Free A Stake With a View (You Are The Worst Witch! Goodbye!) (A Wicked Good Witches Paranormal Romance Book 6) by Starla Silver Page B

left until it hit a granite ridge that jabbed down into a creek bed. To their right was the old tree; the suspected entry to the Heart of the Isle, the mystical power source the Howard Witches had protected since the Isle’s inception.
    They looked for signs of activity, but so far, saw or heard nothing out of the ordinary.
    “I’ve never seen this tree before,” said Lizzy. “It’s rather remarkable, and yet not.”
    “Assuming and yet not assuming at all,” agreed Michael. “Perfect place to hide a secret magical entrance.”
    The tree was not tall. It could not have been seen from any great distance. But was old, and thick. It grew out of an embankment, its roots a mass of tangles that sprawled around the base, almost like a protective barrier.
    “You’ve never been in White Pines, even before you were a ghast?” asked Michael.
    “No. This wasn’t a park then,” she rolled her eyes. “I’m ridiculously old, remember?”
    “Oh, right. Dumb of me. Sorry.”
    “So where exactly is the doorway? I see nothing that resembles any sort of entrance.”
    He shrugged. “All I know is it’s here somewhere and somehow, my mom and dad found a way in. Obviously it doesn’t look like an actual door... but it is here…”
    “It looks like a knotted mess. On purpose, you think?”
    “Maybe. Definitely keeps people from getting too close.” Michael shot off a text to let Charlie, William and Melinda know they’d made it, and all was quiet.
    Afternoon sun beamed down. It was a hot day, humid too. July was the hottest month on the Isle. Michael wished they’d brought more supplies than just the potions they had on hand, and bottled water, but they’d been in a hurry. At least they had plenty of shade and water from the creek nearby if they needed to cool down.
    “So, Lizzy, you ever been in a battle before?” He needed to talk. The silence did nothing for his nerves, or Lizzy’s. The overwhelming amount of emotions surrounding him lately had been draining.
    “Yes. I have,” she answered. “Not an all-out war like my family and yours had seventy years ago. But before I was turned into a ghast, we had our share of battles. Our families worked together back then. Not unlike we are today actually. Howards were always in charge, but we were more than happy to help whenever it was needed. And there were a lot more of you back then. Frankly, I don’t know how you keep up.”
    “Apparently, we’re not doing a very good job,” remarked Michael. “It’s so weird to think that you worked alongside our ancestors... before William even came to the Isle.”
    “Many lifetimes ago...” she recalled sadly.
    “I’m sorry,” Michael found himself saying. “I haven’t been very accepting of you being on the Isle.”
    “I’m over it,” she replied with a shrug.
    “You’re extremely forgiving. After everything you’ve gone through... how?”
    “I decided if I ever got the chance to get my body back that I would not waste the opportunity. No regrets. No holding onto the past, dwelling on what I’ve lost. If I allowed that to happen I might as well just curl up and die because it would keep me from living now. I won’t waste my second chance feeling bad for myself.”
    “That’s a wise way to look at things.”
    “I say it like it’s easy, but it’s not. I have my moments and I’m sure I’ll have a few more. I’m glad to have Lucas and Riley though. It’s like having a family again. If I’d come back and been alone, I’m not sure I’d be handling it as well. And I’m much happier when I have someone to boss around.”
    Michael laughed.
    His smile dropped, his face going blank. There was a vehicle approaching.
    “Probably nothing.”
    But he jumped up at the ready, just in case. Lizzy did the same. They shot each other anxious glances when the vehicle came to a stop and the engine turned off.
    “Do you think Feyks drive?” wondered Lizzy.
    “No idea, but Eva Jordan does,” said Michael, taking a