Leave it to Nora to ruin a mood of someone else’s making.

Izzy and I both straightened before I asked, “Why do I always have to be the one to pick up the toad?”

“I could do it,” Nora said lightly, “but I’m sure you’ve heard some witches have been known to eat live toads.”

“That’s not—” My voice faltered when I looked back at her. “—true.” My aunt was smiling quite widely, her teeth gleaming in the dark.

“Well, in that case.” I carefully unlatched the wire door of the cage and lifted Precious out. “There you are. I promise you can go back outside after this. I bet you’re missing your friends, aren’t you?”

Nora pushed past me. “Get out of the way.”

“I still don’t see anything,” Izzy said, crouching to peer inside the cage.

Nora wheeled back around and glared at the toad. “Did you even try?”

“Don’t worry,” I whispered to Precious. “She says that to everyone.”

Unfortunately, I guess Precious was worried because before I could stop him, he had escaped from my grip and launched himself into the air.

“Precious!”

Both my aunts jumped back, but it was Nora who let out a high-pitched squeal and bumped into the china buffet. All the dishes rattled, but they settled just as quickly. I almost breathed a sigh of relief, but then I saw the antique vase resting on top of the cabinet teeter side to side.

“Uh-oh.”

I reached for it just as it toppled over. Luckily, it landed perfectly on the pillow below.

“Oh, well done, Gideon!” Izzy shouted loud enough to reach the attic.

A tinny “You’re welcome” came back through the cast-iron register by the ceiling.

I smiled at Nora, still cowering by the buffet.

She scowled at me. “What are you smiling at?”

“You’re afraid of toads.”

“Nonsense.”

“You don’t eat toads. You run from them.”

“That’s quite enough out of you.”

“You’re scared of itty-bitty little—ow!”

Nora had snapped her fingers and a corresponding snap hit the back of my neck.

“Stop that, you two,” Izzy said. “We have to find Precious. Where could he be?” She whirled around, accidently knocking the cage over onto its side. “Oh, stars!”

Faustus jumped up onto the table just as the contents spilled out. I followed his gaze down to the small toad seated among the piles of dirt scattered across the floor.

No.

It couldn’t be.

I bent down to get a closer look.

“Precious,” I whispered. “What have you done?”

But, of course, Precious hadn’t done anything but that which was most natural. And it lay glittering all over the floor.

A few tiny blue and purple crystal flecks danced in the low light coming through the windows, but they didn’t worry me. It was all the green.

My body went cold.

They were everywhere. Precious must have buried them in the dirt, but there was no mistaking them now.

I knew what the color meant.

It meant rage. Fury. Wrath.