We had started planning right after I had left the bookstore and gone home. Izzy and Nora were back from the police station by then, and I told them everything. After hours of going through different scenarios, we settled on a plan for the following night. We wanted to get as much information as we could before we encouraged Mary to go to the police. If the town hall meeting taught me anything, it was that details were important. My talking to Mary alone in the graveyard seemed like the best approach. I knew she felt a kinship with me because of our losses. She had also told me she visited her husband every night, so all we needed to do was wait, in hiding, for her to show up. As for Liz and Rip, their arrival hadn’t been a surprise. I knew someone had been following me, and it didn’t take long, after discussing it with my aunts, to figure out the most likely candidate. A small locator spell confirmed it. It was Rip. The wildfire magic had gotten to him after all. I was his loose end. He had been following me since that night. I would have thought the spell would have worn off, but Rip, apparently, had a lot of guilt. I could only assume it had taken him so long to confront me in the graveyard because he had called Liz and was waiting for her to show up. That, and it had probably taken him some time to find a shovel.

Izzy came rushing over to where I was kneeling on the grass. “Are you all right, darling?”

I let her help me back up to my feet. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

“I’m so proud of you,” she said excitedly, burying me in a hug. “You did so well! I knew you could do it! Your magic is back and better than ever! You never faltered.”

“Ahem,” a voice called over.

Izzy looked back to her sister, who was waving at all the people still cowering in fear.

“Oh right,” Izzy whispered. “Not quite done here, are we?” She hurried back to Nora. “Where were we?”

“We were just about to leave for the police station. Everyone’s ready to confess.”

Rip shook his head, his eyes darting around the graveyard.

“Are you thinking of running?” Nora asked sweetly. “Because if you are, I think it only fair to warn you.” My aunt’s eyes flashed an even brighter green. “I love to chase.”

Rip stopped moving.

“We’re all coming,” Mary said, looking at the other two members of her family. “It’s time.”

The five of them walked back to the path that led out of the graveyard. It was Izzy who noticed first I wasn’t following. “Brynn?”

“I’ll be along in just a bit. You all go on without me.”

Nora shooed the others along, then walked over. Once they were out of earshot, she said, “Well, that was fun. And did you see how I managed to restrain myself? Rippert is lucky I didn’t strike him down where he stood for threatening you. Of course, we’ll have to dabble with some of their memories. I don’t see any way around it. But it was worth it.” She stepped in close and touched my arm. “Are you all right?”