The First Curse is the Deepest (A Return to Magic Cozy Mystery Book 8) by Lily Harper Hart

Author:Lily Harper Hart [Hart, Lily Harper]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperHart Publications
Published: 2025-01-07T00:00:00+00:00

11

ELEVEN

“Good?” Nick asked Olly as she munched on a section of the giant cookie. She had pizza sauce on one cheek and chocolate on the other. Nick found the combination utterly adorable.

Olly nodded happily.

“You’re going to need a bath before bed,” Maddie said.

Olly nodded again. She loved bath time.

“I’ll take her,” Nick offered.

“Are you sure?” Maddie was unconvinced. “I can do it.”

“I want to.” Nick leaned in and kissed her. “Spend some time with your dad before bed. I’ll handle Olly.”

“Check on Finn, too,” Maddie instructed.

Nick nodded. “He’s not ready to talk, Mad. I’ll check on him, but he’s like you. He’s not going to open up until he feels like it.”

“I open up,” Maddie argued.

Nick snickered. “Yes, that’s why we spent ten years apart after high school, because you opened up.”

Maddie glared at him. “I thought you were done bringing that up.”

“Sorry.” Nick mimed zipping his lips. He grabbed Olly around the waist as he stood. “Come on, little princess. It’s bath time. I’ll leave the dishes to you, Mad.”

Maddie waved him off. Her father was already on his feet clearing dishes when she sighed and got to her feet.

“You seem sad,” George noted as Maddie moved pizza onto a plate for Finn. She didn’t expect him to come downstairs in the middle of the night and eat, but she would feel like a bad mother if he didn’t have the option.

“I’m disappointed,” Maddie countered. “I think that’s the better word. I thought for sure we would find Chloe.”

“Why do you think you didn’t?”

Maddie considered the question. Her father’s tone wasn’t accusatory—not like Finn’s had been earlier—but she bristled all the same. “I did my best,” she said after a beat.

George shot her a quelling look. “I’m not saying that you didn’t do your best. I’m trying to help. To do that, I need to know why you think your magic didn’t work.”

“Oh.” Maddie turned sheepish. “Sorry.”

George merely smiled. He clearly wasn’t going to hold it against her.

“I’m not sure.” Maddie glanced around, as if she expected Finn to show up out of the blue and eavesdrop. “We found something weird in the woods.” She told her father about the ritual site.

George did his best to grasp what she was describing to him. “And Ivy is certain it has something to do with witches?”

Maddie shrugged. “She seems pretty certain. On this subject, she would know more than me.”

“Right.” George bobbed his head. “Well, what are you going to do about it?”

“I honestly don’t know.” Maddie tossed the empty pizza boxes in a garbage bag. There were wings and pizza in the fridge for Finn. George was loading the dishwasher. Everything was as it should be, and yet she still felt unsettled. “I guess maybe I need to sleep on it,” she said finally.

“That’s probably a smart move,” George agreed. “I’ll be back tomorrow to take Olly. What time do you want me here?”

Maddie was thrown by the statement. “You’re going to take her three days in a row? That’s going above and beyond.

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