She was squinting at me now, reaching down to pick up the glasses suspended on a glittery chain around her neck. Once they were on her nose, she settled deeper into the sofa and said, “What, exactly?”

It all spilled out then. All of it. The night of the Homecoming dance, Mr. Hall, killing Dr. DuPont, learning what a Paladin was, David being an Oracle, all the training with Saylor, Blythe, how there hadn’t been an earthquake the night of Cotillion. How that had been me. How Ryan could do magic, and I’d made him do a spell that had wiped everyone’s memory.

When I was done, the living room was very quiet. I’d drained my tea during my confession, but Aunt Jewel hadn’t touched hers. The ice was melting in it now, leaving a dark ring on the coaster in front of her. I could hear the grandfather clock ticking in the main hallway, but that was the only sound.

Aunt Jewel heaved a sigh, and I waited for her to tell me I was insane or to say she was calling my mom.

Instead, she got up and patted my knee. “Come on, baby girl. We’ve got somewhere to go.”

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

I FIGURED AUNT JEWEL was taking me home. Or maybe driving me all the way up to the psychiatric hospital in Tuscaloosa.

So when she pulled into the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly, I was both relieved and confused.

“The grocery store?” I asked as Aunt Jewel attempted to squeeze her massive Cadillac into a teensy parking space.

I winced as one of the side-view mirrors clipped the car next to us, but Aunt Jewel didn’t seem too concerned.

“I think better when I’m shopping, and you have given me a lot to think about.”

I was fairly certain my mouth was hanging open, and I imagined my eyes popping out like something in a cartoon. “Aunt Jewel, I just told you that I have superpowers. That my current boyfriend is an Oracle, and my ex-boyfriend is more or less a wizard. And you want to do a little shopping? I’d hoped you wouldn’t freak out, don’t get me wrong, but I expected some freaking out.”

Heaving a sigh, Aunt Jewel gathered her pocketbook in her arms and faced me. “Harper Jane, I am nearly eighty years old. I have lived through a world war, buried two husbands, and when I was eighteen, I told my parents I was going to a church revival, but I actually spent a weekend in Biloxi with a traveling salesman. In other words, young lady, I understand that weird crap—Lord forgive me—happens. Now get out of the car and stop overthinking things.”

So a few minutes later, I found myself stepping into the overly air-conditioned, overly Muzaked store, trailing behind my aunt.