A Hidden Witch (A Modern Witch Series: Book 2) (36 page)

“No, but we could build there.” Mike kissed the
top of Sophie’s head, and then grinned at Elorie. “We figure
Seedling will have built-in playmates that way.”

They were going to move? Elorie’s heart
stuttered in shock and joy. Earth witches never moved.

Sophie smiled. “I love her too, and she needs us
now.”

It was an enormous gift of love, and not only
for Gran. Elorie’s mind swam with visions of shared dinners and
little ones playing together, morning soaks in Gran’s pool, and the
everyday joys of a sister next door.

All that was left was a proper Nova Scotia
welcome. Elorie held out her arms. “Welcome to Fisher’s Cove, you
two. We’ll have a gathering. Nothing will get Gran well
faster.”

Her meeting dissolved into a cacophony of well
wishes and celebration.

Elorie sat quietly as the noise swirled around
her. The last few days had been a miracle of community—so many
people giving whatever they could. Sophie’s last gift, however,
tugged particularly hard at her heart. Earth witches rooted deep
and seldom left home. Anyone who knew Gran knew that.

And however much they would welcome her,
building a house was a long process, one of chaos and upheaval.

It was the last thing Sophie needed, and Elorie
realized it was in her power to help. She looked around for Jamie
and Ginia, and motioned them over. “I have an idea.”

~ ~ ~

Her idea took the next several hours, seventeen
witches, three coders, and every person with a shovel in Fisher’s
Cove.

At the end of it all, Elorie stood in Gran’s
garden, happy to be back in the village she loved, and marveled at
what they had done. Sophie’s house—the Realm version, at least, and
Jamie swore it was an exact duplicate of her real home—sat nestled
in the grove of trees to the west of Gran’s cottage. If it weren’t
for the freshly dug foundation—since apparently Realm homes didn’t
need those little details—it might have been sitting there for
years.

It was the right welcome for a sister’s
homecoming.

The hordes of helpers had disappeared, leaving
things quiet for Gran’s return. They’d left behind baskets of
flowers, housewarming gifts for Mike and Sophie, and enough food to
feed the entire village for a week.

They were ready. She pulled a loaned iPhone out
of her pocket and smiled at Aervyn’s waiting face. “We’re ready,
sweet boy. Beam them home.”

Moira’s bed materialized in the clearing behind
her garden, Sophie and Mike holding her hands. It had taken
creativity and general bossiness to keep them away from the village
all afternoon. She’d finally had to let Gran in on the secret to
pull it off.

Sophie looked over with concern. “She’s really
tired today—I think we need to get her straight to her room.”

“Nonsense,” Moira said, sitting up with a grin.
“I’m fine.” It didn’t come out entirely clearly, but no one mistook
what she meant.

Sophie’s face was absolutely priceless. “I
thought you were exhausted.”

Gran’s lopsided grin was equally priceless.
It’s not easy to fool a healer, my dear. I did a good job, if I
do say so myself
.

“Fool a healer?” Sophie spluttered to a stop, a
mess of frustrated confusion.

Gran reached up slowly to cup Sophie’s face. Her
right hand was a lot slower than her left, but it made the journey.
“Welcome to Fisher’s Cove, granddaughter of my heart. Look what
they’ve done for you.”

Sophie turned around, totally mystified. Elorie
watched very carefully and knew the exact moment when she finally
spotted the house. Shock and joy exploded on her face—and the
entire village of Fisher’s Cove exploded with flowers.

She clutched Mike’s hand and turned to Elorie.
“My house. You planted it here.”

Elorie grinned. With the fresh dirt around the
edges, that’s exactly what it looked like. A house planted for a
family to grow in.

Sophie had a home, and Gran would have so many
babies to rock. The most traditional of joys, provided by the most
modern of magics.

Elorie clasped her heart pendant, knowing that
in Realm, hundreds of eyes and hearts watched along with her. It
was a very good day to be a witch.

I hope A Hidden Witch was a good read. If you
have a moment, please help others enjoy this book, too.

Recommend it.
Please suggest it to a
friend.

Review it.
Help other readers choose what
to read—tell them why you liked this book. If you do write a
review, please send me an email at
[email protected]
.
I’d like to gift you a copy of the next book in this series as a
small way of saying thanks.

Want the next book in the series?
Visit
www.deborageary.com
to
sign up for my New Releases email list. A Reckless Witch will be
available late November 2011.