Ellis motioned downward. Max lowered the gun but held it at her side and kept her eyes fixed on Keith.

He looked at Ellis. “Are you with someone now? Is she . . . ?”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

He stared at Max again.

“She and I are renovating the house—that shack behind her. She’s teaching me some carpentry skills.”

“How’s that going? She seems a little intense . . .”

“It’s going okay.” She put her hand on his cheek to turn his attention away from Max and her gun. “Can we get back to the spell?”

“Yeah, definitely. Will you help me with that?”

She kept her hand on his face, and he leaned into it. His face felt good, familiar. As if they had parted only months ago.

“Before I help you with it, you need to know about me. I’m not a good witch.”

He smiled.

“Seriously. I’m a bad witch. You have to be okay with that.”

“Bad like you might turn me into a toad?”

“Bad that I regret and don’t ever talk about.”

He looked uneasy.

“Agreed?”

“You’re doing it again. Like you did that night when you invited me into the woods. I had no idea what I was getting into.”

“Caveat emptor,” she said.

“What does that mean again?”

“Let the buyer beware.”

“Damn, you are the most mysterious woman I’ve ever met.”

She stroked his cheek. “Do you like that?”

“Apparently, I do. I can’t stop thinking about you. You’ve wrecked me.”

She gestured for him to follow her. “Come on.”

“Where?”

“To help you with the spell.”

“In the shack?”

“In the shack.”

“That’s a seriously witchy-looking house.” He gazed around the twilit acres as they walked. “And these giant trees with the moss hanging down. This place suits you, Ellis.”

“I call it the Wild Wood.”

Max was getting in her truck to go home. She’d seen Ellis touch Keith’s cheek, now knew she could leave them alone together. She smiled when Ellis waved from the front door. Quercus flopped down on the porch, panting heavily from the heat.

In the bare living room, Keith immediately spotted Gep on the fireplace mantel. The blue pony was one of Ellis’s very few belongings.

He took Gep off the mantel. “This is why I’m here, you know.”

“I thought you were here to be freed from a spell.”

“I am. But I decided to risk entering the witch’s realm because of this pony. When I saw you’d kept it, I supposed there had to be a reason.”

“I told you why. He’s a good luck charm.”

“Why would a powerful witch need a good luck charm?”

“I use whatever presents itself to make my magic.”

“If I take it back, will the spell be removed?”

She took the pony from his hand and returned it to the mantel. “I’ll divulge no secrets.”

Outside, one of the barred owls called, “Whoo-a!”

Keith smiled, looking out the window at the forest. “Is the owl your familiar?”

“There’s a pair that might have a nest hole out back. Come see.”

She led him to the screened porch. “Their nest might be that hollow in the big chestnut oak over there. I sleep out here so I can be close to the owls and all the other night sounds. You should hear when the flocks of black-bellied ducks fly over at night.”

He looked at her mattress, a lamp, and several bags of clothing on the floor. “So you’re basically camping in the woods again.”

“But with a toilet, shower, and kitchen close by. And a fan.” She pulled the chain to turn on the overhead fan.

“How very civilized. But no air-conditioning?”

“It’s broken, and I can’t afford a new system yet. For now, I just don’t wear clothes.”

He grinned. “Really?”

“No one can see this house. And if someone tries, Quercus would put a quick end to their peeping. He hears anything that moves out there.”

“So I noticed.”

Even in the dim twilight, she could see how much the heat and humidity were making him sweat. He was dressed for October weather in Ohio, in khaki pants, long-sleeve button-down shirt, T-shirt, and closed shoes. She was barefoot, wearing shorts and a tank top with nothing under. When Max was around, she had to wear clothes, but she wore as few as possible in the muggy weather that wouldn’t abate until closer to December.

“Speaking of clothes, you need to shed a few,” she said.

He lifted his brows. “Do I?”

“You look hot.” She gestured toward the mattress on the floor. “Have a seat. That’s my couch, dining room chair, reading recliner, and bed. Take your pick.”

“Do I have to say which I chose?”

“It’ll be your secret.”

He sat down. She sat next to him while he took off his shoes and socks. She slid off his shirt and T-shirt. “Better?”

“Much. Are we starting the spell removal?”