Somewhere in another time — maybe even in another world — three sisters, the Quigleys, Anne, Beatrix, and Violet, live peacefully and in harmony. Their tea house, “Moon’s Crescent,” is thriving: people come here for warmth, treats, and a chance to lift the veil over their own future. Herbal infusions, sugar-and-cinnamon biscuits, elegant chocolate petit fours, and strawberry pies with cream — and, of course, divinations by coffee grounds, cards, and the lines of the palm.
But this quiet harmony turns out to be fragile. Unexpectedly, the tea house comes to the attention of the city’s Council of Witches, and the sisters must choose: agree to the Council’s terms or risk losing “Moon’s Crescent” forever. Making the right move is made even harder by the fact that for the first time they are so far apart: Anne’s magic begins to grow rapidly and frighteningly stronger, Beatrix’s gift for writing finally draws the attention of publishers, and Violet reaches for freedom beneath a circus dome — or for the one flying close by. This is a story about fate, about how to keep family ties from cracking and not dissolve while trying to meet other people’s expectations.