are in their clothing, is there not proper swim attire?”
Savannah shrugged. “Swimsuits? Sure they exist, but we’re a body positivity kind of species so we don’t require standard swim attire. You step in that blue circle over there and anything in your pockets becomes waterproof. Then when you get out, you step in the white circle and you instantly dry off. That magic is all Tennessee.”
I opened my mouth then shut it. That’s quite impressive.
“You think that is? Turn around.” Savannah pointed over my shoulder.
I spun and felt my face fall. My jaw dropped. Tucked into the side fence on the right-hand side was…a…a…beach. Like an actual ocean with waves and people using surfboards to ride them. Kessler threw himself down in the sand and it splashed all around him. Kids scurried over and went to work burying his body in the sand. All while Mona cackled.
Chutney sat just beyond the beach sitting with no less than a dozen wild animals on her and other teenagers circled around. Olli and Albert were cuddled up by her side and putting on a show for the other teenagers.
Royce skipped by, flicking his wrists left and right. Bright pink and purple flower crowns appeared on people’s heads as he went by.
“Elsa! Elsa! Elsa! Elsa!”
We all turned toward the chanting only to find a crowd of people following Bettina through the yard to the very back.
She threw her hands up and laughed. “I have black hair now!”
Light flashed and then suddenly her hair was pale blonde.
“Now you don’t!” Lennox shouted from somewhere nearby.
Bettina slammed her foot on the grass and ice shot out, covering the yard in a huge sheet of ice. Everyone cheered and clapped. My jaw dropped. I’d known The Coven a long, long time – many different versions of them – but this one kept consistently surprising me.
Timothy shook his head but he looked a little pale. “Why didn’t I ever think of this?”
Jackson carefully kicked her feet with his. “Don’t forget the blades, Moonshine.”
Bettina winked at him then dragged her foot across the yard at the line at the edge of the rink. “Rubbish, Lancelot.”
Lennox leapt over the line and onto the ice – and blades appeared on the bottoms of her shoes. She spun in a tight circle. “Nicely done, B.”
Warner grabbed Jackson by the sleeve and sprinted for the ice.
“DEACON, ICE SKATING!” Amelia shouted by us.
I had never skated on ice before, but it looked fun. I’d always wanted to try.
Deacon chuckled and tapped my arm. “So get in there, big guy.” Then he winked and jumped onto the ice.
Saraphina spun to look up at me with wide eyes. “You want to ice skate? I’ve never skated before.”
I smiled and tucked her hair behind her ears. “Me either, let’s share this first together shall we?”
Chapter Forty-Three
Aspen
“Okay, cake time!” Willow’s mom shouted as she walked through the party to the table where the massive cake sat. “Who wants a piece?”
Willow gasped. “MOM. That’s a cake?”
“Holy moly, mamadukes.” Chutney skipped to the table while clapping her hands. “It doesn’t look edible!”
It really didn’t. It looked like decorations. The cake was two towers, but each tower looked like a stack of presents. The one on the left was yellow with blue polka dots, had a giant 1 candle on top, and in the middle said Chutney with The Fool and 0 beneath it. The one on the right was blue with yellow stripes, had a giant 6 candle on top, and said Willow, The Magician, and I on the middle.
They were really, really pretty.
And as everyone moved in toward them, I realized this was my chance.
No one was looking.
My mom and dad were leaning against the far wall talking to Kessler. The former Coven Leaders Constance and Timothy were hovering by the food table, stuffing their faces while their partners Daniel and Katherine were deep in conversation a few feet over.
The current Coven Leaders were cuddled up in the large recliner chair in the far corner. Tennessee and Tegan were my biggest issue. They were infamous for not missing a thing. But if there was going to be a time this was it. They were both completely focused on the birthday girls.
And we had a plan.
But I had to move fast. They were waiting for my signal.
I skipped toward the cake to where Ryan Walcot was standing between his father and his sister, Willow. “Hey, Ryan?”
He turned and smiled that goofy smile of his and his dark strawberry blond fell into