I told myself the entire trip to the old coven site this was a good idea. That Mom's faith in me wasn't misplaced, that only I could take care of this. That I was well trained, had shifted out of

the old Ethie and knew what I was doing. Two years and I'd be leader, after all. GreatGram had already made that very clear to Mom and to me. Ready or not, she was stepping down when I turned eighteen. No pressure or anything.

There was a time it felt like pressure. ...