“Me?” I back away from the sticks as if they’ll come after me. “If you can’t do it, how am I supposed to?”

“I wish I knew, hon.” Marsalla looks at me sadly. “Mama was the original witch of this house; the lady everyone was scared of. She had a way of knowing things. She knew she would die facing the Cold One, she told me never to go there, and she knew about you.”

A clock chimes nine in the other room. “You better go home, I don’t want you to get in trouble and if you’re seen here, you’ll have a lot of trouble.” She lifts Rabbit up to her shoulder. “Can you take her home?”

“We’ll keep her out of sight.” Rabbit chirps.

“And keep close to her.” Frog pipes up from my shoulder.

“Yes.” Marsalla lowers Rabbit and lets her jump to the floor. “She’s gonna need you two.”

I pull my coat on in a daze. “If two witches couldn’t win, what can I do?”

Marsalla hands me my hat with a smile. “Like Mama always said; the answers will come when they’re ready. You just have to pay attention.”