by Amy Boyles
I planted my palms on the wood and hoisted myself up. I didn’t have to look around to know what had happened.
Anthony had control of the poppet. The entire school had been turned into toads. I didn’t even have to open the door to know that. Great. It was up to me to stop Anthony because everyone else was literally a toad.
“You worked so hard, Pepper. So very hard to foil me. But you can’t. I’ve thought this through too hard and too long to be ruined now. Everything I’ve done has been to reach this moment. The one point where I will win.”
“And what do you win?” I turned and glared at him. “There’s no one around to congratulate you. To tell you what a great job you’ve done. No one has watched you succeed. No one. You’ve turned them all to toads, but you don’t even know which one is Saltz.”
I pointed to the door. “If you went out there right now, you’d see a mess of toads that made the place look more like a bad seventies disaster movie than your victory. You don’t know one toad from another. All you know is that you’ve won. But what have you won if there’s no one to witness it?”
Anthony’s gaze fell to the floor. “I know. That’s enough.”
I hitched a shoulder. “But what? The knowledge that you stole a potion by killing a witch and then using that potion to create a sea of toads? Doesn’t sound like much of a victory if you ask me.”
His face crimsoned. Anthony’s eyes bugged, and his nostrils flared. “I’ve won, okay. If I say I’ve won, I have.”
“Sure. You’ve won. You made a poppet out of me. Got for it. Destroy me with a candlestick. You’ve beaten us all.”
Okay, so my plan at this point was to make Anthony angry enough that he either dropped my poppet or his focus. So far neither had worked.
I had one more shot. I thought him away, gone. I wanted him back.
My legs sprinted forward. I had to fight to keep myself from running into Anthony.
“Your power doesn’t work when I have the poppet.” He shook his head. “Poor new witch.” He caressed the poppet’s head. A shiver ran down my spine. It was like watching myself be violated by this pudgy man with curly hair. Ew.
Anthony continued. “It’s hard to be bested. But don’t worry, I’m about to put you out of your misery.”
Stall him. I had to stall and think. “Anthony!”
He bounced the candlestick in his palm. “Yes?”
“What happens now? You’ve bested me. You’ve reduced the school staff to toads. What’s it all for?”
He threw his head back and released an air-splitting cackle. “What happens next is when the students return, I’ll be running this school. Pepper Dunn will have potioned the entire staff. Luckily I caught you, but not before you threw yourself out of a window. Oh, and the potion will be all used up, so if we want to save Saltz, we’ll have to perform blood magic. No one will want to do that, of course, so the school will now be mine to run.”
He grinned wickedly. “After all, I’m the only person who knows how to make things work here anymore. Everyone will be a toad!”
“You think it’ll be that easy? You think they’ll all accept what you’ve done?”
Before I asked it, I knew it was a stupid question. Dang it.
“Oh, I’ll be accepted all right. What choice do they have? I’ll replace Saltz as head of the school. It will be wonderful. It will all be truly wonderful.”
He raised his hands like he was in a hallelujah choir. “Finally, I’ll receive the credit I deserve.” Anthony slowly lowered his arms and pinpointed his focus on me. “Now all I have to do is get rid of you.”
He raised the candlestick. I was paralyzed. Unable to move. I closed my eyes because this was it. It was over. I was over. My life was gone.
Hey, at least I’d done some good before I’d been called up to heaven.
A loud crash sent me sprawling across the floor. I opened my eyes. A window had shattered. Glass shards littered the wooden floor.
I blinked, unsure of exactly what I was seeing.
A huge mass of fur and fangs stood in the room. The beast shook its coat, sending more glass flying.
“Oh my Lord,” I whispered.
The werewolf snarled and snapped. Its tail lashed; its fangs gnashed. Saliva dripped from its mouth.
“Axel?” How could it be? How could he be standing here when he was supposed to be locked inside an impenetrable box?
Are you okay? His voice filled my head. In that instant I realized what had happened.
It had worked! The potion had worked. But there was no time to rejoice. Anthony still clutched my poppet. He still had control of me.
Yes, I’m fine. Axel, he has—
I see it. I’m on it.
The werewolf padded toward Anthony. I did a quick check to make sure I wasn’t covered in glass and rose.
“Stay back,” Anthony said. “What do you want? Don’t hurt me! I’m mostly blubber. You won’t like how I taste.”
I did think the blubber part was true and not because of his physical appearance. Anthony had lied about who he was. He wasn’t a good guy at all. He was a bad, bad person.
The wolf released a hair-raising growl.
I extended my palm. “If I were you, I’d hand over the poppet.”
Anthony clutched it to his chest. “Never!”
I fisted a hand to my hip. “Okay, then.” I patted the Axel’s flank and said in my biggest puppy-dog voice, “You ready to eat some meat?”
“Okay, okay. It’s yours.” Anthony thrust out his arm.
I took the wax figure and held it to my chest. I glanced at the wolf. “Do whatever you want to him.”
“No!” Anthony cowered onto his knees. “No! I’m sorry! I’ll fix it. I’ll give up the potion so you can change everyone!”
He handed me the mostly empty vial.
“Let’s hope this is enough to fix things. Keep an eye on him while I call the police.”
I left Axel snarling and snapping at Anthony to fetch my phone and call Garrick. I entered a dining room full of hopping toads. I picked over their fat bodies and made it the kitchen, where I retrieved my phone.
Garrick answered on the first ring. I inhaled a deep shot of air.
“I’m at the Southern School of Magic. You’d better get over here quick. We’ve got a situation.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Garrick arrived not long after with a squad of men. With their help we fed a teaspoonful of soup to all the toads, effectively returning them to normal.
Needless to say folks were a little startled that a giant werewolf was curled up by the hearth in one of the great rooms, but hey, that werewolf had managed to save their skins, so to speak, so no one had a bad word to say.
“You’ve done a great job, Pepper.”
Garrick placed a hand on my shoulder. I’d just finished dosing the last toad.
“Thanks, Garrick. I know you didn’t want us to get involved.”
“But if we hadn’t, we never would’ve saved the entire school from a life of toad-dom.” Cordelia wrapped an arm around Garrick’s waist. She shot him a bright smile full of sunshine. “Now would we have?”
He tipped his head down. His dark eyes were full of love. “No, we wouldn’t have.” He glanced back at me. “Y’all have done a great job.”
“I would say so.” Saltz Swift approached. “I suppose I owe a huge thank-you to you and your cousins, Pepper.”
“And to the werewolf.” I nodded to Axel.
Saltz’s lower lip stiffened briefly. “Thank you, wolf.” He turned to Garrick. “I suppose Anthony will be dealt with accordingly?”
“He will. He’s already admitted to killing Shelly and to using the potion on all of y’all.”
“Good.” Saltz turned to me. “And Miss Dunn, will you be taking me up on my offer to teach a few lectures on familiars? We could use your talents here.”
I glanced around at my cousins and to Axel. He didn’t say anything, but I could tell he thought it was a good idea.
“I’d love to,” I said.
“Good. I will contact you with details. Now I must ensure our patrons are safe after their ordeal.” With that, he turned in a grand sweeping gesture and walked away.
Amelia bounded up. “Wow. That was so crazy. And wow! Axel! He’s sitting there as if he doesn’t care about us.”
I smiled. “He doesn’t. Well, not enough to eat us, anyway.”
Amelia smiled. “So what did it?”
“It was the potion I created for the competition. At first I didn’t think it had worked, but apparently after I left Axel tonight, it did. At one point Anthony had me cornered. I reached out to Axel, and a little while later he appeared.”
I glanced at the wolf. “How’d you get out of the building?”
With my powers. I have complete control and could work the magic needed.
Impressive. “He used his magic. I don’t know if the connection will work next time, but it was awesome that it did tonight.” I cocked my head. “And Amelia, thanks for having broken genie powers.”
Cordelia’s jaw dropped. “I thought your dad was supposed to suspend your abilities.”
She cringed. “Well, I asked him to wait just a couple of days. So he did.” She shook her head briskly. “But don’t worry; first thing tomorrow morning I’m getting them locked down.”
I cocked my chin. “They did us a favor tonight. Saved my life until Axel could show up.” I shot her a wide smile. “Thanks for keeping me alive.”
“Who’s keeping who alive?”
That voice made my heart swell. I opened my arms wide. “Betty!”
My grandmother waddled to us. Her corncob pipe was shoved in her mouth, and she wore a velour jumpsuit with racing stripes blazing down the sides.
I wrapped her in a hug. “We’re so glad to have you back!”
She tugged her curls. “I’m glad to be back. I thought I’d never get out of that toad’s body. It’s one thing to eat crickets for one meal, but every single one? Disgusting. I need some variety in my diet.”
I threw my head back with laughter. My cousins did the same. It was good to have my family back. It was awesome, actually.
Betty pointed to Axel. “I like him that way, lounging on the floor. Think it’ll last?”
I shrugged. “Not sure. But I can’t wait to find out.”
TWENTY-FIVE
So even Magnolia Cove’s staunchest werewolf haters had to admit that Axel Reign had saved the day—literally. If it hadn’t been for him, there was no doubt I would’ve ended up dead and the school would’ve been run by Anthony, a deranged psycho.
Maybe using deranged to describe psycho is redundant. Either way, he was a psycho who ended up behind bars.
Thank goodness.
As for Amelia, her dad did arrest her genie powers. Frankly they needed to be arrested, but not before she managed one last wish—and did so successfully.
I stood in the living room, arms flared and hope ballooning in my chest.
“You can do it.” Bean gave Amelia an encouraging grin. “Pepper, keep your thoughts focused and pure.”
“Are you ready?” I said to Amelia.
She nodded. “As ready as an Easter egg.”
I quirked a brow.
“I just made it up.” Amelia shrugged. “But I am. Go on, now, cuz.”
I closed my eyes. “I wish for my hair to return to its original color.”
Amelia’s back bowed as if the wish had hit in her the solar plexus. The air shimmered and bent. My cousin puffed up her chest, and a current of magic streamed through the air and sprinkled over my head.
I held my breath until my scalp finished tingling. I peeked open one eye. “Well?”
Bean clapped Amelia on the shoulder. “Take a look.”
I peered into the mirror in the living room. A wide smile split my face. “Oh my gosh, Amelia. It looks perfect!”
It did. My honey and crimson hair had returned. It hung in loose beautiful waves down my back. I plumped the ends before crossing to Amelia and wrapping her in a gigantic hug.
“You did great.”
“Thank you, but I’m still going on hiatus from my powers. At least until I learn how to really grant wishes. If I even can.”
A thought struck me. “Bean, if you can stop Cordelia and Amelia from using their powers, why weren’t you able to do that with your own? You know, when you and Morgan were married to Mint and Licky.”
Bean stroked his chin. “That’s a good question, Pepper. Morgan and I both tried. We wanted nothing more than to shut our powers off, but I think we have too much genie blood running through our veins. There’s no way to know if our daughters will be able to control their talents, but we hope so. Wish granting takes skill and focus. There’s a lot that goes into it.”
Amelia beamed. “I’m getting better, but there’s still a lot more to learn.”
Amelia gave her father a huge hug, and I thanked them both for their help.
Cordelia had decided to forgive her father as well and was beginning to spend more time with Morgan, which made me happy. I wanted my cousins to be happy. I was happy. They should be happy.
Hugo and I left for Familiar Place. It was a cold day, but believe it or not Betty had knitted Hugo a dragon sweater. Yeah, I know. Totally crazy but dragons are cold-blooded and they survive best when warm.
So Betty made him a sweater.
Y’all, it surprised even me.
We’d only been in the store a few minutes when the door swung open and in strode Axel.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
He raked his fingers through his ebony hair and grinned. “Do I need a reason or can I just visit you?”
“Oh?” I quirked a brow. “Is this a ‘just ’cause’ visit?”
He hooked his fingers in my jeans and tugged me into a hug. Most girls might not want a big alpha werewolf to do something like that, but I loved it.
I curled my fingers into his concrete biceps right before his lips claimed mine. His mouth was hot and sweet, and he tasted of cinnamon.
“Been eating jellybeans?” I said when we parted for air.
“How’d you know? I’ve got an entire jar of them at the house.”
“I could help you finish them off.”
He hitched a brow. “Is that a promise?”
I laughed and threw my arms around his neck. “I’m so glad. Out of everything that’s happened, all the trials and tribulations, I’m so happy that we made it. We succeeded.” I sighed. “How did it feel?”
He threaded his fingers through mine and rocked back. “To be in control when I’m the wolf?”
I nodded.
“Amazing. Best feeling ever.”
He sat in a chair. I knelt down and pressed my forehead to his. “We make a great team.”
“That we do.” He tugged me into his lap.
It felt so good to be held by Axel. So right. My heart was full of love, absolutely filled to brimming.
I took his hand and studied it. Long, lean fingers, thick sinewy muscles ran through. It was perfect. He was perfect. We were perfect.
“I’m thinking,” I said.
“Yes? You can say anything. Whatever you want. There’s nothing to hide from me. Ever.”
I pressed my lips together. Axel gently tipped my face until we locked gazes. “What?”
“Well, I was thinking that maybe, just maybe I’m ready for the next step in our relationship.”
His eyelids flared. “Are you?”
“Maybe.”
“No need to rush it. And no need to do a maybe on it. You be sure, ’cause when you are, I’ll be here.”
“But I think maybe I am.”
Axel chuckled. He lifted me like I weighed nothing more than cotton and slid out from under me. He rose and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“So tiny,” he murmured. “But I want you to be ready. No maybes. Talk to me when you are. I’m not going anywhere.”
“But�
�”
He jerked his head stiffly. “No maybes.” His eyes clouded as if there was something more Axel wasn’t telling me. Something important. “You mean too much for anything to be a maybe.”
He kissed the back of my hand. “We on for dinner tonight?”
I winked. “We sure are. Oh,” I said as he started to leave, “what happened with that puzzle box?”
He smiled. “Empty. When I finally got it open, there wasn’t one thing in it.”
I shrugged. “Probably for the best.”
Axel gave me another kiss and left. I sucked on my teeth. “Something’s up with him. Don’t you think so, Hugo? The way he shot me down?”
The dragon looked up from the bone he was gnawing. He didn’t answer, but I didn’t expect one.
I’d just settled down when the door blew open again. This time Betty entered. Her face was beet red and she was huffing, hard.
“Pepper, I’ve got news for you. Bad news.”
I froze, unsure if I should be more terrified of the news or of how dramatic Betty was being.
“What is it?”
“I told them not to, but they did. The council cast a secret vote today, Pepper. A vote that’s going to change this town.”
“Should I sit?”
She pushed me into a chair.
“I guess I’ll sit.” I frowned. “It can’t be that bad.”
“It is. It is that bad.” She paced the room like she was about to start spewing battle plan instructions.
“What happened?”
She sucked in a deep breath. “The council just approved Rufus Mayes to reenter Magnolia Cove.”
I spoke slowly as I tried to wrap my head around the news. “Why? So he can visit?”
She pressed her palms into the counter and leaned over, locking gazes with me. “No, not so he can visit. So he can live here. Forever.”
I gulped. Holy crap. This was news and not necessarily the good kind. “Well, I guess Magnolia Cove’s about to get a thousand times more interesting.”
Betty nodded. “You can count on it.”
* * *
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THANK Y’ALL!
