I opened my mouth, then closed it. “You think this is from Everest?”

“Strangers also call her Francelina,” Thiago said while eyeing the wooden box like it was going to hurt him. “Could still be⁠—”

“Safe.” Tim laughed and shook his head. “Myrtle, the Lead Crone, says it is safe to open. When have we ever second-guessed her?”

“True,” they all said in perfect unison.

Myrtle just chuckled.

“Right. Sorry, Myrtle.” I reached out and grabbed the wooden puzzle box and the golden bow flashed with light. In the blink of an eye, the bow turned into golden parchment, almost like a postcard. My eyes widened. “Myrtle, still not doubting you but⁠—”

“Oh, he’s enjoying this.” She giggled. “It’s like a gift for you and him.”

I eyed the handwriting on the note, not quite ready to focus on the words, but I did notice the handwriting was foreign to me. “This is not Everest’s handwriting. It’s too . . . easy breezy.”

“Handwriting can be easy breezy?” Uncle Kyle chuckled.

“Yeah, this looks like someone just grabbed the first paper they found and scribbled down a note. They just happen to have decent script.” I exhaled. My stomach was in knots. “This handwriting makes me nervous. I don’t know why but like . . . I’m terrified to read the note.”

“I thought you said it was easy breezy?”

“It is.” I groaned, then let out a nasty curse that made my aunt hiss and my Coven-mates chuckle. “Okay, okay, I’m reading it. I’m reading it . . . right . . . it says Francelina, right, so here’s the dealio⁠—”

“Dealio?” Easton snorted. “It says dealio?”

I nodded, then kept reading out loud, “Here’s the dealio. Valathame wanted to do her sneaky thing with the riddles on Benny’s arm, but I said nah bruh, ain’t nobody got time for that. And since I’m the one who had the box, I get to decide. Vetoed her shit. You’re welcome. So pay attention, ‘cuz imma give you the down and dirty deets⁠—”

Myrtle covered her mouth and laughed. She shook her head.

“I like this person.” Uncle Kyle nodded in approval. “Let’s hear the down and dirty.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Imma give you the down and dirty deets . . . Val has quite a hefty task ahead for you. But you know this. That page wasn’t in the bitch’s throne, so you already know you’re going hunting for it. Not me, not Hermione, YOU.”

Royce snort-laughed so hard water sprayed all over him.

“See, you see? I knew! I knew to be nervous.” I shook my head and went back to the note. “I’m not allowed to tell you anything about that, trust me I’ve tried already, but I CAN tell you that before that quest, you’ve gotta handle a few things first. And you have to do these things before Mr. Winter Frost Mountain can step into the light.”