go have dinner with Elorie tonight, we’ll take care of that. Mike’s gone to fetch some paint from Lizzie’s house.”
“Thank you, dear. There was a time I could have fixed it myself, but I’m a wee bit past that age now.”
“There are plenty of hands here to take care of things like that for you. Use them.” The stern look on Sophie’s face was one Moira had seen many times in her own mirror. It worked very well on witchlings, but she hadn’t been one of those for a very long time.
“And use them I do, but I’m not an invalid yet, either. In fact, I believe Kevin is off having himself a little post-training nap, and Elorie was threatening to join him.” And the old witch was still standing. Well, sitting, but that was a far sight from napping.
Nell grinned and reached for one of Aaron’s tasty nibbles. “Full of energy, are you? Aervyn’s climbing apple trees, if you’d like to go join him.”
“I feel like I could. Handling that much power has left me positively zinging.” Moira patted Sophie’s hand. “I wish you’d been able to experience it, too. Perhaps then you and Mike would move a wee bit faster on making me some grandbabies.” Oh, she was feeling feisty today.
Sophie choked on her cake, laughing. “You have plenty of those already, and Mike doesn’t need any help in that department.” Her eyes softened. “And today was not my day to do magic.”
Aye, thought Moira. Sophie had been there as sister, not as witch, even if Elorie didn’t fully realize it yet.
Lauren was looking at Moira in fascination. “You still get that kind of buzz from working magic?” Then she clapped a hand over her mouth, as her cheeks flamed red. “Oops, sorry. That came out totally wrong.”
“Aye.” Moira leaned forward, feeling entirely mischievous. “There’s a saying in Ireland, that it’s the luckiest of men who is married to an old witch.”
Sophie giggled. “You’re totally making that up.”
“I’m not at all. And the more power you touch, the more true it is.” She looked over at Lauren again. “Did no one tell you, lass? If you haven’t found yourself a man to share your bed, you might consider it. He’ll likely think himself very fortunate. Of course, it’s always best when you share love as well.”
Now Lauren’s cheeks were the color of fresh-picked strawberries. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.”
“Sorry.” Nell chuckled. “Someone should have warned you that the ladylike and polite Moira you chat with online is not quite what you get at her kitchen table.”
“Now you tell me.”
Moira laid her hand on Lauren’s red cheek. “There’s ice cream in the freezer, dear. That will help cool you off.”
Ah, it was like being a young witch again. Three wonderful women in her kitchen, full of laughter and magic, and the next generation playing out back.
Nell grinned as Lauren got up from the table. “If you bring two spoons, I’ll change the subject for you.”
“Deal,” said Lauren, rummaging in the drawers.
Nell looked over at Moira. “So, back to the official purpose for this meeting. Besides Net power, what kind of training do we need to be doing with the witchlings?”
“We should confirm with Elorie—she handles most of the training for our young ones now. I do know that we’d like to test our Sean as spellcaster for a full circle. With all of you, we easily have the numbers to do that.”
Nell nodded. “I’d be happy to do a little prep work with him, if you like.”
“That would be lovely. Perhaps you might impress upon him the importance of discipline in a full circle. He’s a wee bit full of himself yet.”
Nell rolled her eyes. “I’m not green enough to agree to the impossible. I’ll do what I can, but that’s a lesson that comes with time, as you know all too well. Do you have a channeler in mind for him?”
“We’re hoping his twin might have some channeling talent. Lauren, perhaps you could do a bit of work with Kevin and evaluate his potential. We’ve not many channelers here, and a young one to train would be very good news.”
Lauren set down four spoons and a pint of ice cream. “I think we already know that much. Elorie didn’t scorch your ceiling alone—Kevin gave her a pretty big assist.”
Oh, my. She hadn’t seen anything of the sort, but then again, she’d been swept up in the momentous occasion of her granddaughter’s first magic.