a deleted scene from The Sun-Nymph Bride Chapter 26

After leaving Healer Althea, Pippa continued to Rhiannon’s Veils. Her eyes widened when she opened the tiny witch shop’s weathered red door and stepped inside. Despite its shabby exterior and poor neighborhood, the dim, nearly empty witch shop heavy with incense was the perfect setting for the mysterious and powerful veiled witch. No doubt the magical garden Edouard had mentioned was even more so. She must ask to see it.

The glass beads over the back door tinkling, the veiled witch sashayed into her witch shop. Yes, the perfect setting. The veiled witch bowed then sank into the chair behind the wooden table. “Miss Hawke, how may I serve you today?”

Pippa beamed as she sat across the table and handed the veiled witch her and Edouard’s locks of hair as well as a bag of gold coins. “I’d like you to create a pair of matching lockets with moving portraits inside—Edouard’s with my portrait, and mine with his.”

The veiled witch chuckled, her black veil fluttering. “Lord Blaine’s romantic apology was accepted, I see.” She pocketed the bag of gold coins. “I’ll require his full name. He already told me yours.”

Pippa nodded. Doubtless for the charm on his shimmering rope. “Edouard Pierre Gernand.”

The veiled witch gathered a glass bowl, several vials, herbs, and some unfashioned gold from the cabinets behind her. Adding half of everything to the bowl, she sprinkled Pippa’s hair in as well before waving her hand over it while murmuring a singsong chant. The gold in the bowl flared like an exploding star then melted into a small locket adorned with tenth-century scrolling. Once the glowing locket dimmed, the veiled witch removed it from the bowl and repeated her spell with Edouard’s hair.

Pippa accepted the matching lockets then flipped open the one for Edouard and grinned at her face mirroring her. The veiled witch must have enchanted the moving portraits to reflect their actual movements. Incredible. She wrapped the lockets in a pocketcloth and slipped them into her reticule then smiled at the veiled witch. “Could I visit your magical garden before I leave?”

The veiled witch quirked a dark brow but rose and waved for her to follow.

Pippa gasped at the summer-like garden. Full of verdant, fragrant plants and alive with melissae, faebirds, and butterflies, ’twas as amazing as Edouard had said. She eyed the veiled witch, who definitely suited her secret, magical garden. She swept a deep curtsy. “Thank you for all your help, madam witch.”