Content Warning: This section of the study guide contains depictions of trauma.

Mika Moon, a 31-year-old witch, meets on a rainy pier with what she calls the Very Secret Society of Witches. The group gathers in different locations several times a year; it’s led by the eldest witch, Primrose, who also raised Mika and believes that witches should keep their lives as separate as possible for safety. Primrose has many strict rules for the group to keep the Society safe, but other local witches have rejected Primrose’s invitation to join the group.

Like all witches, Mika is an orphan because of a botched spell centuries ago. Primrose adopted her from India and raised her through a series of surrogate nannies whom she replaced whenever something magical happened; in this way, Primrose was a distant figure who held firm to her belief that witches shouldn’t remain in the same place for long.

At the meeting, the witches share their spells and gossip, and Primrose suggests that one witch not marry if she has difficulty keeping her identity a secret from her fiancée. In addition, Primrose disapproves of Mika’s online account where she posts videos pretending to be a witch.