Baffling Blend

by Kennedy Layne

  Don’t answer that door, Raven! As a matter of fact, let’s barricade ourselves in. Ted is somewhere out there. He can serve as our sacrifice.

  “We’re not serving up Ted as a sacrifice to save ourselves,” I replied wryly, doing my best to slow down my racing heartbeat.

  I wasn’t sure that I was ready to hear what Aunt Rowena had to say about my latest kerfuffle. On the bright side, my mother was out of town with Beetle for the weekend. It would be nice to solve something before they returned and prove to her that I could handle things on my own. Truthfully, I’d been doing very well in that area. I’m not sure what went wrong.

  Me, either.

  That’s right.

  It was all Leo’s fault.

  The knock came again, and I somehow managed to stop myself from jumping in reaction. It was a good thing I hadn’t had any of the wine that Heidi had popped open. I was so tired that I wasn’t sure my knees would hold me up for any length of time.

  “Are you sure you want to talk to her?” Heidi asked, sending a tentative stare toward the door. I completely understood her hesitancy, given the fact that Aunt Rowena wasn’t too happy that my best friend knew of our family secret of witchcraft. “I can always answer the door and tell her that you’re not here.”

  Raven, you know as well as I do that the Wicked Witch of Windsor can turn my soulmate into a toad with a snap of her fingers. It’s not wise to tempt fate by having her intervene on your behalf. Haven’t we learned that the hard way?

  “Multiple times, Leo. Multiple times,” I replied before addressing Heidi’s suggestion. “The faster we get answers, the quicker I can fall face first into my warm, cozy bed. Let’s do this.”

  The reason I wasn’t even hesitant to open the front door was that the palm of my hand was as cool as a cucumber fresh from the garden on a summer’s morning. Whoever it was on the other side didn’t pose as a danger, although it was someone I didn’t fully trust, if the squeal of the gate was anything to go by. Either way, I was confident in swinging the door open to greet my newly arrived guest.

  Close it, Raven. Slam it shut. I adamantly refuse to allow that wretched woman or her minion of darkness to step a foot inside our home. She’s the reason my entire month of February was ruined, and I won’t allow her to do the same with March. No. Not a chance. Raven, are you listening to me?

  “Mindy?” I took a step back when the icy tentacles of the gusty gales made an attempt to make an unwelcome entrance. “What are you doing here? Come on in out of the cold.”

  I believe I might have figured out where we always go wrong, Raven. You don’t listen to my sage advice. Maybe we should schedule a hearing test for you with Dr. Jameson. I’m sure he can fit you in between the dogs and other felines.

  Mindy was the boutique owner two storefronts down from me, and we’d watched her new rescue kitty while she’d gone on vacation with her fiancé. The rambunctious tabby had been more than Leo could endure, and though we’d only had her for a little over a week…it had taken Leo a lot longer to recover from his arduous ordeal.

  You’re bringing back memories that I would soon rather suppress deep down in my psyche, Raven.

  “I stayed late to do inventory, and I figured I might as well drop off the mannequin that you wanted to buy,” Mindy said with a half-smile, stepping onto the rug that I had set in front of the door so that snow wasn’t tracked in on the hardwood floor. Sure enough, she was carting the two halves of the mannequin. “I just happened to have Larry’s SUV tonight, and I wasn’t sure that you would be able to fit her in your car.”

  I know where I’d like to fit that spawn of Satan you call a cat. Cupcake? I figured out why Mindy named it that—the creature is sickeningly sweet, yet as devious as her owner.

  I’m pretty sure that Leo had tried to make a pun with the sweet comment, but he’d failed miserably. It appeared that I wasn’t the only one who was overly tired.

  “That was so nice of you,” I replied, taking the bottom portion of the mannequin from her. I set the lower half of two legs on top of the dining room table, moving the dreamcatcher out of the way. Heidi had already jumped up from her seat to take the top part, knowing how important it was to Ted that we treat his love with care. “Let me grab my wallet.”

  I’m starting to get flashbacks, Raven. Where’s my catnip pipe?

  Mindy had only wanted fifty dollars for the mannequin, since it was an older model that wasn’t quite as posable as what some of the newer ones sold to stores today. I had the cash on hand, since most of the shops around town only dealt with paper money. As for Leo’s catnip pipe, he was lucky he still had one after Cupcake had used it for batting practice while she’d been here.

  Heidi and Mindy were talking about the weather and how the snowstorm had come out of nowhere. At first, the meteorologist had called for a slight dusting before then upping his prediction to two inches, then three. Now it was four to five inches by morning, which meant the road conditions weren’t going to be the greatest tomorrow.

  “There’s already an inch and a half on the ground. The roads are still wet, but the dropping temperatures will definitely cause black ice to form around the area,” Mindy said in response to Heidi’s question about the roads. Granted, Heidi could always stay here, but she had her own house in town. “That’s a beautiful dreamcatcher, by the way. Did you buy that from Rye?”

  Tell me that I did not just hear the resident warlock’s name in connection with our wayward artifact, Raven.

  “I’m sorry?” I had stepped past Mindy to reach for the tote bag that I’d set on top of the narrow entryway table where I kept a wooden bowl for my keys, clearly having misunderstood what she’d said. I’d even retrieved my wallet, but I hadn’t been quick enough to take out the cash before Mindy’s inquiry reached my ears. “Why would you think I bought the dreamcatcher from Rye?”

  “He had one just like that with him a few days ago when I ran into him at the library,” Mindy explained, having missed my horrified expression as she continued to talk to Heidi. “I got a brand-new spring line of tops and blouses at the boutique that are to die for. I’ll probably start putting a few of them out tomorrow if you’d like to stop by the shop.”

  On second thought, this is the best news I’ve had all week! Do you know what this means, Raven? The resident warlock somehow got his hands on the dreamcatcher, took it with him to place some dastardly magic spell on it, and then brought it back without either of us being the wiser. I’m not responsible in the least. Do you know what a relief that is to hear? Oh, I might just sleep the whole weekend away.

  “I appreciate the heads up, and I will definitely drop by to look them over,” Heidi quickly replied, knowing full well what the ramifications of Mindy’s stunning revelation meant to us. “Raven?”

  My fingers were still inside my wallet as my shock was a little too much for my overly tired system. I managed to feign a smile and pull out the correct amount of money before handing it over to Mindy. She had tilted her head in such a way that I braced for what she might say next. My brain clearly wasn’t working fast enough to respond properly.

  “Raven, are you coming down with something? You’re looking a bit pale.”

  I didn’t realize that the spawn of Satan’s handler could be so crude. Now it all makes sense, birds of a feather and all that shtick.

  “I haven’t slept well the past few nights,” I replied with a small smile, sticking as close to the truth as I could. I did switch the focus onto Heidi, though. “Heidi was kind enough to bring me some chili. Now that I’ve got something in my stomach, I shouldn’t have any trouble falling to sleep early tonight.”

  A little small talk about the new inventory that Mindy had gotten in at the boutique, an obligatory offer and a subsequent decline of wine since Mindy was driving, followed by a promise to stop into the shop tomorrow was all conducted in the span of two minutes. I saw her out the door, making sure that she didn’t slip on the uneven pathway out to her vehicle.

  T
he gate had squeaked upon Mindy’s departure, but it had nothing to do with whether or not I thought of her as a good person. She had a heart of gold, and she was always nice to everyone, including Ted. All the residents were aware of his adoration of an inanimate object. Even so, the entire town accepted that he was a bit different due to his inherent desire to help everyone in need. All I could concentrate on now was finally being able to say what was on my mind to Heidi and Leo.

  “Rye either has an identical dreamcatcher or he somehow temporarily acquired this one,” I blurted out in disbelief, thinking back over the last few days. “I haven’t seen Rye in a week, but what if he was doing Aunt Rowena’s bidding? What if Leo is right, and she somehow bestowed a curse on the dreamcatcher?”

  Are you trying to say that the Wicked Witch of Windsor made you some kind of premonition test subject?

  “Does Rye have a key to your house?” Heidi asked, still by the door. She was a pro at balancing her glass of wine when multitasking, and now was no different. She opened the front door to scrutinize the lock, letting in a very icy gust of wind. Unfortunately, it had nothing on the cold that had settled inside of me at the realization that Aunt Rowena would have stooped so low in her bid to win the coven war. “The lock doesn’t seem to be tampered with, Raven. Maybe we should check the windows.”

  You could be the first of your kind! I’ve got to hand it to the Wicked Witch of Windsor. She has descended to a whole new level. I find myself wanting to reach out to your mother. No offense, Raven, but you have nothing on the level of deviousness compared to the Mistress of the Dark. That’s a compliment, in case you didn’t know it.

  “A backhanded one, at best,” I muttered, leaning over the entryway table to check the lock on the window that Leo had claimed as his own. His cat bed was positioned perfectly inside the window so that he could monitor the comings and goings of not just our guests, but also the birds, chipmunks, and squirrels. “Rye doesn’t have a key, but I can’t imagine that he would resort to breaking and entering. The dreamcatcher has to be a duplicate, right?”

  I think I’ve found the root of your problem, Raven. You believe there is good in all people.

  “How is that a bad thing, Leo?” I asked, reiterating his sentiment to Heidi. She laughed as she shut the front door and then walked past the couch to the side window next to the hearth. “The vast majority of people we know are kind and compassionate.”

  If you say so, but I’ve seen Mr. Jenkins in action when I’ve tried to climb his bird feeder to reach Skippy. He’s a fast one, and he’s got a shed in the back with all kinds of tools. Who knows what he does to the wildlife in this town?

  Leo sighed at the mention of his neighborhood nemesis, which just so happened to be one squirrel in particular who had a white diamond-shaped patch of fur on his chest. Their annual battle had been going on for years.

  This snowstorm will delay Skippy’s emergence from hibernation, but we really need to figure out what the Wicked Witch of Windsor has done to you so that I can start planning for the upcoming squirrelpocalypse.

  “In case you haven’t noticed, Leo, I’m dealing with an apocalypse of my own,” I reminded him, leaning back against the table so that I could take a minute to think about what Mindy had shared with us while attempting to rub the burning sensation from my eyes. “There’s only one thing to do.”

  “There’s always more than one choice, Raven,” Heidi warned.

  “Not in this case.” I’d reached my wits’ end. It was time to turn the tables. “Leo, I think it’s time for you to go pay Rye and Aunt Rowena a visit.”

  Oh, that’s funny. I think I misunderstood you. You did mean to say the name Ted, right?

  Chapter Five

  The wee hours of the morning found Leo and me up in the loft in bed, both of us staring at the ceiling in dismay. Leo had a tendency to sleep on his back when it came to settling in for the night, paws up and belly exposed. The visit that he had paid Rye hadn’t gone quite as planned. Aunt Rowena hadn’t even been there, most likely leaving town before the snowstorm had her stuck in Paramour Bay.

  Don’t remind me. There’s not enough bleach for my eyes to erase the images that I walked in on unannounced. This is why it’s not wise to randomly pay people visits without knocking first. Isn’t that why you humans created phones to begin with?

  If I hadn’t been dealing with my own problems, I’d probably be in shock over the fact that Rye was dating Bree Stonehedge. When had those two started going out together, and why were they keeping it such a secret?

  Oh, they were doing much more than dating.

  “I don’t need the particulars, Leo,” I murmured, rolling over onto my right side. He was behind me on the bed on top of the comforter, all four paws curled in the air. “I’m more concerned with what I’m going to dream about if I fall asleep, but I can barely keep my eyes open.”

  Just give in, Raven. It’s not like anyone has died.

  If I had enough energy, I would have flung my arm behind me and swatted at him for trying to jinx me. He knew better than to tempt fate. The lure of sleep was just too much to resist, though. I found myself being gently pulled under into the welcoming darkness.

  …the shadows danced gracefully back and forth on the wall from the candlelight to a melody that only they could hear. Candles were strategically placed everywhere in a small room in a shape that I was somewhat familiar with, but I couldn’t quite get my thoughts to focus enough to recognize it. A rhythmic chanting could be heard, and I struggled to find the source.

  Something inherently deep inside of me screamed that I didn’t belong here. Pestles and mortars of different sizes were on a table that was littered with numerous material components. Various remnants of herbs, petals, and flowers were scattered in between the numerous vessels, with a prominent trail that led toward a large steaming cauldron. It was then that I noticed a woman stirring the broiling brew while reciting an incantation over and over in what could only be described as a sing-song manner.

  The woman was quite beautiful.

  I didn’t recognize her, and while I briefly wondered why I was in her house, my attention was once more drawn toward the scene before me. She sprinkled what looked to be glistening blades of grass into the blistering swill. They fell leisurely through the air in front of a photograph.

  Oddly enough, my focus was drawn back to the woman. It was as if I couldn’t control my own actions, but again that revelation faded as I examined her long blonde hair that was pulled over her right shoulder, her high cheekbones, and her blue eyes that shimmered with studied determination. What was it about her that seemed so familiar?

  I startled and tried to backstep quickly when her head abruptly turned in my direction. How I didn’t fall, I don’t know. I could have sworn there had been a table behind me with several pestles and other bowls that held material components, but it seemed to have faded into nonexistence. I attempted to apologize for my intrusion, but the words wouldn’t come.

  “Who is there? Show yourself!” the woman demanded, releasing the long handle of the stirrer, letting it clink against the side of the cauldron. “Now!”

  The sudden noise had my gaze going right back to the colored photograph of another woman. I could recognize the black hair, emerald green eyes, high cheekbones, and red lips anywhere. The woman in the picture was none other than my mother…

  I gasped and struggled for air as I jerked awake, sending the comforter and presumably Leo flying into the air. The string of expletives that came from the mound on the floor was enough to have me scrambling to uncover him in my haste to ensure that he was okay.

  “Sorry,” I repeated numerous times, finally revealing Leo after I was able to tug on the edge of the comforter. “I must have fallen asleep. Are you okay?”

  Of course, I’m not okay! Are you insane? You shoved me out of bed with your giant-sized foot. How would you feel if Godzilla propelled you fifty feet into the air and sent you into a black void?

  “Please t
ell me that you saw that entire dream,” I whispered imploringly, throwing myself back down on the bed in frustration and exhaustion. I’d known that I would have a dream of sorts, but I’d been hoping that it was in regard to something harmless like the winning lottery numbers for this week. “I better write everything down.”

  I forced myself to sit up and turn on the bedside lamp. The pad and pen that I pulled from the top drawer shook in my hands, but I still managed to write down a few details that might help us figure out the meaning behind my dream.

  That was a bona fide premonition, Raven. It definitely wouldn’t be classified as anything like a dream, and I hope you’re writing down those ingredients that crazy witch was tossing into that cauldron, because our predicament just became a lot more dire.

  “Dire?”

  I had still been writing down the description of the woman, hoping that Liam would be able to find her, even though I understood the odds of that happening were next to zero. I was an optimist at heart, and I wouldn’t allow this current infliction to take that away from me.

  I’m pretty sure that wasn’t your optimistic mentality talking earlier this evening.

  “I can change my mind,” I warned, still scribbling down the fact that the blonde woman had a mole above her left eyebrow. It had even been in the shape of a triangle, of sorts. “I also agree that we have a dire situation on our hands. That was Mom’s picture next to the cauldron. Wait a second. What do you mean that you hope I’m writing down—”

  My gasp of horror echoed down from the loft and through the cottage.

  You’re a bit slow on the uptake, but I’ll chalk that up to exhaustion. I’ll have you know that I’m in the same boat. Every oddball dream you have, I have. It’s quite unsettling.

  “You get to nap during the day,” I muttered in irritation, envious beyond belief that he was able to get some rest. I jumped up from the bed with the pad and pencil in hand, making my way to the spiral staircase. I grabbed my robe along the way. “The family grimoire has a list of ingredients and other various components listed in the back with their purposes. I remember seeing fresh hewn grass.”