by Susan Harper
“Then I suppose as your familiar, it’s my job to be supportive,” Abigail groaned, and Monica hopped down from the counter and picked her up, pulling her into a tight hug that Abigail tried her best to resist. “Aww, you grumpy kitty-cat, you do love me?”
“Get off!”
Holly laughed as Monica put the cat down. She leaned back against the counter, seeming to be deep in contemplation. Abigail shook out her fur. “Okay, I’m going to do it!” Monica said, scurrying around the back of the counter where she dug around for a slip of paper. She wrote up a formal letter addressed to the Sorcerer’s Council and tapped it with her wand, uttering a simple incantation before the letter zipped off and slipped under the back door that would lead to Mona’s side of Backroom Books. A slight light flashed from under the door, and Monica knew that her letter was probably already zipping through Wysteria.
“Well, if you’re doing this thing for real,” Abigail said, still shaking out her fur from Monica’s overenthusiastic hug, “then we need to get ready for a hearing. Thankfully, you have a few things working for you. Your Aunt Wilma lived with mortals for years, so the family already has a reputation for doing well amongst mortals. You yourself live here in Bankstown. Thing is, you haven’t known Brian too terribly long, so they will probably do an investigation on him to see if he is trustworthy. But you do have one thing working against you…”
“What would that be?” Monica asked.
“Me,” Abigail admitted. “If you’re going to reveal yourself to a mortal, the council will look into every part of your life. And having a witch who is serving five centuries as a familiar for, well, tormenting mortals isn’t going to make the decision to grant you a license any quicker. They are going to probably look into me as a risk factor.”
“Rubbish!” Monica exclaimed. “What are you going to do? Scratch him and tell him you want to kill him?”
“I don’t know, but I’m certainly considered a risk factor in revealing our world to the man,” Abigail said. “Usually you have to have a pretty squeaky-clean background to get licenses for this sort of thing. You yourself are sweet as sugar, but your familiar who lives with you and is supposed to act as your spiritual guide, well, me, not so much…”
“Great, so you could ruin this for her?” Holly asked.
“Oh, shut up,” Abigail said as the door to the shop opened and she quickly let out a very fake sounding, “Meow.”
Their friend Isaac entered, smiling. He wasn’t paying much attention and collided with the Valentine display. “Oof!” he grumbled and tried to laugh off the embarrassing moment before heading to them at the back of the shop. “Morning…” he said, his cheeks still red.
“Nice one,” Holly teased.
“Yeah, it is what it is. Thought I’d stop in for a coffee and to check out your recommended reads,” he said. “Up in the loft, still?”
“That’s right,” Monica said, and he placed a coffee order and then politely asked Holly if she would help him pick out a book to take into work with him.
“Sure,” she said, looking at Monica hesitantly as Monica was notoriously terrible with the barista station. Holly followed Isaac up the little ladder that led to a private reading nook while Monica quietly slipped out her wand and pointed it to the coffeemaker, deciding it was probably best not to poison Isaac today.
The coffee prepared itself quickly while she knew no one else was in the shop, and she quickly hid her wand and set the to-go mug aside. “Nice,” Abigail whispered as she jumped onto the counter.
Isaac and Holly emerged moments later, both with bright pink faces. Isaac held a book under his arm as he paid for it and the coffee, then wound up leaving both at the counter due to his flustered behavior, and Monica had to chase him outside to make sure he headed into work with both. “Sorry, sorry,” he said before thanking her and heading off.
“Well, that was odd,” she said and walked back into her own shop. “Okay, what happened?” Monica demanded.
“He wanted to get me alone so that he could ask me out,” Holly said, her face still pink.
“Oh!” Monica exclaimed. This was something Monica had been waiting on since practically her first day in Bankstown. Isaac had revealed to her that he had had feelings for Holly for a while, but the pair had been best friends since their elementary days, so he had been fearful of ruining their friendship, Holly had also revealed similar feelings to Monica about the man, so she had been gently encouraging Isaac to finally take the leap. “And what did you say?”
“I said yes, of course,” Holly said, and she grinned. “He asked me out for Valentine’s Day… This is nuts… We’ve been friends for so long!”
“Honestly, those are the best relationships,” Abigail said.
“Was that a word of encouragement?” Holly asked.
“A little,” Abigail said. “Been around a long time to see what works and what doesn’t. Plus, you look positively giddy.”
“I am,” Holly admitted.
The three of them, as it seemed like it was going to be a rather slow day, were able to lounge around the shop a bit and talk about Monica and Holly’s dating prospects—particularly about when they would be hearing back from the Sorcerer’s Council regarding Monica’s request. As usual, conversing about the council got Abigail on discussing how to reduce her sentence. “I’m telling you, good deeds! That’s the answer,” Abigail said. “I need to show them I’ve changed. Then next time there is a hearing, I can present it as evidence.”
“You’re an idiot,” Monica said.
“Shut up,” Abigail retorted.
“You know, she does have a point,” Holly said. “The Sorcerer’s Council took off a few years for your help with previous cases, remember?”
“You’re right!” Abigail exclaimed. “And another case has just recently fallen into our laps!”
“You want to look into what happened to Leopold?” Monica asked.
“Yes, I do,” Abigail said. “I can help, can’t I? We helped take down a Remembrance gathering with the Sorcerer’s Council, and they knocked off quite a few years from my sentence after that one. If we could find out what happened to Leopold, maybe I could get another reduction?”
“You realize that the point is to have actual remorse, right?” Holly asked. “Helping Leopold with the sole purpose of helping yourself is probably not what they’re looking for.”
“I know that!” Abigail hissed. “You think I don’t want to find out what happened to Deimus’s friend?”
“Actually, I have been thinking the same thing,” Monica said. “All of Wysteria has probably heard the news by now. It’s a pretty devastating blow not just for Deimus but for the whole town. Leopold was one of the best Romp-A-Roo players our town has ever seen. Everyone loves him and his fellow Wysteria Werewolves. I think if we could help, we should.”
“Exactly,” Abigail said. “And this is exactly why you hired Holly in the first place. To give yourself the freedom to leave the shop if you need to. I think we should head to Wysteria and see what we can dig up.”
Holly smiled. “I can totally handle the shop on my own,” she assured Monica. “If you want to look into things, of course.”
Monica smiled and stood up. “Okay, let’s do it. I’ll keep you posted on anything we find out.”
“Excellent,” Holly said.
“Come on, Abs, let’s go,” Monica said, and she and Abigail walked around the back counter of and opened up the back door. It appeared to be nothing but a broom closet, but Monica and Abigail knew better. They stepped over the threshold and were nearly blinded by a bright flash of light. Next thing they knew, they were exiting through another door that led into Mona’s side of Backroom Books.
6
Once Monica and Abigail arrived on Mona’s side, Monica was surprised to see her Aunt Wilma working the shop instead of her sister. Lenore, Mona’s familiar, was still there as well in the midst of a riveting discussion on books regarding various toe fungi remedies with a portly wa
rlock. “Aunt Wilma?” Monica asked, drawing her aunt away from some of the dusting she had been doing. “What are you doing here? Where’s Mona?”
“Oh, she’s off with Deimus,” Aunt Wilma said. “After what happened at that afterparty, Deimus is a bit shaken up. I told her to go be with him and that I would watch her shop today. Obviously after everything, Deimus wasn’t going to be working the shop, and it’s not like Lenore can manage the place by herself.”
“She could,” Abigail said, for Lenore seemed to be managing a multitude of detailed questions from the large man who seemed to be looking for a variety of books that day.
“She is quite familiar with our selections, yes,” Aunt Wilma said, smiling at the raven who gave Aunt Wilma a wave with her wing from where she was perched on the opposite end of the shop. “What brings you to Wysteria, dear?”
“Abigail’s idea, really,” Monica said. “We’re going to see what we can do to help the Sorcerer’s Council. We’ve helped them before.”
Aunt Wilma crossed her arms, eyeing Abigail hesitantly. “This doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that the last time you helped a councilmember, they reduced your sentence, does it?”
“What makes you think I’m not simply doing this from the kindness of my heart?” Abigail asked. “For my concern for Deimus and his team?”
“You need a heart for that, dear,” Wilma said, giving Abigail a nudge with her foot to skootch her along. “But either way, what you ladies do is up to you.”
“I’m sure we’ll see you about,” Monica said, laughing slightly at her aunt’s teasing on their way out the door. Abigail was muttering to herself as Monica held out her broom, getting ready to mount it when a familiar gentleman caught her eye as he trotted down the street in their direction. It was a large, older centaur.
“Monica, Abigail,” Nud, the centaur representative on the Sorcerer’s Council, smiled at them and offered a friendly wave. By the satchel hanging loosely on his shoulder, it seemed like the man had been out shopping a bit that morning. “We received your letter earlier, Ms. Montoya,” he began, shaking Monica’s hand. “Since I saw you, I thought I’d tell you that you should expect a letter sometime today with your hearing schedule.”
“Oh, so soon?” Monica asked.
“It may be a little way out. I’m not sure, I’m not handling scheduling today,” Nud said. “But we’re usually rather quick about going ahead and booking an appointment. I was a bit surprised to see the contents of your hearing request. You are seeking a reveal license?”
“Yes, sir,” Monica said, lowering her hand after their long, uncomfortable shake. “I know I haven’t been living on the other side for very long, but as my letter explains, I have begun a sort of romantic relationship. I don’t suppose you have any advice for me going into my hearing?”
“Honesty is best,” he said. “You have a wonderful track record with the council, so I don’t expect a problem. I would recommend reading Mortal-Mystic Licensing Laws by Lionna Lioness. There is a chapter in there regarding procedures and preparation for a request to reveal licenses.”
“Oh, wonderful, I’m sure my sister has it on her side of the shop,” Monica said.
“I’m sure,” he said. “Speaking of Backroom Books, is your mortal side closed today?”
“No, my friend Holly is working it,” Monica explained. “Abigail and I were hoping to see Deimus and Mona—offer some support after what happened to Leopold. I’m sure you have heard of that by now?”
“Believe me, Monica, everyone in Wysteria has heard of it by now,” he said. “In fact, I spoke with Ms. Clowdia this morning. The poor selkie girl is rather troubled about the way her teammates acted toward her after the incident.”
“You saw Clowdia this morning?” Monica asked.
“Yes, she was down by Silver Shores Beach,” he said. “I fancied the idea of going for a trot this morning. Haven’t been to the beach in ages, and sure enough, there she was moping about on the rocks. I tried to comfort her a bit, but she’s been a bit harassed by local authorities. I assured her they are merely doing their job, but she’s bothered by how quickly everyone started pointing fingers.”
“I imagine so,” Monica said, and Nud seemed ready to head on his way. “I think I wouldn’t mind a visit to Silver Shores Beach myself.”
Nud smiled. “If you see Clowdia, do give her my best wishes.” He nodded and trotted off to finish whatever morning errands he was running.
Monica hopped on her broom, and Abigail jumped on the back. “Silver Shores Beach, then?” Abigail asked, knowing that if they knew the whereabouts of the selkie suspect, they would likely head off to interview her.
“Sounds good,” Monica said and kicked off, sending the broom and themselves soaring up into the air.
Silver Shores Beach, named such for its famous silvery shells that tended to wash up on the sand, was a small bit of shoreline just barely within Wysteria borders on the eastern side of the small town far from the mountain ranges in the west. They flew east, and soon the air started to smell a bit salty. Eventually, Monica spotted someone walking alone on the thin strip of beach up ahead, and they made a quick landing in the sand.
Clowdia must have spotted them flying in because she did not seem surprised when they landed abruptly beside her. “Morning,” Monica said, jumping off her broom. Abigail did the same.
“Ah, the other Montoya sister,” she said. “Monica, yes?”
“That’s right,” Monica said.
Clowdia was walking along the shoreline, her feet in the water. She seemed rather gloomy, just like Nud had told them she was. “Let me guess, you want to talk to me about Leopold too? I suppose if I wanted to avoid talking to people, coming to the beach was far too predictable of a hiding spot for a selkie…”
“Sorry,” Monica said. “And I do mean that. I imagine your team jumping down your throat the way they did wasn’t easy.”
“Not particularly,” she said. “I suppose I understand the thought process, though. He was found in the water, after all. And the whole team knows about my history with Leopold’s family…”
“History?” Monica asked, not realizing that there had been more to the team’s accusations than simply that she was a selkie and prejudices had slipped in.
“Oh, you don’t know?” Clowdia asked and exhaled deeply. “I’d rather not discuss it, then.”
“Before you push us away…” Monica intervened. “Let me start by saying I don’t think you did it. Abigail and I are sort of looking into things. We want to make sure the right person is brought to justice, and if there is some motive that might get people pointing fingers at you again, I think it’s best we go ahead and get that out in the open.”
Clowdia rolled her eyes slightly. “Fine,” she said and sat herself down in the sand right where the water and land met so that the tide would brush up on her whenever it came in.
Monica sat beside her, and Abigail stayed a good distance away to avoid the water. “So, what happened with you and Leopold?” Monica asked.
“Not Leopold,” Clowdia said. “His older brother, Leonardo Sprout.”
“Leonardo Sprout?” Abigail asked. “I heard about him. He’s in the wizards’ prison, isn’t he? I forget what for.”
“For what he did to me, of course,” Clowdia said. “He hid my skin.”
“Clowdia! I’m so sorry!” Monica exclaimed. “You can’t return home?”
“No,” she said. “I’m stuck on land because he tried to coerce me into a relationship. I’m sure you know, but in the old days, this used to be a rather common practice for wizards. They’d wait around a beach for a selkie to leave her skin lying about and then steal it and force them into a sort of slave-like marriage. This practice has of course been illegal for nearly a century, but Leonardo decided I was pretty enough to take the risk. I’m a modern selkie, though. I wasn’t about to marry him in the hopes of getting my skin back! He was arrested, and still to this day, he has refused to tell myself or t
he authorities where he hid my skin. He’s trapped me here for nearly eight years. I haven’t been able to return home since because of him.”
“That’s terrible,” Abigail said. “There’s nothing the authorities can do? What about a truth potion?”
“Leonardo foresaw that after he found out I reported him to the Sorcerer’s Council,” she said. “He casted a Jibber-Jabber Jinx on himself. If any sort of magic is used on him to get him to reveal the location, it’ll just come out as utter nonsense. Unless he has a change of heart, I’ll be trapped on land for the rest of my life.”
“What did Leopold think about all of this?” Monica asked.
Clowdia smiled. “He’s nothing like his idiot brother. Leopold spoke against his brother in court. He’s been to the prison multiple times to speak to Leonardo on my behalf to try to convince him to reveal the location of my skin. And he and Rosemary are the ones who invited me to try out for the Romp-A-Roo team last year. We had become friends and had been scrimmaging together for some time. Leopold was my friend. I would never hurt him. He was nothing like his horrible brother.”
“Can you tell me exactly what happened between you two at the afterparty by the hobbit holes?” Monica asked.
“Oh, same thing that always happens when a boy stares at a female selkie too long,” she said, waving this off as nothing. “All it takes is one little thought of she looks nice today or oh, how lovely her eyes are and the selkie magic gets to work on the infatuation. We don’t do it intentionally, of course. Leopold was always very good at ignoring those instincts, so I’m not really sure what came over him that night. Men in love, which he most certainly was, may fall victim to the selkie infatuation from time to time but usually snap out of it rather quickly. It’s single men you must watch out for. And Leopold, I know, was very much in love with Rosemary. For him to actually break up with her over a bit of infatuation is rather silly and unusual.”
“Can you tell me what happened when you went to talk to him?” Monica asked.
