Page 103 of Impractical Magic

“I’m just saying,” Delilah continued, undeterred, “if he’s going to be part of this family, he might as well make it official. We’ve all been waiting for it for years.”

Slowly but surely, the tide turned against the insect invaders—the starlings had them on the ropes, swooping and darting through the branches of the old oak trees. The red tint that had suffused the grove began to fade, replaced by the warm, golden glow of the afternoon sun. The air grew fresh and sweet, the stench of decay dissipating like a bad dream. The trees themselves seemed to stand a little taller, their leaves unfurling and their branches reaching toward the sky with renewed vigor.

By sunset, the grove was dragonfly-free and utterly transformed. The starlings, bellies full and wings heavy with exhaustion, returned to the base of the great oak tree, settling into the circle of candles with soft, contented coos.

“Look! It’s worked!” Luna cheered.

Mama, Delilah, Luna, and Nate all rose to their feet in applause. They had so much they wanted to say to Scarlett, so many words of love and pride. They wanted to sweep her up in their arms and never let her go. They stood happily and watched the starlings peck the dirt, and groom themselves.

As the minutes ticked by, the starlings remained huddled beneath the tree, a sense of unease grew. Where was she? Why hadn’t she returned to her human form?

“Luna,” Mama said, concerned, “what do you know about the timings here?”

“I . . . I don’t know anything. I mean . . . this isn’t a common spell, so . . .”

Delilah turned to Nate. “Do you remember when she did it with the fish? It happened pretty quickly, didn’t it? Didn’t she come back pretty soon?”

“Could something have gone wrong with the spell?” Luna asked. “Mama? Did something go wrong that we didn’t notice?”

“I . . .” She shook her head. “I don’t know . . .” Mama stepped forward, her brow furrowed with concern as she approached the circle of candles. She counted the starlings one by one.

Twelve. There were only twelve starlings beneath the tree.

Mama’s hands trembled as she counted the birds again. Twelve. Only twelve starlings returned.

A choked sob escaped Delilah’s throat as the horrible truth set in. “No,” she whispered. “No, it can’t be!”

Luna’s knees buckled, and Nate quickly moved to catch her before she collapsed. His face was drawn with anguish and disbelief. After finally getting Scarlett back, the thought of losing her again was too much to bear.

“This isn’t happening.” His voice was raw and broken. “She’ll find a way back to us, I know she will.” But even as he spoke the words, doubt crept into his heart.

Mama stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the starlings. Tears streamed down her face, but she made no move to wipe them away. “My baby,” she whispered, her voice so soft that it was almost lost on the evening breeze. “My darling girl. Where have you gone?”

Chapter 40: The Thirteenth Starling

A bitter wind whipped through the oak grove, scattering the autumn leaves and chilling the air as the witches walked slowly back to town. Their overwhelming loss was written plainly on all their faces, their expressions haunted and distant as they trudged back to the inn.

But Nate remained.

“She’s coming back,” he declared. “And she’ll be pissed if we’ve all left.”

He settled beneath the ancient tree, his eyes scanning the sky for any sign of the thirteenth starling.

***

As dawn broke on the following day, the Melroses led an army of witches back up to the grove, all of them decked out in birdwatching gear. They combed the area, searching high and low for the elusive starling. But to no avail.

Aphra brought materials to create an enchanted cage, and Nate helped her construct an enclosure beneath the big old oak tree. The idea was to ensure the twelve starlings stayed safe and close . . . just in case the final one returned.

“When the final one returns,” Nate reminded her.

“Yes.” Aphra nodded solemnly. “When.”

Once the work was complete, Aphra gently suggested to Nate that there was no more to be done, no more to be asked of him, and no more to be gained from him living in the grove alone.

But Nate remained.

***