And then my feet hit the ground and the pressure on my jacket vanished.
I spun around – and my jaw dropped.
RIAH?!
He stood right in front of me, his golden eyes blazing liquid metal at me. His face was tight and a muscle in his chiseled jaw flexed. Pale golden hair flew around his shoulders. This close, I found I only came up to his chest. He towered over me. Heat radiated off of him like a fire and I wanted to snuggle in closer. He smelled like a fire. Like burning embers. It was intoxicating in all the right yet wrong ways.
I licked my lips and blinked to try and get my brain back. “I- I – thank you—”
“What is wrong with you?” He snapped and threw his hands up. “Pay attention to the damn road!”
I flinched and his eyes softened just a touch. His top lip snarled. He ran his hand through his long hair, pushing the strands back away from his face. His chest was rising and falling rapidly. He growled and shook his head.
“S-s-sorry—”
“Pay attention.”
“O-okay. Thank y-you.”
He growled again then stormed off across the street. I watched him practically run away from me with my heart still lodged in my throat. All the warmth I’d been holding in was gone now and I felt the cold down into my bones. My breath left my mouth in puffs of white and golden smoke. My whole body was shaking wildly.
I turned back to the car and my eyes widened. There in the exact spot I’d been standing, where I was almost run over, was a pile of shiny black crystals about three inches tall. Where did those come from? And then I saw the golden glitter on the bricks behind them and my body went ice-cold. Just like at the wharf. What is wrong with me?
“Hey, Miss? Miss, you okay?”
My cheeks burned. “Sorry! My fault. Sorry.” I waved and scurried across the street.
Riah saved me.
He SAVED me.
I glanced over my shoulder, but wherever Riah had gone it wasn’t where I could see. He’d just materialized out of thin air and saved me, then vanished all over again. I couldn’t believe it.
I was so caught up in my thoughts and the fear still clinging to my bones that I didn’t realize I’d crossed the street until I heard Savannah’s southern drawl say, “Hades and Lucifer are my wet dream dude.”
I slid to a stop and scanned the corner for her voice.
“Savannah.”
“I’m just saying,” Savannah shouted – and then I spotted her. She threw her hands up. “I mean, if you’re the Creator and you need someone to do the most important job…who would you trust? Your right hand, that’s who.”
“Oh, Savannah…” Gigi laughed and shook her head but then her brown eyes widened. “Saffie!”
I gasped for air but it was too sharp and cold, it burned down my throat.
Savannah’s face paled. She jumped forward and wrapped a large black coat with a fur-lined hood around me. “Girl, what happened?”
“Are you okay?” Gigi slid into my view and tugged the coat closed around my arms.
I nodded, then shook my head. “I-I almost got hit by a car just now.”
Gigi gasped then wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “Oh no. That was our fault, we should have met you there. We won’t make that mistake again.”
Savannah shivered. “This calls for one thing.”
I frowned and looked up. “One thing? What is it?”
“Pizza.”
Chapter Fifteen
Saffie
“So this is the famous section of Salem,” Savannah announced as we stopped at a busy street corner. “This is Essex Street.”
In the minutes it took for us to walk this far, my anxiety had faded away. Savannah and Gigi were excellent distractions, but also there was just so much to look at that I forgot I’d almost just died. We stood at the beginning of a road that was pedestrian only, which I was thankful for since I knew I was doing a bad job of paying attention in front of me.
The sky above us was a rich, velvety black with stars twinkling like diamonds within. The snow had stopped falling, but it still lined the tree branches and covered the ground. The moonlight reflected big and bold off its glittery whiteness. The air was still bitter cold but Savannah’s coat made me not feel any of it except for on my face.
Gigi sighed. She had a dreamy sort of look to her brown eyes. “This is why people come to Salem, even if they don’t want to admit it. You’re lucky it’s not October, though, it’s madness then.”
I nodded then frowned. “Why is this famous? And what’s in October?”
“This is where all the witchy shops are, so during Samhain it’s super crowded with people.” Savannah’s eyes widened and she snapped her fingers. “Actually, the other end of this street is where Landreia’s shop is.”
“Oh!” I turned and looked at the path ahead of us with new light. “I saw a bunch of lights and stuff from out front but I have not been this way yet.”
“Then go, we shall,” Savannah said with a wink. “We’ll give you a quick little tour then eat since we’re all starving. After food we can go in the shops if you want.”
I nodded and started to follow them when a little golden light flew in front of my face. I froze and followed it. I watched it fly over to a bush to my left and instinctively, I chased after it. When I got there, I found dozens of little flickering gold lights.
“Saffie?”
I pointed. “Fairyflies!”
“Fairy flies?” Savannah stepped up beside me and leaned down. Then she smiled and stood straight, turning to me. “You mean fireflies…?”
“What?” I frowned and shook my head. “No. No, these are fairyflies.”
Gigi cocked her head to the side. “Why do you think they’re called that?”
I grinned and my heart fluttered. Something about them made me instantly happier. I felt lighter on my feet. I’d seen them outside my bedroom window, too. “I don’t know. I just do.”
Gigi pursed her lips. “Well, we call them fireflies but if you had a different name for them – and you’re remembering it – then go with it.”
“For sure.” Savannah nodded. “Plus fairyflies sounds cuter.”
“Although…” Gigi scowled. “It’s winter, what are they doing here?”
“Landreia said the same thing yesterday when we saw them outside my window.” I stood straight and the fairyflies shot out of the bush and over to me. They flew around my body and between my arms and legs. I giggled. “I like them.”
I lifted my hands up and was watching them swirl between my fingers when my stomach growled.
Savannah laughed. “Right. Food. Shall we?”
I nodded and followed her down the center of the red-bricked pathway – granted I only knew it was red brick from where people’s footprints had melted the snow away. The fairyflies hovered around me and a few even landed in my hair. It made me smile as we walked. To my right, on the corner, the red-brick building had golden spotlights shining through the glass windows. Inside, people sat at tables with plates full of food.
“Oh, is that where we’re going to eat?”
Gigi shook her head. “Nah, that place is good but we’re taking you to our favorite spot.”
As we walked, my head snapped back and forth, left and right, to try and see everything. Every few feet it seemed like there was a different shop with all kinds of pretty things in the window. Except the first few shops were dark and the doors were closed.
“These shops up here don’t stay open late,” Gigi said noticing my confusion. She pointed ahead of us. “The ones up there do, and of course, so does The Night Haven shop.”
“Oh yeah, Landreia loves the night.” Savannah nodded. “But that first shop on the left that we passed is Coon’s Cards, they sell all the best tarot card decks.”
“And that place, Nightmare Gallery, is one of Savannah’s favorites.” Gigi pointed to our right. “They have such great, unique finds.”
All the buildings on this pathway were made
of either red brick or gray stone. They all felt old to me, though I couldn’t put my finger on why I thought that. It was just a feeling. Lots of souls had been through the area, I felt it in my bones.
Up ahead on the left were red window coverings that stuck off the brick wall. “What’s a CVS?” I asked, pointing to the store’s illuminated sign.
“It’s a drug store. They sell medications and stuff, but you can really get just about anything you need there.”
“Yep. Right on the corner of happy and healthy.” Savannah grinned.
“That’s Walgreens, stooge.” Gigi rolled her eyes.
Savannah grimaced. “My bad – oh, there’s the book store. Love that place.”
“Hotel Salem is a super cute boutique hotel—”
“OH!” Savannah tugged my arm, pulling my attention back to the left. She pointed. “That store, Angelica of the Angels, is a fantastic little witch shop. They’re a deeply spiritual place, which I like a lot, and the readings are always spot on. Plus they leave you feeling good there.”
“Angels as in Heaven — oh, what’s in that one?” I hurried forward a few steps to the next store. The lights were off and the door was closed, but there was something about it that drew me closer. Energy like I’d never felt pulsed through the doorway, seeping out onto the street like a roof leak. It was jumbled and hectic. I wanted to go inside. “That one…Coven’s Cabin.”
“Everyone loves that store.” Savannah sighed. “It’s….it’s…”
“Breathtaking,” Gigi swooned. Then she shook herself. “Come on, they’re closed anyway. We’ll go there during the day soon. Let’s get to our food.”
“Right.” Savannah hooked her arm through mine and led me forward toward a row of shops with bright white light pouring out onto the pathway in front of us. “These are the stores open later. The Silver shop has the most amazing jewelry selections, and great crystals, too.”
I frowned. “What about the one called Omen?”
“Super popular store. Open late.” Gigi’s eyes flashed with excitement. “They have so many books—”
“Food, Gi.”
“Right. Right.” Gigi shook her head. “We’re hungry. Books must wait.”
Savannah led us through a set of double glass doors. Inside, the floor was hard like stone but shinier. There were glass windows on the walls that showed glimpses of the stores next door. The one on the right was some kind of photography store, I recognized some of the equipment from our class. Elegant dresses and hats of every kind hung on the walls.
“Finally,” Savannah mumbled with a sigh.
I turned to follow her gaze and my eyes widened. The wall was made almost entirely of glass, and through it I saw rows of tables that were mostly empty. People sat in a few of them but were spread out. To the right, inside the store, was a counter and people waiting in a line at it. I looked up to the sign on the storefront and read New York Pizza and Deli.
We hurried inside to the counter and got in line. There was so much to look at that I hadn’t realized the line had moved until Gigi tugged my arm.
“…and Saffie? What would you like?”
“Pizza,” I said without hesitation.
The girl behind the counter with violet hair nodded. “What kind?”
“Cheese. She wants cheese,” Savannah answered for me, thankfully.
“And I want two.” All three of them looked at me, then down at my body, then back up. I shrugged. “Definitely two. Please.”
The girl pursed her lips and nodded. “Coming right up.”
“Come on, Saffie, let’s go grab our table before it’s gone,” Gigi said as she took my hand and pulled me along.
I frowned and glanced around. “Most of them are empty…?”
“Ah, yes. But we have our table.” Gigi shrugged. “It’s a thing.”
We stopped at the table in the far front corner, under the television.
“This is our booth.” Gigi grinned. “Why don’t you sit and I’ll go help Savannah?”
“Okay.” I slid into the booth bench with my back against the wall so I could see the counter.
While I waited, I pulled out my cellphone and found a text message waiting from Landreia that read Having fun?
I smiled and typed back. YES! We’re on Essex Street eating pizza.
Oh. Good choice. Well I’m in the shop all night if you need anything. But have fun!
My cheeks warmed. Thank you, Landreia. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way home.
“Okay, time to stuff our faces,” Savannah yelled as she sat two trays on the table in front of me. “It’s time for heaven on earth.”
I giggled and looked down at my plate with two slices of pizza hanging over the edges. My mouth watered. Unable to stop myself, I leaned forward and inhaled deeply. My eyes closed and my stomach growled.
Savannah snorted.
I looked up to find her laughing so hard her eyes watered. Gigi was covering her mouth with her hand but it failed to conceal her own laughter.
I frowned. “What?”
Savannah shook her head. “Girl, if that’s the way you react to pizza, then we were destined to be besties.”
I didn’t know what that meant exactly, but I liked the way it made my heart flutter and butterflies dance in my stomach. I shook my head and picked up my pizza. I took a bite and a noise I’d never heard myself make slipped through my mouth. It was so good. Flavor exploded in my mouth and I found myself doing a little dance as I ate more and more.
“Yep. The happy food dance seals the deal.” Savannah picked up a small round object and tossed it in her mouth. “Bestie squad here.”
I cocked my head to the side. “What are you eating?”
Savannah’s eyes widened. “Tater tots, mothereffer.”
We ate in happy silence, just stuffing our faces – as Savannah would say. But then I started thinking about what they told me on our walk over and I remembered I had a question.
I cleared my throat. “So…what did you mean they sell crystals?”
Savannah popped another tater tot in her mouth, then licked her lips. “Crystals are great tools, they can help for loads of things. And each crystal has different meanings and uses. So once you know which ones you’d like or need, then you can buy them to either carry in your pocket, in your purse, sit in your room, or – my personal favorite – wear in jewelry.”
Gigi nodded. “Savannah knows a ton about crystals.” She shoved more pizza in her mouth.
My mind flashed back to the pile of them beside the car. “What do they mean?”
Savannah wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Well…the list is extensive. But for example? Okay…so…Amethyst kicks your shitty attitude back to manageable levels. Lapis lazuli clears your throat chakra so you can scream with reckless abandon. Selenite is like a microphone for your inner betch. Onyx will protect you from petty bitches. Rose quartz will unscrew your life. Turquoise rejuvenates resting bitch face. Citrine bleaches life’s bullshit—”
My jaw dropped. I leaned back in my seat and shook my head. I held my hand up and pointed to my ring. The one I wore on my thumb but didn’t remember where it came from. “I don’t remember where this came from. Landreia said it was a raw quartz but for some reason I know it as stardust quartz.”
“I’ve never heard of it called that…do you remember anything about it at all? Besides that?”
I shook my head. “No, but when I look at it I feel….safe. Protected.”
“Then I say go with that. How things make us feel is honestly the most important.”
“I just wish I could remember something. Anything. It’s driving me insane.”
Gigi frowned. “And the doctors don’t have any ideas about what caused it?”
“No…” My chest grew tight just thinking about my awful reality.
Savannah snapped her fingers. “You know what? You should get a tarot reading! Maybe it will help trigger something for you.”
I bit my lip. Landreia had told
me about the tarot readings they did in her shop. “I don’t know. They kind of…scare me a little. What if they say something bad?”
“Tarot are just a guide. It’s the universe talking to us. If they say something bad then they can tell you how you can change that.”
Gigi narrowed her eyes. “You know…maybe Savannah should read your cards first?”
Savannah gasped. Her blue eyes widened at me. “Oh my Goddess, can I? Please?”
What do you have to lose, Saffie? I trusted Savannah and Gigi. And they both seemed to know what they were talking about. I didn’t know if I wanted a stranger to talk about my future…but a friend?
I took a deep breath then nodded. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
Chapter Sixteen
Saffie
“YES!” Savannah said, drawing out the S for a long time as she dug inside her purse. When she pulled her hand out she was holding a silver box. “I just bought this deck like two days ago, but the readings I’ve done so far have been epic.”
I leaned forward. “The box is pretty.”
“Just wait.” She wagged her eyebrows and opened the box, pulling a stack of cards out. “This deck is called Tarot de la Nuit by Alexandra V. Bach and Carole-Anne Eschenazi. It’s perfection.”
Gigi took a sip of her drink then leaned over her shoulder. “Are you doing The Night Spread?” She asked as she cleared the table in front of us.
Savannah nodded. “Yup. It’s a spread designed especially for these cards.”
“Okay. What do I have to do?”
“Nothing!” Savannah smiled at me. “Just relax, deep breaths. The universe is going to show us what we need to see. Once I get the cards all laid out, I’ll explain what they mean. All right?”
“All right.”
Gigi rubbed her palms together and grinned. “I can’t wait to see this.”
The Cursed Witch Page 9
