But life seemed to have a way of making sure he didn’t get what he wanted.

Nell crash-landed on a couch in the Witches’ Lounge and took a deep breath. Sanity. Maybe.

Moira chuckled from her armchair and held out a plate. “Cookie, my dear? Looks like you’ve had a bit of a rough day.”

Nell took three-she’d earned them. “Aervyn’s doing his best imitation of a spoiled brat. I dumped him with Jamie and ran for the hills.“

“It’s hard for him.” Moira slid over a cup of tea to go along with the cookies. “Kenna’s stolen a bit of his thunder with all her magic tricks. It’s not easy being upstaged by a wee babe.”

The wee babe in question had tried to pull the moon down so she could take a closer look-and had caused enough tidal tremors to keep every weather witch in Berkeley very busy for two days. Including Aervyn, which was at least part of why he’d unleashed a class-four temper tantrum right before breakfast.

Nell sighed and picked up her tea. “I guess all kids go through this with a new sibling.” Technically Kenna was Aervyn’s cousin, but in Witch Central, that was a very loose distinction. “He threatened to send her to the moon yesterday if she wanted to see it so badly.”

It scared her silly that he might be able to do it.

“He’s had five years to be the baby.” Moira smiled. “I believe you were only a little older when you threatened to mail Jamie, Devin, and Matt to an orphanage in China.”

Nell grinned-according to family legend, she’d punched air holes in a refrigerator box and addressed it in impeccable seven-year-old spelling. It had taken her mother a week to stop laughing and at least a decade to get rid of the cardboard box.

Nell had regretted not mailing her brothers off more than once in the past thirty years, but she took Moira’s point. “Take away the magic, and he’s just having a normal reaction to a new baby.”

“Exactly.” Moira’s eyes twinkled. “And I’m glad Jamie’s stepping in to help. It seems only right, and your son needs to know he hasn’t been entirely displaced.”