The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Mika brews tea. Jamie says the girls miss Mika. He and the other adults confessed everything to the girls, who were more upset about Mika’s absence than Lillian’s death. She asks why he has come. He says he’s leaving a window open. She doesn’t know what he means.

Jamie explains that the residents of Nowhere House know they messed up gravely, but they want Mika to stay with them. He says they’re leaving a window open so that she always knows she’s wanted and missed at home. Mika is moved by this extension of love from Jamie and the rest of Nowhere House. She forgives their lying because she understands why they did so, but she can’t get past not knowing how much of her experience at Nowhere House was genuine. He insists that they all love and care about her—and that the only thing they lied about was why they needed her help.

Mika argues that they had plenty of time to tell her the truth earlier, but Jamie mentions the day they took Rosetta into town. That was when she and Jamie talked about other witches, and Mika indicated that she’d need their help to recast the warding spells if necessary. He knew that would eventually be necessary—but no one could risk telling Mika that.

Mika feels bad about how quickly she left, without allowing Jamie to explain. She knows that her reaction is because of her past pain and abandonment. She acknowledges that no one at Nowhere House took advantage of her for their own gain—all they wanted was to protect their family. Mika would also do anything to protect her family if she had one.

Jamie agrees that he should’ve told Mika sooner. He knows she prioritizes keeping the girls safe with their family. She says he was right about how she runs when she’s hurt, but she’s also scared to trust that Nowhere House is as good as it seems. He understands that she’s afraid to get hurt and says that Mika is stronger than she seems and then asks her to stay. Mika asks whether he’d love her if she weren’t a witch. Jamie replies he loves her partially because of how much she loves magic: Her being a witch is part of her, and he loves that part too. Mika is moved to tears.

They refresh their tea. Jamie says that he understands it’s a risk for Mika to come back, but he wants her to trust that it’s worth it because good things await her there. He wants her to love and let herself be loved. Mika loves Jamie but is unsure about allowing him to love her. He says she can have all of him.

They become physical and have sex. It’s wonderful, full of pleasure and laughter. He stays the night with her.

Edward takes his job very seriously, makes good money, and has meticulous skills. This is how he attracted clients like Lillian, whom Edward sees as a wealthy old woman whose heart is too big for her own good. He has strong feelings about her choice to open her home to perceived societal “misfits,” however, and he has stronger feelings (which he no longer expresses aloud) toward Ken and Ian’s relationship. He arrives at Nowhere House early in the day, unaware of what’s to come.

When Mika and Jamie pull up half an hour later, they’re too late to help with Edward. The girls sit in the garden, watching the greenhouse. As it turns out, the girls got the idea to animate Lillian’s bones, dress them like Lillian, and attempt to convince Edward that the skeleton was the living, breathing Lillian. It didn’t work out, so they’ve locked Edward in the greenhouse for the time being. Lucie tried to tell Edward the truth, but he wouldn’t hear it. Altamira declares that all three girls worked together on the animation spell for Lillian. Mika says she’s proud of the girls, but she and Jamie are distraught to learn that Edward knows the bones were Lillian’s. Mika’s befuddling spell won’t work now that he knows so much.

Inside, the other adults are happy to see Mika but are rightfully distraught. They debate the best course of action. Mika decides to speak to Edward alone, since he doesn’t know her yet. Jamie joins her. Edward rants about how sad it is that he warned Lillian that the people of Nowhere House would eventually kill her for her money. Mika tries to get him to listen, but when he refuses, she uses magic to tie him down with vines. She threatens to let the vines swallow him to protect her family. Edward is shaken by Mika’s power. She and Jamie leave him there.

Outside, Mika and the others conclude that the best way out of this is to erase Edward’s memories of the day’s events. No one likes the idea of calling Primrose, but they have no choice.

While awaiting Primrose’s arrival, Mika and Jamie worry. Mika decides that it’s easier to fight one battle at a time, and they’ll deal with Primrose once she has dealt with Edward.

When Primrose arrives, she compliments the warding spells around the house and asks who cast them. Primrose feels sad that Mika lied to her about the magic surge, and she doesn’t believe Mika’s tale about three young witches living together because that’s against the rules. Primrose agrees to remove the memories from Edward’s head, but she wants answers. Mika asks if Primrose could recast Lillian’s warding spells—but Primrose can’t without help. Her late sister was the one that could cast warding spells like this. Primrose laments that they can’t ask for her sister’s help. She asks where the witch who cast these warding spells is. Mika replies that Lillian is dead, which stops Primrose in her tracks. Primrose asks Mika to repeat herself—but before she can answer, the other adults spot Primrose and mistake her for Lillian. Mika is confused.

Primrose, it turns out, is Lillian’s twin sister. Primrose and Lillian were Peony and Lily before they ran away from their aunt and uncle’s home and changed their names. Primrose already knew Lillian was dead because she felt it when Lillian died. However, she never knew where Lillian was because they had a strained relationship. Mika can’t believe she brought in the one other person whom the family wanted to keep from knowing about the will: Lillian’s sister. She feels guilty.

Primrose recognizes Ian and asks if Lillian was happy in the end. Ian says she was because she was engulfed in her archaeological research. Primrose scoffs and explains that the archaeology thing was always a cover for Lillian’s search for a better life. Lillian believed that somewhere out there, witches had their own place where they lived freely. She wanted to find it so badly that she dedicated her life to it. Primrose, on the other hand, went the opposite direction and chose to live an isolated life for safety. They made these opposing choices because of their childhood. While Primrose felt she needed to protect herself from the world, Lillian wanted to find a better one. Mika relates to Lillian’s desire.

Primrose works on extracting Edward’s memories while Mika visits with the girls, who are surprised about the news of Primrose and Lillian’s sisterhood but otherwise unconcerned. They believe things will work out. When Primrose emerges, Edward is unconscious, waiting to be released from the spell. Mika devises a plan.

As Edward wakes, he sees Primrose, whom he believes is Lillian. Primrose tells him that his request to see her in person disturbed her studies and she’s firing him for being uncouth toward her family. She’ll find a new solicitor to oversee her affairs. Edward is shocked—and is surprised and somewhat disoriented because it’s much later in the day than he recalls—but he accepts her word.

Primrose suggests that they wait a few months and then report Lillian’s death as an accident abroad. Primrose knows she’s now the girls’ legal guardian. Mika suggests that Primrose refuse to take the girls, but Primrose insists that the girls must be separated.

Mika stands up to Primrose, asserting that the girls are staying put. Primrose reminds Mika of the rules and suggests that one of the grownups stay with each girl, but this suggestion angers the family. Mika pulls Primrose aside to talk alone.

Mika reminds Primrose that she couldn’t have handled the situation today without Primrose’s help. She asks why witches should be alone when they’re able to help one another together. She adds that her life at Nowhere House has been happier than anything she has known and that she believes happiness is worth the risk.

She presses Primrose about why she felt the need to raise Mika the way she did and why she feels the need to enforce the rules that she does. Mika talks about the trauma and loneliness she experienced in Primrose’s house. She asks if Primrose’s aunt and uncle made her feel unlovable the way the nannies made Mika feel. She asks Primrose to not let that hold her back from doing what’s best for these children, again asserting that happiness is worth the risk. She thinks witches can protect each other and grow together. She believes all witches deserve better than isolation and fear.

Primrose relents but says that Lillian wanted the girls raised by a witch. Mika replies that they will be. Primrose accepts this answer but insists that she be kept up to date on the girls’ development. Mika suggests that Primrose visit from time to time, and Primrose accepts this invitation.

The girls burst in, having eavesdropped, and celebrate their family staying together. Primrose is sad to learn that the girls find her scary and decides to let them get to know her for a bit. Before leaving, Primrose asks if she can expect Mika at the house. Terracotta answers, asserting that Mika is theirs and is staying with them. Mika feels happy that she took a leap of faith and returned to Nowhere House.

The following April, the Very Secret Society of Witches holds their regular meeting at Nowhere House. This time, however, the witches have brought family and loved ones. The witches plan to recast the warding spells to protect Nowhere House together. Mika had to convince both Primrose and Jamie that it was a good idea. Jamie agreed—on the condition that Mika open her tea and potions shop, so Mika and Ian converted the old barn into a shop, and Mika’s first batch of inventory already sold out to the witches in the Society.

Hilda brings Kira, who is now her wife and knows everything. Many other witches bring family members and partners. Mika admires the assortment of irregular people gathered at Nowhere House. The girls love it too. Rosetta is particularly excited to meet another Black witch, while Terracotta loves showing off her animation for the adults. Altamira, on the other hand, has garnered adult attention by cursing adorably. Primrose compliments Mika’s ability to pull off such a gathering, though it won’t be a regular occurrence. Mika thanks Primrose for having an open mind.

Mika convinces Jamie to leave his solitude in the library and join the party for a while. They’re affectionate, and Jamie recites lines from Jane Austen to show his love for Mika. Primrose scrutinizes Jamie, while the other witches want to befriend him. Mika is happy with the sphere of community she has built. She knows she can’t change the world for witches, but her contributions make it a little better for the time being. She’s happy for that—and even happier that she has a family upon whom she has left lasting marks.