much details. It was already dark outside when the family said goodbye and went home for the night. Cordelia and her parents continued talking late into the night. So late, in fact that Zelda and Faustus fell asleep in Cordelia’s bed. 1 on each side of their daughter. However, when Zelda awoke in the middle of the night to find that Cordelia was no longer beside her. Zelda sat up and saw her daughter’s silhouette. Cordelia was seated on her window seat, her knees up under her chin and looking up at the moon.

Zelda got up and went to sit by her daughter. “Cordy, sweetheart? What’s wrong? You were yawning all night. Can’t you sleep?”

Cordelia sighed deeply. “Salem is a very weird town. They actually have a memorial devoted to the victims of the witch trials, but it’s how the town makes its money.”

Zelda took Cordelia’s hand into her own. “Is that what’s wrong? Did something spook you in Salem?”

Cordelia didn’t say anything but she moved so she was in her mother’s arms. “I’m just so glad I’m home.”

“I’m happy you’re home too, baby girl” Zelda whispered into her hair. “You and your father. Despite your phone call, I was so worried last night, it was unbearable.” Zelda actually had cried herself to sleep with worry but Cordelia didn’t need to know that. They sat in silence for awhile, but both mother and daughter looked up when Faustus gave a loud snore from the bed.

“Poor Dad, he has spent the better part of 2 days driving. I think we should let him sleep.” Cordelia whispered.

“I think you’re right.” Zelda put an arm around her daughter and guided her upstairs to her own bedroom where they spent the rest of the night.

“I can’t even remember the last Sunday where I didn’t go to mass.” Cordelia stated.

It was the following evening and Zelda and Jake were getting ready to leave for church. It was Zelda’s idea that Faustus and Cordelia stay home tonight. In truth, Zelda was worried about them both. Cordelia was awake before her mother this morning despite what happened last night. Cordelia didn’t mention Salem all day but Zelda caught her daughter checking her phone to see if her friends were trying to reach out to her, they didn’t. 1 look at Faustus and Zelda could tell that, despite his good night sleep, he was still quite tired. Therefore, it was Zelda’s idea that Faustus and Cordelia skip mass and stay home tonight to rest.

“Don’t worry, sis, you have the high priestess’s permission to stay home.” Jake reminded her.

Zelda kissed both Faustus and Cordelia goodbye and then she and Jake headed off to church. 1 of Zelda’s many, many duties as high priestess was to perform Sunday night’s weekly dark mass and of course, tonight was no different. Even so, with Faustus and Cordelia not even home barely a full day yet, Zelda would be lying if she said she wanted to be anywhere but home. Still, Zelda was a professional, so she preformed mass as normally as she could. Still, when Sabrina and Prudence offered to clean up and deal with some of the lingering congregation, Zelda jumped at the chance and teleported herself home. The house Zelda returned to was silent. So much so that, for a moment, she thought that they had gone out after all. Then she saw light coming from Cordelia’s room.

“Hello, darlings. I’m home.”

Faustus turned his head from the bed, a finger at his lips. “Shhh, dearest. I just got Cordelia to sleep.”

Zelda gave a gasp. “You did! How? I tried to get her to rest all afternoon and she didn’t even take a nap.”

Faustus smiled. “It’s all about timing, my dearest. For example, while Cordelia was undressing, I took the time to place herbs under her pillow. Foxglove, of course, to get her asleep, nightshade to keep her asleep and if she should dream, just a little bit of rose hips to make sure those dreams are pleasant ones.”

As Faustus was explaining, he was also tucking in Cordelia’s loose blanket under the left side of the mattress, giving Zelda the impression that Cordelia had just fallen asleep. Zelda helped by doing the right side. Then she smiled proudly at her husband.

“You know; this is probably why Hilda told me you were the best herbal student she ever had.”

“She did? I wonder why I never took herbalism at the academy. Well, Father always said herbalism was woman’s magic.”

Zelda shook her head. “Don’t even go there.”

“I wanted to kill her, Zelda.” It was 2 AM and Faustus and Zelda lay together in their darken bedroom together, naked and content. It was Faustus’s plan to tell Zelda all about Salem as soon as soon as they got to their room. Yet as soon as the door closed, Faustus could feel his wife’s lips on his and before he knew it, he swept Zelda up in his arms, bridal style and carried her to the bed. It was after their lovemaking, with Faustus’s arm around Zelda’s waist and her head on his chest when he told Zelda the whole ugly story about Salem.

“I could have killed her!” Faustus continued. “And you know that’s serious because I haven’t even thought of killing a mortal since the curse.”

Zelda turned over onto her stomach and propped herself up to looked at her husband. “Don’t let Mrs. Robinson destroy all your hard work. Besides, I’ll gladly kill her for you.” Then Zelda sighed very deeply.

“Sweetheart? What’s wrong?”

“Did I say there’s was anything wrong?”

“No, but Zelda, I know you. Anytime you sigh that deeply, there’s a problem.”

Zelda frowned. “Very well. As much as I hate how crazy Nina Robinson is making you, making all of us crazy, I’m afraid I can see some same traits between her and me.”

Faustus couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Bite your tongue, Zelda Spellman. You and that vile idiot have nothing, I repeat, nothing in common.”

Zelda raised an eyebrow. “Are we really going to sit here and pretend that this is the 1st time a daughter of yours was kidnapped?”

“Those are 2 completely different situations and we both know it!” Faustus instantly objected. “You took LJ because it was the right thing for her. When you realized that she wasn’t any safer at your house, you took her where she could be safe even when it broke your own heart. There’s also no doubt in my mind that if Jake had been born a girl, you would have taken the same risks for him. Even back then you would do anything for our twins. Nina doesn’t care about Cordelia. Even if Cordy hadn’t of sent that text and I hadn’t gone to Salem, Cordelia would had still come back with the other kids on Monday because Cordelia was never in a dangerous situation to begin with. LJ was. Nina just used Cordelia as bait to lure me to Salem, as soon as she got our child on that bus, she ceased to care about her. You would never do that, Zelda, because whether or not you realize it, you became a mother long before you gave birth to Cordelia. Your first instinct has always been to protect those you love and that’s primary instinct is what makes you an amazing mother, a wonderful wife and a great high priestess.”

For a full moment, Zelda studied Faustus in complete silence. When she did speak, it was only to whisper 3 little words, “I love you.”

Faustus stroked his wife’s cheek. It would have been so easy, too easy, to kiss her, make love to her again. Yet he knew there was another matter they should discuss. Faustus explained that as he drove home from Salem yesterday, he couldn’t help but think that it might be best for everyone if they pulled Cordelia out of school. Just for a little while, until the mortals’ current obsession with witches died down a bit. As the 7th grade teacher, it would be no problem at all to ensure that Cordelia got her work and stayed up to speed with the rest of the class. Zelda readily agreed, even suggesting that Cordelia might spend some time at the academy. After all the chaos she witnessed in the mortal world lately, it may just may do their daughter some good to see that it was pretty much business as usual in the witch community.

You have 0 new messages. That’s what it read on the phone’s small screen and then she checked her voicemail. It just said the same thing into her ear. In a fit of frustration, Cordelia groaned and tossed her phone onto the coffee table as she curled up on the sofa, her eyes blinking with tears. It was early on Tuesday morning, it had been 4 days since Cordelia and her father came home from Salem. In all that time, Cordelia had not heard anything from her friends, despite leaving messages for all of them and despite the class supposedly having gotten back last night. Cordelia could still remember the good old days; where she and the triplets could barely go 4 hours without texting each other, let alone 4 days. With renewed determination, Cordelia got up and reclaimed her phone in 1 hand. She stared at the phone in her palm hatefully.

“Come on, you. RING!”

“Is something wrong, lamb?”

Cordelia turned to see Hilda in the doorway.

“Aunt Hilda? What are you doing here, so early in the morning?”

“Your mom wanted me to help with the harder recipes for your sister’s important dinner tomorrow and I thought I would get an early start. And what about you? 1 day out of school and I find you screaming at your cell phone.”

Despite herself, Cordelia smiled. It was a little shocking when her parents told her yesterday that she should step back from school, for now. It was also a bit bittersweet. There was no doubt that the class would have all kinds of Salem stories for the few who couldn’t make it and Hecate knew Cordelia didn’t need to hear any of that. Yet, at the same time, no being at school was like giving Sara an open invitation to steal her friends away, if she had any friends left to steal.

“I’m fine,” Cordelia assured her aunt. “I just wish 1 of the triplets would call me already.”

“They still haven’t gotten in touch with you?”

Cordelia sighed and shook her head. “I haven’t seen them the morning Dad and I left Salem and I haven’t talked to them since the night before that, when they threw me out of the motel room.”

Hilda frowned. “They threw out? Again?”

Cordelia nodded sadly. “But I’m not completely innocent. I did lie to them.”

“About what?”

“I said that I didn’t believe in witches or witchcraft. It was only the 1st night in Salem and they were all talking about the new spells they wanted to try” Cordelia explained. “You know how magic can be dangerous to mortals.”

“You were trying to protect them.” Hilda nodded in understanding.

“Yeah, well, lot of good it did me,” Cordelia muttered, “We haven’t even spoken since that night and because of that I don’t even know if they came home safely last night with the rest of the class.”

“Don’t worry, they got home.”

Cordelia looked at her aunt. “You’ve seen them, Auntie H?”

Hilda nodded. “They were at the bookstore last night, they were safe and happy and- “Hilda cut herself off.

“And with Sara” Cordelia finished for her and sighed. “That’s it, then. I’ve been replaced.”

“Oh, come on! The Warners would never replace you. You’re their ride or die.”

Despite her foul mood, Cordelia smiled. She always found it amusing when her centuries old aunt used modern slang.

“Besides,” Hilda continued “The Warners have been cruel to you and haven’t been acting like themselves for quite some time. Honestly, I won’t be surprised if the triplets were being bewitched.

“Bewitched?! By who?” Cordelia was upset as she sat back on the sofa. If her friends were bewitched, why didn’t Cordelia figure it out herself? What kind of witch was she?

Sensing that her niece needed some time alone, Hilda got up and kissed her. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”

Cordelia curled up, her knees under her chin and her eyes closed. She was still thinking of the triplets and if they were bewitched, it would have to be someone new in their lives. But Cordelia could think of no one new but Sara. But Sara wasn’t a witch…or was she? Cordelia opened her eyes.

Meanwhile, across town, Faustus was getting ready for the schooldays, placing a copy of the day’s 1st lesson on every desk when he heard the clicking of heels on the floor. He looked up to see that Nina had arrived.

“Oh, no, no, no, no. YOU out of my classroom!” Faustus growled, furious, pointing at the doorway.

“What’s up with you? We share this classroom, remember?”

Faustus frowned. “No. We did share this classroom. Did, past tense. I’m done sharing anything with you!”

“I take it that you’re still angry with me due to what happened in Salem?”

“You think?” Faustus muttered.

“Even so,” Nina continued, “I don’t think it’s up to you to decide who teaches in what room.”

“Perhaps not,” Faustus said coldly, “You remember Theo Putnam, our vice principal? He’s been out all month because of his leg. He came back to work yesterday and this morning we had a long talk this morning about every thing and he agreed with me that you should move out. Just in case you want to bring your boyfriend, Principal Hopper, into this, don’t bother. He’s out sick with the flu.”

Nina was shocked. “How did you know that Hopper and I were lovers?”

“I was in the office last week, using the copy machine, when I saw you coming out of the principal’s office and not even 5 minutes later, Hopper came out, adjusting his belt. Suddenly, it all makes sense how you got you way in everything, the book, the play and the field trip.”

“Are you jealous?” She asked, a little too hopefully.

Faustus remained as calm as ever. “No. I was merely being observant while you were being indiscreet.”

“So that it? A little misunderstanding and you’re ready to throw me and the entire 8th grade out on our ear?”

“Who said anything about throwing out the 8 graders?” Faustus asked. “As if I told Theo, I would be more than happy to keep the 8th graders right here. I don’t mind if my workload is doubled, but you must go!”

Nina frowned. “You want to know what I think?”

“Not really, but you’re going to tell me anyway.” Faustus muttered.

“You do want me out of this classroom but only because you’re nervous you’re about to slip up and given in to attraction between us. You want me, Fausty, and we both know it but you’re hoping for an out of sight, out of situation.”

Faustus was shocked, just shocked. “Is there just no end to your nerve or your vanity, woman? I had said that I hated you since I was blue in the face and still you won’t face the fact the I despise you!”

“Let my track record speak for itself. I have never struck out with a man.”

“Yes, well you did strike out with me.” Having finished with passing papers, Faustus went to his desk, Nina right behind him.

“If you aren’t tempted by me and you think I kidnapped Cordelia- “

“You did kidnap her.” He cut in.

“Why didn’t you tell Theo about Salem? He would have canned my ass in a second.”

“Oh, I so desperately wanted to but I couldn’t because”

“You’re in love with me?” Nina suggested, batting her eyes.

Suddenly, Faustus had the urge to vomit. “Nooo, it’s because since I tore up that permission slip and returned Erin’s cell phone to its rightful owner, I had no evidence. Thankfully, I didn’t need it and Theo sided with me. Now, you have to go.”

“Why should I leave?”

“Because I can’t do this anymore!” Faustus snapped. “Your stupid, childish attempts to seduce me are growing more and more desperate. I consider it just pure dumb luck that someone hadn’t walked in and misread the situation…yet. I feel that the longer you stay in this class, the more likely something like that will happen and I will not risk losing anything because of you. I refuse to lose the love of my life, our daughter or my freedom.”

“Your freedom?”

Faustus nodded. “The more you stay here, the more I can see myself killing you and then I will be sent to jail.”

Faustus got up and in desperation, Nina grabbed his arm. “Faustus, I had to do what I did in Salem because…I’m in love with you.”

He took his arm back with 1 swift jerk. “In love with me?! You don’t even know the 1stthing about me!”

“Where am I to go?” Nina sounded lost.

“I don’t know. Go work in the office, go teach in another room, or another school, or another town, or another planet. Maybe you could get a job at an all boys school and start an orgy! I simply don’t care!”

“Fine!” Nina stomped across the room, made a half hearted attempt to clear everything off her desk and went across the room, stopping in the doorway. “Things aren’t over between us.”

“Yes, they are.” It was rude and a little childish, but Faustus couldn’t believe how good it felt to slam the door in Nina’s face.

“Mmm, this kitchen smells delightful, sister.” It was the next afternoon when Zelda walked into the room where Hilda had been working for hours.

Hilda looked up. “Thank you, sister. The fish is nearly done and then I have 1 or 2 things to do before I pop off.”

Zelda frowned. “I feel bad, Hildie. You’ve been working so hard on this dinner for me and I can’t even invite you to stay.”

“Don’t worry, Zelds. I understand completely. It just wouldn’t be fair to spring the whole Spellman clan on LJ’s beau at his 1st family dinner here. No, parents and siblings first, and if that goes well, then who’s knows?”

As Hilda went to check the stove, Zelda spotted a head of lettuce in a bowl and walked towards it. Zelda was the 1st to admit that she wasn’t the kitchen wiz her sister was, but this married mother of 4 could handle making a salad.

“It is exciting, isn’t it?” Hilda returned to the island to chop veggies. “I mean; I can’t even remember the last time LJ bought a boy home.”

“It was college, I believe.” Zelda guessed. “But I’ve never seen her this smitten before. She talks about this Peter all the time.”

The sisters worked in silence for awhile until they heard a loud thump above them.

“What was that?” Zelda was still looking at the ceiling.

“Cordelia?”

“No, I just left Cordy at my office at the academy, working on homework Faustus gave her.”

“Ambrose and Jake are in town, running errands, so- “

“We should be alone.” Zelda wiped her hands on a nearby towel. “Stay here, Hilda. I’ll check this out.”

There were no louder noises and as Zelda climbed to the 2ndlevel, she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. She walked down the hall, seeing nothing out of place, perhaps Vinnie or Apollo were up to mischief. Zelda frowned as she turned to go into her own bedroom. For Zelda saw the top of a head on the floor next to Faustus’s side of the bed. Zelda went to over to the other side of the room and her mouth fell open. There, on the floor, with a book in her lap, was Nina Robinson!

“What are you doing in my house?!” demanded Zelda.

Nina looked up. “You’re a witch.” It was a statement, not a question.

Zelda said nothing, just folded her arms and shifted her weight.

“I don’t even believe in witches,” Nina said, more to herself, than to Zelda. “Or I didn’t 10 minutes ago.” She stood up. “Wait until I tell Faustus about this!” She said gleefully.

For her part, Zelda didn’t even try to stop her, she just sighed and stepped aside.

As Nina came stomping down the stairs, Hilda came out to see what was going on. “Hey!” However, Nina just ignored her as she walked out the door.

“She was a client who showed up an hour ago but since Ambrose and Jake were out, I sent her home.” Hilda explained with a confused look on her face.

“Never mind her, Hildie” Zelda was coming downstairs in a much calmer tone. “I know who that was and more importantly, I know where she’s going.”

Hilda gave her head a shake, she was completely lost here. “Okay, where?”

“To make a massive ass of herself.”

“You need to divorce your wife.

Faustus threw down his pencil and buried his face in his hands. He had just settled in with a soda and was actually looking forward to doing some paperwork done in HIS silent classroom, when Nina waltzed without even a knock. “And apparently you need to have your hearing and memory checked.” Faustus returned with a snap. “As it was only yesterday that I threw you out of this classroom and out of my life. I thought I had made myself quite clear. Or do I need to say word per word that I want nothing to do with you? You know, for a schoolteacher, you’re remarkably dense.”

Nina didn’t reply to any of that. She just came to his desk and dropped the heavy book that had been in her lap. “I saw a book exactly like this 1 in Salem. This is a spell book and it belongs to Zelda. I’m sorry to have to be the 1 to tell you this, Fausty, but your wife is a witch.”

He took hold of the book and looked up at her. “Where did you get this?”

“She stole it from straight out of our bedroom.” Zelda answered, stepping forward from the back of the room where she had watched Nina barge in. “Which means, along with kidnapping, we can now add breaking and entering to her criminal record.”

Nina’s mouth fell open. “Impossible! You weren’t even following me when I left! How did you get here first? Did-did you fly?”

“No.” Zelda replied calmly. “I teleported. It’s much easier and simpler than flying.”

“Then you admit it. You’re a witch. See, Faustus? She admitted it. That explains why you always reject me. You’re under some kind of crazy love spell.”

Zelda rolled her eyes. “Well, someone’s full of herself.”

Faustus smiled at his wife. “Oh, you have no idea.”

“How can you be smiling at her right now?!” Nina shrieked. “She just admit it! She’s a witch, she’s a creature!” Faustus bowed his head and his shoulders began to shake. “Aw, don’t cry. I’m sure she fooled everyone.”

However, when Faustus held his head back, it became apparently to both women that Faustus wasn’t crying at all, but laughing. “Look at you,” he said to Nina. “You’re repulsed! If I knew the truth would disgust you so much, I would have told you the truth long ago.”

Nina was now confused. “Truth? What truth?”

“I’m not like you.” Faustus stood up and pointed towards Zelda. “I’m like her. I’m, as you so rudely put it, a creature!”

“That-that-that’s cannot be!” Nina stammered. “There’s no such thing as a male witch.”

Faustus scoffed. “First of all, that was 1 quote in a children’s fictional youth novel. Secondly, do you believe everything you read?”

“If you do, let us educate you.” Zelda stepped up to stand beside her husband. “For any species on earth to survive, there must be a male and a female counterpoint. Witch kind is no different. Woman is to man is what witch is to warlock.”

“So, if you’re a witch and he’s a warlock,” Nina mused, “then Cordelia is”

“The absolute wrong child to take to Salem!” Faustus said firmly.

“Faustus?” Zelda called.

He put an arm around her shoulders. “Yes, my dearest?”

“It suddenly occurs to me that I can’t think of 1 single reason of why we should let this pathetic moral live.”

Nina crossed her arms. “I’ve done nothing to you.”

Zelda was aghast. “Nothing to me?! You kidnapped my youngest child, took her to Salem of all places, in order to seduce my husband, whom you’ve been lusting over for 2 months!”

“Well, when you put it that way- “Nina turned to run and had her hand on the doorknob when-

“Freeze!” Zelda ordered with her hand out in front of her. “Take your hand off that door and face me.”

Nina, of course, had no intention of obeying, but found she had no control as her hand left the door and her body turned toward Zelda. “What is happening?” She cried.

“You’re getting your 1st taste of real magic,” Zelda explained. “Not those Salem parlor tricks. Now, where was I? Oh yes. For all you put my family through, your death should be long, slow, painful, and bloody.” Nina winced as Zelda drew closer. “However, this is a public building and Faustus and I have dinner guests arrived within the hour, so this must do.” Zelda snapped her fingers and Nina was instantly in a trance.

“You’re in my power now and whatever I say will become your new reality. Nod if you understand me.”

Nina nodded silently.

Zelda smiled. “Good. Now, you are to forget everything about Greendale. Teaching here, lusting after Faustus, everything! As soon as you walk out of this room, you will go home and have an urge to book the very next flight back to New York.”

“Oh, dearest.” Faustus cut in. “Hecate knows no one wants that woman out of Greendale more than I do but the play is almost upon us and while I am listed as co-director as the bloody thing, well, the truth is I paid no attention and would be of very little help. What I’m trying to say is if she left now, we would have to cancel the play altogether and that would be unfair to the children after all their hard work.”

Zelda nodded understandingly. “How long will the play run?”

“Only 3 shows; once on Friday and twice on Saturday.”

“Very well.” Zelda turned back to Nina. “As soon as you walk out of this room, you will go home and have an urge to book the next flight back to New York for Monday morning. Better?” she checked with Faustus.

“Perfect.”

“Other than that urge to book the flight and how to direct the play, you’ll remember nothing of your life here in Greendale, nothing! Once you cross that threshold, the last 2 months of your memory will be wiped clean. If you should even hear the word Greendale again, your skin will crawl and your stomach will churn. You will never, ever set foot in this town again! Now, go!” Zelda opened the door and Nina crossed the threshold, forgetting everything.

“Well, how do you like him, Mom?”

Dinner went well. It felt a little odd having such a formal family dinner on a Wednesday, but since LJ and Peter were both doctors, they had both gotten used to planning their social lives around work, especially since they had to cancel once already. As she wished, all of LJ’s immediate family were there. Her parents, Faustus and Zelda, as well as all 3 of her siblings, Jake, Cordelia, and Prudence. The dishes that Hilda prepared were superb and the conversation was kept light and fun. A good time was had by all. They even managed to get through the entire dinner before Peter got the text that he was needed back at the hospital. Shortly after, Prudence left too. She had bed check at the academy. After the twins, who offered, had cleaned up, LJ took a cup of tea out to the porch, to her mother, where she asked that all important question.

“Thank you.” Zelda said as she reached for the cup. “I like your young man very much. He’s nice and he seemed to be crazy about you.”

“I’m glad you think so because Peter and I are moving in together.”

Zelda spat out her tea. “What?! LJ, have you lost your mind?”

LJ frowned. “You just said you liked Peter.”

“I do, but that doesn’t mean I want you to consider moving in him. You only just meet him 7 weeks ago.”

“I’m more than thinking about it, Mom. I’ve already sold my apartment and moved most of my stuff into his place.”

Zelda was shocked. “You told no one in the family about this.”

“I’m telling you now. I thought you be happy for me.”

“Darling, I’m happy that you met someone, but I think you’re moving too fast, even by mortal standards.”

LJ was getting annoyed. “How can you say that? Father always says he fell in love with you the 1stmoment he saw you.”

Zelda sighed. “Your father would never admit this, but he’s a die-hard romantic, but the truth is we knew each other a lot more than 7 weeks to even have our 1st kiss. We dated for years and it took us centuries to marry.”

“Well, I don’t have centuries, Peter’s mortal.” LJ pointed out. “I think the problem is that you barely know Peter.”

“It’s been 7 weeks; you barely know Peter.”

“I think this conversation is over.” LJ stood up and walked downstairs into the yard.

“Letitia Judith, come back here! I want to talk about this some more.”

“I know what I’m doing, Mother!”

Zelda took a deep breath. She knew that LJ only called her ‘mother’ when she was extremely upset. First Nina, now this. What else could go wrong?

Meanwhile, back inside the house, Faustus walked by his daughter’s open bedroom door. Cordelia sat on her bed, an open school binder before her and an open text in her hands. Yet, she wasn’t studying, she was simply staring off into space.

“Cordy? Did you need some help, honey?”

“Um, huh? What? Oh, no thanks, Dad. I can’t focus.” She closed the text book and tossed it aside.

“You barely said anything at dinner. Is there something on your mind?”

“As a matter of fact, there is. Aunt Hilda just said something yesterday, in passing, but I can’t stop thinking of it. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Well, I guess there’s no easy way to say this. Dad, I think Sara is a witch.”

Faustus frowned. “Cordelia, I know you’re only 12 and your mother and I don’t like you using the b word, but you know that in this family, ‘witch’ is not an insult.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Dad! I’m serious!”

“You are, aren’t you?”

“Completely. Like I said, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. I’m beginning to wonder why I didn’t see it earlier. The clues were all there. Just like pieces of a puzzle.”

“What clues?” Faustus asked.

“When I first met Sara, on that 1st day of school, Sara seemed upset, angry even, when she learned that the triplets were in the 7th grade, not 8th grade like her. The fire was that day, burning down the 8 grade classroom and then they moved in with us. Later, when the triplets bought her to the sleepover, she unleashed the fear demon. Ambrose himself said that it was a really hard spell and it was completely in Latin. Now, I know for a fact that none of the triplets speak Latin and I can barely keep my verbs straight. Oh, and I saw Sara actually drink that magic coco that make mortals forget the evening yet Sara brought up the fear demon again over a month later. Remember the blood on our door in Salem? I was told they only did that for witches, so I was confused on why there was blood on the triplets’ door, then I realized, Sara was in that room too. Not to mention that my friends have been acting weird ever since she showed up. Doesn’t that prove she’s a witch?”

Faustus sighed and put an arm around his daughter. “I’m sorry, Cordy, but I don’t agree. I’m not saying that the behaviour you just spoke of isn’t suspect, it certainly is. But didn’t Sara’s family project say she’s descended from a Salem judge? Even if she did lie about that, you yourself said that you were sure that putting on a play about Salem was Sara’s idea, not to mention the field trip. If Sara was a witch, why would she do that? Or identify as a Wiccan?”

“Oh Hecate, Dad, you’re right. I’m just shooting in the dark here. I just wanted to be able to explain the triplets’ behavior so badly when any fool from the outside looking in would say that I’m just the jealous ex-friend, and they wouldn’t be wrong.” With a frown on her face, Cordelia did a belly-flop onto her bed with her head down.

Faustus couldn’t stand seeing his daughter so unhappy. “Forget about what I just said. What does your gut tell you?”

Cordelia looked up. “It’s telling me that witch or mortal, Sara is nothing but trouble and that something bad is about to happen and soon.”

On Friday night, the Greendale Middle School’s Grade 7/8 production of the Crucible was very well received. It was after the play that Sara asked the Warners to take her to the tree where the Greendale 13 were hanged.

“I can’t believe the play went so well.” Erica grinned as she walked beside her sister and Sara walked in front of them.

“I can’t believe that after all the hard work, we only get to do the play 2 more times tomorrow.” Emily remarked.

“I know.” Giggled Erin.

In contract, Sara was humorless as she stopped before a massive oak. “Is this it?”

Emily nodded. “Yup, this is where the Greendale 13 were hung as witches.”

“You know; I’ve never liked the number 13. What do we make it 16?” Sara waved her hands and faster than lighting, the braches of the trees came down and wrapped around the triplets’ necks like nooses.

“What-what are you doing?!” Emily choked as she grasped for air.

“Seeking justice for my kind and let’s see if this can get a raise out of little miss perfect.” Sara took out her cell phone and took a picture.

LJ felt bad. It had been 2 days since she and Zelda had their big fight. Now that LJ had the time to step back and calm down, she now understood where her mother was coming from. LJ still didn’t think she was moving too fast. She was completely in love with Peter and couldn’t wait to start living with him. But she also knew that Zelda was just trying to look out for her. Yet, her making up with Mom was going to have to wait. Tonight, LJ had a surprise for her boyfriend. LJ was slated to work tonight therefore she wasn’t supposed to officially move in until tomorrow but LJ got a friend to cover her shift for her and therefore Peter had no idea that LJ was on her way with her last box of stuff. LJ used the key that Peter had already given her to let herself. LJ barely had time to swing the door closed with her foot when she heard a cry coming from the bedroom. Afraid that Peter had hurt himself, LJ rushed into the bedroom without knocking. Peter was fine and so was the girl who was on top of him and once more cried out with joy.

“You bastard!” Because it was still in her hands, LJ threw the cardboard box across the room. It hit the shoulder of Peter’s mistress, causing her to turn and allowed LJ a brief glance of her before LJ ran out of the apartment, her eyes soaked with tears.

The easiest way to keep her mind off Sara, the play and the fact that none of the Warners hadn’t talked to her in an entire week, Cordelia figured, was to keep busy. She had finished all the homework Faustus had given her, served as a perfect soundboard for Zelda when she wanted to debut a new sermon. She even helped Jake clean up the morgue. Cordelia was in the middle of a bubble bath when her phone, that was playing relaxing music, dinged. She sat up when she saw the triplets and the hanging tree. The picture had no text with it but Cordelia knew exactly who sent it.

“Sara!”

As fast as she could, Cordelia got out of the tub, toweled off and grabbed the nearest clothes. Cordelia was quick but not quiet. As she stomped down the stairs, Zelda came out of the sitting room.

“Cordy? What’s going on?”

“Sorry, Mom, can’t talk now. Sara finally made a move. Hi, LJ.” She greeted her sister who had just opened the front door and rushed by her.

“LJ?”

“Mom, you were right. I didn’t know Peter at all.” LJ took a few steps before she broke down in her mother’s arms.

The hanging tree was all the way across town so Cordelia teleported her way there. “DOWN!” She cried out in Latin as soon as she saw her hanging friends.

“UP!” Sara ordered.

“I know who you are now. I know you’re a witch like me.”

Sara crossed her arms. “Well, look who finally got a clue.”

“Why are you hanging my friends? You already stole them from me.”

Sara laughed cruelly. “You think I care about those 3 mortal morons. I don’t. I came here for you, cousin!”

“No! Oh dark mother, please, no!” Faustus Spellman jolted up in bed, pushing the bedspread off his naked chest which now heaved up and down with heavy breaths.  Faustus was unaware of just how sweaty he was until he buried his face in his hands.

“Honey? What is it? What’s wrong?”

Faustus looked up to see his Zelda, in her eyes he saw concern for him. “Zelda, come no closer! Don’t make me hurt you more! Please, I beg of you, stay away!” Faustus moved from middle of the bed to the end. 1 moment he felt the mattress beneath his hand, another moment there was only air. Faustus prepared himself for the fall, only it never came, for Zelda had rushed to his side, pulled him up and in an effort to comfort him, tried to put his head on her chest, which made him very confused. He fought her. “Zelda!  Get away from me while you can!”

Still, Zelda was worried. “Darling? Hush now, can’t you see that you just had another nightmare?!”

Faustus shook his head. “It wasn’t,” He insisted. “It was too real this time.”

Zelda tried again. “What did you dream about? Walk me through it, all that you can remember.”

Faustus sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “It was like no time had passed. I was struck inside Blackwood, who of course, trying to hurt you and the coven. I just can’t escape it, can I? I truly am evil!”

“Try to focus, Faustus. Please tell me what happened.”

“I founded another church. The Church of the Night Pilgrims.”

Zelda shook her head. “There is no such church. I would know, as an ordained high priestess, I have a current list of all the world’s covens. I can show it to you if like.”

“I won Mary Wardwell to my cause!” He said firmly.

“Impossible for 2 reasons!” Zelda’s reply was just as firm. “Mary Wardwell would never abandon her faith that easily and secondly, you never properly meet that mortal, only once when you with stuck in Blackwood.”

“I freed the Eldritch Terrors.  I did!” He insisted when Zelda only sighed.  “All 8 of them, the darkness, the uninvited, the weird, the perverse, the cosmic, the return, the endless and the void. I also almost ruined Hilda’s wedding with the uninvited.”

Zelda pleaded gently by putting her hands on his chest. “You have warned us about the Terrors ever since you spilt from the curse. We have taken all the precautions but not 1 terror has shown up yet. It’s been 13 years and waiting.  You didn’t ruin Hilda’s wedding. You escorted her down the aisle after saving her groom from armed robbers. The 2 of you have been best friends ever since remember? Darling, please, you have to stop!”

But Faustus couldn’t stop; He was afraid if he stopped talking, he would give into the tears that were just below the surface and then he would never be dried eyed again. “Oh, and Lilith gave birth to a boy and called him Adam.”

“Easy fix. Lilith’s son is named Alexander and shortly after his birth, she met a man called Adam who was working for Emperor Blackwood. You just got your wires crossed on that 1.”

Rather than calm down, Faustus stiffened. “Oh goddess! Emperor Blackwood! Even if I had the power, why would I go around arresting witches? It makes no sense! For goddess’s sake, I’m a witch myself! And why would I spent so much time and energy to get rid of Sabrina? She’s such a sweet girl and we have made our peace.”

Zelda listened patiently. “Yes, I agree with you about Sabrina, but I have no idea what else you’re talking about. Blackwood took the title of Emperor when he stole Elizabeth’s throne, not you. As for arresting witches, well, my love, that simply never happened.”

“What of the weird sisters?” Faustus demanded.

“They’re fine,” Zelda assured him.  “Prudence, Dorcus and Agatha are all fine.”

“No. Agatha was insane and was murdered by Prudence and Dorcus.”

“You cured Agatha of her insanity years ago and then all was forgiven, for her and for you.”

“And the other sisters?”

“What other sisters?” Asked a confused Zelda.

“Well, for 1, Rosalind Walker.”

“What?! Rosalind is a seer, not a witch. Never was, never will be.”

“And Mambo Marie? Or Baron S-something, as he turned out to be. He was a lord of the underworld, who was still in love with you.”

“What? Poppycock! Mambo Marie is still living in New Orleans. We know that because she got married last month. Prudence went to the wedding and we sent her off with a gift. Hecate, Faustus, you signed the card. We all did! I just got a lovely thank you card from Marie and her new wife the other day. Anyway, it doesn’t matter because I love you.”

“Well, you shouldn’t!” Faustus jumped away from the bed and from Zelda’s gentle touch. The tears finally started to fall. “I killed Sabrina! Or I helped her to her death when I tried to sacrifice her to the void so I could have it power for myself. You tricked me which made me blind and later, Prudence took a chainsaw, cut off my limbs and buried them at the 4 corners of the world and you were both right to do it!”

Zelda calmly got off the bed and went to her husband. “I don’t know what the void is, but I do know that Sabrina is fine. Yes, she is!” Zelda stressed when Faustus shook his head violently. “In fact, right before I came back in here to check on you, I just off the phone with her. Sabrina just got final approval for her new office and she wanted me to thank you.”

“Sabrina thank me? Whatever for?!”

“Perhaps because you helped her find the place? Or because you co-signed for the loan. Or because you gave the idea to be a therapist in the 1st place?”

“I did?”

“You did.” Zelda confirmed. “What about the other things you said? Are you blind now?”

“Only by my tears.” Faustus mumbled.

Zelda gently wiped his eyes for him. There. Now, what do you see?”

“What I always see when I look at you. The most beautiful woman, witch or mortal, in all the realms.” Zelda smiled at him and it would have been so damn easy to give in. Faustus wanted so badly to believe he could be this great guy who would live with this goddess who had owned his heart forever.  He leaned in to kiss her but turned away at the last second. “No! I can’t! If I can dream all this, then I must still be dangerous.”

“Faustus- “

“Zelda, I’m going to leave now and you must promise me that if you ever even hear the name of Faustus Blackwood, you will run the other way!”

“Alright, I will.”

It broke his heart completely to hear her agree but it was for best. However, he only half turned before he felt Zelda’s hand on his arm.

“You know; Faustus Blackwood no longer exists. You are Faustus Spellman and this” Zelda leaned over and took a framed picture from the nightstand. “is Faustus Spellman’s family, taken not even 2 weeks ago.”

Faustus looked at the photo. They were all there. Him, Zelda, Hilda, Dr. C, Sabrina, Ambrose, Prudence, the twins, Judith and Ju-no, their names were LJ and Jake now. They were all smiling and happy. Then Faustus saw a face that was not in his dream at all. “Cordelia?”

“Of course, Cordelia.” Zelda smiled. “Our 12-year-old is probably downstairs right now, eating cereal and watching TV, like she does every Sunday. I love you, and I won’t let you throw away 13 years of your hard work to be mentally well. It was all a dream, Faustus. It means nothing. Everything’s fine. I really hate that it’s been over a decade and Edward’s curse still has the ability to haunt you like this.”

Faustus couldn’t quite hide a little smile. He was touched beyond words how Zelda thought of it as Edward’s curse, not his own. Still, he wasn’t sure. “How can I know that this isn’t the dream?” Faustus wondered. “What if I’m still stuck inside Blackwood?” That thought terrified him.

“Blackwood has been gone and buried for the last 12 years. Still, if you have to be convince that this isn’t a dream.”

“Ow,” Yet he smiled when Zelda pinched him.

His wife raised her eyebrow. “Not enough? Okay.” Zelda leaned forward and kissed him deeply.

During the kiss, Faustus felt Zelda unbuttoning his shirt. “What are you doing?”

“Checking,” Zelda said matter of fact. “Earlier you mentioned Prudence cut your limbs off. If that actually happened, you would have scars.” She lowered his shirt and kissed around his shoulders. “No scars here. Wait, I need to check on something.”

“Where are you going?”

“On the night we buried Blackwood, I had to save your life with a binding spell. Which means that if you have a mark on your body, I have it on mine as well.”  Zelda explained as she went to look in the mirror.

Faustus came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle. “I was beheaded too, but your neck seems fine.”  He gently brushed her hair aside and began kissing her neck.

“What about my shoulders?”

Faustus was still kissing her neck when he tugged off Zelda’s silk robe and let it fall to the floor. Then 1 at a time, he pulled down the straps of her nightgown. “Nothing here,” he reported. He claimed her lips with his own and then kissed her brow. “You know; I did say all 4 limbs.” Zelda felt a delightful shiver as Faustus let her nightgown fall to the floor. His long arms felt the front of her until he got to the limbs of her thighs. His fingers made quick work of her underwear, letting them fall as well. “You are perfection.” He whispered as he touched the most secret part of her.

As soon as she was able, Zelda turned around. “Now that I’m all checked out, let’s finish with you.” The pretense was dropped entirely after that, just like Faustus’s pants. They tumbled backwards onto the bed, clinging tightly to each other as they made love.

“I love you, Zelda.”

“I love you, Faustus.”

Faustus fell asleep quickly after their lovemaking. It was no surprise to Zelda. After all that dreaming in the night, he must have gotten very little rest. She kissed his forehead and whispered, “Sleep long, sleep sound. Let no more dreams come around.” Happy with her spell, Zelda got up, got dressed and started the phone calls.

 Faustus awoke to the sounds of a busy kitchen. 1 look at the clock told him he had slept the day away. Just taking a shower and getting dressed made him feel better. He went downstairs and the 1st thing he saw was the weird sisters, who were setting the table.

Prudence looked up first. Although Faustus felt weary, her eyes and her smile were welcoming. “Hello, Father.”

“Hello, Mr. Spellman.” Agatha and Dorcus said together, in that unique weird sister way.

It was oddly comforting. “Hello, girls.” Faustus was still smiling when he felt a pat on his back.

He looked beside him to see Dr.  C. “Hey buddy! Zelda called and said you had a rough night. We thought a nice family dinner would make you feel better.”

Faustus remained speechless but he walked into the kitchen with Dr. C. Then he saw the steel wrist band on Dr. C’s arm. “You still have the incubus?”

“Of  course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Uh…never mind.”

They reached the kitchen where he saw more Spellmans readying dinner. Well, most of them. Ambrose was leaning against the island, casually reading a book and dipping his free hand into a food bowl, until LJ slapped his hand away.

“Father! You’re finally up, sleepyhead!” Jake tossed him a teasing smile as he carried the chopped carrots to the stove and dropped them into the pot that Hilda was stirring.

“Hey Dad,” the child’s comment was casual as she walked by him, carrying a side dish, bound for the dinning table. However, Faustus had to reach out and touch her, afraid she would disappear right before his eyes.

“Cordelia!  You’re real!”

Her face, exactly like Zelda’s, clouded over in confusion. “Thanks? So are you?”

He watched her walk away and for the 1st time, Faustus thought that perhaps Zelda was right, perhaps it all had been just a dream! Then Faustus saw something that made his heart drop into his stomach. A very   much alive Vinegar Tom got off his dog bed and went to his food bowl. Of course, he had no problem with the dog being alive. Heaven, when he first heard of the familiar’s death, his gut instinct was to run and comfort Zelda, yet he couldn’t because he was still married to Constance at the time. No, the problem was that Tom’s life was Marie’s final gift before returning to the underworld. If that part of the dream was real surely everything else was real too.

Faustus was still trying to sort fact from fiction when an arm came around his waist and Zelda kissed him. “Feeling better, darling?”

“Vinegar Tom is alive?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Don’t you remember?”

“Humor me, dearest, please?” Faustus begged.

“Well,” Zelda’s voice lowered to a whisper. “As you know, I cried hardest for Tom on his birthday and you always do your best to comfort me. But 3 years ago, when she was 9, Cordy must have heard us for later, when we went downstairs, we found her petting Tom’s stuffed form.”

“Yes!” The memory struck Faustus’s brain like lighting. “I managed to get Cordelia out of the room, but you called me back a moment later, Vinnie was alive. We didn’t know how to explain it to Cordy, so you kept Tom at the academy for a few weeks. When Vinnie came back, we told Cordelia that he was a new dog, named Vinegar Tom as tribute.”

“Yes! That’s exactly what happened.”

Faustus was smiling at his wife when his feet felt warm. He looked down to see Vinnie sitting on his shoes. He picked up   the dog and, together with Zelda, petted him. “I’m glad you have your soul mate back.”

“I’m glad I have both my soul mates back.”

“You said that to me before. The night VT came back.”

 5 minutes later,  with everyone around the table, Faustus finally realized who was  missing. G  He was about ask when the front door opened.

“Hi all. Sorry I’m late.”

Before he realized he was doing it, Faustus ran to her and hugged her. “Sabrina!”

“Hi Uncle Faustus. Nice to see you too.”

“Your tongue! For the love of Hecate, please show me your tongue!”

“O-okay.” Sabrina spit out her tongue.

“Pink and normal. Yes!”

“What’s with him?” Asked Sabrina.

Zelda came up behind her husband. “Your uncle had an awful dream last night. I’m afraid he’s still recovering.”

“Oh, well, don’t worry, it’s just a dream.” Sabrina kissed his cheek.

Zelda didn’t believe what she just heard. She walked across the room so she could read the text herself. She read it twice and still shook her head. “No, I don’t believe it. Our Cordelia just can’t be on her way to Salem. She just can’t be!”

Jake, who wasn’t exactly in the loop, gasped. “You can’t mean that Cordelia is on her way to Salem, that Salem, THE Salem?!”

“Apparently so,” Ambrose answered him.

Faustus, meanwhile, checked his watch and walked quickly to the front hall where everyone followed him.

“Where are you going, Uncle Faustus,” Ambrose called out.

“It’s 8:30 now and I know that the bus should have left at 5:30. Despite that 3-hour head start, I going to see if I can catch it before they reach Salem.”

“I’m going with you.” Zelda reached for her coat but Faustus stopped her.

“No, dearest.” Faustus shook his head. “I understand completely why you want to come along, but if worse comes to worst and I have to go all the way to Salem, I won’t be able to explain your presence. It’s my class on that trip. The only reason I’m not with them right now is that I told them I was sick.” Zelda looked upset and Faustus sought to comfort her with his next statement. “Our girl is very clever. She might get away and come home on her own so someone needs to be here.”

Zelda was still upset but managed to put on a brave face. “Faustus, your trip will go by faster if you don’t have to stop much. I could pack you some sandwiches if you want.”

“Excellent idea, my love.”

10 minutes later, the car was packed and Faustus was ready to go. Jake and Ambrose hung back to allow Zelda and Faustus a private goodbye.

“Do you have everything?” Zelda asked.

“I think so.”

“Call me as soon as you find Cordelia. I don’t care where you are.” Faustus nodded and Zelda sighed and threw her arms around her husband. “And for Hecate’s sake, Faustus,” Zelda whispered into his neck. “Please, please be careful. I simply wouldn’t know what I would do if anything ever happened to you or Cordelia.”

“Shhh, hush my love, the only thing that going to happen is mine and Cordelia’s safe return. Any other outcome is unacceptable.” He then kissed her goodbye. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Zelda returned “Bring home our girl.”

Faustus nodded, kissed her again before he got into the car, and drove off. Even before Faustus’s car drove out of sight, Zelda could feel Ambrose’s arm around her shoulders.

“Don’t worry, Aunt Z, if anyone up to this task, it’s uncle Faustus.”

“Absolutely,” Jake agreed. “They’ll be back before you know it.”

The 7-hour bus trip flew by. From the very back, Cordelia watched the other students filed off the bus. Cordelia took a deep breath and got up and tried to get off the bus. However, Mrs. Robinson blocked her.

“Not yet, Cordelia. They’re not ready for you.”

“Ready for me?”

Nina didn’t respond but when Cordelia was allowed to leave the bus, Nina was right by her side. Cordelia noticed that the rest of the class had formed a half-circle. Then, a tall, scary man dressed in a black robe walked out of the shadows and stopped right in front of Cordelia. “Is this the child, then?”

Nina nodded. “It is, your honor.”

Your honor? Cordelia looked from 1 adult to the other.

The man in black pointed at Cordelia. “Has she been charged yet?”

“No, your honor. We thought it best to get her down here and then charge her.”

Charge me? The horror finally dawned on Cordelia. This was no field trip, this was a witch trial. HER witch trial!

Meanwhile, the man in black continued. “What is the child’s name?”

“Cordelia Spellman.” Nina answered.

The man in black arched his eyebrow. “Really? SPELLman? And the name Cordelia hasn’t been in fashion for at least an century. It’s like she’s not even trying to hide it.” For the 1st time, the man in black spoke to Cordelia directly. “So, what do you say, girl? Do you deny it? Do you deny that you’re a witch?”

Cordelia stood tall. “Of course, I deny it. Everyone knows that witches don’t really exist.”

“Is that right, girlie? Let see if you say that after you see this!” He grabbed Cordelia roughly by the arm and guided her between 2 old houses.

“Hey!”

The man in black let go of Cordelia after giving her a little shove. Cordelia looked up and was in shock. There they were; all in a row, bound and gagged, all standing on barrels with nooses around their necks. Her entire family, Faustus, Zelda, Jake, LJ, Prudence, Ambrose, Sabrina, Hilda, and even Dr. C.

Without a 2nd thought, Cordelia turned to the man in black. “Okay, you got me. I am a witch. But I’m the only 1. My family didn’t even know, they’re completely innocent. Do whatever you want to me but let them go!”

“Bull!” The man in black declared. “Everyone knows that magic goes through the bloodline so if you're a witch, so is your family.”

“But I’m adopted!” Cordelia stressed. It was the 1st thing she could think of.

“Then why do you look exactly like your mother? You’re lying!” The man in black turned to the men behind the barrels. “Hang them!” He ordered.

“NO!” Cordelia screamed but the man in black held her as the barrels were kicked and the Spellmans were hanged.

“And as for you,” The man in black stared hatefully down at Cordelia. “You’re a witch by your own admission. Your punishment will be to burn at the stake.”

Cordelia didn’t, couldn’t say anything. Her entire family was just murdered for just being born witches. She choked back tears as she was tied to the stake.

“Daughter, would you like to do the honors?” The man in black asked.

“I would love to.”

Suddenly, Cordelia was face to face with Sara, who had a torch in her hand.

“I knew you were trouble since the 1st day I saw you!”

Sara only smiled. “Goodbye, witch. Thanks for the friends.” Sara lit the pyre and Cordelia watched the orange flames crack, flickering, and then it jumped? When the fire jumped for the 2nd time, Cordelia felt her body jump with it.

The next thing Cordelia knew, her eyes opened and she realized she was still on the bus. As the other students were laughing and talking, some about the recent speedbump they just passed, Cordelia sat up. Her hand on her chest, willing her heartbeat to go back to normal. Cordelia looked up at the sound of loud laughter. She grew sad when she realized it was Sara and the triplets. Cordelia frowned; she was so happy and excited to get the text this morning. She practically ran all the way to the schoolyard. When she discovered that they were already on the bus, Cordelia thought nothing of going on the bus. Yet the more she talked, the more Cordelia saw the triplets’ faces grew blanker and blanker. They had no idea what she was talking about! Cordelia’s heart sank yet she knew she wasn’t crazy. She knew that the text came from Erin’s phone. Cordelia suspected that Sara may have stolen the phone and sent the message herself to make Cordelia look foolish. Cordelia turned to get off the bus when Mrs. Robinson stopped her. Mrs. Robinson then showed her the paper and the name on it. Cordelia knew it was faked, (it must be!) There was no one there to save her. Cordelia’s heart fell into her shoes when she realized the bus to Salem was moving and she was still on it. With no other choice, Cordelia sat in the very back, which on a deluxe bus was like a padded bench with seat belts, and tried to control her breathing, just like she was trying to do now.

“Are you okay, Cordelia?” asked a classmate who sat nearby.

“I’m fine, Anne.” Cordelia lied. She was anything but fine! It was actual life and death if someone discovered her secret. As she sat up and looked around the bus, she envied the happy carefree smiles of her peers. Half of Cordelia just wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole. The other half of her just wanted to stand up and scream. This entire journey was billed as an educational trip but Cordelia couldn’t understand what, if anything, could be ‘educational’ about a town infamous for killing witches, her kind, her people. For Cordelia, this was just as cruel as taking a person of the Jewish faith to tour a WW II death camp. Cordelia sighed as she quickly wiped a tear away. She had already decided that the only way to survive this weekend was to stay down and keep quiet. Hoping to distract herself, Cordelia took out her phone.

“Aw, man!” Cordelia groaned as she read the new message. Cordelia decided earlier not to involve her family. After all, nothing good could come from bringing even more witches to Salem. Despite this, by around 8:30, in a fit of panic, Cordelia texted her father. The instant she hit send, she regretted it. The only thing she could do now was hoping against hope that Faustus didn’t get the message. Now she knew; not only did her father get the message, but he also sent a reply.

Dear Cody,

Stay clam. I’m coming to get you as soon as can. I love you. Dad.

With a defeated sigh, Cordelia let her phone drop into her lap and rested her forehead against the window. She was already stressed as hades and they weren’t even there yet! When Cordelia noticed the sun was beaming down on her, she reached for the golden crescent moon at her neck. “Father sun, mother moon, make time fly. Make this weekend end soon.” She whispered.

Faustus didn’t understand. It was only 2 days ago that Cordelia came home crying at the mere thought of going to Salem, convinced she would die. Now she was on a bus going there? It just didn’t make any sense. Faustus knew how important Cordelia’s friends were to her but still, he just couldn’t imagine his strong-willed daughter being so desperate to win her friends’ favor that she would be talked into taking the trip. Further proof of this was Cordelia’s own text message. The message wasn’t a confessional of a kid who got carried away. It was more like a cry for help. It actually contained the phase S.O.S, which had to be a plea for help. Even if Cordelia had gone to Salem willingly, it shouldn’t have been allowed by her teachers. Even though he had always planned to claim illness and pull out at the last second, as the 7th-grade teacher, Faustus was preparing for this trip all week. Therefore, he knew that every student needed a permission slip signed by a parent or guardian to even go on the trip. Now he knew that Zelda would never sign anything that would put their daughter anywhere near Salem and Hecate knows he didn’t sign a permission slip so Cordelia should have never been able to leave with the others. She should have been kicked off that bus the moment a teacher saw her. Every time Faustus thought of his sweet, youngest child alone in that witch-hating town make Faustus pressed his foot hard on the gas pedal. He was driving on the highway, just about to enter yet another town, when something odd happened. The bottom left side of the car bounced and then dragged. The sudden movement startled Faustus so he took his eyes off the road for just a second to see what was wrong in the back. When he turned his attention back to the road, he saw a cat lying in the middle of the laneway. On instinct, Faustus turned to miss the cat and went up onto a curb. As soon as Faustus collected himself, he got out of the car. He slammed the door, angry at what he saw. The rear left tire had a big nail in it and was still leaking air. The front tire was busted up from hitting the curb.

“Damn!” Faustus swore. So much for catching up to the bus before it got to Salem. Unless…Faustus knelt by the rear tire, raised his hand, and was about to say a spell when-

“Hi there, fellow. Do ya need some help?”

Faustus looked up and saw a kind, elderly man with a tow truck right behind him. Faustus sighed, now he felt stuck. Yes, it would undoubtedly be faster to fix the car by magic, Faustus couldn’t use magic in front of a witness nor could he deny that he was in trouble. So he greeted the man, who was named Gus and it turned out that Gus owned an auto shop in the city. So Gus hooked Faustus’s car up to his truck and they drove to the shop. When they got there, Gus left Faustus in the lobby. 10 minutes later, Gus returned, frowning.

“I’m sorry, friend, but I just found a note from my partner and he had to go tend to an emergency so I’m the only 1 to look after the shop. Plus, I was just in the back, and I swear this never happens, but we seem to out of tires. So, I’m afraid you’re stuck here for a while.”

Faustus sighed. He knew he should have used magic! “Thank you for the ride into town.” He told Gus. Faustus began to walk around the waiting room as Gus went back to work. In the seating area, among the magazines, Faustus found a town map.

“Hey, do you have a bathroom here?”

“Yeah. 1st door on the left.” Gus answered.

“Thank you.” Faustus was pleased to discover that it was a private, single-person bathroom. After locking the door, Faustus unfolded the map and studied it until he found that there was A Walmart supercenter in this town. Astral projecting to a place you never been before was always risky, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He laid the map on the floor and then he laid beside the map. Faustus closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. It worked; for when Faustus opened his eyes again, he was right in front of the store. After thanking Hecate, Faustus entered the store. It was big and crowded so Faustus knew he had to hurry. Faustus made quick work of finding the auto department and selecting the correct tires. The trouble, as Faustus soon learned, was upfront. There was only 1 check-out station open and a very long lineup. Faustus stood in line, carrying a tire in each hand when he saw the 1st of those hateful birds in the window.

Oh no! Come on, come on, come on! Faustus silently willed the line to get a move on already.

Soon after, came another bird and another. By the time there were 4, Faustus realized his nose was bleeding. When 6 birds were all in a row, Faustus’s entire body was shaking and his head felt ready to explode. He could hold on no more. Sighing, Faustus dropped the tires and closed his eyes, only to return to his body on the bathroom floor. Faustus sat up and hit the titles with his palms. “Damn it!” He had to find another way to fix his car and get to his daughter and soon!

After all the stories about how all the mortals tortured and killed them, Cordelia wondered if any of the Salem witches ever simply died from boredom. If so, Cordelia may have found their descendent. It was late afternoon and the class was listening to a lecture in an old town hall. The only thing that Cordelia found remotely interesting about this guy was he has been talking for over 2 hours and had still to get a single fact right. If this so ‘witch expect’ attended the academy, Cordelia felt certain that he would easily fail 1st-year witch history. Cordelia sighed and looked out the window, only to see a graveyard, because, of course, there was a graveyard right there! Maybe it was because she was a real witch, but ever since she had arrived in Salem, Cordelia has been experienced odd things. Like wherever she went, Cordelia heard noises, like moaning and weeping, possibly from the murdered witches. Even though the Salem roads were paved, Cordelia could swear she heard splashing, as if she was walking on blood. Cordelia shook her head and turned the other way. Cordelia managed to lock eyes with Erin, and they smiled at each other. The bus had arrived in Salem at 12:30. So the first thing the class did was have lunch at a restaurant called The Witch’s Brew. (Salem got absolutely zero points for subtly.) Cordelia had a bit of luck when she was seated next to Erin at lunch. She was finally got to explain about the text, how the girls wanted to talk to her before leaving for Salem and how it came from Erin’s phone. Erin then explained that she lost her phone 3 days ago. In fact, the last thing Erin did before she left the house this morning was to ask her mom to keep looking for it. Therefore, Erin couldn’t have written that text. Still, the 2 girls got to talking during the meal and at least, for now, there was peace between Cordelia and 1 of her friends. The lecture was finally over and the class started to file out. Cordelia sneaked away to the bathroom. She did this several times today, whenever she felt the need to regroup.

You’re doing great, girl. Cordelia thought to herself. All you have to do now is get through supper, another walking tour, and then it’s off to the motel for the night. Then just 3 more days, Cordelia sighed.

When Cordelia returned to the front, she noticed that everyone from before had gone and only 2 maids were talking to each other.

“I don’t know, Dru. We come in here every day and we listen to that blockhead, every single day, telling lie after lie. But it seems especially wrong to let him tell all this to schoolchildren. It just seems so irresponsible to me.”

Drusilla, the other maid, sighed. “Shelley, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times. It doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, he’s just another mortal spinning fairy tales for mortal children. It has nothing to with us.”

“Us?” Cordelia jumped into the conversation without thinking. “You’re not mortals either? Are you witches?”

The 2 maids were visually shocked. “Mortal? Who said mortal?” Drusilla asked. “I said more tell, yeah, more tell. That darn lecturer is always leaving without telling us.”

While Drusilla was trying, very unsuccessfully, to talk herself out of trouble, Shelley knocked over the bucket of water she was mopping with. “Oh, for Hades’s sake!”

Cordelia smiled. “For Hade’s sake? That sounds like a witch phase to me. Don’t worry, I’m a witch too.”

“Oh, great. Another little girl who thinks she’s a real witch.” Although Drusilla muttered this to herself, Cordelia still overheard her.

The Spellman witch raised her hand and the spilled water was back in the bucket. “Now do you believe me?” Cordelia smiled.

“You are a witch.” Shelley said with awe and then pointed to the door. “What about the class you came in with? Are they witches?”

“No.” Cordelia shook her head. “They’re all mortals, I’m the only one.”

Drusilla raised an eyebrow. “You’re here all alone? What are you? 11?”

“12, actually,” Cordelia answered. “Yes, I’m alone, but it’s a long and confusing story and I don’t know how to explain it. What about you 2? Do you live in Salem as well as working here?”

“Dru lives in town, but you wouldn’t find me here after dark.”

Drusilla rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t be such a baby, Shelley. I figured I’m safer here than anywhere else, kind of how like a farmer will never search for a fox in a henhouse.”

Cord smiled, she wasn’t sure whether that statement was madness or brilliant.

“Don’t worry, kid.” Drusilla continued. “Your day trip must be almost over. You’ll be home before you know it.”

“Oh, it’s not a day trip. The class will be here until Monday.”

“You’re staying overnight? Here? At a motel? But what about the rebels?” Shelley seemed frightened.

“The rebels?” Cordelia asked. “Who or what are the rebels?”

“They’re a secret group of mortals who believe that witches never left Salem. It’s said that to this day, they go around at night, leaving fresh blood on the motel door of witches.”

“Don’t scare her with that old wives’ tales! I’ve lived here for almost ten years and that never happened to me.”

“That’s because you don’t use motels.”

Drusilla dismissed Shelley with a shake of her head and took something out of her pocket. “Pay no mind to Shelley, but I would feel better if you took this good luck charm.”

“I just can’t take it. What if I pay for it?” Cordelia suggested. “$5 bucks?”

They agreed and as they exchanged items, Drusilla caught sight of Cordelia’s wrist. “Oh my gosh! Have you always had that?”

“What? My birthmark? Yes, I’ve always it.”

Drusilla rubbed it a bit with her thumb. “It’s not coming off. If this is what I think it is, well, honey, you are not a witch, you are THE witch.”

“What does that mean?”

Before anyone could speak further, Mrs. Applegate, another teacher from Greendale middle school, appeared at the door. “Here you are, Cordelia. Come along, it’s time for dinner and it’s starting to rain.”

It was still raining when Faustus watched the sunset from 1 of the auto shop’s windows then he sighed and turned away. Faustus simply couldn’t believe he had wasted most of the day here. This partnership with the van had yet to show up and Gus was busy with a steady stream of customers. Despite being in the same place most of the day, Faustus tried desperately to make contact with his daughter with a series of calls, texts, and video messages, all to no avail. It wasn’t surprising. After all, the class must have arrived in Salem hours ago and the 1st rule of any field trip was to turn off any and all cell phones. As for Zelda, Faustus sighed again. Faustus was too ashamed to call Zelda. Yes, he promised to call his wife as soon as he found Cordelia, but not only had he yet to find their daughter, he had no new news of her whatsoever. Maybe because it was later, Faustus thought he should try to reach Cordelia again. He took a seat in the waiting room and once again, pulled out his phone.

“Hey, I know that girl,” said the guy next to and tapped where Cordelia was on the family picture that was Faustus’s screen.

Faustus turned to the stranger. “You do?”

“Sure. I’m a traveling salesman and today I had a business lunch in Salem. Anyway, I was just leaving the restaurant when I saw a bus with a pile of kids coming off it. I remember that girl because she was the last 1 off the bus and she didn’t seem at all happy to be there.”

Faustus nodded as he listening to the other man. Knowing that his daughter was in fact in Salem and had been since lunch lit a fire under Faustus. He stood up and walked with purpose.

“What are you doing?” asked the salesman.

“What I should have done hours ago,” Faustus murmured to himself. He borrowed a phone book from behind the front desk, looked up the listing for a local cab company, and called. He then took a taxi to Walmart and picked out the 2 correct tires in person. 20 minutes after he returned to the auto shop, a man came to see him.

“Mr. Spellman, your new tires are on and ready to go.”

“Great!”

“But I’d like to have a look at your muffler.”

“My muffler?” Aside from the tires, Faustus knew that his car was fine. This guy was just trying to play him for a sucker and Faustus simply didn’t have time for this.

Still, he just said, “Sure, do whatever you have to.”

The man went back into the garage. Faustus found a discreet place to hide, where he could see his car. He waited until someone touched his car before he whispered a spell in Latin. Then the car roared to life, seemly by itself.

Faustus then ran up to the man. “Wow, you seem to have the golden touch. My car is purring like a kitten now. I gave Gus my address so you can bill me. Thank you.” Faustus got into his car and drove off while the man was still trying to figure out what just happened.

Before long, Faustus was back on the highway. One advantage of driving at night was there was barely any traffic. However, as the hours passed and Faustus got closer to Salem, the rain came down harder and harder. So hard that the paved road, that Faustus could barely see, seemed like silver. Still, Faustus kept on driving because of heaven or high water, he was determined to find his daughter…tonight! The clock on the dash read 10:37 when he finally passed the Welcome to Salem sign. Now, all he had to do was find the motel with a bus in front of it. He found it on the 3rd block he went down. Faustus parked his car and ran out of the rain and out the roof of the motel. He ran into some of his students that were lingering outside. They seemed surprised to see him but unfortunately, none of them knew where Cordelia was. Faustus was making his way to the motel’s office. He rounded the corner and ran into Nina, who smiled at him.

“Fausty! You made it! I knew you would.”

“Mrs. Robinson, please tell me, where is my daughter?”

“Oh, she’s rooming with a couple of other girls.” Nina said casually but then she leaned in and whispered “As for me, I’m in room 13, alone and ready whenever you are.”

As Nina walked away, Faustus rolled his eyes and beyond him, he heard a door open, girlish laughter, then a firm closing of the door, and finally a splash, as if falling in a puddle. Faustus turned and indeed, it was a mud puddle. It took a second for the girl to moan and turn over.

“Cordelia?”

Her eyes widened. “Dad?” Cordelia got up and went up to her father. With a quivering lip, Cordelia let go of the tears that she had kept inside all day as she threw her arm around Faustus’s waist.

“I’m sorry, Dad” She nodded. “I really am. I got scared and panicked. I regretted that text message the moment I sent it. I never meant for you or any of the family to come here.”

Faustus gently put his hand under Cordelia’s chin and forced his daughter to look up at him. “Never mind that text.” Faustus gently said. “What are you doing here?”

Cordelia shook her head, furiously. “I don’t know, I really don’t! I meant it when I told Jake I would be back in 10 minutes. I only got on the bus because the triplets were already on it when I reached the schoolyard. It was a total bust because Erin didn’t even send me the message and they just kicked me out because, for the 1st time in my life, I lied to the triplets about believing in witches.”

“Cordy, why didn’t you get off the bus?”

“I tried, but Mrs. Robinson wouldn’t let me. I begged and begged. I even considered teleporting myself home but there were too many witnesses. Then she showed me my permission slip.”

Faustus was confused. “What do you mean? Permission slips are useless until they’re signed.”

“But it was signed, Dad,” Cordelia told him. “It had your signature.”

Mine? Faustus thought, dumbstruck. Then, Faustus thought about how everyone was rightly surprised to see him, except for Nina. Faustus took off his coat and wrapped it around Cordelia. “You’re wet, muddy and you must be cold. Go and wait for me in the office. I’ll be right there, I promise.”

As soon as Cordelia was out of sight, Faustus sighed, turned, and muttered to himself, “Nina Robinson, for your own sake, I better be wrong about this!”

Faustus walked up and knocked on the door of room 13.

“Come in.”

As soon as he opened the door, Faustus noticed that there were candles everywhere in the darkened room, even on the 2nd bed. On the 1st bed, lay Nina, on her stomach, posed as if she was in a playboy magazine. All she wore was a black leather corset, a matching thong, and heels. “I knew you would come. All I had to do is get you away from the school and your wife.”

Furious, Faustus entered the room and slammed the switch that turned on the big light.

“Where are they?” He demanded.

“Where is what?” Asked Nina.

“The permission slips. You have them with you I know it!” Faustus returned, quite fiercely.

Nina said nothing so Faustus looked around and saw a teacher’s leather briefcase leaning against the TV.

“Ah!” Faustus went to the case and searched through it. 1 brief look in the mirror told Faustus that Nina had crawled to the end of the bed and was now was dangerously close to him. “Madam, I advise you to keep your hands to yourself.”

Oh?” said Nina in a flirty manner. “And why is that?”

“Because anything of yours that touches me, you are not getting back!”

Nina frowned. “You’re in a mood.”

Faustus turned to face her. “Yes, I am. Especially since I just found these.” There was a piece of paper in each hand. “Here is a permission slip for Cordelia Spellman and it does indeed bear my signature but I don’t remember signing this but this might explain it.” Faustus raised his other hand. “This is a lined paper, with nothing but my name written on it, over and over again, front and back. Yet the strange thing is at the top of the front paper looks like your handwriting, but the bottom of the back page looks like my handwriting. You forged my name on this permission slip, didn’t you?”

Nina wore her smile proudly. “It worked, didn’t it? You’re here.”

“I came here to bring Cordelia home!” Faustus fumed. “It has nothing whatsoever to do with you! And where do you get your nerve? Kidnapping my daughter and bringing her here, of all places!”

“Kidnapping? Oh, don’t be so overdramatic. It’s only a field trip.”

“To a town infamous for its injustice and murder! It wasn’t your place. It’s up to me and Zelda to decide what our daughter is exposed to!”

“Did you really have to bring your wife up again?” Nina asked, looking bored. “If you ask me, I think that Zelda is too old for you.”

“Not that’s any of your business, but Zelda and I are the same age and you want to know what I think? I think you’re not worthy enough to speak Zelda’s name!”

“Oh, come on, next you’ll tell me that you’re not attracted to me.”

“I’m not and another thing- “Faustus’s voice was drowned out by the ringing of a phone. Faustus automatically looked to the bedside table, where Nina’s phone lay charging. However, Faustus soon realized that the ringing was closer to him. In fact, the phone was in the briefcase. Nina leaped off the bed, trying to get the phone first but because he was closer, Faustus got it.

The pink, sparkly girlish phone looked oddly familiar. “Hello?” Faustus answered. “Mrs. Warner?” Faustus listened for a moment. “Oh, I see. May I ask how long has Erin been looking for this phone? Oh, I see. Yes, I’ll bring it by soon.” He ended the call and then turned to Nina. “Oh, this is low, even for you.”

Nina gave an innocent shrug. “What?”

“You know perfectly well ‘what’” Faustus snapped. “This cell phone belongs to Erin Warner. According to her mother, Erin had been looking everywhere for this for the past 3 days. This makes it impossible for Erin to send that message to Cordelia about wanting to make up at 5 this morning. You did it, didn’t you? You knew the girls were fighting and you knew that Cordelia and I were not coming on this trip. You took advantage of my daughter’s desire to make up with her friends, and once you got her on that damn bus, you kept her there, knowing full well I would come to collect my daughter!”

“But Faustus, I did it for us.”

“There is no us, you lunatic!” Faustus spat. “And I’m getting so tired of rejecting you.”

Nina smiled. “Then don’t.” She tried to put her around Faustus’s neck but he fought her off.

“Enough!” Faustus growled. “I have had it with you! I’ve tried to reason with you, to avoid you, and to explain to you how important my family is to me. All that’s left is the ugly truth so here it is. I will NEVER sleep with you! You could be the last woman, scratch that, the last person on earth, and I would still never sleep with you. In fact, you sickened me because you remind me of who I used to be and who I swore I would never become again. The fact that you would steal a child’s phone makes you a disgrace to the entire teaching profession!” Faustus then ripped up the permission slip and let the pieces fall to the floor. “Consider this me taking back custody of my daughter.” Faustus turned and left without another word, slamming the door behind him. Faustus didn’t want Cordelia to see him angry so he took a moment on the motel’s tiny porch. That’s where he first saw the thunder and lighting in addition to the rain.

The Spellman house had been filling with family all day. As word got around about Faustus, Cordelia, and Salem, people came running. Prudence was first. She was worried when Zelda, who was never late, missed the morning assembly at the academy. Prudence was even more worried when she learned when Zelda wouldn’t be leaving the house today. Hilda learned everything when she called the mortuary. By the time late afternoon rolled around, all the family knew and Ambrose, Jake, Prudence, Hilda, Sabrina, and LJ were all at the house. After dinner, they were joined by Dr. C and the other 2 weird sisters. At first, the plan was simple, just keep Zelda busy and distracted until Faustus called then everything would calm down. But the later it got, the more worried everyone got. By 11, they had run out of topics of conversation and games to play. They all felt helpless as they just sat in the drawing-room and Zelda walked0 up and down the hallway for the million time. Zelda couldn’t sit down; the only reason she ate at all was due to Hilda’s pleading. Zelda refused to go 10 feet without a phone so she stayed on the main floor all day. Zelda had no idea what to do with her hands since her last cigarette was long gone. Zelda sighed when she checked her watch. It was getting so late. If there was still no word from either Faustus or Cordelia by dawn, Zelda had already decided to go to Salem herself but she hadn’t told the others because she didn’t want anyone to talk her out of it. Zelda’s head whipped around as the phone began to ring. She ran to the phone and picked it up.

“Hello, hello?” Zelda tensed as the family gathered around her.

“Zelda? Dearest?”

Zelda’s grip tightened on the phone and closed her eyes and cherishing her husband’s voice. “Faustus! Finally, how are you? Where are you? Have you found Cordelia yet?”

“I’m fine, my dearest,” Faustus assured Zelda. “It’s been an insanely long day but I’m finally in Salem and as for Cordelia” The line went silent for a second and then… “Hi, Mom!”

Zelda bit her lip to keep her tears of joy and relief in check. “Oh, Cordelia, my sweet, precious girl. How are you? Did anyone hurt you?”

“No. I’m fine, Mom. I’ve been with the class all day and no one suspected me at all, I promise. And I definitely feel safer now that Dad’s here with me. Mom, is LJ there?”

“Yes, she’s right here.” Zelda passed the phone to her stepdaughter.

“Hello? Cordy? What’s wrong?”

“LJ, I’m so sorry.”

LJ was confused. “Why are you apologizing to me?”

“Because tonight was the night you were supposed to bring your boyfriend to dinner to meet the family.”

LJ was touched. “The fact that you remember that after all, you had to deal with today proves that you are the sweetest little sister in the whole wide world. Peter can wait. What’s important now is to get you and Dad home safe and sound.”

The sisters chatted for a few minutes and then LJ gave the phone back to Zelda and after a few moments, Cordelia passed the phone back to Faustus.

“So, now that you’re located Cordelia, are you in your home now?” Zelda asked.

“Oh, not exactly dearest. I know that it was my idea to just grab Cordelia and then drive all through the night back to Greendale, but there’s a problem here. You see, there’s a raging storm here and it’s not safe to be on the road. I barely made it here.”

“Can’t you teleport?” Zelda suggested. “Surely you must know the way home.”

“I do, but people saw Cordy and I come in this motel room so we just can’t up and disappear.”

Zelda frowned. “I don’t like the idea of you and Cordelia spending the whole night in Salem.”

“Neither do I,” Faustus agreed, “but it could be a lot worse. You see, Mrs. Applegate was kind enough to give up her room so she will have to share with Mrs. Robinson.” Was it Zelda’s imagination or was there laughter in her husband’s voice? “Anyway,” Faustus continued, “this is a single room so Cordy and I will have to share the bed tonight. The storm is sure to be over by morning and then Cordy and I will be on our way. I can assure you, dearest, I won’t be in this town a moment more than I need to.”

Zelda sighed; she still didn’t like it, but she understood. “Please be careful, Faustus, and give Cordy a goodnight kiss for me. I love you.”

“We’ll be home before you know it. I love you too.”

Although she had taken her wet clothes off when she first got to the room, Cordelia was still cold after the phone call home, so she treated herself to a hot bath. Since she had no PJs, she put the white plush motel robe back on and double knotted it so she could wear it as a nightdress. Faustus then took a quick shower to wash off his road trip. When he stepped back into the main room, he found Cordelia standing before the window, the rain and the moon casting her face in a ghastly glow.

“You know; you were born on a night very much like this.”

Cordelia looked up at him. “Don’t you hear them, Dad?”

“Hear what?”

Cordelia frowned. “The moans pleads and cries of our people. Thousands and thousands of them, crying out in pain and for justice. I’ve been hearing them all day, ever since I got off the bus.”

Faustus heard nothing and thought it must be a divine child thing. “Come on honey, we have a long drive home tomorrow. We better get some sleep.”

As they made themselves comfortable in bed, Faustus noticed something he hadn’t before. “Cordy, why are shivering? Didn’t that bath warm you up?”

“Oh, am I shivering?” His daughter asked. “I’ve been doing it all day. I guess I don’t even notice it anymore.”

Faustus could help smiling to himself. As a 12-year-old witch who had in the company of mortals, doing a tour of Salem all day, Cordelia had every right to be afraid but she would never admit it. She was so strong, so proud, so like her mother. “You’re very brave.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. If I was so brave, I would have never caved and texted you that message.”

“Oh, will you stop! I’m glad you sent that message. I’m glad that I was able to track you down. Besides, the text doesn’t take away from the fact that you just spent an entire day learning about 1 of the darkest chapter in our people’s history.”

“Yep, that’s me. Cordelia the brave…and the friendless.” She muttered.

Faustus felt his face grow hot. This whole thing started because Cordelia wanted to make right with her friends. She must have been heartbroken to learn that her friends didn’t text her this morning. Damn you, Nina! Faustus thought and then said out loud, “Don’t worry Cordy. You’ll make up with the Warners soon, I know it.”

Faustus turned off the lamp and despite being quiet, neither Cordelia nor Faustus slept all night. Maybe they were overtired or overstressed by being 2 witches in Salem. It was dawn when exhaustion finally took Cordelia and she rolled over into her father’s arms. Faustus curled his long-limbed body around her protectively before kissing her forehead. “Don’t worry baby, Daddy’s got you.” He whispered before sleep claimed him too.

1 hour later, a scream woke them up. They jumped out of bed and open the door to see the class, teachers and all of the hotel staff were in front of them. Faustus looked at the door. “Is that paint? Or blood?”

 Faustus and Zelda had a long recovery in front of them.  Faustus had only awakened 1 hour before his wife so they were healing at the same time. They both were assigned to complete bed rest for the next 3 weeks. In that time, they rested, snuggled together, and watched the defeat of Blackwood video numerous times. They both agreed that there was no foolproof way to get rid of Blackwood forever; they had to just keep their guard up and hope for the best. Zelda also told Faustus how Lilith had reclaimed hell for herself and found happiness with a new Adam. After the 3 weeks of bed rest, Faustus and Zelda were up and around and just in time to help celebrate Sabrina’s 18th birthday. (Since this was Sabrina’s last year at home before college, new rules were set. Thursday nights were family dinner night, absolutely no excuses for not attending, and Sunday was family movie night.)

Later that week, Faustus and Zelda managed to find some time to sit down with just the twins to have a serious talk about the adoption. Zelda explained that this adoption was less about guardianship, as the twins were almost 17, but more of a show of commitment to be their mother. Zelda nodded with understanding when they told her that they wanted time to think about it. Yet, there was 1 issue that the male twin didn’t need to think about at all. Just like his sister, Judas wanted to forget about his life with Blackwood. Soon enough, he confessed that he hated the name of Judas, so with his parents’ full support, changed his name to Jacob.  It wasn’t long at all until he was used to the family calling him Jake. 3 days later, Faustus took Zelda for a romantic dinner in the fanciest restaurant in town. As they clinked their wine glasses together, Faustus explained that it was the 1st anniversary of him being free from the curse. Hearing this, Zelda re-clinked the glasses.

“To the first of many, many years,” She smiled.

They went home, and make wild, passionate love before drifting off in each other’s arms. Late that night, Zelda turned around and found herself alone in bed. She caught Faustus at the entrance of the attic, which Ambrose and Jake now shared.

“I still can’t believe we’re all home now,” Faustus whispered as his wife linked her arm with his. With a kiss, Zelda led him back to their room, where they made love for the 2nd time that night.

  Their 1st solstice all together as a family was a very special one. LJ and Jake were both all smiles as together, they handed Zelda a gift. After wrapping it, Zelda gasped, for the box was filled with papers, but not just any papers. On top were the half-filled adoption papers and beneath that, were papers for legal name changes. The twins explained that not only did they want to be adopted but they were also ready to become Spellmans. All the family couldn’t agree fast enough. Zelda did a pretty good job of blinking back her tears of joy, or she did, right up until the twins called her ‘mom’ for the very 1st time. This happened right after Zelda gave LJ and Jake their Yule present. A thick photo album filled with pictures of their birth mother, Constance, at every stage of life so the twins could look at it whenever they wished.

In the new year, after Hilda and Dr. C celebrated their 1st anniversary and Zelda filed the paperwork for the twins’ adoption and name changes, plans went full steam ahead for LJ and Jake’s joint dark baptism. Jake kept it simple, by picking Jacob Faustus for his baptismal name. LJ’s was longer. LJ explained that her name was to be Letitia Judith Constance Zelda.

“To honor both my mothers.” LJ smiled and Zelda kissed the girl on the head, blinking back happy tears once more.

The baptism, attended by family and coven alike, went off without a hitch. For the next few months, the Spellmans’ lives were blissfully quiet and uneventful. Their lives revolved around work, school, and most importantly, each other. On April 2nd, the whole family gathered to celebrate Cordelia’s first birthday. They threw a party, of course, with cake and gifts but it was Faustus and Zelda who got the best present that day. It was later that night after they readied Cordelia for bed, they sat Cordelia down in front of her crib as they did for the last 3 weeks. It was normal when Cordelia pulled herself up to the crib with her tiny hands but then something new happened. Cordelia took her hands off the crib and took her 1st few unsteady steps towards Zelda. She playfully touched her mother’s cheek before saying her 1st word loud and clear. “Mommy!” After kissing her daughter silly, Zelda turned Cordelia around so she could walk to Faustus. The baby took 3 steps before she stumbled on the 4th and would have fallen but Faustus managed to catch her. He was rewarded with a giant smile. “Daddy!”

 Spring and summer flew by and before anyone knew it, it was September again. Everyone came out to see Sabrina and LJ, who graduated a year early, off to college. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, and months to years. When she was 3 and big enough for a big girl bed, Cordelia was given Sabrina’s room by her still at college cousin. The following year, Hilda, Faustus, and Sabrina convinced an uneasy Zelda to allow Cordelia to attend mortal kindergarten, just like Sabrina before her. Cordelia’s parents sat her down and explained to her not to talk about witches or use magic at school. They also kept their promise to the witch’s council, to keep them updated on Cordelia’s magical development. Yet, there was little to report. The baby who cried the devil out of the house was growing up as normally as any other little witch, except for a slammed door or a few floating items. Her powers were at their strongest when her emotions were at their peak.  One afternoon, Cordelia wanted to play outside but Hilda explained she couldn’t because it was raining, hard.

“I don’t want it to rain!” As soon as Cordelia stamped her foot, the sun came out. Hilda stared wordlessly, yet Cordelia didn’t even seem to notice. It was on the 1st day of school that Cordelia met Erin, Emily, and Erica Warner, mortal triplet girls who quickly became her BFFs. Meanwhile, with his youngest now in school, Faustus was feeling a little lost.  Ambrose and Jake formed the perfect team to run the funeral home together and the rest of the family were busy with their own thing. 1 night, Zelda suggested her husband should return to teaching. Zelda knew she got through to him and was waiting for Faustus to ask her to return to the academy. So, she was shocked when he told her he gotten a job at Greendale middle school, teaching 7th grade. Theo Putnam was also a new teacher.

 It was a cold night in the late December of Cordelia’s sixth year that the child awoke with a start.

“Who’s there?” She demanded with the greatest demand she could mutter as she sat up and looked around the darkened room. She looked around and saw nothing, yet she felt someone was nearby. Cordelia sighed, this wasn’t a new feeling. She pulled back her blankets and got up. Might as well go to the bathroom while I’m awake. She thought.

“Hey, Salem.” Cordelia petted Sabrina’s familiar on her way back to bed. Then she picked up her favorite doll, tucked it under her arm, sighed as she laid down, and closed her eyes.

 The next thing she knew, sunlight tickled at Cordelia’s eyelids. 1 quick look at the clock and she jolted out of bed and down the hallway. Her own school had let out for Christmas yesterday, but the academy was a year-round boarding school that demanded much of its headmistress. Cordelia felt that she spent less than 10 minutes with her mother all week. Maybe it was still early enough to catch her. She stopped short in her parents’ doorway. Not only was no one in here, but the bed was made and everything was neat, suggesting that both her parents left long ago.

“It's not even 9 yet! Well, so much for that idea.” Cordelia muttered as she headed for the steps. Downstairs, Cordelia found her brother fluttering back and forth before the front door as if he was preparing to go out. “Where’re you going, Jake?” she asked from the stairway.

Jake looked up, pausing as he put on his coat. “Good morning, Cordy. Mom just called, she needs someone to fill in for her with the choir ASAP.”

“Mom’s already at the school?”

Unfortunately, Jake was too busy to notice the sadness in his sister’s tone. “Yeah. Bye.”

Cordelia was left to frown at the closed door when the wonderful smells finally reached her nose. Those smells only appeared when someone special visited. Now wearing a tiny smile, the 6-year-old ran into the kitchen and hugged the visitor from behind. “Hi, auntie H!”

Hilda, who was baking, half-turned and gave her niece a 1 arm hug. “Hello, darling.”

From his stool 3 feet away, Ambrose waved. “Hello, cousin.”

“Hello, another Spellman who no longer lives here.” Cordelia teased good-naturedly and Ambrose laughed. He and Prudence had only moved into a small apartment together downtown 3 months ago.

Meanwhile, Hilda wiped her hands on a towel. “It’s cereal alright for breakfast?”

Cordelia smiled and nodded. “Yes, please.”

“So, Cordy, how did you sleep?” Asked Ambrose.

“Good! For the most part.”

Ambrose and Hilda exchanged a look. “For the most part?” repeated her aunt.

“Ghostbusting again, cuz?”

Cordelia gave Ambrose an annoyed sideways glance. “No, Ambrose. Ghostbusting would imply that I actually see the spirit.”

Ambrose was now confused. “Wait, you don’t see the ghosts? Ever? But you had this problem for a while.”

“Since before feasts of feasts as I recall,” Hilda added.

“I don’t understand. If you can’t see them, how do you know they’re ghosts?”

Cordelia shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know, it’s just a feeling. Most girls my age are scared of ghosts; I just want them to make up their minds! They should show themselves, tell me what the problem is so I can help or just let me be so I can sleep at night.”

Hilda and Ambrose both had nothing to say so they just stared at the girl. Cordelia sighed, what was needed now was a change of subject and she found it on the serving tray. “Who pops popcorn this early in the morning?”

Ambrose sprang to life. “Oh, I almost forgot!  I was supposed to bring out the cranberries and popcorn to Dr. C and Uncle Faustus. They finally setting up the Yule tree!” Ambrose grabbed the tray and rushed out of the kitchen.

“Well, I got to go too,” Cordelia announced.

“Why?” Asked Hilda.

“Because my bowl of cereal was on that tray!”

Hilda laughed, shook her head, and returned to her baking.

 “I swear, we get this tree up later and later every year.” Faustus sighed.

“Well, we’re busy men,” Dr. C assured him. “Me at my bookstore, you at the middle school. Here comes Ambrose, at last.”

Faustus smiled as the younger warlock rushed in. “We were beginning to think you’d forgotten us.”

“I’m so sorry that it took me so long,” Ambrose said.  “Aunt Hilda and I got to talking and then Cordelia walked in.”

“Oh? Cordy’s up?”

“I sure am!” The child was right on Ambrose’s heels. She was closer to Dr. C so she greeted him first. “Hi, Uncle C” She hugged him and then went over to her father. “Hi, Daddy” she giggled when Faustus kissed the cheek of his youngest child. The 2 men went back to trying to steady the tree, as Ambrose found a chair and began to thread the popcorn and cranberry strings together. After reclaiming her breakfast, at last, Cordelia sat on the sofa and asked about the only thing on her mind.

“How long ago did Mom leave for the academy this morning?”

“About an hour and a half to 2 hours ago” Faustus answered casually. “Why? Do you need her?”

Cordelia frowned. “No, I don’t need her per say, but I do miss her. It’s like I barely have seen her this week.”

“Don’t worry, baby,” Faustus soothed his daughter. “While it’s true that Solstice demands more of the high priestess’s time than normal, all she has to do is get through today and perform tomorrow’s midnight mass then Zelda will be free to spend the rest of the holidays with us.”

“Don’t forget when we go get the girls tomorrow.” Dr. C added. “Zelda would never miss that.”

Although both LJ and Sabrina left for college 6 years ago, the girls were still away for their education but for different reasons. Unlike Jake, who left a year after his sister and cousin and return 2 years later, business degree in hand. Poor Sabrina was having a tough time, having changed her major 3 times. On the flip side, LJ had not only completed university in record time but was enrolled in 2 different medical schools. When done, LJ would not only be 1 of the few female witch doctors, she would also be the 1st witch doctor trained in mortal medicine. With a sister on her way to glory and her mother already in the history books as the 1st high priestess, Cordelia was extremely proud of her family and sometimes wondered if greatness lay in her future as well.  Having finished her breakfast, Cordelia now lay the now-empty bowl on the coffee table and went to the old cardboard box that held the tree decorations.  After a few seconds of digging around, Cordelia was able to her favorite one. It was a diamond full moon on 1 side and the other side was a picture frame. The picture itself was taken on her 1st solstice. It was of Zelda, Faustus, and Cordelia herself, when she was still just a baby. While Cordelia stood admiring the photo, Dr. C lost his balance on the step stool and bump into the girl, causing her to lose her grip on the glass moon and it smashed on the floor.

Dr. C rushed to the child’s side. “Oh Cordelia, I’m so sorry!” He hugged her.

Cordelia put on a brave face. “It’s okay, uncle C. We have lots of others.”

As they spoke, the fragments of the glass moon float up in the air and magically fixed itself.

“But this 1 is your favorite,” Faustus held it in the palm of his hand. “I know because it’s my favorite too.”

Cordelia smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”

  Putting up the tree nearly took all day. Cordelia was excused because right after lunch, the Warner triplets called their friend to come with them to go to the mall to see Santa. Cordelia was gone all afternoon and returned just in time for dinner yet her mood seemed to change. She was quiet and seemed angry. At first, Hilda thought her niece was annoyed because Zelda called to say that she was too busy to come home for dinner.  Then, in the middle of supper, Jake knocked over a glass of water. On the other side of the table, his baby sister jumped up in horror.

“You should be more careful!” She shouted before she ran out of the room. Faustus and Hilda found Cordelia in her room pacing back and forth before her bed. “Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry!” She muttered to herself.

“Cordy? What’s wrong?” Faustus asked.

His daughter looked up, frowning. “You should have told me. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“THAT OUR KIND CAN MELT!!”  Cordelia shouted.

Faustus and Hilda exchanged a confused look. “Cordelia, love,” Hilda said gently, “what exactly did you and your friends do this afternoon?”

Cordelia sighed. “After the trip to the mall to see Santa, Mr. Warner invited me back to their house for hot chocolate and it was there that Erin, Emily, Erica, and I watched a movie.”

“What movie?” Her father asked.

“The Wizard of Oz.”

Both Faustus and Hilda felt instant relief. Hilda left to go inside the bathroom while Faustus took his daughter by the hand, guided her to the bed, so they could both sit down.

“Darling, while it’s true the mortals have short lives, while we witches can live for centuries and centuries. Surely, we can’t live that long if we are in danger of something as common as water.”

“But in the movie-“

“The movie is not real. It’s pretend, make-believe. You remember when you, Mommy, and I had our talk about make-believe?”

Cordelia nodded. “I remember, but it’s so confusing! After all, mortal parents tell their children that witches are make-believe.”

Faustus nodded. “That’s true but I can prove I’m right! Think back to every mass you attended, all the times Zelda took you with her to the academy, have you ever, after all that time with the coven, even seen a green witch?”

“No. Hey, wait  a second, I didn’t tell you that the witch was green! How did you know?”

Faustus laughed. “The Wizard of Oz is a very famous movie and you’re not the 1st witch to get spooked by water after seeing it. I guess you could call it a witch childhood rite of passage by now.”

“Your father’s right,” said Hilda, coming toward the bed, glass in 1 hand. “When your cousin Sabrina saw that movie, she reacted the exact same way you did. That’s when Zelds and I came up with the test.”

“Test? What kind of test?”

“Come here and I’ll show you.” When Cordelia didn’t move and kept staring at the glass, Hilda tried again. “What’s wrong? Don’t you trust me?”

This softened Cordelia immediately. “Of course I do, Auntie H.” The child got off the bed and came forward and Hilda knelt down to look her niece in the eye. “Now just give me 1 of your fingers.” Cordelia offered up a finger. Hilda took it and put the tip of the finger just under.  “Now, how does that feel?”

“Wet.” Was the child’s only reply.

Hilda laughed. “Yes, it’s wet, but what else? Does your finger feel like it is going to fall off or melt?”

Cordelia smiled and shook her head.  Hilda smiled. “Good, the test has worked in our favor yet again.”

“Thank Hecate!” Faustus added. “Can you imagine how foul our world would be if none of us would be allowed to bathe?”

Cordelia laughed at her father’s funny face as Hilda kissed her brow.

  A few hours later, Faustus turned down the bed as Cordelia got ready in the bathroom.

“Cordy, have you brushed your teeth yet?”

“Doing it right now, Dad.”

Faustus couldn’t resist. “With water?”

First, there was silence then came a low moan. Faustus smiled to himself.

Cordelia switched off the bathroom light and walked more into her bedroom. “Hecate, I’m dumb,” She muttered.

When she was close enough, Faustus put his arm around his daughter. “You are not dumb. You, my girl, are 6. Considering how you speak and behave most of the time, it’s easy to forget how young you are.”

Cordelia gave a half-smile. “Still young enough to be read to?”

“Not very subtle, miss Spellman.”

Cordelia giggled and crawled into bed as Faustus grabbed the book on the nightstand. Some little girls like fairy tales, most, at least, like a story with a plot. But most nights, Cordelia favored spell books, especially the Latin ones, even though Cordelia didn’t speak the language. She said it soothed her faster. Tonight, Faustus only read a page and a half before Cordelia was fast asleep. He tucked her in and tiptoed out of the room. The next thing Cordelia was aware of; someone was arranging her blankets. Her 1st thought was that the troublesome ghost was back but she was instantly awake when she saw who it really was.

“Mommy! I missed you so much today!” Cordelia sat up and threw herself into Zelda’s arms.

Zelda kissed her brow. “I’ve missed you too, little one. I didn’t mean to wake you, but your father told me that you had a scare today.”

“That’s not important,” Cordelia dismissed. “Will you come with us to pick up LJ and Sabrina tomorrow morning?”

Zelda nodded. “I will, but I must get back to the academy by early afternoon at the very latest.”

Cordelia frowned. “But tomorrow is the day before Solstice. You always spend it with us.”

“I know precious but we’re so behind this year. I mean, the church is not yet decorated or prepared for midnight mass yet.”

“How about I go with you? That way you could get your work and we could still be together.”

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

“No! Wait! Don’t go yet.” Cordelia grabbed her book. “Read to me.”

“It’s late, Cordelia.”

“Please, Mom?”

Normally, Zelda would have held firm but she felt massively guilty about barely being home lately. Zelda sighed and took the book. “Move over.”

An hour later, Faustus went to look for his wife and found Zelda and Cordelia snuggled up together, both fast asleep. Faustus went to Zelda to whisper to her. “It’s late, my love. We’re going to have to leave for the airport, well, in just a few hours now.”

“Mmm,” was Zelda’s only reply.

It was only then that he saw the book. “Did Cordy get another story out of you?”

Again, “Mmm.”

“Dearest, are you asleep?”

“Mmm?”

Faustus smiled. “That’s what I thought.” Gently, he put 1 hand under Zelda’s head and the other 1 under her knees. Then he carried Zelda out of Cordelia’s room and back to their own bed.

 Even though they had only been home a few weeks before for feats of feasts, Sabrina and LJ’s homecoming was a joyful one. At the airport, there was much hugging and kissing, done by all the family. The morning flew by with all their laughing, talking, and catching up. After lunch, most of the family went to the church with Zelda to help set things up, yet Sabrina went for a different reason. All Sabrina had to do was wait for an opportunity to talk to her aunts alone. She got 2 and chickened out both times. Fed up with her own failure, Sabrina teleported herself back to Spellman’s kitchen and groaned.

“Just tell them, you coward!”

The loud whistle of the kettle startled Sabrina. She turned and saw Faustus at the stove,1 of his eyebrows rose. “Something wrong, Sabrina?”

She could feel her eyes watering. “Yes.”

Faustus said the 1st thing that came to mind. “Are you changing your major again?”

Sabrina shook her head. “No, I’m not changing my major. I’m not going back to school at all!” There, she finally said it.

For his part, Faustus got out 2 cups and saucers, poured the tea, and sat down at the table with Sabrina.

“I can’t seem to bring myself to tell Auntie Hilda and Aunt Z. I wasted 5 years, 3 majors, and all that money. My aunties are going to be so disappointed.”

In an effort to comfort his niece, Faustus took Sabrina’s hand in his. “All your aunts have ever wanted for you is to be happy.”

“I tried, I tried so hard.” Sabrina’s lip quivered.

“I know,” Faustus soothed. “Maybe this could be a blessing in disguise,” he suggested. “Maybe, by taking a semester off will help you relax and figure out for sure what you really want to do.”

“But I was sure all those times I change my majors,” Sabrina stressed.

“You know, 1 of my favourite teachers once told me that the secret to professional success is to pick something that you love and are good at.”

“But I don’t know what I’m good for a job.”

“What about helping people? You’re good at that.”

“But that could any career.” Sabrina pointed out.

“How about a therapist? I would be lost without mine.”

Sabrina smiled. “A therapist? Me? You remember I’m the one who causes most of the problems around here?”

“Oh, that was when you were a teenager,” Faustus dismissed. “You’re grown up a lot since then. Besides, if nothing else, the outlook of a half-mortal, half-fallen angel raised by witches is bound to be interesting.”

Sabrina laughed. “True. You’ve given me a lot to think about. Thanks, Uncle Faustus.”

He was shocked. “You’ve never called me uncle before.”

“I know but it’s high time I did.”

 “Dad? I’ve been wondering something for a long time, but I’m not sure how to ask.”

It was late that night and Faustus was readying Cordelia for midnight mass. In his opinion, she looked great. His daughter was wearing a new red dress, her white winter tights, and shiny black Mary Janes. He was now adding the finishing touch of a ribbon in her red hair, exactly like her mother’s. “Cordy, don’t be scared. You know you can ask me anything.”

“Okay, Dad, don’t you believe? I mean, I know that Uncle C isn’t a warlock, so it makes sense that he doesn’t share our faith, but why don’t you believe?”

“But I do believe, sweetheart. I was baptized the night after you were born.”

Cordelia seemed confused. “You were?! Then why don’t you ever attend mass?”

Faustus sighed. “You have to leave in a few minutes and it’s a very long story and I promise that someday we will discuss this in greater detail, but for now all I can tell you that when I was high priest, before you were born, I did things that I am deeply ashamed of. The coven has since forgiven me but I am still weary of being near them.  I do attend mass, in fact, I’m there every week, but I don’t sit up front with the rest of the family, I actually like to sit in the very back pew. I also like to be the last one to arrive and the first one to leave. I like it when the coven doesn’t even notice me.”

Cordelia thought for a moment and then said, “Are you sorry about what you did?”

“Oh, Hecate, yes! I’m sorrier than anyone can ever know.”

Cordelia shrugged. “Then the coven has to forgive you. It’s just good manners.”

Faustus hugged his daughter, grateful for her innocent logic.

   A little later, Cordelia found herself at the church, sitting in the front pew with Hilda, Sabrina, Ambrose, and the twins while Prudence sang in the choir. Even at 6, Cordelia felt proud that it was her mother who performed the service, glorious in her white and gold robes. During the middle of the service, Cordelia took advantage of her end seat and looked toward the back. Sure enough, she found her father, who waved at her. After mass, Cordelia stayed behind to help clean up and help her mother say goodbye to the coven. When they drove home, there a raven haired woman near the stairs. Cordelia didn’t know who the lady was but, judging the way her mother was gripping the wheel, Cordelia guessed her mother did.

“Is she the one who keeps bothering you?” Zelda asked.

“No, I don’t think so. Mom, who is that?”

“Go inside and get dressed for bed, Cordy. It’s late.”

Cordelia did as she was told but she did pick up some bits of dialogue.

“Bright solstice, Zelda.”

“What are you doing here, Lilith?”

“Come now, surely I’m allowed to check up on my son’s future bride.”

That was all Cordelia heard. 10 minutes later, Zelda came into Cordelia’s room to kiss her daughter goodnight.

“Mom?  I heard you and that lady talking. Who’s getting married? Prudence or LJ?”

“No one in this house is getting married!” Zelda declared firmly.

Zelda went to bed mad and woke up even angrier. “I don’t get it, Faustus.” She said to her husband as they went downstairs for breakfast. “We heard or seen nothing of Lilith these past 6 years and the 1st thing she mentions is that stupid marriage contract that I signed in invisible ink and can’t possibly be binding. Lilith knows that! What game is she playing at?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care.” Faustus answered honestly. “Whenever it is, we’ll deal with it together like we always do. Today is solstice. It’s time to celebrate that and the fact that this is your 1st day off in weeks. Then, later on, tonight, I get to show you how terribly I and our bed, have missed you.”  He kissed her hard before they walked into the kitchen, hand in hand.

 According to tradition, the family waited until sundown to gather round the Yule tree and start exchanging gifts. Half an hour later, the get together was in full swing, with music, talking, and laughing all filling the air. It was about this time that Faustus gave Zelda a small blue ring box. Inside was the 6th annual charm that Faustus gave his wife every Yule to go on the bracelet that he had given her on their 1st Solstice that they spent together as a married couple. However, the meaning of this year’s charm was lost on Zelda.

“A white rose?”

Faustus nodded. “A symbol of eternal love.”

Zelda gave a sly smile. “Yours or mine?”

Faustus laughed and stroked his wife’s cheek as he received Zelda’s thank you kiss. Then Faustus stood up and grabbed a skinny gift from under the tree. He passed it to Cordelia.  “Speaking of jewellery, here a little something from your mother and me.” Cordelia smiled as she took the gift and unwrapped it. It turned out be a golden chain with a crescent moon attached, not unlike her own birthmark. She looked up at her parents from her place on the floor.

“I love it! Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mom.” Cordelia got up and hugged both her parents.

“May Hecate bless and keep you, my Cordelia.” Zelda smiled at her daughter.

“Amen.”

“Oh, it seems we ran out of music and could use a new Christmas CD.” Hilda sighed.

“I’ll go change it since I’m up.”  Cordelia offered and journeyed to the stereo but before she got there, she passed a window and froze.  She looked very upset.

It was Hilda who first noticed her distress.  “Cordy, darling? What’s wrong?”

“It’s her,” Came her niece’s reply. “The ghost that keeps up me at night. She’s right outside.”

“How do you know? You said you never saw her.” Ambrose pointed out.

Cordelia shook her head. “I never did, but I always felt her just as I feel her now and I’m looking straight at her.”

Faustus got up to collect his daughter.  “Come sit down, sweetheart.  We’ll figure all this out later.” Yet just as he put an arm around Cordelia, he looked out the window and saw the ghost too. “Constance?”

“Faustus, may I see you out in the hall for a minute?” Zelda asked as she rose.

 “I think we should let Constance in.”

Faustus couldn’t believe his ears. “What?  Zelda dearest, what are you saying?”

“Well, I think it’s perfectly oblivious why she’s here.”

Faustus nodded. “Yes, she’s here to ruin our family solstice.”

“No,” his wife disagreed, “I think she’s here to see her children, the twins, as is her right.”

“I think you’re giving her too much credit. Don’t you remember how she behaved the last time we made contact with her? You had to bar her from the house!”

“That was over 6 years ago. Maybe she changed.”

“Changed?!” Faustus sneered. “Then why has she  been  bothered Cordy for over a month?”

“Why don’t you go out there and ask her yourself?”

“Fine, I will,” Faustus agreed. “But you’re coming with me.”

A moment later, Zelda and Faustus stepped out onto the frozen porch. Constance was right before them.

“If we allow you into this house, will you abide by its rules and customs?” Faustus asked.

Constance smiled as she nodded. “I will.”

“Come in. You are welcome.” With those simple words, Zelda broke her own spell.

The whole family was shocked when Faustus and Zelda returned with the ghost. Hilda was the 1st to recover.

“Um, Ambrose, Prudence, Sabrina, Cordy, could you come to help me and your uncle C in the kitchen?”

“I think I’ll join you.” Zelda turned to join the family, but Constance called her back. “Please stay, Zelda, there’s something I would like to say to you too.”

“Ok.” Zelda was unsure as she slid into her chair next to Faustus. The twins were sitting on the sofa. Zelda noticed that the twins were holding hands, something they only did when they were really anxious.

“Is it true?”  Jake asked. “Are you really our mother?”

“She’s only our birth mother,” his sister answered him, “Zelda is our real mother.”

“LJ, please!” Zelda didn’t mean it, but her mothering tone came through.

Constance didn’t seem to mind as she stared at the twins and smiled. “You are both so beautiful.”  She touched LJ’s face. “My daughter on her way to becoming a witch doctor!”

Jake lowered his eyes. “I’m sorry I’m not a genius like LJ.”

“Are you happy, my son?”

“I am.”

Constance smiled. “That’s all that matters.”

“And we’re safe,” LJ added.

“That’s right,” Jake agreed. “Blackwood is no more.”

Constance smiled. “I know; I’ve been watching you. I’ve been watching all of you.” Constance turned. “Which brings me back to you, Zelda Spellman. I have something important to say to you. Thank you. Ever since you dispatched with Blackwood, you have done everything to make sure that my children felt safe and loved. I can never thank you enough for that.”

LJ got up and walked to Zelda’s side. “Why would even doubt her? She cared for us when we were babies. I mean, this is the same woman who whisked me away at birth and loved me when she didn’t have to.”

You must understand,” Constance stressed. “The last time I saw Zelda; she was heavily pregnant. I thought that she would prefer her own child and become a petty and jealous stepmother to the 2 of you. Just” Constance sighed and cast down her eyes in shame. “Just as I did with Prudence. Happily, that didn’t happen. She loves you as if you were her own.”

“I love them because they are my own,” Zelda said gently, “Just as Cordelia and Prudence are. Perhaps you would have learned this if you’ve survived but a mother’s heart can never be too full.”

“Wait,” Jake was confused. “If all you wanted was to have a peaceful heart-to-heart, then why have you been bothering Cordy all this time?”

Constance looked startled.  “Have I?   I didn’t mean to. Please apologize to her for me.”

LJ leaned in to whisper in Zelda’s ear.  “I guess the divine child’s powers can pick up a rogue ghost better than we can.”

Zelda’s focus was elsewhere at the moment. “Constance, you’re glowing. You’ve never looked better.”

The ghost blushed like a schoolgirl. “Am I? Well, I guess being at peace agrees with me then. You see, I recently re-met a friend from childhood on the other side, and he has been helping me to put aside my anger and bitterness. I’m starting to see things differently now. Zelda, I understand that you didn’t set out to break up my marriage, Faustus’s heart was yours long before I came around. It’s perfectly fine that my children have 2 mothers, as long as they are loved and protected.”

Sensing that her time was up, Constance kissed both her children and turned to leave when

“Wait.” It was the 1st time Faustus had spoken since they had all sat down. Now, he stood and when to the ghost. “Constance, I have never seen you speak so tenderly or behave so kindly. I just to say I’m sorry. We never were a love match but I could have been kinder to you during our marriage. Not pressuring you for a son, been more of a comfort during your miscarriages. Enjoy the happiness you have now; you certainly deserve it. Bright Solstice.” He gave her a peck on the cheek. The lights flicked and then the ghost was gone.

It was when Constance was gone that Jake fell on his knees before Zelda. “We love you, bonus mom.”

LJ hugged her. “We sure do.”

Faustus watched this touching scene for a moment and then turned his attention to the hallway.  “Okay, guys, you can come out now. Don’t think I don’t see you spying over there!”

The guilty gang filed back into the living room and the Solstice celebrations continued.1 hour later, the room was quiet as Ambrose read Charles Dickins’ A Christmas Carol aloud. Fearing that she would too big to do it next year, Cordelia grabbed her favorite blanket and settled herself on Zelda’s lap. She was going to ask if she was too heavy when her mother held her closer.

 AS CORDELIA FEELS HER FRIENDS DIFTING AWAY FROM HER, FAUSTUS MUST DEAL WITH VERY UNWANTED ATTENTION FROM NINA.

 The silence in the car was deafening.  Once or twice, Cordelia felt brave enough to turn her head to look at her father.  Usually, she could gage how her father was feeling just by looking at him, but now his face was just as unreadable as her mother’s usually was.  Still, Cordelia knew she had to say something to defend herself. After all, she didn’t do anything wrong.

“Dad,” Cordelia started. “I had nothing to do with whatever the Warners and that new girl were doing in that bathroom. I swear, I was only there a second before Becky came in.” Becky Mercer was the hallway monitor, who had entered the girls’ room right after Cordelia did. Becky incorrectly assumed that all 5 girls were in on this together, so all 5 girls were hauled off to Mr. Putnam’s office. Unfortunately, Faustus and the new 8th grade teacher, Mrs. Robinson, were already there. Cordelia felt very uncomfortable having her father there as Becky described the scene in the bathroom. When it came time to leave, her friends gave her dirty looks, as if it was her fault. “I swear I had nothing to do with it.”  Cordelia stressed.

“I know.”

“You do?"

“Of course, Cordy,” Faustus turned to his daughter, smiling. “I know you know what real magic is. It’s sure not a painted piece of cardboard made by Parker Brothers.”

“So, you’re not mad?”

Faustus shrugged. “Why should I be? If you say you weren’t involved…”

“I wasn’t.” Cordelia insisted.

“I didn’t know that the triplets were interested in magic.”

“Nor did I. But I suspect that their new friend, Sara, could be  at the heart of it. She claims to be a wiccan.”

“A wiccan!”  Faustus scoffed. “It’s a false word used by mortals to made themselves feel powerful. Besides, all I have read says that real wiccans died out with the age of  the pagans and there  has not been any pagans in Greendale since before you  were born, Cordelia.”

Cordelia knew that it was time to change the subject. “So, why were you in Mr. Putnam’s office anyway?”

“Well, while your friends were trying to start the 2nd fire of the day, Theo was dealing with the first one. You see since both the 8th grade classroom and the library  are  burned and therefore will  be unusable for several  months, Mrs. Robinson and her class have nowhere to go and since our  class happens to the smallest one this year-“

“They’re going to move the 8th  grade in with  us.”  Cordelia finished.

“Yes.”  Faustus confirmed.

“Do we even have that kind of room to share?”

“We should, once we move some desks and things around. What I can’t tell you is how they expect 2 teachers to run 1 classroom.”

Cordelia didn’t know either, so she just shrugged and looked out the window.  They were passing city hall when she saw a happy  brunette couple on the front steps. Cordelia thought she knew the woman, but she couldn’t quite place her.

 “There, that should do it!” It was Friday afternoon and Faustus and Nina were finish moving the last desk. They had been working afterschool all week to rearrange the room. 8 graders on 1 side, 7 on the other.

“Now you can all move in Monday.” Faustus smiled.

“Great! After bunking down in the cafeteria all week, it will be nice to enjoy lunch again, not have to rush to dismiss  my class early for it every single  day.”

They both laughed then Nina came closer.  “Seriously, Mr. Spellman, I’m really grateful to you for taking me in.”

“Oh, think nothing of it.”

“No, I mean it. If I can do anything, and I do mean anything, to thank you, just ask.”

Faustus’s smile remained on his face right up until Nina goosed him.

  “What?!  Oh no, Faustus, she didn’t do that.” Zelda giggled.

It was late that night, Faustus and Zelda were alone in their bedroom.  Faustus was telling his wife about his day.

“Oh yes, she did!” Faustus insisted. “And I didn’t misread or misunderstand the situation. That foolish woman walked straight up and goosed me! She willingly and knowingly grabbed my left buttocks with her hand and squeezed, hard.  So hard that I think she left a mark.”

Zelda burst out laughing. Faustus felt annoyed. Zelda was the only woman he had ever been faithful to.  Hecate knows that he had no plan or desire to change that, ever! Still, was it so wrong to want the woman he loved to be a tiny bit jealous? That he would comfort her and calm her fears by telling her, truthfully, that he immediately stepped, (okay, more like jumped), several steps away from Nina and told her that he was flattered but very happily married. Was that too much to ask? Faustus supposed it was as Zelda continued to laugh.

“I’m glad this amuses you, dearest. I know that I’m pushing 400, Zelda Spellman, but I thought that another woman being attracted me isn’t that humorous.”

“It isn’t humorous at all.” Zelda was instantly serious.  “I wasn’t laughing at that. You’re a very handsome man, darling. No, I was laughing at the irony.”

Faustus was completely lost. “What irony?”

“Her name.”

“Nina?”

Zelda shook her head. “No, Faustus. Mrs.  Robinson. A woman name Mrs. Robinson made a pass at you! Have you never seen the movie, the Graduate? All that’s missing is for that woman put her leg on a chair and the camera to pan under her leg.”

Now, Faustus was the one laughing.

Zelda smiled. “Remember, dear heart, sexual harassment goes both ways.”

“I’ll remember that. In that meanwhile, I have a question for you,” Faustus leaned forward and tucked some fingers into the knot of Zelda’s bathroom and gently pulled his wife into his arms. “Will you seduce me, Mrs. Spellman?”

“I thought you would never ask.” Zelda smiled and kissed him.

 Ever since they were 7 years old, Erin, Emily, Erica and Cordelia had a deal with their parents. As long as they kept their grades up, the girls were allowed to have sleepovers once a month. They took turns at each   other’s houses. That 1st Saturday after the start of 7th grade, it was Cordelia’s turn to host the triplets and she was excited about it. True, she saw her friends all the time in class and hung out with them outside of school quite often. But something was off this week, namely…Sara. It wasn’t that Cordelia didn’t like Sara, the girl had done nothing to her. It was just that she had known Warners a long time and knew that the sisters had loud, different personalities.  So, why were they seemingly turning into Sara’s yes men? Cordelia tried to bring the subject up to the triplets but they all stared at her like she was crazy. It was like Sara was voted president of a club, a club that Cordelia wasn’t even sure that she belonged to. Of course, they would play with other kids sometimes but the sleepovers were always just for the 4 of them and that’s why Cordelia was so excited for it. That’s why her heart sank when she heard Mr. Warner’s car pulled up and Cordelia saw at the window that the sisters had brought Sara with them.  Still, Cordelia knew it would be rude to turn Sara away so Cordelia swallowed her disappointment and welcomed all of her guests. The girls usually bunkered down in Cordelia’s room but 5 girls didn’t fit, so they made themselves comfortable in the living room. 3 hours into the sleepover, Sara turned to Erica.

“So, are you going to ask her or what?”

Cordelia immediately felt ill at ease. “Ask me what?”

“Cord, you know those old books you have in your attic?” Erica started slowly. “We were wondering if we could go take a look at them.”

“You mean, my cousin Ambrose’s collection?” Cordelia asked, knowing full well that’s exactly what they meant. “Why would you guys want to look at that?”

“To see if Sara could find a spell in one!” Erin said excitedly.

Of course. Cordelia forced herself not to roll her eyes. After never talking about it ever before, the triplets talked about nothing but magic all week long. The only difference between this week and any other, as far as Cordelia knew, was Sara. Still, Cordelia knew she better play it cool.

“You guys don’t want to go up there. It’s nothing but dusty 1st editions of Charles Dickens and Jane Austin.”

“And you’re sure you can account for all the books up there?”

It was comments like that made Cordelia think that Sara was annoying.

“Trust me guys, if I would come across something as cool as a spell book, I would share it with you.”

The triplets agreed and the subject was dropped, or so Cordelia thought. In the middle of the night, Sara woke up the triplets and said that she found books to look over right there in the living room.

“Should we wake up Cordelia?” Emily asked in a whisper.

“No,” Sara whispered back. “She’s only try to stop us or slow us down.”

They all took an armful of books and went into the hallway, leaving Cordelia in a deep sleep on the sofa.

 1 hour later, the triplets were ready to give up.

“There’s nothing here.” Whined Erin.

“Hey, I think I found something!” Declared Erica, but her smile faded quickly. “Never mind, these words aren’t in English.”

Sara took the book from Erica and immediately started to chant words that the triplets could not understand, leaving the sisters to stare at each other. Soon, a fog of green smoke rose up out of the book.  It floated away to the left and into the Spellman dinning room.  By the time the girls had turned the corner, the smoke had turned into a 7-foot green monster. Erin gasped and Erica rushed to cover her sister’s mouth. Only…she wasn’t fast enough for the noise caught the monster’s attention.

“I have been awakened.” The monster boomed at them. “Once I dispatch with you 4, no one can stop me from spreading my brilliant fear.”

“Boy, did you pick the wrong house.”

The monster turned toward the new voice and then the girls saw who was in the doorway.

“Mr. Spellman?”

“Warlock!”  The monster’s growl was so loud that it woke up the 3 people in the house who were still sleeping. Zelda came out of her room and met Jake in the hallway.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.”  He answered.  

Meanwhile, in the living room, Cordelia opened her eyes, pushed herself up by her elbow and saw by the dying firelight that all the sleeping bags, 2 on the floor, 1 on a chair and 1 on the sofa across from her, were empty. “Um…guys?!”

After getting up, Cordelia was met at the door by her mother and brother.

“Cordy, what’s happening?”

“Don’t know, Mom, but my friends are gone.”  Cordelia saw the books in the hall and brushed by her brother. “Oh no! I told them not to go upstairs and sort through Ambrose’s collection.”

“They can’t! They might find a spell book!”

Little sister gave big brother a dirty look. “Jeez, you think so?”

Another noise came and Zelda ran into the other room. Cordelia was right behind her and Jake stayed behind just long to pick up the only book that was still opened. They stopped right behind the girls and Sarah. They also beheld the monster with their only eyes. After Jake shook off the shock, he turned the page in the book he held and spoke a sentence.  Instantly, the monster howled in pain and then it disappeared. As it did, green goo spat out of the monster’s mouth and landed on Faustus’s face.

Zelda watched her husband as his lip quivered and she came closer. “Darling, are you alright?”

“Please, don’t leave me, Zelda.”

“Leave you?”

“I know you can have Mambo Marie or anyone in the realms that you desire. But no one can love you like I do. Hecate, I love you so much, Zelda! Please don’t leave me, dearest, please!” Now openly sobbing, Faustus sank to his knees and clung to Zelda’s nightgown.

Unsure what was happening and not sure what to do about her husband, Zelda sighed and looked back at the children. “Cordelia, take your friends back to bed. Jake, perhaps you can fetch the girls some hot coco to calm them down.”

“Calm down?!” Erin shrieked. “Are we just going to ignore the fact that the R rated version of Shrek just came and went? What was that? Why is Mr. Spellman now crying?”

Erin had a million more question as a fuming Cordelia gathered her friends and led them back into the living room. “I thought I told you not to go to the attic and look for books.” Cordelia’s tone was very much like a disappointed parent.

“We didn’t,” Sara shook her head. “All the books we found, came from that cabinet.”

But I locked that up myself before you got here. Cordelia thought silently. For the 10 minutes, Cordelia tried and failed to come up with an explanation for what had happened.  She was so grateful when Jake came in with the hot coco. Emily remarked how yummy the cinnamon was. Cordelia’s mug didn’t have any for she knew that the cinnamon was laced with aunt Hilda’s kitchen magic, designed to make her mortal friends forget the events of this night.

  The next morning, Faustus woke up   with a splitting headache.

“Darling, you’re alright!” Zelda rushed to his side. “How are you feeling?”

Faustus groaned. “Did anyone get the plate of that truck?”

Zelda smiled. “There was no truck. Turns out that our friend, the not-so-jolly green giant is a demon. A fear demon, to be exact.”

“But why did I get hysterical last night and then I remember…nothing else?”

“Well, you were crying so hard that Jake and I couldn’t even think so we put you under a sleeping spell and put you to bed for the night. As Cordelia tended to her friends, Jake and I were able to study that spell book and that’s how we discovered it was a fear demon.”

“But why did I cry at all?” Faustus asked.

“It’s the fear demon’s green goo.  Once the goo made contact with your skin, it made you believe that your greatest fear had come true. Given, how you asked me not to leave you, does your greatest fear involve me?” Zelda asked gently.

Faustus sighed. “As a matter of fact, my greatest fear is you realizing what I already know. That you can do so much better than me.”

Zelda clicked her tongue, sat beside Faustus on the bed and took his hand. “Darling, that’s simply not true. I will never leave you, never! Why won’t you believe me when I say I Iove you just as much as you love me?”

“Because I’ve never been that lucky.” He muttered.

“Will I do.” Zelda insisted and kissed him long and deep.

After gently stroking his wife’s cheek, Faustus got up and reached for his robe. “1 final question, dearest, how long should we punish Cordelia for showing off in front of her friends?”

Zelda frowned. “I’m not sure Cordy did this. She seemed just as shocked as Jake and I was and she’s never behaved like this before.”

“If Cordy didn’t do this, then who did?”

Zelda shrugged as Faustus put his arm around her. As they went downstairs and toward the kitchen, Zelda explained how they were able to rid Faustus of the demon’s goo   by using the strongest anti-spell they had. The one Faustus had discovered himself when they first found LJ and she had spelled Cordelia as a baby. In the kitchen, they saw Jake, who was sitting on the kitchen island, eating a bowl of cereal.  Ambrose and Prudence were at the table, studying a book.  The sleep over guests were gone but Cordelia, still in her pjs, was pacing back and forth.

“Dad!”  Cordelia ran up to her parents as soon as she saw them. “Are you alright? Are you okay?”

Faustus reached down and tucked a stray red hair behind his daughter’s ear. For the past 12 years, 1 of Faustus’s greatest joys in life had been able to raise and claim Cordelia as his own since the moment she was born. Something fate had cheated him out of with his other 3 children. The fact that she was also Zelda’s child was just extra icing on a very sweet cake. The way she ran up to him, coupled with the heavy concern in her eyes made Faustus feel bad he had accused her of anything. He bent and kissed her cheek. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m perfectly fine.”

Zelda sat down at the table, addressing Ambrose and Prudence. “What are you 2 doing here so early on a Sunday morning?”

“I called them,” Jake explained. “I know you and I studied the spell a lot last night, Mom, but I thought it couldn’t hurt to call in the expert.” Jake pointed his spoon at Ambrose. “Especially since Cordy still says she’s innocent.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “I am!” Cordelia insisted. “The only thing I’m guilty of last night is of falling asleep.”

“I believe you, Cordelia, and I believe the evidence does too.” Ambrose said calmly.

“You found something?” Zelda asked.

Ambrose nodded. “This just happens to be 1 of the oldest spell book in the whole house. The demon summoning spell would have had to be performed by someone who   could speak perfect Latin.”

“And we all know that my Latin is very far from perfect.” Cordelia cut in.

Prudence was confused. “So, the Warners did this?”

Her little sister shook her head. “No, no, no. Erin, Emily and Erica don’t speak a word of Latin nor do they know any magic. I’ll tell you exactly who did that spell. It was the new girl from school, Sara Reed. It was her.”

“Do you really think so?” Faustus asked his daughter.

“I’m certain of it! The triplets have slept over here hundreds of times and nothing bad ever happened until last night when they brought Sara with them.  Hecate, it was Sara’s idea to go upstairs to haunt for books.”

“Is this Sara girl magical?” Jake asked.

Cordelia crossed her arms. “She’s a self-proclaimed wiccan.”

“But a wiccan isn’t magical, none that we’ve ever seen anyway.” Prudence pointed out.

Cordelia shrugged. “I don’t know who or what Sara truly is but I know now that my gut instinct was right. I don’t trust her.”

 Cordelia was in a bad mood for the rest of the day. She was still angry on Monday morning when she entered the school and the 1st thing she saw was the triplets and Sara huddled together in front of a poster. After a heavy sigh, Cordelia went to join them.

“Well, ladies, it seems that it’s play season yet again.”  Emily said as her sisters moaned.

“What? Don’t you like plays?” asked Sara.

Cordelia was now near enough to hear her friends and she was happy. She was happy because they were talking about normal stuff confirming that the hot coco had worked. Also she was happy because she knew the problem about the play without having to ask, unless Sara.

“This school does a play 2 times a year, in the fall and in the spring. But the only play they ever put on, year after year is Death of a Salesman.” Emily explained.

“They?” asked Sara.

Well, the play is mostly done by the 7th & 8th graders.” Erin said.

Erica lit up. “That’s us this year, guys. Maybe we could request a change of the play.”

“That a great idea!”

The 4 girls turned to see Cordelia.  The triplets greeted their friend warmly, but as Cordelia noted, Sara did not. The girls had no more time to talk since the bell rang. But Cordelia managed to block Sara’s way.

“I was just wondering how did you learn how to speak Latin?”

Sara shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know a word of Latin.”

No wonder I don’t trust you. Cordelia thought as she watched Sara walk away. You just lied straight to my face.

The school day didn’t get much better. Since this was the 1st day that grades 7 and 8 were sharing a classroom, it was fitting that their 1st assignment was a joint 1. The whole class has 2 weeks to research and write an essay about their family trees. Later that afternoon, it was announced that some of the 7 graders, including Cordelia, would been bumped up to grade 8 English.

“I’m very excited about the first novel we’re going to read.” Mrs. Robinson declared. “It was 1 of my favorite when I was your age. It’s The Witches by Roald Dahl.”

Faustus overheard all this and didn’t have to look up to know that his daughter had cringed.

 “So, what do you think your father will say when you tell him you’re dating a white guy?”

LJ smiled and shook her head. “I don’t think my father will have anything to say about it. Mostly because he’s a white guy himself. I didn’t tell you because, well, it just slipped my mind.  That’ s how unimportant it is to me. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“Not at all. I just needed another reason to say we’re dating.”

It was a week later and it was lunchtime at the hospital. After 3 weeks of spending every spare moment together, LJ Spellman and Peter Watson are very happy because last night they both decided that they were officially dating.

“My family is very important to me.” LJ told Peter as the 2 doctors sat down with their food trays. “In fact,” LJ reached into her pocket and fished out her wallet. “I always have this with me.” LJ said as she placed the photo in the middle of the table and slid it over to Peter. “See the tall guy with the black hair in the middle there? That’s my father, Faustus.”

 “I had no idea you had such a big family.” Peter said, studying the picture.

 “It’s not that big. It just looks like it because we have the whole gang here.” LJ got up and went closer to Peter to guide him through the picture. “I’m 1 of 4 children. The girl with the platinum hair here,” LJ pointed, “is my older sister, Prudence. The boy next to my father is my twin brother, Jake and this is Cordelia, my baby sister. And this is Zelda, my stepmother-“

Peter frowned. “You have a stepmother? Ug, I’m so sorry. I’ve 2 stepmothers of my own and, well, there a reason why they called evil stepmothers.”

LJ shook her head. “I’m sorry if you had some bad experiences, but it’s not like that for me. Zelda is wonderful, in fact- “LJ sighed, how to explain the insanity cure to a mortal? “Look, I know how insane this will sound, but I swear to you that all of it is true.”

“Okay,” Peter said slowly.

“Jake and I were babies when we were kidnapped by a…would-be cult leader.” LJ continued. “The man was insane and sexiest. He taught us all the wrong values. Thankfully, when we were 16, Jake and I were returned to our father. It wasn’t easy having to relearn almost everything and basically how the real world worked. But our father was there for us every step of the way. So was Zelda. I was so mean to her in the beginning but she refused to give up on me or Jake. Whatever or whenever we needed her, she was there. Even though she had a 5 month old at home and a whole school to run, she was never to busy to help us or hold us, whatever we needed. Zelda wanted to adopt Jake and me right from the start but she waited until we wanted it too.  Our birth mother died in childbirth, so Zelda is the only mom Jake and I have ever known.”

Peter was impressed. “Wow, I’m sorry for my earlier comments. You obviously love Zelda very, very much.”

LJ smiled and then pointed out the other people in the photo. Her Aunt Hilda, Uncle C and cousins, Ambrose and Sabrina.

“They all seem delightful. When can I met them?”

LJ blinked. “You want to meet my family?”

“Yeah, I want to find out for myself if they’re as cool as you” Peter said before kissing her.

  Early the next morning, Faustus was at his desk when Nina came in and without a single word, closed the door and sat in his lap!

“You’ve been holding out on me.” Nina sing songed.

Meanwhile, Faustus could barely be bothered to look up from his work. “No, I’m not.  As I told you before, your makeshift desk is over there” Using his pencil, Faustus pointed to the corner “and if you require a new chair, I suggest you get yourself one.”

“No, it’s not about that. You told me that you were happily married. You lied, Fausty.”

“No, I did not.  And don’t call me Fausty, ever!”

“But you did lie,” Nina insisted. “I asked around and that is how I learned that you are famous or should I say I infamous, for cheating on your wife.”

Faustus made a face. “You asked? Who did you ask?”

“You know, just around town.”

Faustus was furious, standing up and Nora rolled off him and would have crashed to the floor if she hadn’t awkwardly grabbed the desk.

“Where do you get off?” Faustus demanded. “Running around town, asking everyone about my personal business!”

“Look, I’ve respected your marriage up until now- “

“Are you kidding me? In the 3 weeks that we have shared this classroom, all you ever do is come on to me, shamelessly flirt with me, use any excuse to bump or brush up against me and talking in double meanings. Often in front of our students, 1 of which is my own daughter!”

“I won’t tell your wife, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Faustus sighed deeply. This was truly like talking to a brick wall. Actually, the brick wall would be more of an upgrade. “I don’t care if you talk to my wife because there’s nothing to tell her.”

Nina shook her head. “That’s not what I heard, and you know the saying, once a cheater, always a cheater.”

“I’m no longer a cheater! I am not that man anymore!” Faustus declared. “And comparing my 1st marriage to my second is as pointless as comparing day and night. Judging from that look on your face, I can tell that you didn’t know that I’ve been married twice, which proves just how little know about me.”

“Then why don’t enlighten me?” Nina came closer.

“Fine!  But because it’s almost class time and I have no desire to tell you my life story so let me give you the cliff notes. I was blackmailed into my 1st marriage.  Since we met less than a month before our wedding, I didn’t even know Constance when we got married and when we did get to know each other, I didn’t like her. Yes, I cheated on her, a lot, because I was so unhappy. I was trapped in a   marriage I never wanted. My faith doesn’t allow for divorce and worse of all, I had to sit by and watch as the only woman I’ve ever love go out with men that were beneath her.  Aside from my twin children, nothing good came out of my marriage with Constance. When she died, I was finally free to marry my Zelda and it was the best thing I ever did.  It’s been 13 years and I still thank all the stars in the sky every day for that woman and the family she gave me. My marriage to Zelda has given me a happiness that I never knew existed. I used to think that you needed power to be happy, not so. As long as I know my children are safe and I get to wake up next to Zelda each morning, I am perfectly content. You see, Zelda is my very best friend as well as the love of my life and I would never do anything to willing hurt her. For I would be completely lost without her.”

Nina crossed her arms. “You told me about yourself. Now, let me tell you about me. Back in New York, I’m considered a legend. Once I’m interested in someone, that’s it. He’s mine. A man has never refused to share my bed.”

“Well, you know the saying, there’s a 1st time for everything.” Faustus returned.

Nina sighed as she unbuttoned half her top, exposing her bra. “Does this give you any ideas?”

“You know, it does.”

Finally! Nina thought as she smiled, closed her eyes and puckered up for a kiss. Only there was no kiss, and Nina could only feel a tiny movement of fabric. She opened her eyes to see Faustus now had his back to her. She looked down to see that he had buttoned her blouse back up. She was going to call out to him when the bell rang and the children flooded in. After attendance, Nina had an announcement.

“As I told you on Monday, your request to do a new play has been approved. After taking your suggestions all week, I’ve decided to go with the Warner girls’ and Ms. Reed’s idea.”

At her desk, Cordelia frowned. She had no idea that they had submitted a play idea, and the triplets used to tell her everything.

“As per their suggestion,” Nina continued. “we will be doing a watered down version of The Crucible by Arthur Miller. For those of you not in the know, this play is about the Salem witch trials.”