Chapter 44
Vanya
The now-beautiful witch smiled, her crimson lips curling as she brushed a soft hand through her newly silky raven-black hair. “Usually I’d laugh at the poor soul who ends up like that,” she said, nodding toward the memory of my monstrous reflection, “but not you, sweetpeas. You’re the reason I even dared to try again. You told me there was more to beauty than just the outside. Because of you, I’ve broken my own curse. This is my first success in decades—and I owe it to you. So, yes, I’ll help you… but only you. And don’t tell anyone. I don’t give out favors like candies on solstice night.”
I watched her disappear behind the velvet curtain at the back of her shop, her red cloak trailing like a spell itself. The room was silent now, save for the slow ticking of the crooke
