He looks up, catching my eye, and warmth spreads through me. It’s nice to have him on my team. “Thanks.”

A brief smile slips through his serious expression. “You’re welcome.”

Violet steps forward. “Now. I’m sure you two will be plenty fine on your own, but we’ve made you a spell kit in case of emergency. We’ve bundled the supplies and written it all out.” She holds up a small package that has been wrapped in brown paper and then tied with a piece of twine that has likely been around since the seventeenth century. They even singed the edges. The aunts really have a flair for the dramatic. Several herbs are tucked into the string, and a small white stone has been attached to it.

“What’s in it?” I ask suspiciously. The package is light and smells faintly of herbs.

“A spell for lost things!” Violet says, as though that explains anything. I must look at it suspiciously, because she laughs. “Don’t worry, we use everyday items, no need for the eye of a newt or any of those silly things we’re always hearing about. Kitchen herbs tend to work the same way they do in cooking. Basil sweetens. Chili might spice things up. If you want something to go away, you might try something like stinging nettle. And if it’s love…” She trails off, winking at the two of us knowingly.

I’m going to fling myself into their enormous fireplace. I can’t even look at Mason. “But I’m not a trained witch. How am I supposed to perform a spell?”

Violet shakes her head. “Silly girl. Magic isn’t something you learn. It’s your birthright! Anyone who tells you that you need special training to perform magic is in it for their own good. Witchcraft is about what is already inside of you. You get to listen to your own inner voice and decide what makes you most powerful.”

I want very much to believe that, but right at this moment I’m not sure. I do my best to shake off my misgivings as I zip the spell kit into my backpack. Hopefully we won’t have to use it.

“We won’t need it for this next letter. It’s pretty obvious where the next one is,” Mason announces.

I whip around to look at him. His face is serious, even if there’s a small amount of maple syrup on his chin. “You know where the next letter is?”

He smiles a little. “Yeah, it’s easy, right?”

The aunts are really beaming now. For once they’re quiet, but their expressions are a clear We told you so. To be fair, they did tell me so, but that doesn’t make this scenario any less embarrassing.

I take a breath, steadying my hands on the table. “Um… what am I missing?”