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Willow Park stared at the worn wooden door in front of her and took a deep breath. “You’ve got this,” she told herself. “You’re the most powerful plant witch on the Boiling Isles. You’ve been training and preparing for this for three months. Let’s do this.” To her credit, her hand was trembling only the tiniest bit as she knocked three times.
The door slowly creaked open; Terra Snapdragon peered through the crack. “Ah, it’s you,” she said, nodding absently. “Come in, sprout. What took you so long? I expected you days ago.”
“You did?” Willow squeaked, then recovered her composure. “Terra Snapdragon,” she announced, “I am here to challenge you to a witches’ duel for leadership of the Plant Coven…”
“Hmmm?” Terra’s back was turned to her visitor; she was steeping a pot of tea. “All right. Fine. You win.”
“…what?”
“You win, dear. It’s all yours.” Terra set her teapot on the table. “Congratulations.” She pointed at a small pile of papers and knick-knacks on one of the chairs. “The Coven sigil is on top of everything—makes a lovely paperweight, I’ve found. There’s also some paperwork you’ll need to fill out…rules and regulations, that sort of nonsense. I’ve already entered the stuff that I needed to provide. Oh, I’ve included a task list somewhere in there to bring you up to speed on coven matters. Let’s see, was there anything else? Hmmm. I don’t think so.
“Oh, where are my manners?” She looked over at Willow. “Would you like some tea?” Her smile was warm, welcoming, and utterly menacing.
“No thanks,” Willow said quickly. Hunter, Darius and Raine had warned her about Terra’s concoctions. Several times. Emphatically.
Terra nodded. “Wise young woman,” she said approvingly. “You’ll go far. I can see why they like you. More than they ever did me.” She poured herself a cup and sipped at it. “Ahh.”
“I’m sorry, who?” Willow was hopelessly off-balance; this hadn’t gone the way she’d been expecting.
“The plants, dear. Who else would I mean? I’ve had my eye on you for some time now. They keep me informed.” Terra sat down with a grunt. “Lovely family you have, I must say. That daughter of yours is going to be something.”
“I don’t understand. I thought…”
Terra regarded her thoughtfully. “You thought we were going to have a long, drawn-out and brutal duel? One that would leave us both exhausted, battered, and bloody?” She snorted and took another sip of tea. “I’m too old for that nonsense, especially when I know you’d most likely win. This is a fair better solution for both of us.” She glanced up at Willow slyly. “Of course, if your heart’s set on a fight…”
“No, that’s fine,” Willow quickly assured her.
“Good.” Terra set the teacup down and with a grunt hoisted herself onto her feet. “Well, that’s that. We’d best be heading out, no time like the present, hmm?”
“Wait…’we’?”
Terra laughed. “Oh, yes. Boopsie? Come on out, dear—she finally arrived and took the job!” To Willow’s stunned amazement, a gargantuan demon shuffled into the room—loudly tilting his head to one side so that his horns wouldn’t impede his path through the doorway. “Sweetie, this is Miss Willow Park—Plant Coven Head Willow Park, I should say. Willow, this is my partner, Faustiekins.”
“Pleasure,” Faust rumbled menacingly.
“Wait.” Willow’s eyes narrowed. “Weren’t you the principal at Hexside before Bump? The one who vanished suddenly? Eda and Lilith told me about him, but they always believed that…”
“…that I killed him?” Terra laughed. “And then turned him into fertilizer for my gardens?” She grinned at Faust. “Told you they’d all buy it.”
“Heh. So you did,” he nodded, nearly sending the chandelier flying to parts unknown. “Fun idea, though. Kinky.”
“Dear, not in front of the young lady,” Terra teased, smacking him in the chest. “That’s for later!”
“Mmmmmm.”
“At any rate, that’s that, and we’ll be off now. Oh, may I ask a favor? Do be a dear and lock up for me—the key’s hanging by the door.”
“Wait—where are you going?” Willow asked. “What if I need to ask you about something?”
“My dear, you’ll quickly learn that matters of great importance rarely reach a coven head,” Terra chuckled. “And on those rare occasions when something does…oooh!” She abruptly squealed and jumped slightly. “Fausty…I told you, no pinching when we’re in public!”
“Heh heh heh…”
“Oh, you.” Terra rolled her eyes and returned her attention to Willow. “As I was SAYING, when something reaches the level of the coven leader, the solution is usually obvious. You’ll do fine.” She raised her arms toward the ceiling, enveloping the couple within a thick green cocoon. “But if you really need my advice, ask the plants. They know where I’ll be.”
“But…”
“Of course, that’s not to say they’ll tell you…FAUSTY!”
“Heh heh heh…”
Terra laughed heartily. “Good luck, my dear. You’ll need it. BYEEEEEEE!”
****
“I’m back.” Willow announced, trudging through her front door.
“Captain? How’d it go…?” Hunter took a tentative step forward, ready to support his wife in any way needed. Daisy squirmed in his arms and squealed happily in greeting.
Willow held up the coven sigil. “I won. I think. I’m not sure…it was really weird.” She waved her worried husband back. “I’m fine.”
“So what happened?”
“Honestly? I told her why I was there, she said ‘okay’ and handed me everything, then bundled herself and her boyfriend up and took off. They wouldn’t tell me where they were going, though. Neither would the plants.”
Hunter blinked. “Wait. Terra has a boyfriend?”
“Yeah. Surprised the heck out of me, too. Some big demon named Faust. Couldn’t keep his hands off her butt.” Willow shrugged. “Who knew?” Her gaze fell on the dining table; someone had assembled a huge pile of first-aid supplies. “Did Daisy get hurt or something…?”
“No, no!” Hunter assured her. “I was just, uhh…doing inventory, that’s all! Can’t be too prepared, you know, Captain?”
“Yeah, right,” Willow nodded, rolling her eyes in resignation. “What, did you think she was going to beat me?”
“No! It’s just…you know, I saw her in action back in the bad days! I know what she’s capable of, and I wanted to be prepared just in case…” His shoulders slumped. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay, sweetie. I appreciate it.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “So, you little stinker,” she said to her daughter, “have you been good for your daddy, or has he been spoiling you rotten again?”
“I never…” Hunter protested, then sighed and grinned. “Well, maybe a little. So what now?”
“Well, I guess I should go through all this stuff and see what I’m in for. And I guess there should be some sort of announcement to the coven, and knowing Luz and Amity, there’ll be a surprise party waiting for me this evening…” Willow suddenly jumped and squealed from an unexpected pinch. “HUNTER!”
“Sorry, Captain,” he grinned. “I thought maybe, given what you’d said about Terra and her boyfriend, that was how someone showed respect to the head of the Plant Coven?”
“Really.” Willow glanced slyly at him, then smiled. “Put Daisy down for a nap, and we’ll discuss this further…in private.”
“Mmmm. Kinky.” He winked at his wife and smiled back. “Be right back, Cap…Coven Leader.”
“I’ll be waiting…!”
“Heh heh heh…”