“Watch out!” a voice called as a piece of rolled-up parchment fluttered into the room.
Wings the size of my palm stretched out on either side of the parchment as it zipped and zoomed around our heads.
“What on earth...” Mama put a hand to her chest.
Auggie and Adelaide burst into the room, Auggie with her hand outstretched. “Come here, you little?—”
“What is going on?” I asked as Auggie shoved past me, jumping to try and catch the flying parchment.
Adelaide came to stand beside me, her arms crossed. “We got a letter in the post, but it’s being... difficult.”
I frowned. Magic was often unpredictable, even in the best of spells. I looked at my older sister. “So what are you doing?”
“Watching and enjoying the show.” She nodded her head toward Auggie, who was attempting to climb up the shelves to reach the letter.
Prue huffed, then stood. She closed one eye and launched a book at the parchment, knocking it from the air. It fell to the ground. Prue picked it up and stretched her hand out to Auggie.
Auggie snatched it from her, making a face as Prue smiled smugly.
“A letter?” Mama rushed over to Auggie. “Well, who would’ve sent us a letter? Hand it over.” She gestured for it, and Auggie complied.
We gathered around Mama as she untied the red string. A matching red wax seal with a phoenix on it was stamped on the parchment. Mama unrolled it, and we all crowded tight, trying to read it.
“Ow! Aim your pointy elbows elsewhere,” Auggie said.
“Girls,” Mama chided, her gaze stuck on the parchment. She gasped. “An invitation to a ball!”
Oh. That.
My stomach sank. It had been over a week since I’d told Draven Darkstone we’d come to his ball, all in an effort to show Adelaide we could get along. I’d hoped he’d forgotten about the entire thing.
Auggie gasped. “A ball? We’re invited to a ball?”
“At the Darkstone Manor.” Mama frowned. “I wonder where that is.”
“I think it’s on the other side of Thistlegrove Forest,” Adelaide said, tapping her chin. “I heard someone talking about it at the market the other day.”
“Darkstone Manor? Isn’t Darkstone Draven’s last name?” Prue asked.
I hadn’t even thought of that.
“What is a tavern owner doing with a manor?” Prue continued.
“Who cares?” Auggie flung out her arms and twirled. “We’re going to attend an actual ball.”
Adelaide snatched the parchment from Mama, reading it. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea.” She handed it back to Mama.
Elm had stopped by our soup stand nearly every day this week, but despite his efforts, I hadn’t seen him and Adelaide together, and she seemed miserable. Every time I tried to bring it up, she just said that I was right, and it was easier to keep things simple, uncomplicated.
“What?” Auggie screeched. “Of course it’s a good idea. In what world is going to a ball a bad idea?”
“In a world where we’re cursed and living in a realm where it’s illegal to not have magic?” Adelaide said.
“Mama!” Auggie stamped her foot. “Tell her we can go.”
“I still don’t understand how Draven Darkstone has an entire manor,” Prue said. “The only witches who have manors are those that have inherited them. Which means he must have family wealth. Why would he work in some village tavern if he didn’t have to?”
Why indeed. It seemed there was more to Draven than I realized.
