Larissa paced in front of the back door before she reentered her grandmother’s house and sat down.

“Is everything all right?” her grandmother asked.

Larissa pressed her lips together. How much should she reveal? She didn’t have anything concrete to report, and didn’t want to frighten her grandmother with speculation.

“Yes,” she replied, going for a vague answer. “Roman is the commander of his team, so he’s often busy with them.”

Her grandmother gave Larissa a sage nod. “I’m glad you found someone like him.”

Larissa squinted her eyes. “Really? He’s not even human.”

Her grandmother shrugged. “Gargoyles are known for their protective nature. It gives me comfort knowing you’re with someone like him.”

Larissa resisted grunting. Better than your jerk of an ex, was the unspoken comment—or, at least, that’s what she heard in her head.

Well, she wasn’t even going to go down that road. Her ex-fiancé had dumped her after the bombings at the Boston Marathon, saying he couldn’t deal with her mood swings any longer. Screw him. He was in her past. She had enough shit to deal with in the present, and who knew what in the future.

She glanced at her hands. She’d begun fidgeting again and her fingers drummed along her thigh. Raising her hands, she stared at her fingers. “I’m still in awe of what I did that night. Should I try to show you?”

“Yes.” Her grandmother searched the room and glanced outside. “Perhaps we should move into the bathroom. Do you think you could aim it inside the tub?”

Right. She didn’t want to burn her grandmother’s house down, nor have any neighbors spy on some strange occurrences if Larissa tried it outside, which would warrant a call to the local police.

“I’m pretty sure, but I can’t swear to it.” What she’d done with her hands had been unpredictable. But, she didn’t think her fingers would shoot off like out-of-control lightning. She’d been able to target the direction in the past.

“Focus on a smaller area to keep your magic contained,” her grandmother directed. “Picture a match or sparklers.”

Her grandmother’s pink bathroom looked like it had been designed by a flower child in the sixties. Larissa aimed her fingers diagonally down into the porcelain tub. She concentrated on projecting energy from her hand.

Nothing happened.

“Wait, let me try again,” she said.

She tried again not once more, but three times, before dropping her hand in frustration.

“I swear it worked the other night, Nana.”

“Of course, Larissa. I’d never doubt you. You haven’t had the chance to practice working with your magic, yet. It takes time to master control.”

Larissa released a frustrated sigh. “Maybe it was a freakish reaction due to stress.”

“It’s possible.” Her grandmother gestured with an open palm. “But, I think it’s more than that. You tapped into your energy that night, which is the source of all magic. You don’t just want to be able to call on your magic when you are in danger, but other times as well.”

“Like the situation with Janie,” Larissa replied.

“Exactly, and that’s why we use magic to help others. It’s different from the dark magic you encountered that night. There’s light and darkness for us all. Demons lurk on the dark end of the spectrum to increase their power. They have no desire to help anyone but themselves.”

That fit with the horrid creatures Larissa encountered. She resisted shuddering as she pictured the bodies torn open. And for what? A demon’s perverse pleasure?

As they both headed back into the living room, Larissa said, “When I think of witches, I picture covens and circles and all the things you find in a Salem tourist trap, like herbs and amulets. Do I have the wrong impression?”

Her grandmother sat back down in her favorite armchair. “Not exactly. Plenty of witches gather in covens and have spiritual ceremonies within a magical circle. And many make Salem their home. You may find them in some of the shops selling magical goods and supplies or doing spiritual readings. And, yes, there are others who I sense are trying to make money off the tourist industry. They are not true practitioners.”

Larissa conjured images of her grandmother in a magical circle. Did she dance naked beneath the moonlight? Or, was Larissa completely ignorant of true witchcraft?

She sank into the sofa. “Are you part of a coven?”

Her grandmother smiled. “I was when I was younger. We met nearby in Danvers, where Salem Village once stood. It was a sort of ‘take that’ to those who persecuted witches. A declaration that we’d survived. Plus, we avoided the Halloween crow madness in Salem. A dozen of us met during the full moon or the solstices.”

Larissa pictured her grandmother as a young, rebellious witch in a coven. How was it possible? Could anyone picture their grandmother as a young woman—and not as a grandmother?

Larissa’s brows furrowed. “What did you do?”

“Oh, you know, we were friends. We chatted and supported each other. But, we also worked on spells to heal others and the earth. Having that closeness was lovely. But, once we settled down and started families, it was more difficult to get together. Once I had your mother, I practiced on my own.”

“How do you do that?”

“The same as I would in a circle. I clear the negative energy around me and focus on positive thoughts. I think of whatever problem I’m trying to solve. Your grandfather built a greenhouse for me, so I was able to grow herbs and plants for my practice. It became my sanctuary. As I tend the earth and nurture growth, I grow and heal myself. Many witches find peace in nature.”

“Do you still help others?” Larissa asked.

“Whenever I’m able,” Her grandmother replied. “Some people wouldn’t be happy with a witch helping them. She flashed a wry grin. “But to answer the question, yes. A true witch helps others and helps the earth.”

One person, in particular, needed help right now. “Will you help Janie?”

Her grandmother’s expression fell.

Larissa’s pulse rate fired. What was that about? Her grandmother had just mentioned helping people. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m afraid I’m not able to. I’m not strong enough.”

What was she talking about? Her grandmother was spry for her age. Like she’d said, she stayed active in the garden. “Of course, you are. You’re one of the strongest women I know.”

“Thank you, dear. But, physically, I’m not. I’ve been going downhill for several months.”

Larissa studied her grandmother. Had she missed it? Sure, her grandmother moved slower than she used to, but that was part of aging, right?

Her heart beat quicker. She wiped her heated palms on her jeans. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Her grandmother raised her index finger to her bottom lip. After she dropped it, she said, “Yes.”

Larissa straightened at the serious tone. “What is it?”

“I haven’t told you before because I didn’t want to worry you. And I didn’t want to be upset over something that can’t be changed.”

Larissa reached for her owl amulet that her grandmother had given her, but when she remembered she wasn’t wearing it, she gripped the sofa arm instead. “Now, I’m worried.”

“You shouldn’t be. It’s just part of life. We all face the end eventually. Many of us don’t know how that will come, but some do.”

Her heart raced. What was her grandmother saying? Larissa knew, but it couldn’t be true.

“I have cancer.”

No. Anything but that. Cancer was such an insidious disease. Its attack was slow and ruthless, and accelerated with a vengeful speed when it was ready.

She rubbed an eyebrow. Not her grandmother. Not now.

“What have the doctors said? What are they doing to help you?”

“I’m not going in for treatments.”

“What?” Larissa’s mouth fell open. She stared at her grandmother. “Why not?”

“Because the universe has decided that this is the way for me to leave.”

Larissa’s organs seemed to twist as if swept up in a black tornado that tore everything from its proper place.

“But, we live near the best hospitals. The best cancer treatments. Why aren’t you taking advantage of that and fighting it?”

“This is why I didn’t want to tell you, my dear. I didn’t think you would understand. They think it started in my uterus, but it spread. There’s not much they can do. I don’t want to spend my final days pumped up with chemicals, making me too sick to appreciate what I have left. I want to look at my loved ones through my eyes, not distorted by drugs.”

Larissa’s eyes itched. No—stung. It felt like someone was stabbing her there with needles—an aspiring acupuncturist’s practice pad. “I can’t believe this. How long have you known?”

“Long enough.”

Her thoughts raced, tumbling and crashing into each other like a race car that had lost control. Her grandmother, her maternal figure—was dying? No. It couldn’t be real. No. She should be in the hospital.

Wait, was that best? Janie was there, and the doctors hadn’t been able to help her. Perhaps her grandmother was living her life on her terms.

“Larissa, don’t feel sorry for me. I’ve lived a long life. I’m grateful for every moment I’ve had. Outliving a child is every parent’s nightmare, and I’ve lived without mine for too long. What saved me is taking care of you. But, you’re grown now, and you don’t need me like you used to.”

“That’s not true. Of course, I need you!”

“I’m happy you found Roman. I know you will take care of each other.”

“Nana.” Larissa choked up. She didn’t even know what she wanted to say. “I need you.”

“I’ll always be with you, Larissa—just as your mother has always been with us.” Her grandmother covered her heart. “I’d be a fool to say I know for sure what comes after we die, but I believe with all my being that I will be with your mother again. And one day, many decades from now, you’ll join us. And therefore, death doesn’t terrify me. It brings me peace after a very long night.”

A lump welled in Larissa’s throat, threatening to suffocate her. When she could no longer ignore it, she swallowed. “Oh, Nana.”

Her grandmother clapped her thighs. “Enough despair. That’s not why you’re here.” Her voice rose with determination. “My health may be deteriorating, but you are as strong and healthy as ever. You can help Janie.”

Larissa blinked through tears, which she didn’t bother to hide. “How?”

“I’ll teach you.”

Larissa’s eyes widened. She wiped the tears.

“It would bring me great pleasure to pass on all I can. Are you willing to do this?”

A tsunami of grief threatened to sweep Larissa away. This was all too much. Her grandmother was dying. And Janie was clinging on to life.

Focus. Be strong for her. And for Janie.

She straightened. “Yes, Nana.”

Her grandmother smiled. “I want you to work on deep and calming breaths. One thing that hampers you, Larissa, is your anxiety. You’re like a fireball of energy. It’s good when it’s positive, but debilitating when it’s negative. You need to learn to breathe through it and get in touch with a serene space within. When you’re calm, you’re better able to connect with your spirit, and then work with your magic. And once you’re comfortable with that, you can break through the darkness inside Janie.”

Larissa tried to follow her grandmother’s guidance. This was too much. She needed her. “Will you come to the hospital with me?”

“I’m not strong enough to work with you on magic and travel into Boston. It will take too much out of me. But, you don’t need me there. Just listen to my instructions and follow them once you’re there.”

Larissa shifted her feet on the floor. She stared down at them, eying her black sneakers. Sneakers. That was something that people wore. A symbol of normalcy. Not associated with witches and demons and gargoyles. She was just a normal person, right?

That illusion crumbled with each new revelation.

“Do you think that will work, Nana?”

Her grandmother tilted her head. “I believe in you, Larissa. And the only way we’ll find out is if you try.”