I asked around among the few Elm witches I sort of knew, and they pointed me to the hotel lobby, where the main administrative offices had been converted into a central command for their Matriarch.

Klaeris rose from her desk when she saw me, smiling wide. "Ophelia!" she said. "I haven't seen you in a while. But some of the witches who live near you say you have been working some spectacular magic."

"Yeah," I rubbed the back of my head. "It's good to have something to practice. I ...