by Amy Boyles
Breath stuttered from my lungs. I had to stay glued. I couldn’t unhinge just because the potion hadn’t worked. There was still so much more that needed to be done tonight.
So much more.
I inhaled a deep shot of air and pushed it out forcefully. I peered into the Cobweb Forest, squared my shoulders and said, “Okay, Forest. If you would be so kind, please lead me to the Southern School of Magic.”
With that, I stepped forward, leaving Axel behind.
TWENTY-TWO
I met Cordelia and Amelia outside the school. Actually I met them in the bushes. I know. It was the most likely place to be found. I also realize that. But it worked out okay for us.
I watched as a stream of witches landed their cast-iron skillets in the circular drive. “What’s happened so far?”
“Just a whole bunch of people showing up, parking their skillets.” Amelia brushed a twig from my shirt. “What’ve you been doing? Rolling in the forest?”
“Very funny. No. I tried that potion out on Axel.”
Interest sparked in her eyes. “Oh? Did it work?”
“No. Like anything and everything else I’ve tried with him, it didn’t work.” I motioned to her purse. “Did you bring Betty?”
“She’s right here.” Amelia patted the pouch. “Cordelia didn’t want to carry her.”
My cousin rolled her eyes skyward. “I didn’t say I didn’t want to carry her. I said you would probably be better at it, and then I said Pepper would be best because she won’t drop Betty.”
“Or turn her into a giant toad.” The words flew from my mouth before I had a chance to stop them.
“What’s that?” Cordelia frowned at me.
“It’s nothing.” Amelia laughed nervously. She punched me in the shoulder. “Pepper doesn’t mean anything.”
I rubbed the spot and nodded. “Nope. I didn’t mean anything.”
Cordelia’s gaze dragged from one of us to the other before settling back on the scene of witches. “We need to focus. There’s a whole lot of folks going inside. We should be able to sneak in soon.”
“If we’d planned this right, we could’ve just walked in with them,” I said.
Amelia nodded to the open door. “Saltz is right there greeting everyone. We won’t be able to sneak in this way.”
I nibbled the edge of my finger. “Then how do you suppose we can get in?”
“Let’s go around back,” Cordelia said. “If it’s like most places, that’s where the kitchen will be.”
Amelia nodded. “There will be a lot of coming and going. Should be easy.”
We walked the forest line to the rear of the school. There was an open door. Lots of noise and commotion floated outside.
I squeezed my cousins’ hands. “It’s now or never. We can do this.”
We smiled to each other and proceeded to pass through the door and enter.
“Hold it right there, you three.”
We froze. I shot my cousins frightened looks. They did the same to me. We slowly turned to see a squat woman wearing a white cap and smudged apron.
“Where have the three of you been?” She wagged a finger at us.
I’m sorry? None of us answered. We didn’t know what to say.
The woman threw her hands up. “Never mind where you’ve been. You’re here now. There are the trays. I want each of you to take a tray and get in there. The guests have arrived, and it’s time to serve them.”
She hoisted the pouch from Amelia’s shoulder. “I’ll store your bag in a locker. Now get in there and serve those guests before Saltz has my head.”
I shot a look to my cousins. Cordelia’s mouth quirked into a mischievous smile. “Well? What are we waiting for, ladies? Let’s start serving.”
The best part about serving? Moving freely among the dinner guests. The worst part about serving? Avoiding Saltz Swift.
I literally had to duck or hold the hors d’oeuvres tray in front of my face while I walked.
“Well, we’re in,” Amelia murmured while kitchen staff piled shrimp canapés onto the silver trays.
“That we are.”
Cordelia sidled up beside us. “Pepper, doesn’t your stomach hurt?”
I narrowed my gaze. “No, I’m fine.”
She elbowed my ribs.
“Yes, yes, it does hurt. Ow. I don’t know what I ate. I have to go to the bathroom.”
The cook pointed a spoon aggressively toward me. “It better not have been one of my creations. Staff doesn’t eat until the rest of the party does.”
“Oh, I would never dream of breaking the rules. Ow.” I doubled over dramatically.
“If you start throwing up green stuff, it’s your appendix.” She pointed left. “Bathroom’s that way. Hurry up. We ain’t got all day to wait on you.” She cocked an evil eye at my cousins. “You two will need to take up the slack while she’s gone. Hurry. I’m almost done with the soup. They’re about to sit down to dinner.”
Amelia sniffed the air. “The soup smells delicious.”
“You can have your bit after the others have eaten,” Cook snapped. “Now get to it.”
“Aye, aye, captain.” Amelia saluted her with a smile.
I didn’t stand around waiting to see how the Grinch would take that. I bolted from the kitchen up a side stairwell toward the staff offices. I hit the landing and stopped.
Only wall sconces that cast flickers of light across the floor lit the hallway. I held my breath and waited. No other sound filled the hallway.
I was alone. At least I hoped so. I stepped lightly toward Saltz’s office and turned the knob. It would be a miracle if it was unlocked.
It was a miracle.
The door swung silently, and I crept inside. Though the office itself was little more than an elaborately decorated desk with chairs for visitors, I suspected Saltz had a personal potion room behind a door.
I mean, why wouldn’t he have a personal potion room? He was the potion master.
If I had that sort of title, I would definitely own a personal potion room. It only made sense.
I crept to the door and turned the knob. As luck would have it, it opened as well. I shut it quietly behind me and flipped on a light.
Jackpot.
There were beakers and burners, jars filled with liquids and spell books everywhere.
This was exactly what I’d been looking for. I wasted no time in opening cabinets and riffling through bottles. There were so many. Dozens of vials filled with liquids that were dozens more different colors. Some were clear, others were opaque and some held potions so viscous the liquid barely moved at all when tipped.
There were so many, but none of them were the color I sought. I didn’t think Saltz would tamper with the original potion. That didn’t make sense. What did make sense would be to hide it in plain sight.
No one would ever suspect that he would do such a thing as to kill Shelly. After all, he wasn’t even being investigated. So to keep the potion out front where anyone could see it was the most logical choice.
At least to me it was.
I sifted through bottle after bottle, rack after rack until there wasn’t anyplace left to look. I didn’t know how long I’d been gone, but surely the kitchen was about to serve the soup by now.
I slumped back on my heels and sighed. All of this for nothing. Axel and I had looked at everyone. We weren’t any farther along in the investigation than we would have been if we’d never lifted a finger.
I exhaled a deep breath and hoisted myself to my feet. I guess there was no other choice but to let Garrick do his job.
Not that it was a bad thing. He could do his job all day long. The problem was that it meant we still didn’t have any answers.
I dusted off the seat of my pants, fixed the bottles I’d moved out of place and headed to the door. I flipped off the light and quietly tiptoed through Saltz’s office.
I twisted the knob and peeked. The coast was clear.
Footsteps sounded down the hal
l, coming from behind me. I eased the door until it was only open by a crack and peered out.
A figure cloaked in black strode into view. He moved quickly, almost like a blur. He held something in his left hand.
Light from a wall sconce struck the object. I bit my lips so I wouldn’t gasp.
It was the missing potion! Shelly’s. I would recognize that color anywhere. It looked like liquid sunshine. Not sure if that’s what it tasted like, but that’s what it looked like.
My fingers trembled. My knees quaked. Whoever it was held the potion in his hands.
But who was it?
He slipped down a stairwell. As quietly as I could, I let myself out of Saltz’s office and followed. When I reached the stairwell, I realized it was the same one I’d come up. It led down to the kitchen.
I waited a moment to make sure the figure was gone before heading down. The last thing I needed was for whoever it was to hear me and know I was on to them.
I reached the kitchen and paused. Aside from my cousins and me, everyone else wore white. That was a kitchen staff essential, so I could easily mark them off the list.
I stopped and stared. The kitchen was bustling with cooks plating entrees, chopping vegetables and frying meat.
I grabbed the cook closest to the entryway. “Did you see someone come through here? He was wearing black.”
The cook forearmed a line of sweat from his head. “All I can see is this meat, ma’am. I don’t have time to look around.”
I rushed past him but stopped the next cook. “Did you see a man run through here? He was wearing black.”
The cooks repeatedly shook their heads. No one had seen him.
I reached the main cooking station where the head cook was returning from the pantry with a jar of herbs.
“Took you long enough,” she said. “We’re serving the soup.” She pointed to a tray filled with steaming bowls. “Grab one and hand it out before it gets cold.”
I grabbed her shoulders. “Did you see a man in here? A man wearing black. He would’ve just come through.”
“I don’t have time to pay attention to your dating life.” She poked a stubby finger at the tray. “Now get in there and drop off those bowls.”
Maybe I’d have better luck in the dining room. Perhaps in there I could figure out who I’d seen or at least be able to narrow it down.
I hoisted a tray onto my shoulder and walked toward the door, nearly smacking Amelia in the head.
“Hey,” she shrieked.
“Sorry. Listen. Did you see a man walk through here? I saw someone. He had the potion. I know he did.”
“No.” She rubbed a spot on her forehead that I’d almost hit. “But boy are they hungry for soup so you might want to get it out there.”
I entered the dining room and settled the tray down. Then I went about serving. I eyed all the guests, but none of them seemed flustered. They all sat with perfect smiles on their faces as they waited for their soup to be delivered.
Finally I saw a smiling face I recognized and trusted. Anthony stood with his back to the wall. I hooked my empty tray under my arm and practically ran over to him.
“Anthony!”
A spark of happiness flared in his eyes. “Pepper, good to see you. Looks like you’re hard at work.” His gaze flickered to the tray.
“Oh, that. Yeah. Listen.” I pulled him to an exit door. I lowered my voice. “There’s someone here who has Shelly’s potion. I saw him upstairs but lost him. Have you seen anyone? Anyone at all who was carrying a vial of potion?”
The light in his eyes faded. “So you didn’t recognize him.” His voice sharpened. “Tell me the truth.”
“No.” My gaze washed down to his hand. Anthony’s right fist was tight around something that looked exactly like liquid sunshine.
I gasped. “It was you.”
“And you’re not going to have a chance to tell anyone.” Anthony grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me through a door.
TWENTY-THREE
I found myself stuck in a small, dark library. Anthony guarded the door.
I forced myself to get over my initial shock. “What? How?” But even as I asked, I knew why. I gritted my teeth. “So this is your revenge? Because you were never noticed, is that it?”
He threw back his head and laughed. The niceness in his eyes had been replaced by something so cold it sent a shiver straight to my gut.
“Yes, this is my revenge. All those years being passed over for wizards with credentials!”
Anthony dropped the vial into his pocket and steepled his pudgy fingers. “I keep this school together. I’m the person who’s always called to help. I’m always needed when something goes wrong, but do I get any respect for it?”
“No?” It was a wild guess, but you know, I was pretty sure that’s the answer he was looking for.
“No,” he shouted. “I get no respect. So now they’re going to know who runs things. They all will. Once they eat their soup.”
“The soup?”
He shot me a smug smile.
A stone dropped in my stomach. The soup. When no one had been looking, Anthony dosed the soup with potion.
“You mean to turn all of them to toads.”
All of them. Out there. Turned to frogs. I couldn’t allow that to happen. No way. I shoved him to the side and headed toward the door. I’d just brushed my fingers against the knob when I stopped.
I literally couldn’t move.
“Oh, Pepper Dunn. So smart, but not smart at all.”
Against my will, my legs danced around until I was facing Anthony once again.
“Your grandmother should’ve taught you that you never let another witch or wizard take things from you—like your hair, your blood.”
My skin prickled from a chill that wasn’t created by ordinary means. Anthony held a poppet in his hands. A poppet that I’d practically handed him when he’d snatched a hair from my coat the night I attended the witch support group, and the blood he’d gathered the day I’d scratched myself on the front door of the school.
Anthony was right. I’d willingly given him power over me. I’d practically handed myself to him on a silver platter.
He’d used my blood and hair to create a poppet that perfectly resembled me.
I pushed aside the fear that rose in my belly and stared him down. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to make sure you don’t interfere.” Anthony turned the poppet and stared at the doll’s face. “There are so many ways I can do that. I can simply leave you in here while they all turn to toads. But that’s not really good enough, is it? You’ll want to help them, won’t you? You’ll do everything you can to get in there and save those people.”
“I would’ve saved Shelly if I could have.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “Shelly was so stupid. She told me her plan but wouldn’t share the potion’s recipe. I knew as soon as she revealed what her potion was that I had to have it. You see, Pepper. That’s the thing about being me—no one ever thought I could do something like kill Shelly. She certainly didn’t. Why would she? How could sweet little Anthony, whipping boy to the world, have it in him to kill someone?”
A bitter laugh escaped his lips. “But I fooled her. I knew Shelly and her boyfriend had worked with Gale East on poppets. Gale told me herself. So I did my own research, found out how to do it and made sure Gale was at the potion competition. None of that was hard. Not at all.”
“And no one would ever think it was you.”
“Brilliant, isn’t it?” Anthony wagged the poppet at me. “And now all I have to do is get rid of you. Make sure you don’t interfere. Ever. With any of it ever again.”
Anthony rubbed his chin like any good cartoon villain. “But what to do with you? Turn your head until your blood vessels pop? Break all your bones?” He scoffed. “Too agonizing. And probably you’ll scream too much. Perhaps I’ll just smash your head with a candlestick.”
He laughed maniacally.
“Mr. Anthony did it in the library with a candlestick. How wonderful!”
He lifted a candlestick from a side table. My heart thundered against my rib cage. I wanted him gone, away, but my magic didn’t work. I was under the spell of a poppet. The only thing I could think of was Axel.
I’d never be able to say goodbye. I wished he was here just so I could see him one last time.
Oh, and my family. And I never helped Betty and now the entire Southern School of Magic would be knee-deep in toads. Not only would it be very empty and amphibious, but it would also be creepy.
Yes, I know, strange thoughts entered my mind at the weirdest of times, but when you’re staring death in the face, you don’t have much control over what goes through your head.
Anthony lifted the candlestick just as the door opened.
“Oh! Pepper, what’re you doing?”
It was Amelia. My back was to her so I couldn’t see her, but I had one shot.
“I wish that poppet stayed in Anthony’s hands.” It was a long shot, counting on the fact that her father hadn’t locked her genie talents up yet.
“Pepper, no,” Amelia shouted.
The poppet whisked from Anthony. I felt a huge release as I tipped forward.
“No!” Anthony grasped air to catch it.
But he couldn’t catch where it was going—straight into Amelia’s hands.
“Amelia, get out of here!”
Right as Amelia turned to run, the strangest thing happened. She suddenly shrank with a pop and a crunch, and ended up on the ground.
Amelia had turned into a toad. My poppet fell to the floor beside her.
Amelia hopped off into a dark corner. Probably for the best. This room was no place for a toad. Not with Anthony on the loose.
I careened across the floor to snatch it up. As my fingers curled to grab the wax imitation of me—red hair, big brown eyes, a slash of bangs—it lifted from the floor and zipped across the room.
