Free Shadow Witch by Geof Johnson

only mentioned a little bit on the magic mirror.”
    Sammi told them about Duane Gundy, how he’d hurt her and her foster mother. Her voice cracked when she started to explain how he crept into her room at night.
    Momma’s Sue listened silently, her jaw clenched tightly and her eyes like black steel.
    Mrs. Malley shook one finger gently at Sammi. “You ran away just in time it seems, before he could take your virtue. You did the right thing, running to Fred’s house.”
    “Sammi told me that’s not the main reason she came to my house,” Fred said.
    “Oh? Well, what is the main reason, Sammi?”
    All eyes turned to Sammi and she felt her chin drop. She couldn’t help it. Their eyes were so heavy she couldn’t bear their collective weight. Her mouth suddenly turned dry again and she struggled to talk. “Because...because they love each other so much,” she finally managed to mumble. “And Jamie’s family, and Rollie’s.” She swallowed hard and her chin fell all the way to her chest. “They all do.”
    Sammi looked up to see Momma Sue and Mrs. Malley gazing at her, their faces soft and warm as sunshine. Sammi said, “That’s why I came.”
    “Well,” Momma Sue, “that’s the best reason of all.”
    “Love has a very powerful magic of its own,” Mrs. Malley said.
    Momma Sue nodded and grinned. “Just ask Fred about that! Her and that blond-haired boyfriend a’ hers.”
    Sammi glanced at Fred and was surprised to see Fred blushing almost as red as her hair. Fred cleared her throat and said, “Sammie thinks that our families may be some kind of triad.”
    Momma Sue twisted one side of her mouth up and drew her eyebrows together. “Why...that may well be. That would explain a lot. You all have overcome three big crises in less than a year.” She counted on her fingers. “Jamie had to kill that evil, powerful sorcerer, Renn. You had to trick those two bad witches and escape from ’em. Strong and experienced witches, no less. And Rollie had to outrun a demon and get it to go through a magic doorway to another world. Nobody’s ever done that and lived to tell about, no sir.” She sat back in her chair and nodded firmly. “Ain’t nothin’ trivial about any of those accomplishments. You got lotsa powerful, powerful magic flowin’ around you three. Your families could be part of it. I never heard a’ that before, but that could be true.” She turned to Mrs. Malley. “What do you think?”
    Mrs. Malley shrugged and raised her eyebrows. “This is all new to me, but it is interesting.” She nodded gently. “But I must say my life has gotten very interesting since you and your friends stopped by my house and fixed my eyes, Fred.”
    Fred took a deep breath and the normal color returned to her face. “Jamie thinks our combined magic is attracting these big problems, like gravity. Magical gravity.”
    Sammi’s face fell. Am I a problem?Is that what they think I am? She looked up at Fred, who seemed to read her mind. Fred put her hand on Sammi’s shoulder and smiled softly at her. “I don’t mean that you’re a problem. We’re glad you came to us. We just have to figure out how to take care of you. That’s all.”
    Sammi felt better. Momma Sue stood and straightened her skirt. “Well, that’s enough chattin’ for now. We need to get to learnin’ spells. In light of Sammi’s situation, I think we should work on some stronger wards and hexes for you Fred, so you can keep that girl safe. Have you made her a protective pendant yet?”
    “No ma’am. I don’t have any spare necklaces right now. I used them all up making pendants for our moms and Mrs. Wallace and everybody.”
    “Don’t matter. We can use one of mine. I think I have a few spares lyin’ around.” She looked at Sammi. “That can be a little gift from me to you. An initiation present for joinin’ the Witches’ Guild.”
    Fred wrinkled her brow. “Is there such a thing?”
    “No, but we could start one. We got four