The Witching Hour

Chapter 29 - Duped

When she arrived at the shop, Ivy did not expect to see the Pentacle already inside it. As she approached, she saw Ella pacing back and forth through the windows with Aura and Marina out of sight. Ella turned to cross the shop again when she caught Ivy's gaze through the dark sunglasses framing her eyes. Next thing Ivy knew, the front door was being thrust open and closed behind her.

"Nice of you to show up," Ella said with an exaggerated sigh while folding her arms across her chest. "It's 11:45."

"What are you the time police?" Ivy sent Ella a glare that would put her six-feet under. Ivy closed the blinds hurriedly then settling at her place behind the counter.

"Let's not even get into that bickering today." Aura got to her feet, standing between the two stubborn witches. Usually, Marina was the voice of reason, but she remained against the wall, her eyes running the length of Ivy's appearance.

Silence settled over them. No one dared to talk. Ivy knew what they wanted to hear, but she didn't want to volunteer the information. Instead, she focused her attention the plants that needed tending in front of her. She jutted her hands deep into the dirt, absorbing the energy the roots sent her way. Ivy returned the favor, sending some of her power into them. A tiny stalk sprouted straight up, growing greener by the second.

"Ivy, we're not here for you to get your work done," Ella barked unable to control her annoyance. She marched past Aura, slamming her hands on the table, leaving charred marks when she lifted them. "Not only do we have to deal with what happened last night with Griffin but also with the fact that we all had visions of Cassie."

The vines came out to play, inching their way across the table. Ella jumped back, flames dancing at her fingertips, and found her way to the wrought-iron chair across the room. Sucking in a deep breath, she groaned as she let out her exhale.

"Griffin's a werewolf."

The sentence slipped out of Ivy's mouth before she could control her thoughts. Marina's head snapped in her direction, her eyebrows jumping off her face. Aura, who had been playing with a leafy plant, froze, while Ella's eyes bulged out of her skull.

"There's no way he's a werewolf. We would have been able to tell." Aura tried to keep her voice even, squeezing her eyes shut and shaking her head. "Plus, Marina would have known. She would have sensed it."

Marina's mouth fell open before closing it in the same breath. Her hand moved to stroke her chin and neck, gaze falling past Ivy. She shifted to the arch that led to the back of the store, arms crossing over her chest.

"Marina, did you know?" Ella broke her shock-induced reaction.

"I..." Marina met each of their gazes, ending with Ivy. From the look they exchanged, her answer was evident. "No...I...I didn't know."

Leaning against the shelves behind her, Ivy welcomed the feel of the vines at her back. She drew in a deep breath through her nostrils, exhaling out quietly. Her eyes rested on Marina who resembled a deer caught in headlights but with a pensive look.

"How?" Aura tilted her head the side, biting her lip. "How did he get past all of us, let alone Marina?"

"When we ran into him after he helped Ivy in the bathroom, I had hugged him but got a muddled reading from him." Marina played with a lock of her hair, pulling her pursed lips to the side. "I didn't think anything of it then as I've been getting muddled readings from you, Ivy."

"Wait, what?" Ivy's head jerked backward, hitting the shelves. She rubbed the back of her skull, trying to dull the sting of banging her head against metal. "When did that happen?"