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The first real step started tomorrow. I just hoped I was making the right choice.

Chapter FifteenAdvertisement

Since Luciana always dressed conservative in her long skirts, it made me want to wear my funkiest outfit. Instead, I decided to pretend to be the good little bruja. I wanted off coven land more than I wanted to antagonize her.

Claudia lent me a floral dress that tied at the waist. It brushed the tops of my knees, so it wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short either. I even braided my hair into two pigtails. I slipped on some flip-flops and checked myself out in the mirror. The outfit gave me a girly, innocent vibe.

I met Claudia, Raphael, and Daniel in the kitchen. “Ready?” I said to them.

“Sure. But if things start to go south, let me handle my mom.”

I narrowed my gaze. “It’s not going to go wrong. This plan is genius.” Okay. So maybe I sounded a little more sure of myself than I actually was, but confidence was more than half the game. At least, that was going to be my assumption. Hopefully that was partially correct.

We walked to Luciana and Daniel’s house and knocked.

“Yes.” Luciana opened the door. “Is there something you need?”

I wanted to grind my teeth, but instead, forced myself to relax and give her a sweet smile. Or what I hoped was a sweet smile. “Tia Rosa came to visit yesterday and invited me over to her house. Lessons with Daniel haven’t been going that well—I seem to not be getting a handle on things—and she offered to help. But I’d have to go to her house.”

“Rosa hasn’t stepped foot on the compound in over twenty years. You want me to believe that she was here? Yesterday?”

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I tried not to show my shock. She hadn’t been here since before my abuela died? “I don’t know why she’s stayed away, but she came to talk to me. You said I was to come here to learn the ways of the coven, but I seem to be having a bit of a disconnect.” She started to speak up, but I talked over her. “It’s not Daniel’s fault. He’s been really patient with me, but it’s not working. I think Rosa can help. May I go?”

Her eyes narrowed and I swore I could feel my cousins tensing on the steps behind me. “I’m going to need to call her. Wait here.”

Claudia started whispering. “Shhh,” I said. I wanted to listen in on the conversation.

I closed my eyes and focused on the sounds in the house. Luciana’s steps as she walked along the old hardwood floors. The push tones rang out as she dialed Rosa’s number.

“Hola,” Rosa said as she answered.

“Rosa.” The venom was thick in Luciana’s voice.

If I didn’t already trust Rosa, I would then. However Rosa had gotten away, I wanted that for the rest of the coven.

“Ah. Luciana. I’m surprised it took you so long to call.”

Take that, Luciana.

“You were here?” There was a touch of shock. She thought I’d been lying. I guessed that made sense. If I were less than honorable, I would’ve tried to break away from the coven ground on day one, but a deal was a deal. No matter how hard it was to keep.

But I guessed that just made me stubborn. Or stupid.

“Of course. You have my great niece. Holding her hostage. Such poor form, even for you.”

“You know you’re not supposed to come here.”

Oooh. There was dirt there. I couldn’t wait to find out why Rosa was supposed to stay out of the compound.

“And yet, I did. How did you find out I was there?”

“That’s beside the point.”

Ha! Rosa for the win.

“Teresa asked you for permission to come see me.” Rosa paused, and when Luciana didn’t say anything, she continued. “I suggest you grant her request. Unless you want me to come back—”

“No. I’ll grant her request.” A beep sounded.

She’d hung up on Rosa.

Holy shit. How had she gotten Luciana to bend so quickly? There was definitely a story I needed to hear.

The front door swung open before I could think much about it.

“You’re allowed to go to Rosa’s and back. Nowhere else. You’re allowed no phone calls. And you’re absolutely not to go anywhere near any of the dogs. You’re here to give the coven a chance and if you fail to honor our deal, there will be consequences. If you’re not back on our land before sunset I’ll consider you in breach, and the coven will be forced to take measures.”

I nodded. “Understood.” Too bad she didn’t know that as soon as I was off the coven’s ground, I didn’t need to call Dastien to talk him. The idea that my bond would be back in a few minutes had me giddy. I could barely keep myself from doing my own version of the happy dance. pqdm.com