Stone Cold Witch

by Lori Woods

  Val looks infuriated as he stares down at the skinny little brunette that is laid out in the grass smirking up at him. “You little creep,” he says to her.

  “Wish to take a swim, Vampire?” she asks. Her voice makes her sound like she is singing. It echoes a bit.

  “What happened to your friend?” I ask her.

  “I don’t know,” she says. “I know that she swam to the surface to help a werewolf she told me she saw was in trouble. I waited at the bottom of the pool, and suddenly she came falling down—turned to stone! She’s dead. And I do mean dead dead.”

  “We’re sorry for your loss,” I say. “Did you see anything the night it happened?”

  “No,” she says. “But if I had, I probably would be stone as well.”

  “Is it possible that a vampire basilisk turned a mermaid to stone?” I question out loud. “A mermaid does not exactly fit with our killer’s preference.”

  “I suppose both Ted and the mermaid could have seen the basilisk’s reflection,” Val says.

  “Thank you for helping us,” I say to the mermaid.

  “Just do me a favor and kill whatever did this,” she says before dipping back down into the water and disappearing.

  “So, there are mermaids in Nightshade, huh?” I ask. “I thought it was just the mermen we’d encountered before.

  “Pretty much,” Val says. “Although the mermaids like to keep to themselves.”

  “Good to know,” I say.

  “So why would a basilisk turn Ted to stone over here by the lake and then drag him way over there to that tree?” Peter asks as he stood up off the ground. “Plus, I don’t think a basilisk could move a stone statue. No arms, no legs. A basilisk is just basically a giant, deadly snake. It’s so uncommon for them to turn things to stone even by accident.”

  Val smiled. “Are you a little basilisk expert?”

  “They’re like common vermin in Safe Haven—really big, scary vermin,” he says. “The city has to hire vampires to come get rid of them all the time. I’ve grown up listening about how basilisks have gotten into the city over and over again. I’ve lived in Safe Haven my whole life, and not once have they ever turned someone to stone. They always kill and eat their meat where they kill it. And you two are telling me that a supposedly extinct breed of basilisk accidentally turned two of its meals into stone? That’s one dumb basilisk you’re dealing with then.”

  “You know what…” I say, thinking back to where Laura was killed. “Laura was killed in a bathroom that was full of mirrors. If anyone was going to accidentally be turned to stone, it would have been her.”

  “Plus, I don’t think a basilisk would be smart enough to gouge its prey’s eyes out. How would it even know to do that? It’s just a dumb animal,” Val says.

  The mermaid suddenly appears out of the pool again, but she has brought another mermaid with her. The mermaid who had dragged me to the bottom nudges her friend. “Tell them what you told me,” she says.

  I look to the new mermaid—a young woman with a purplish tint to her hair. “What is it?” I ask.

  The little mermaid cringes. “After our friend was turned to stone, I swam to the surface because I heard the man she had tried to help screaming. When I reached the surface, I saw two women wearing hoods dragging him off in that direction.” She points towards the tree where Ted had been found. “I could not help him from the pool, so I swam to the bottom to hide. I’m sorry about your friend.”

  “Two women in hoods?” I question.

  “Yes,” she says.

  “Aw man,” Val says. “Suzy, we might be dealing with witches. Very powerful witches.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing you have a Spell Master on your side then,” Peter says proudly, glancing in my direction.

  “We’ll figure this out,” I say. “Let’s get back to the library.”

  “Where’s Snowball?” Peter asks.

  As if on cue, I hear her singing, “Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship, and a fine old man was he! ‘This sweet mermaid has warned us of our doom; we shall sing to the bottom of the sea!’ Then up spoke the mate of our gallant ship, and a fine spoken man was he! Said, ‘I have a wife in Brooklyn by the sea, and tonight a widow she will be!”

  All three of us frown and sigh heavily. “I’ll go get her,” Peter says and scurries off after my inebriated cat.

  Chapter Fourteen

  It has officially been five days since I adopted Peter. He’s really starting to get into the swing of things, and even Doc has come around to him. At first, I had been really nervous about this whole mom thing, but I think I’ve got it down. It’s basically just trying to keep a small person alive all day, right? Feed them, entertain them, maybe teach them a few things here and there. I’m still not sure about sending him into the local school in Nightshade, but I have been talking to Doc about some homeschooling options. I’ve also been working with Peter on spells, and he’s got quite a knack for some of the more complicated spells I’ve thrown his way. He must take after our mother; Granny told me she was pretty powerful; she did know how to turn people to stone, after all—which everyone keeps telling me is an incredible feat, even for a Spell Master. Despite his looks, it seems like Peter is a lot more wizard than gargoyle after all.

  Unfortunately, while everything is going great with Peter, things have not progressed at all regarding Ted and Laura’s cases. Officer Dudley is useless as ever, and all the vampires are still traipsing around town looking for a potential basilisk. However, after our discussion with the mermaids, I’m thinking that we’re just wasting their time. It sounds like witches are to blame; I’m just not sure which ones are powerful enough to pull off a spell like that. There is quite a cluster of witches in Nightshade, but who’s to say the culprit even lives in this town and isn’t from somewhere nearby?

  I’ve spent the last several days trying to figure out what the heck a witch would need werewolf blood for. There’s plenty of spells, but nothing that seems dire enough to want to murder someone over it. And I still can’t figure out why they would want to gouge out Laura’s eyes. My initial assumption had been that it was to prevent her from turning to stone, but now I’m not so sure. Nothing is adding up quite right.

  After spending several hours at the library deep in study, I realize that Peter is getting bored. Alfie, who has been incredibly chipper after Peter cured his dyslexia, has basically become Peter’s best friend, but I’m not so sure it’s something Peter wants to reciprocate. Alfie has basically just become this weird older guy who keeps wanting to give him a hug or bring him snacks as a thank you. I’m thinking Peter needs to meet some people his own age.

  “Hey, Peter, you want to go get some fresh air?” I ask him after Alfie summons a duck berry pie for him to eat. “And, Alfie, I told you to stop stuffing him full of so many of those things!”

  “I’d love to,” he says to me. “I could use some daylight.”

  “You coming, Snowball?” I ask.

  “Sure,” she says, stretching to wake herself up from the long nap she had been taking in front of the fireplace.

  The three of us head out after I double-check to make sure that Alfie and Sprout were good to man the library. Now that Alfie can suddenly read, I imagine that I’m going to be able to get a lot more help from him now. Peter, I don’t think, has any idea how much that meant to our dwarf friend. There is a small park in Nightshade; I haven’t actually hung out there before, but I do know that a lot of werewolf mothers take their kids there to play. It’s basically just a large open field with some hills for the kids to play on. A tire swing was put up by the witches who own the coffee shop—a slight homage to the other side, but the kids love it. There is also an area with rocks to climb and some walking trails. I decide to take Peter there, and almost as soon as we arrive, he starts running around like you would expect any kid to do.

  He climbs up onto the rocks and jumps off, catching some wind to help him glide upward. I realize then that being in a little
town like Nightshade, he probably misses the tall buildings in Safe Haven where he can easily jump and glide about. I sit down in the grass and soak in some of the sunlight, and I’m pretty sure Snowball is already asleep beside me before I even get relaxed. Peter waves to me as he is gliding high in the sky; he must have caught a good gust of wind to have gotten that high up from such a low starting point.

  “This town is just going to hell,” I hear a voice say; I look up and see a couple of women dwarves taking advantage of the walking trails.

  “You’re telling me,” the other says. “This town used to have standards. I told everyone that this is what would happen. First, they let in that blood-sucker preacher, now we have a whole herd of vampires roaming all over town. Now, look! A nasty little gargoyle. It’s daylight; why isn’t he stone right now anyways?”

  “Probably some magic trick,” the first woman says.

  My blood is boiling. I stand up and stare across the way at them. They don’t see me—not yet. I’m quite prepared to bust one of their noses, though. As they get closer, their banter doesn’t get any softer. I’m worried Peter will hear. “Remember in the good old days before it was illegal to smash a frozen gargoyle during the day?” the second woman snickers—loudly—and I’m pretty sure it was meant for Peter’s ears. “My father used to tell me how he was given a reward—ten pounds of gold—for leading a gargoyle exterminator party out in Hemlock.”

  “I mean, they have their own city out in Safe Haven now. What more do they want?”

  The two women laugh, and I am on them in a second. I see Peter land a short distance away. His wings hang low, and his head is slightly bowed from embarrassment. I glare at the two dwarves, towering over them. “Are you two honestly talking like that in front of a child?” I question.

  “Ah, Suzy Maycomber,” one of them says and crosses her arms. “Believe me, we know all about you—the Spell Master who adopted a gargoyle! It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!”

  “I agree,” the other one says. “Word travels fast, Ms. Maycomber. I cannot believe a Spell Master would stoop so low.”

  “Hey!” I hear Snowball hiss from the ground—apparently not having been in a deep enough sleep to have missed these women’s big mouths. “You apologize to her right now!”

  “Apologize for what?” the first woman asks. “I haven’t said a thing that isn’t true. He shouldn’t be here. He doesn’t belong here.”

  “You don’t get to decide that,” I say.

  “Pity,” says the second woman. “How did you even come across an adoptable gargoyle anyhow? I thought gargoyles took care of their own. What is he, defective or something?” The two of them laugh. “Don’t get us wrong, Ms. Maycomber, we have all the respect in the world for a Spell Master. We just find this sort of decision to be surprising.”

  I find myself caught in a predicament. I’m pretty sure I’m powerful enough to wipe them off the face of the earth if I really wanted to—but I’m also certain there is something in the parenting handbook about being a good example for your kids or some crap like that. I take a breath, calming myself down before I completely go batty on these two. “Well, he’s here to stay,” I say. “But that doesn’t mean you two have to be here. I’m going to ask you both to find somewhere else to walk because you have tainted my son’s play area with your rotten attitudes.”

  The second woman huffs. “If you insist. But I am curious; why in the world would a Spell Master decide to adopt a gargoyle—even a nasty little hybrid like that one?”

  “Because,” I say, lingering over them in such a way that it causes them both to take a step back. “I’m part gargoyle too.”

  The two women exchange glances. I can tell they are the gossipy type, so I’m pretty sure this is going to go all over town by tomorrow. “Pardon?” the first woman asks, as though she is convinced she didn’t hear me right.

  I bend down to her level so that I can look her in the eye. “I said I am part gargoyle, you nasty little midget.”

  “You’re a Spell Master!” the woman nearly looks faint.

  “Yup,” I say. “Now both of you get out of this park before I send you flying all the way to Safe Haven.”

  They sprint away. I’m not sure if it was my tone or the revelation that the local all-powerful Spell Master being part gargoyle is what sent them running. When I turn to see Peter, I’m sad to see that he’s wiping away tears. I cannot believe that two grown adults had just talked that way about a kid! A part of me wants to chase after them and teach them an old-fashion lesson of the physical sort, but I know better. I walk over and put a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Are you all right?” I ask him.

  He nods and wipes his face frantically before looking up at me. “You are part gargoyle too?” he asks.

  “Yes,” I say. I hear Snowball clear her throat, and I look down at her to see her nodding her head, like she thinks now would be a good time to tell Peter everything. I suppose she’s probably right. “Sit down next to me; let’s talk,” I say to him as I crouch down in the grass. Snowball hops in Peter’s lap, and he carefully strokes her fur as we talk. “Listen, Peter, there’s something you should know. There’s a reason I decided to adopt you so suddenly the way I did. It’s complicated. But the truth is…I’m your sister.”

  He blinks several times. “What?”

  “I didn’t know about you,” I say. “Not until I came to Safe Haven. I had no idea our father was part gargoyle until about a week ago.”

  “Did they give me up because of how I look?” he asks.

  “No!” I exclaim. “Peter, no, nothing like that! Remember, I told you I grew up in an orphanage too. Our parents were killed by a wizard named Night Shadow. Our mother’s mother—I call her Granny—she took me to an orphanage on the other side and then took your egg to the orphanage in Safe Haven to protect us. Night Shadow was still roaming around, so she wanted to keep us both safe from him.”

  “Is… is she still alive?” he asks.

  “Who? Granny? No, but she’s not dead dead. You can talk to her soon, if you want. Her spirit is trapped in a chalice,” I say.

  He stands up, and Snowball leaps into the grass as he does so. “Yes, let’s do that.”

  “Wait, I don’t know if now is a good time,” I say.

  “How long have you been able to speak to her?” he asks.

  “Several months, I guess,” I say.

  “And she didn’t tell you about me until a week ago?” he asks, and he sounds angry. “You say our father was the one who was part gargoyle… she didn’t know, did she? She hates gargoyles like everyone else! Am I right?”

  “Oh yeah,” Snowball says, and I give her a slight smack with my foot.

  “What am I even supposed to call you?” he asks. “I’ve been calling you mom! But you’re my sister!” He sizes me up for a moment. “You’ve got to be at least ten years older than me; how did you not know you had a brother!”

  “Okay, so that’s where it gets sort of complicated,” I say. “We’re actually twins.”

  He stares at me blankly, but I guess he pieces it together. “They kept me in an egg?” he asks.

  “Yes,” I say. “I was two when we were separated. You were in an egg for thirteen years before you hatched.” I take a step forward, somewhat forcing him into a hug. “And you can call me whatever you want, Peter. You can call me Suzy, or you can call me mom. It doesn’t matter. I love you, okay? I love you, and I’m going to take care of you, so it doesn’t matter what you want to call me.”

  I can hear him whimpering as he buries his face into my chest. “I want to call you mom.”

  “Then you call me mom, okay?” I say and kiss his forehead. He pulls back and attempts to shake off the emotions. I grin. “You know, there is this awesome coffee shop that sells pastries that are made like they are made on the other side. Want to try it?”

  “What’s coffee?” he asks.

  I just laugh. “Come on, I’m going to buy you something yummy for lunch.
”

  I hold his hand as we walk, and we laugh and joke around with each other. I’ll admit this is a strange relationship, but I think we can make it work. As we are coming up on the coffee shop, I spot Val standing out front with Buffy, and I cringe. Thankfully, I can overhear him attempting to thwart her off. “I really need to go,” he says to her.

  “Why? Running off to give your mortal-raised girlfriend some… what is it this place sells? Coffee?” Buffy asks and then leans forward and takes one of the two to-go cups Val was carrying. She takes a whiff of the cup. “It smells awful. Do you honestly drink this stuff, Val?” She leans toward him in this flirty way that makes me want to punch her. Man, I sure am feeling violent today. I hear her giggle; she has a hold of the tie he’s wearing. “Remember back when we would—”

  The coffee cup she’s holding explodes. The hot coffee just blows up, spewing all over her silky shirt. “Ah!” she wails and then her eyes scan the crowd. She spots me. “You!” she snaps and heads in my direction. “You did this, you stupid witch!”

  “I’m not that petty,” I say to her. “Get out of my face.”

  Peter growls, and Buffy steps back. “What is that thing?” she snaps.

  Val comes hurrying over. “Suzy, please don’t tell me you did that,” he says.

  “I didn’t!” I insist.

  “She didn’t; I did,” Peter states boldly, glaring up at Buffy. “He’s not interested. Leave him alone; it makes you look desperate.”

  “Peter!” I say as firmly as I can, but I got to say it takes every bit of will power I have not to snort. Snowball has no such control. She’s lying on her back, cackling away.

  Buffy points in Peter’s face. “Go back to Safe Haven where you belong, creature.” Peter clicks his teeth, and Buffy yanks her hand back like she honestly believed he was going to bite her finger.

  “What are you so jumpy for?” Peter asks. “Don’t you know only vampires bite?”

  “Okay, Peter, that’s enough,” I say. “Please apologize to her for ruining her shirt.”