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?? gulped September, when the cake had settled in her belly, “that you would tell me as ahead of me, so I could look out for it”

“Hello, I believe we have an utterly unique speci Goodbye laughed a lot

Manythanks shook his head “That’s really more a seer’s business, love—”

“I’d be happy to show you your future, little one,” interrupted Hello, but her voice was dark The witch dipped her bare hand into the gurgling, boiling soup of the cauldron She hauled out a handful of lu it at the earth, where it steaob intently Mankthanks poked at it with a neatly trifully at one another Septe of it

“My future looks lumpy,” she said uncertainly

Goodbye broke ranks with her fa before September The witch suddenly looked very beautiful, her pale hair swept back, her eyes dark and bright Septe so beautiful before, when she was stirring the pot But now, Goodbye’s face fairly glowed, her lips perfectly rose-colored, her cheeks high, aristocratic, even blushing a little “September,” she breathed Her voice was pure honeywine, warm and deep and sweet “That’s what you said your name was, yes? I prefer October, myself, but it’s such a pretty naive you a name like that Do you like my name? It’s unusual, like yours”

“Y … yes” September felt odd She wanted to please Goodbye very much—but more, she wanted Goodbye to like her, to love her even and tell her ain But noas a long rippling laugh full of notes, al

“My sister has no shame at all, Septe she did—right in front of you! You see, the future is a kind of stew, a soup, a vichyssoise of the present and the past That’s how you get the future: Youyou did yesterday and all the days before and everything anyone you ever met did and anyone they ever met, too And salt and lizard and pearl and us I’m not at liberty to tell you, because I took vows, and a witch’s vows have teeth Magic is funny like that It’s not a linear thinker The point is if you h pot and you’re very good at witchcraft, you can wind up with a cauldron full of tooop is a prophecy, and my sister cast it for you”

“What does it say?”

Goodbye ss, September, if you kno to look Would you like to kno? Would you like to be able to divine theof that blob there, the color of mashed potatoes, or that vein of jelly? Would you like to be a witch?”

“Witchery is a life of wonder,” said Hello, “all the wheeling stars at your command, all the days of the future laid out before you, like dolls in bronze armor!”

“And a really top-notch hat,” added Manythanks

“The Marquess has a fine hat, too,” said Septe her head to clear Goodbye’s sudden perfume “I’ve been told”

Their faces darkened a little

“Well, I’ tweed trousers by fall,” Goodbye snapped sarcastically She shut her eyes and shook her head When she opened the with pro your prospects,you intosuch a char without her Spoon, and the Marquess stole o, because she is capricious and selfish and a brat”