An Unlikely Witch by Debora Geary Read Free Book Online Page B

then you can tell me why you were doing fertility spells in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the winter.”
    Not normally the most auspicious of times.  “Young Lizzie figured what I was about, did she?”  That was well done—it had been a very subtle spell wandering about in a hurricane of power.
    “No.”  Sophie reached for one of the cookies sitting on a plate on the table.  “These are colorful.”
    Hand delivered this morning.  “I think they’re reindeer.  Or possibly stars.”  It was hard to tell when several children under two had been involved in the making.  Aaron was a brave man—and a total marshmallow when any of the little ones wanted to help with the baking.  “And you can’t distract me that easily.”
    Her visitor chuckled.  “Kevin is full of stories about swimming with the dolphins this morning, and Lizzie thinks being a water witch is right up there with being an angel or an astronaut.”
    Given their youngest healer’s recent infatuation with trips to the moon, that was a high compliment indeed.  “It was totally delightful.  I haven’t had that much fun in the water in a good long while.”
    Fingers pushed the glass of green goo closer.  “Drink.”
    Moira sighed and picked up the glass.  “What gave me away?”
    “You did, when you didn’t send me and my potion packing.”  Sophie grinned. 
    Oh, dear.  Entirely busted.  “You’ve developed mind powers, have you?”
    “Don’t need them.”  Sophie took a bite of what was either reindeer leg or star point.  “You’re the woman who sneaks a fertility blessing into every wedding, and I know where Nat is in her cycle.”
    Ah.  More than one healer keeping an eye on their quiet yogini, hoping this might be the season that would deliver the long-awaited child.  “So many of us watching.”
    Sophie shrugged.  “She helped me with potions a couple of days ago.  I know the signs.”
    “Of course you do.”  It was one of the very first lessons they taught every healer.
     The younger woman smiled.  “A woman awaiting a baby, at the right time in her cycle for a little one to implant.  All that talk of power flowing this morning, and it wasn’t a huge leap to imagine you finding the urge to meddle rather irresistible.”
    “I didn’t meddle.”  Moira thought back to the fierce magic that had danced in the ocean waters.  “We were playing with far too much power to dare to do that.  I only let the wishes we already carried resonate a little more clearly.”
    “You would know how to do that better than anyone.”  Respect ran deep in Sophie’s words.  “You’ve always been the very best of us at amplifying the magic of the human heart.”
    Well.  Moira fought back a sniffle—that would never do.  Not when there was already green goo in the picture.  She took another deep swallow of the vile stuff.  “It tired me enough that this is almost welcome.  I’ll thank you for that in another day or two.”
    Her companion chuckled and held out a cookie.  “Here, have a reindeer chaser.”
    She would.  As soon as she finished her glass.  The reindeer deserved to be properly appreciated before it discovered what else lived in her belly this morning.  “You’ll keep a close eye on Nat, then.”
    “Yes.”  Sophie’s fingers clenched around her own cookie.  “We’ll know in a day or two.”
    -o0o-
    She’d taught this class every Wednesday morning for three years.  And for the last year or so, she had fought its descent into quiet torture.
    She didn't get to be here and wallow over what hadn't yet arrived.  Even if she really wanted to.  They deserved much better than that.
    Nat kept her breathing smooth as she distributed pillows and blankets and helped pregnant bellies settle into comfortable positions on their mats for the final relaxation pose.  She imagined little ones, some snuggling in a tight ball, close to their birthing time.  Others, still tiny and nimble, swimming and