Actually, I almost felt worse. Her coven started to trickle in. She told me Clara was going to be initiated when she was old enough, if she wanted to be. That this coven was multi-generational.

I understood, though, why she had tried to keep her out. To protect her. I could feel their power and their connection.
This was what a coven of witches was really like and together, I was sure, they could take me out. Without breaking a sweat. “I can see why…”

“Why I wanted her to have the choice of a normal life?”

I shook my head. “Clara would never have the choice of a normal life in today’s society.”

Her mother…I’d finally caught her name, Marie…tilted her head. Then she nodded slowly. “You know?”

“When we first met she couldn’t take her eyes off of me.” I grinned a bit. “She finally realized I wasn’t available.”

“She thinks I don’t.” Marie quirked her lips. “She thinks I haven’t noticed.”

“Mothers notice a lot.” I wondered what mine had noticed about me. But we weren’t…no. I was sure she was watching more than she let me know about.

She was, after all, Fidelity. Would she not watch her daughter? Of course not. She’d probably still be watching me when I was fully mature and married and…yeah. She was going to be one of those mothers, an unavoidable part of her nature.

“Well. We’re going to make some plans. Got any thoughts?”

I followed her into the room. “They have one person making spirit bombs, hopefully. If we can deal with that person, then those of us vulnerable to them can come in.”

“Person or persons. Let’s not assume.”

“They don’t seem to have that many of them.” Which I thought was a good thing. “But really…I don’t want to hurt these girls. I want to make them think. And stop the spirit bombs.”

Before anyone else got hurt.

I got several nods. I could feel the power they had. It wasn’t like, say, Thea’s power. But it was real.

It thrummed in the air. “We think…”

“I’m assuming that they aren’t using a witch to get them but that it’s some kind of priest. I know it’s similar, but…”

“And they have Clara. That’s priority one.”

I had to agree there. I looked at Marie. “And they seem to be in Crystal City. There’s no way you can ward me from one of those bombs…”

“They set one off there…” Marie tailed off. “The population density is insane. It wouldn’t be as bad as letting one off in a hospital, but…”

“Okay. I guess I’m sitting this one out.”

Again, the frustration rose within me. It threatened to peak…