Daphne and Titus returned home without incident, in the cheerful—and purely coincidental—company of the two Witches they'd met on their first stay at the rest-stop. These dropped Daphne off into the waiting arms of her grandparents, who hugged her like she would evaporate at any moment. But they had to let go eventually, and then the whirlwind began.

Bella was glad Daphne had support from her grandparents for writing letters to the Covens in Nerium, her most direct line of communication to the upper levels of Witchcraft regulation, from which Bryony's trial and sentence would extend. Daphne was excused from school for a week to process what had happened, time she spent busily decoding the rest of Bryony's notebook and taking copious notes. Her homework lay neglected beside her. Bella eyed the growing stack every time she checked in, then sighed and decided not to comment.

Then there were testimonials to give, evidence to deliver, potion-samples to surrender, and—for Bella and Titus—a brief stint in Bryony's house under Coven protection until Bryony's whereabouts could be confirmed. The news didn't come back for more than a week. Bryony had made it almost to the mountains, traveling light and fast, exchanging services for goods along the way as she ran out of money. The Covens dispatched guards to intercept her. Bella stopped listening to the new updates after that.

Bryony's house, absent its human inhabitant, was no place for familiars to stay long-term. Daphne negotiated with the investigation team to bring Titus to live with her. Bella was refused a similar arrangement by the Covens, though her stricter house arrest proved looser than anticipated. She spent most of her days at Daphne's place regardless, and quietly welcomed the distraction. Titus took to practically living on and under Daphne's duvet. He said he was just tired. Bella suspected the self-imposed hermitage had more to do with Charles' relentless enthusiasm for making friends, and near-complete lack of knowledge on how to actually do so.

Bryony made it to the base of the mountains before the Covens caught up to her. She turned herself in.

Three years' jail time for abuse of magical creatures, and a lost license to practice, in perpetuity. Bella perched on the other side of the trial room, avoiding Bryony's eye. Her only consolation was that Bryony did the same.

Coming home that night, the house felt a different kind of empty.

A knock on the door startled Bella from a sound sleep. She lifted her head, gripping her perch in Bryony's living room, within sight of the door. Night had fallen outside, but the bobbing lanterns of townsfolk indicated sunset was not far behind them. The knock came again. Bella glided to the nearest front window to peek out. People from the Covens rarely visited this late unless urgent news had to be delivered, but the person on Bryony's front step wasn't any of them. Bella would recognize that tall, scrawny figure anywhere.

She tapped the glass. Daphne startled, then tramped through the thickening snow to peek in the window's other side. She waved when she saw Bella, then grinned and held up something that twinkled in the light of the pale pink Witch-light she was carrying. A key.

Bella frowned. "You're not supposed to be here."

At least they could hear each other through the glass. "Yes I am," said Daphne. She dug in her pocket and came up with a rumpled piece of paper with writing too small to read from here. "The Covens gave me the key and sent me. Can I come in?"

"If you have the key, just let yourself in."

"I wanted to make sure I wasn't trespassing."

Bella couldn't really argue with that. She did appreciate the thoughtfulness. "Then come," she said. "It looks cold out there."

Daphne tramped back to the front door and let herself in. Snow tumbled from her winterwear as she shook herself off, then shook again, an exaggerated shiver. "I always forget how hard it snows out here."

"The city doesn't get that?"

"Not as much. And it comes down dirty, and melts too fast." Daphne shed her boots and scattered everything else around before moving to Bryony's living room and plopping down on a couch. She smoothed the paper she'd brought onto the coffee table. "The Covens are releasing you."

Bella froze halfway to joining her.

"Come on," said Daphne, and patted the couch. "I don't like talking to you from all the way over here."

Bella obeyed, surprised she managed to land straight. Her head had started spinning.

Daphne didn't seem to notice her stunned silence. "I pushed them to look at your case again, and Titus said a few things in your favor. Especially about how much Bryony hid from you. You might have looked into what she was doing before, but even you said you were worried about how she would react if she found out you'd done that. The Covens said they'd review the evidence again. They got back to me today with this."

She set the paper in front of Bella and moved the Witch-light closer. Bella scanned the page in a daze. It was mostly formal rambling, but one point stood out. She'd been released from house arrest.

"They're going to come deliver a formal message to you tomorrow," said Daphne. "I think they're planning to pardon you, but they wanted to send this sooner, given the storm that's coming tonight."

"Why did they send it with you?"

"To ask if you wanted to come stay with me and Titus. At least through the storm, so you don't get snowed in alone here. Or longer, if you want? You could spend time here, obviously, and I'd still help look after the house, but you shouldn't have to be alone until Bryony gets released again."

Bella couldn't answer. Her throat was closing up.

"So you could stay with us," continued Daphne. "If you wanted to."

Words didn't capture her answer, so Bella just hopped to the young Witch's shoulder and rested her head in Daphne's hair. Daphne stroked her just like Bryony always used to.

"I'm guessing that's a yes," she said quietly.

Bella just nodded.

"What do you want to take with you? I can carry it over."

They spent the next hour making trips back and forth. By the time the final bag of crow-food had been deposited in Daphne's entryway, the snow was picking up. Already, the windowsills of the little house were piled high. It was much warmer inside than it was at Bryony's place.

"Bella?" said Titus, sticking his head around the doorway. His tail waved happily. "You came."

Bella nodded again.

"I put your perch in the bedroom, like you asked," said Daphne. "I'll have to put your food in a closed cupboard, or Charles will get into it. I can leave a bowl higher up where he can't get it, so you can always help yourself. You know where to find the water."

She bustled about, narrating as she did so, sometimes to her grandparents, sometimes to Bella. Both the elderly couple came to greet Bella into their home, then left her alone with empathetic looks. Titus too seemed to sense that she wanted peace and quiet. He vanished somewhere else into the house, probably to open a cupboard Charles couldn't, and sleep in Daphne's grandma's forbidden knitting basket.

Bella moved to the windowsill of Daphne's bedroom. The snow fell without wind, straight like a velvet curtain outside. Past it in the forest, something twinkled.

"Daphne?" said Bella, when the young Witch returned and shut the door behind her. "Did you use your lure-potion again?"

Daphne joined her at the window. The longer Bella looked, the more lights she saw. Wights of all colors wafted through the forest, in no hurry to get anywhere. Some even moved in circles. They seemed to be enjoying the snow.

"No." Daphne was smiling. "They just like it here."

Bella side-eyed her.

"Okay, fine," said Daphne. "I might have looked at Bryony's recipes. There's a plant she found that Wights like. I collected some seeds in the fall and scattered them back there."

"They won't harm anything? The Wights, I mean."

"Not if people don't disturb them."

One more thing counter to what Bryony had always claimed. Bella went back to watching out the window. After a few minutes of silence, another question came to mind.

"Daphne?"

"Hm?"

"Will you be acting as the town Witch until Bryony gets back?"

"She won't be allowed to practice again. So probably."

Bella's wings drooped. "Right."

"For a few years, at least. I think she's allowed an appeal after five, but it might be less if she's good with community service. I'll need to finish school and pass my exams before I can do anything official. But if people need a Witch for something, I can do what I can. Titus has already promised to help."

"You'll be staying?"

Daphne nodded.

"Good." Bella swallowed hard. After another long moment, she said, "I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad I met you."

"I can help, too. Bryony... taught me a lot."

"Thank you. I'd like that."

They fell silent again. It was still going to be a long three years. Longer still before life with Bryony could return to normal, if it ever did. Maybe by then, she could forgive Bella.

Until then, here would do.

Daphne eventually left to ask about dinner, leaving Bella alone at the window, just watching the flickering creatures outside. They weren't fireflies. And they might still lure people into their homeland now and again. If they weren't defending themselves, they were trying to eat. Every creature had to.

But at least they were beautiful.

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