Sorcery & Sirens

by Iris Woodbury

  "I dunno. Maybe a different weapon. That blue dagger looks totally fake. I'll see what I can find." He looked her up and down. "This costume looks good on you though. I think you should definitely wear it. Anyway, I'll let you decide. Back in a bit." And then he disappeared too.

  Stunned, Crystal looked down at the dagger in her hand. It had lost something of its luster and looked far less imposing in the real world. She couldn't have imagined it all. No dang way! She walked back to the curtain and raised it. There was nothing but a wall back there. She felt sick. Am I losing it? But the dagger in her hand was real enough.

  She took off the dress and slipped into her mundanes. Her purse was exactly where she left it, and she slipped the dagger inside and went to join her friends. They had already left the shop. She was just about to go outside when she bumped into the green-eyed woman. She wore that same, bored expression as before, which reminded Crystal of some of the walkers.

  "Did you find anything you liked, my lady?" taking the dress Crystal held out for her. "It wasn't for you after all, my lady?"

  "There was a lot to like," she said. "But I think on the whole I like me just the way I am."

  "Suit yourself."

  Crystal pushed past, but in her peripheral view was sure the strange woman cracked something of a smile behind her back.

  Crystal swung back round and grabbed hold of her.

  "Here, mind the material, my lady."

  "You know, don't you? You know! It wasn't some crazy dream, it was real, wasn't it? Caducus is real?"

  "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, my lady." But her eyes suggested otherwise. Crystal let her go, and walked slowly away, shaking her head.

  The others were grouped together standing at the artist's shop, looking at the pictures of magical creatures.

  "That one's called Kaze," said the shopkeeper. "Horrible thing it is."

  "Yes, I know."

  "Or I've got this one if you like?" She handed her a picture of a mermaid drenched head to foot in black oil. "That one's called Ursula. Horrible she is. You wanna buy her?"

  It was an omen. Crystal reached into her bag and pulled out a few coins. She had promised Jade a souvenir and didn't want to let her down. As soon as she had it, she showed it to Nic. Maybe it will jog her memory.

  "Yeah right. The ugliest siren who ever swam, ugh," Nic said. “And I thought they were all supposed to be pretty. Can we go eat?" She looked up at Crystal, who was now standing by her side.

  "I'm sorry guys, I suddenly feel a bit sick. Don't be mad at me, but I think I'd better go home."

  John sighed. "But we just paid a fortune for these tickets."

  "Oh, shut up, she can't help it," Nic said. "Look at her, she's deadly white. Of course, we can, we can come back another day, not a problem." She elbowed John in the ribs. "Is it?"

  "No. No problem."

  Stu slipped over to the box office, and a moment later, came back with a big beam on his face. "The ticket lady agreed to refund us our money. She says we should come back as soon as you're feeling better, Crystal."

  "That was nice of her," Nic said.

  He doled out the cash, then they all walked back to the car. As they rolled away, Crystal really did feel sick. Only not the kind she'd want to talk to a doctor about. Please god, don't let there be anything wrong with my mind.

  It was a long drive home, and she only listened with half an ear to everyone's conversations. Nic and John were hilarious, Nic just wouldn't let up with sarcastic comments but John took it all in good spirits. Stu seemed more thoughtful and Crystal knew why. She would have to do something about that, maybe once she felt better.

  As soon as they reached her house, she jumped out of the car, shouted "Later, guys! Sorry," and flew up the short driveway. Her mom and Jade must have gone out, for the house was empty, so she dumped her things on the kitchen table, and ran up to her room, where she collapsed in a heap on her bed. Despite her anxiousness, she hoped sleep would come quickly. And while she waited, she stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of it all.

  Thump, thump thump. "Come on sleepy-head. You weren't sick yesterday. There's no reason you shouldn't go to school today!"

  Crystal ignored the thumping door and turned over, cradling the blankets into her belly. She hit the snooze button for the third time. Five more minutes.

  Over the weekend, she'd convinced herself she wasn't mental by doing a bunch of very ordinary things. Like helping her mom. Cleaning her room. Doing a little yard work. She'd spoken to Nic a few times, but no hints or suggestions would get Nic to say anything about Caducus, or the crazy nightmare they'd all experienced together.

  I'm not insane, but this is the real world, and I'm living in it now, so I'd better wise up. She kept the dagger hidden in her backpack and resolved not to think about Caducus again. Much. At least, as much as could be helped.

  While she lay there, thinking, the door opened, and her minuscule little sister climbed on the bed and snuggling in behind her.

  "Come on Kwystaw, time to get up or you'll be late."

  "Oh Squidge, I wish I didn't have to. I'm soooo tired."

  "You got to. I'm in the thcool play today. You gotta come thee. Pweaaathe."

  She groaned. "You're an annoying little tyke at times, did you know?" She slid one leg out over the bed, and then the other.

  "Whatth thith?" Jade pulled a book out from under a pillow. "Oh, have you been reading thith again?"

  Crystal looked down, and saw Jade flipping through Adventures in Caducus.

  "I guess I was last night. Dad used to read it to me when I was your age."

  "Will you read it to me later?" Jade asked, intrigued by the pictures.

  Crystal slipped it gently from her sister's hand. "Sure, I'll read something later. But not now. "Go downstairs while I get changed."

  "Don't forget to bruth your hair."

  "I won't. Go go go." She shooed Jade off, then looked thoughtfully at the book. Funny, she wasn't thinking about her dad at all now. He was gone, and that was that. She slipped the book inside her sock drawer and covered it up with some old socks. They would have to find something else to read tonight. Something new, with perhaps a few less monsters.

  Crystal grabbed the picture of her Dad and was about to bury it as well, but then she hesitated. He was still her dad after all. Maybe he had his own monsters to battle. She put the picture back in its place on the dresser.

  She closed the sock drawer and dashed into the bathroom for a quick shower and change. A few minutes later, clean but disheveled, she descended to the kitchen. She grabbed a piece of toast out of the toaster and smeared it with butter.

  Her backpack was propped up against the kitchen island; she slung it over her shoulder and stood ready by the door. Her mom came into the kitchen, checking her watch, and gasped when she saw her daughter standing in the doorway, ready to go, ahead of them all.

  "Did I miss something?" her mom said. "Are you quite well?"

  "No, you didn't, and yes I am," Crystal said. "You told me to get going. So, I did."

  "When did you ever listen to what I said?"

  Crystal shrugged. "Are you saying I was a brat?"

  "Was?"

  "Shaddup."

  A few minutes later they all buckled up in the car, and her mom pulled slowly off the drive. As she straightened up, Mrs. Michaels pulled off her drive, and Crystal saw Ella sitting quietly on the front seat beside her. She didn't know what came over her, but she smiled. And then she waved. And what shocked her even more, was that Ella smiled back. And then she heard a beep. Looking down at her iPhone, she saw a new instant message. It was from Ella.

  Jake has a serious crush on you. He couldn't keep his eyes off you at the dance. Can we meet for lunch? There's something he wants me to ask.

  Crystal was stunned but she smiled. Jake wanted to go out with her. Awesome! She started to type her reply, but after a moment, deleted everything she had written, and started again.

  Lunc
h. Defo. Jake––too late. I've got my eye on someone else. See you at noon in the cafeteria.

  She was glad Ella was her friend, and not some self-obsessed dream-queen, ready to trade their lives for her selfish desires. She was grateful that this morning she had the courage to smile back and rekindle a friendship she'd almost destroyed. A new text came through. She looked down. This time it was from Nic.

  Shopping tonight? Slice of pizza?

  Sure

  Maybe Nic and Ella will be friends too? There's no law that says I can't be besties with them both. She swiped her screen to turn off her phone. She thought about Stu. Yup, Jake was definitely too late. Stu was a keeper, not some idle fantasy, easily smashed in the adventure of a crazy alternate universe.

  She slipped her phone inside her bag. I'm gonna do something about that today.

  She settled back in her seat, and as she withdrew her hand from her bag, she brushed against the cold blade of the dagger, almost cutting herself. Ooops. I'd forgotten about that. She withdrew the knife and carefully turned it over slowly in her hands.

  "What's that?" Jade asked.

  "Oh. It's umm, a souvenir I picked up at the renn faire."

  She caught her mom's gaze in the rear-view mirror. "I hope you're not thinking about taking that into class."

  "Of course not. I just forgot I had it. I'll leave it in the car until tonight if that's okay?"

  Her mom shook her head, in a What did I do to deserve a seventeen-year-old? kinda way. But she returned her focus to the road.

  Crystal looked down at the dagger. The blade was cold in the flat palm of her hand. It seemed so ordinary, and yet.... Yes. She would leave it with her mom for now, but after tonight, she would have to find a hiding place for it. It wasn't safe.

  Perhaps Caducus had been real. Perhaps not. But if it had been real, then this dagger was dangerous. She looked across to Jade, who was eyeing it with wonder. I must take better care of it. For now, she leaned forward in the gap between the seats and handed it over to her mom.

  "Pop this in the glove box until I get home, please. And be careful, that blade is sharp."

  "Hold on, I'm driving," her mom said. "Give it to me when we get there––won't be long."

  Her mom looked at it momentarily. "They shouldn't be selling such things to young kids. That's not right. I've a mind to say something."

  "Mooooom."

  The car came to a halt just outside the entrance to the school. Jade opened the door, scrambled down, and was quickly lost in the rushing crowd. Crystal climbed out of the car then leaned in through the window. Without a word, she kissed her mom goodbye.

  "What was that about?" her mom laughed.

  "No reason. I just felt like it."

  Crystal's gaze returned to the glove box. She hated leaving it, but what choice did she have? She took a final look at the dagger. It looked so ordinary now, it didn't even look sharp. All the same, she took off her scarf, and wrapped it carefully around the blade. She handed it over to her mom.

  "Don't you forget it's there," her mom said.

  "Oh, don't you worry. I won't." She pushed away from the car door, turned, and headed off into school. It was going to be quite a day. And she could take care of the dagger when she got home. She smiled. Because she was home. And thank goodness for that.

  Stu, who'd been sitting on a wall with a couple of pals, waved to her. Crystal waved back. It was going to be a good day.

  About the Author

  Iris Woodbury once descended the spiral stairs of Bodiam Castle on her bum. In spite of her sudden fear of heights, her love of fantasy remains undiminished. Though she still loves to storm the buttresses, these days you're more likely to find her drinking tea and writing about witches, demons and mythical monsters. Her spirit animal is a rabbit.

  If you loved this story, please show your appreciation by writing a review. Reviews help Iris reach her true audience, and help her craft her future works.

  Thank you for reading!

  Also by Iris Woodbury

  Sorrowlands

  Thrice Upon a Time

  Read It Again