Chapter 3

Sixteen-year-old Abigail Knelling and her sept-sister, Charity Delancy, were the youngest of the Sabina Coven’s novitiates. They therefore drew the most unpleasant tasks. So right in the middle of the best part of summer vacation, they had to come down to Seattle and watch the man they called Boring Dude. Shadowing him would have been easier if they could have used the spell-craft they’d learned, but Mistress Penrose insisted they not draw on any of their magic. She told them the man was dangerous—had stressed the need for caution. They obeyed until this morning when some jerk took their parking spot and they had to park out in the open. Abigail was best at illusions, she was the one to hide the car. At first it seemed like he had sensed it, but then he went about stowing his tools like he always did so maybe they got lucky and he hadn’t spotted them.

“Mother of All, Charity,” said Abigail, “I can’t believe we have to keep doing this. The dude has the most boring life ever. He gets up at six and runs. Then back home for breakfast, then to work on that mansion over here on Mercer Island. Then back to a gym in Fremont then dinner then to bed. He’s kinda hot, but Sweet Mother of All he’s in a rut. You’d think he’d have had at least one date in all this time.”