The others turned anxious eyes to Mika. She didn’t flinch. “He’s right,” she said. “Every witch struggles to control magic as a child, but very few of us lose control as dramatically as Altamira just did. The reason the girls lose control like that so often is because they’re together.”

“Then it sounds like we found you just in time,” said Ian, with admirable bullheadedness. “The girls are together, so it seems to me that we can either let things go on as they have been, or we can have a strong adult witch teach them the control they need.”

“But I’d be yet another witch in the same place. I’d attract even more magic to this house, and it would be even more difficult to keep it all in check. Lillian’s wards might not be able to contain that much power. None of us would be any safer with me here.”

“On the contrary, my dear,” said Ian. “What isn’t safe is three young girls who are afraid of what they are and who don’t have any idea how to coexist with their power. It’s all very well to make a ladder burst into green flames here in their own back garden, but can you imagine what would happen if they lost control anywhere else? You are able to go where you like and live more or less how you wish, but those three girls can’t go anywhere lest they accidentally set something on fire or turn a lamppost into a toad!”

“Lampposts can’t be turned into toads,” said Mika.

“Which is something none of us knew,” Ian promptly replied, “because we are not witches.”

“I know it’s not ideal,” Mika said gently, “but almost all of us grow up in isolation, sequestered from the rest of the world until we come to grips with our magic. And we do all come to grips with it, by ourselves, by the time we reach adulthood. Rosetta, Terracotta, and Altamira won’t be any different.”

Lucie’s face was soft with something like pity as she said, “That doesn’t sound like any way to spend the most innocent and joyous years of one’s life.”

“Besides, the girls don’t have that kind of time,” said Ken. “Edward’s our most pressing problem.”

Mika put her cup down and looked at the four faces around the table, bewildered. “Who?”

There was a surprised pause. Then, with an expression on his face that may have been guilt, Ian said, “I, er, may not have mentioned one teeny, tiny little thing.”

Jamie sighed. “For fuck’s sake, Ian.”

“You didn’t tell her about Edward?” Lucie asked Ian accusingly.

“Mika may not have come if I’d told her about Edward!”

“Ian,” Ken said. Mika had a feeling that that was a common refrain in this house.

“Who exactly is Edward?” she demanded.