Free If the Broom Fits by Liz Schulte Page B

darkened or changed in some way because it caught my notice. I moved the light to the area and went over, but nothing was there. At least nothing I could see. I had lived in the Abyss long enough to know that if something didn’t want to be seen, there was always a way to hide, especially from human eyes. My undead alarm buzzed beneath my skin. Probably a ghost of some sort, maybe something darker. It was hard to say. I searched the spot a bit more, then gave up and refocused on the symbols, committing as many of them to memory as I could before I headed back up to the house.
    â€œI almost sent out a search party of one,” Leslie said with a yawn when I came back inside. “Did you find anything?”
    â€œMaybe.” I described the cellar and the door to her.
    She declined my offer to draw the runes and stood up instead. “Just take me there.” She shrugged into her heavy coat, pulled her wool hat over her dark blond hair, and slipped on mittens.
    â€œI also saw someone outside.”
    She looked up. “Really? Did you talk to them? Was it a neighbor?”
    â€œI don’t know. She asked what I was doing at the winter witch’s house and tried to appear threatening. I called her bluff and ran her off, but she said she would be back. I don’t really think it’s anything we need to worry about though.”
    Leslie frowned. “About how old was she?”
    â€œAround our age, I guess. Maybe younger. What does that matter?”
    Leslie’s eyebrows knit together as she scanned the field around the house one more time. “We don’t know anything about this farm—and a ‘celestial body’ telling you that you inherited this house won’t stand up in court. It could actually belong to someone else now or at least the bank. It isn’t like you have been paying a mortgage or taxes on it. Also someone has been keeping up the property. All of the fields were mowed this fall because there’s no grass or weeds sticking up above the snow. In fact, everything looks as well kept as if someone is actually living here. Well, except the covered furniture. Plus the key you have doesn’t fit anything in this house—or that we know of.” Her mouth twitched. “How many people do you think knew your mother was a dark witch?”
    â€œI don’t know. I assume it wasn’t a secret. At the very least Corbin knew.” I hadn’t spoken to the vampire since before Christmas and I was completely okay with that. I had humiliated myself with him enough for one lifetime. He could just stay gone. “When I asked if he knew my mother he said he did.”
    Leslie nodded. “Then who knows who has been visiting here. Other dark witches might try to seek her guidance or feed on her power. Her coven may still be using the house. Things are a bit dusty, but everything still works, including the lights. That’s weird. Someone is footing the bill for all of this. It’s likely that we are the ones actually trespassing.”
    She was right. And to make matters worse, all of those things were things I should have noticed. My head was too far out of this game. All I’d been able to think about was my past and Orion since I started this trip. I had to get my shit together before I got us killed. “I introduced myself as Winter’s daughter and the woman had no idea I was a necromancer. If she does belong to a coven, they’re only a coven in practice, not in magical ability.”
    Leslie took a deep breath and her shoulders relaxed. “At least that’s something. Let’s take a look at this door.”
    Back in the cellar everything was just how I had left it, even my light was still going. I smiled a little at my achievement.
    Leslie and I went to the door. “Can you move the light closer?” she said, leaning in close to the wall to look at the faded writing. “It’s familiar, isn’t it?”
    I