“I don’t know. We haven’t had a chance to look at it yet.” Josephine moves to the table between the two couches and kneels in front of it. She opens the book and sets it down. Everyone gathers around. I wrap my arm around her waist, doing my best to keep anyone else from accidentally touching her. Josephine’s friends are practiced in this, but mine aren’t as alert. I snap at Bram to back off when he gets too close.
The pages of the book are yellowed with age, but like many magical tomes there must be a protection spell on it. As old as it is, it’s still in good condition. Josephine flips to the first page, and there’s a date in the corner: November 31, 1706. The name Ashenvale is embossed on the cover.
“What does it say?” Ava leans forward, nudging her way past Bram, who is apparently taking up too much space. He looks down at the mousey woman with a frown. Then he bumps his shoulder back into her, earning himself a glare.
Josephine scans the page. “It’s just a spell. One for”—she clears her throat—“enhanced sexual performance.” She flips the next page and then another.
“The guy was really obsessed with his dick,” Ava says as she makes a face at the book.
“Is there anything in there besides penis enhancement spells.” Bram pinches his brow.
Josephine continues to flip through the pages until she reaches a spell for siphoning magic. “That’s why Morty gave me this book.”
Josephine closes her eyes with a sigh. I rub her back, my hand closing on the nape of her neck and squeezing. She leans into my side, and I’m stupidly proud that I can be there for her.
“What else is in there?” Piper’s quiet voice breaks through the silence.
Josephine resumes flipping through the pages until she reaches the end of the written spells.
“This looks like a diary entry.” Ambrose cocks his head, squinting as he examines the tiny handwriting.
“Can you read it?” Stellan questions.
Josephine leans closer, her nose almost literally stuck in the book, and starts to read. “We are utterly ruined. The whore may be dead, but she has damned us all.”
“That’s not at all fatalistic.” Ambrose moves to sit on the arm of the couch, crossing his legs at the ankles as he listens.
Ava impatiently flips to the next page. “What else?”
“This entry is three weeks later. ‘We thought it was temporary. That we could find a way to best the bitch from beyond the grave. Cornelius is barely able to leave his bed, and Euphemia suffers from a devastating case of memory loss. She cannot even recall her own name. All because some spoiled bitch claimed to have a fated bond.”
“It’s the curses,” Piper whispers.
“And some really awful names.” Ambrose shakes his head.
“Yes, yes, everything is horrible, and they’re all going to suffer. Is that it?” Bram snaps, losing his patience. There’s nothing in here that we don’t already know except for the part about the fated bonds. I’ve rarely heard mention of that kind of magic. Although this is the closest to a primary source I’ve ever read concerning our town’s curses.
Josephine flips through a few pages and then gasps.
“The Briar bitch has ruined our coven. I suppose in the end, she got her revenge, but at least we took her and her lover down first.”
“The bastard is even smug in his diary.” Ava scoffs, and Josephine continues.
“We have found a solution to our problem. But too many people know about the curses, and there are some who would object to our remedy. It has been decided that we will form two new covens. Half of the founding families will sit on the council of each coven. The witch’s grimoire will be split. Each coven will get a piece so we can safeguard our secrets. I hope the bitch is burning in hell while we laugh down at her.”
There’s a beat of silence before everyone starts talking at once.
“What the hell does that mean?”
“What secrets?”
“I don’t know. But it sounds like the covens have the answers.” Josephine looks up, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
35
ROMAN
“We need to steal the two halves of the grimoires.” Josephine turns her head to look at me. “Our coven has what they call the original grimoire displayed in the library. Do you know where your half is located?”
