Soon, she was online in a video conference with so many people that their shifting facials were only tiny thumbnails on her laptop screen. Yeah, it must be the old council and the new. Too soon to judge whether that was good or bad for her cause. At this point, she could only move forward.

“I’ve been accused of allowing my nonmagical husband to discover I’m a witch,” she said. “But I told him nothing directly. That said, I assert this council stricture is both outdated and unnecessary. Witches shouldn’t have to hide from those they love. I move that we strike this codicil from the covenant and allow us to disclose freely. If this motion is carried, I also suggest we wait a reasonable time for those conversations to happen privately, and then…on a preapproved date, we come out to the world.”

Immediate outcry followed, so much shocked shouting that Leanne tuned it out. If they called on her to defend the proposition, she would, but for now, it seemed like there was support and opposition already in play. She listened to the arguments for half an hour, until they gradually slowed and came to a lull.

Into that silence, someone said, “This has been proposed before. We always decide it’s too risky.”

Fuck. If this failed, there would be consequences. For her. For Trev. For the enforcers. Time to earn my keep.

“Think about the advantages.” Leanne made her case, just as she had with Gladys. “How amazing would it be if we could earn a living through spell work? Instead of hiding our gifts and struggling with a day job that brings no joy. Some witches are lucky enough to find regular work they enjoy, but many are not. And others live in poverty because they’re forced to hide who they are.

“It would enrich our lives on so many levels. No more barriers between us and our nonmagical loved ones. We could stop wasting so much time and energy hiding our seasonal rites. In fact, I suspect they would become tourist attractions. People would drive hundreds of miles to experience the marvels we take for granted. And witches have been featured in so many modern media adaptations that I imagine we’d receive a lot of support from fans delighted to learn we exist. Old superstitions have largely died out. Folks don’t blame witches for random problems anymore. Science has explained so much, there’s no need to live like this. Make the right decision. Vote with me. Vote for freedom and disclosure.”

“It’s time,” another council member said.

“Wait, are we voting for both measures together? For the two-step process—speaking to our partners and families, and then later, the world?”

“Correct,” Leanne said, before anyone else could complicate the matter.

“It makes sense,” another council member said.