rolled her eyes. “Why do I get the witch tool that’s temperamental?”
“They’re all temperamental, child.” Moira chortled in delight. “Why do you think witches end up with white hair?”
Now Nell’s laughter rolled through the room. “Oh, a witchling or two is enough to do that. No tools needed.” She grinned at Lauren and motioned at the ball in her lap. “Pretend it’s Aervyn, and you’ll do just fine.”
An odd look crossed Lauren’s face. “That’s actually helpful, I think.” She studied the ball a moment longer, and then spoke quietly. “Show me the most important thing I need to know about Sierra’s mother.”
The surface of the ball misted instantly, swirling with a strange light. Lauren looked up, eyebrows raised, and motioned to them. “Come on over. It wants to speak to all of us.”
Moira’s heart caught. For over seventy years she’d asked questions of her family heirloom, and not once had it ever so much as acknowledged she existed. She reached for Nell’s helping hand up out of her chair, not taking her eyes off the crystal ball.
Sitting down beside Lauren, she reached a trembling hand to the stirring globe. And squeezed her eyes shut as a river of images started flowing in her head. Too fast at first to make out, and then the flow slowed, and Moira began to pick out faces she knew.
There was Great-gran, sitting in the ancient family rocking chair, holding two babes to her breast.
Elorie, nestled in the arms of her mama.
Her departed sister, with Marcus and Evan cuddled up at her feet.
An exhausted Amelia, floating on her back in the ocean, holding a naked, howling babe to her chest. The love flowing from mother to child was big enough to fill the sea that surrounded them.
Then came Nat, her bundle hard to see. Sophie. Sierra. The faces started flowing faster again. And then the river ceased.
Moira sat, her hand resting in awed thanks on the now-quiet crystal ball. Seventy years she had waited. And what an answer it had given. She opened her eyes, holding the magic tight to her heart. “Sierra was loved. That’s what it wanted us to know.” The most important thing. Amelia had loved her child with all the passion of the best mothers—past, present, future.
“Yeah.” Nell nodded slowly, sniffling. “Sorry. I’m sure that’s the important part.” She smiled. “But I saw my girls. They’re going to be mamas one day.”
Hmm. That was very interesting. Moira patted the crystal ball in approval. She hadn’t seen any of the triplets. It must have shown them all something different. “I saw my great-gran. And our Sierra.”
Lauren just stared at the ball in her lap. “I only saw Amelia.” She looked up sharply. “Did either of you see Nat?”
Moira smiled as she and Nell both nodded. It might be a bit of a wild ride to get there, but Nat would cuddle her babe. “They’ll be just fine.”
“Okay.” Lauren’s relief was palpable. Then she frowned. “But this doesn’t really answer what we wanted to know.” She frowned down at the ball. “Should I try again?”
Ah, these young ones who thought questions and answers were linear. “We got the answer we needed, sweet girl.” She patted Lauren’s hand. “We know that the love they shared while Amelia lived is far more important than how she died.”
Lauren nodded slowly. “Sierra already knows that.”
“Aye. She does.” Moira sat up straighter. “It was the rest of us who needed a reminder. Whatever happened to Amelia, it was not a lack of love that caused it.”
A musical ring scattered their attention. Lauren grabbed for her bag. “Sorry. Lizard’s still trying to finalize that deal, and I told her I’d stay available.” She glanced at the messages on her phone. “Gotta go.”
Waving goodbye, she carefully picked up the crystal ball. And ball in one hand, iPhone in the other, whisked out of Realm.
Great-gran would have been highly amused.
Nell scooped up the pitcher of eggnog, refilling Moira’s glass. “I’ll take the rest of this back with me. It’ll be a good excuse to drop in on my three girls and see if I can find out what the heck they’re up to.”
Moira tried to look innocent, which was difficult. She was in this one up to her neck.
Nell laughed. “They came to the champion meddler for lessons, did they? I thought so.” She shook her head. “I just hope you thought things through a little more than they did.”
“A good witch always thinks.”
Nell was still laughing as she vanished.
Moira smiled,