I stood off to the side, arms crossed, back braced against the wall as the mirror in the main chamber of the Stronghold shimmered and my coven made their tentative way through. Quaid helped the Lawrence twins, Estelle on one arm, Esther tottering on the other, his eyes searching for me the moment he passed through the portal. I waved but held back, letting Mom and Dad take over, just needing to stay out of it and catch my breath.

There was no ...