by Anne Haley
Weapons. When it came to battles the key ingredient was a weapon. That was the piece they were missing. Guns, knives, and arrows weren’t the kind of weapons they needed. These witches were similar to faeries in that department. Shooting a faerie wouldn’t kill them. It would aggravate them and slow them down, but not kill them. However, if the bullet had been made of pure iron and shot straight into the faerie’s heart it would surely kill them. But it wouldn’t kill a witch. They have healing powers and spells that stop it.
It was a lot for them to think about, and it made the car ride quiet. They were each deep in thought, and once in awhile one would throw out an idea, but it would be turned down after analyzing it.
They needed help.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Aylin filled out an application in the floral shop rightly named Petals By The Shore. It’s location overlooked the marina near the main highway, next door to the coffee shop. The outside looked promising when she walked by, the front windows held clear vases of red roses and wood planters overflowing with mums. However, she was disappointed when she walked inside. The shop was small, and poorly lit with a few florescent lights that hummed and flickered. The linoleum that covered the floor had cracked under age and neglect, with dirt waxed into it. The walls were a gruesome shade of pea green and the shelves along the walls had once been white, now were yellowed with water stains and dirt.
The shop felt humid, as was expected with flowers, but the atmosphere was sterile and unwelcoming. There weren’t any cheerful bouquets ready to be plucked off the shelves and tables, there weren’t cute porcelain vases that could be used for a themed arrangement, and there weren’t any type of gift items.
It was a skeleton of a gift shop run by a busybody that should be surrounded by cheerful trinkets. Lisa had been more than happy to give her an application, and made sure she told Aylin that Mary had given her a good recommendation. Aylin stood at the front counter, the only flat surface to fill out the application, when the doorbell chimed, announcing another customer walking in. "Mary! What a nice surprise!" Lisa called from behind the counter. Lisa was a large, happy woman. She had a smile for everyone that walked in her door, along with a juicy piece of gossip as long as the listener had a piece to tell her also. Her hair was auburn and cut into a bob that curled under her fleshy chin, and her cheeks were flushed with excitement.
Aylin turned her attention to the door and watched Mary walk swiftly toward her. "Hello Lisa. How is business?" Mary’s bookstore was a few blocks down from the floral shop.
"Slow. How is the bookstore?" She walked around the counter.
"Same." Mary smiled to her. "Hello Aylin, I saw you walk by and was hoping you were heading in here."
"Yes, I thought I would take your advice." Aylin nodded. "Thank you." She stiffened when a chill ran down her spine. Behind her, behind the counter, a door had closed and someone had entered the room, filling the shop with a sharp wolf’s bane scent. It stung her nose, and her skin felt instantly grimy.
A witch was in the room.
Her hands froze, gripping the speckled counter until her knuckles were white. She tried to turn her head just enough so she could see out of the corner of her eye.
Standing behind Lisa was a slight young woman, no more than seventeen, and her long hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail. Her grey eyes were rimmed with thick black eyeliner, and widened when she saw Aylin. Her lips parted when her jaw slackened, and the breath that escaped slammed into Aylin’s cheek, stinging her skin.
"Of course." Mary smiled and patted her arm. Her hand felt ice cold on Aylin’s skin. Aylin jolted at the temperature of Mary’s hand, snapping her out of her stare at the girl, and she whipped her head back to Mary.
"Oh! You’re so cold!" She reached out to Mary’s hand, but both disappeared into her coat pockets.
"Yes, yes. Poor circulation." Mary sighed, sounding a little frustrated. "When is your first day?" She looked at Lisa.
"Oh, I have to call her references, but I told her next week." Lisa waved her hand at the papers. "This legal stuff is such a pain now. Aylin, this is my daughter Julia." Lisa wrapped her arm around the girl.
Aylin turned to face the witch, and her lips trembled when she tried to smile. "Hello," she croaked. Dear God, this store was small. She felt the walls moving closer in, suffocating her. She hid her hands in her coat pockets.
"You’re going to work here?" Julia raised a cynical eyebrow that was heavily penciled in.
"You know I’m short a florist Julia," Lisa snapped. "I hope to start her in the next few days."
"Oh, I can’t wait," Julia’s voice slithered over her, leaving her feeling dirty and desperate to leave the store. No way was she going to be working here.
"We’ll see," Aylin managed.
"Of course you’ll work here. You think you can live at Terra’s for free?" Mary snapped.
Aylin felt her breath catch. She hadn’t even thought about what Mary thought of her staying with Terra. "No, it’s not like that. I have my business back home-"
"That you deserted. Who’s taking care of that now?"
Lisa watched Aylin carefully. Julia was practically salivating at having her within reach. "Someone I trust."
"Of course!" Lisa laughed, cutting the tension. "I would never leave my store to someone that couldn’t run it right. First thing about running a business is knowing whom you can trust. Right Mary?"
"Aylin, may I speak with you for a moment?" Mary turned toward her. Lisa’s head leaned in toward them. "Outside?" Lisa pouted, but returned around the corner.
She followed Mary outside, holding her tongue. It was none of Mary’s business how she ran her life. She stepped out the door, surprised by the bitter cold of the wind. The fresh air cleaned off the griminess that had coated her skin and she took a deep breath. "Is something the matter?" Aylin asked, concerned.
"No, not at all. I have a few things on my mind that I wanted to discuss with you." Mary crossed her arms over her chest. "I saw you and Blake last week at the diner having dinner. Are you dating my son?"
Aylin’s eyes widened with surprise. She hadn’t been prepared for such directness from Mary, though she figured she would be discussing this with Terra instead. "Oh, well." She felt her face flush and she looked down at her feet. "As far as I know we are friends." She looked back up to look at her squarely. She had nothing to be ashamed of. "We ran into each other in town and decided to have dinner. Is that a problem?" She shrugged.
Mary watched her closely. "Don’t be silly. I know there isn’t anything there, but be careful Aylin. Not from Blake, but there are eyes all over town." Aylin felt her head spin. Was she referring to the witches, and if she was then what did she know, Aylin wondered. "Gossipers," Mary said quietly and waved her hand. "Blake’s ex-fiancé isn’t very friendly, and I don’t want her to get the wrong impression."
She felt her cheeks flush. Neither Blake nor Terra mentioned that he had been previously engaged, although, she hadn’t asked. Aylin forced a sighed, grasping to keep calm. "Oh, no. It’s nothing. We’re just friends." She let herself smile. "Was there anything else?"
"Yes, I have to deliver some books to a bookstore in Grand Marais, and I was wondering if you would like to join me? I thought it would be nice to have some company with me."
Aylin had a hard time keeping up with the rollercoaster their conversation took. First, Mary accused of her of leeching off Terra, and then she wheedled her nose into her relationship with Blake, and now she asked her to keep her company. Aylin felt almost dizzy from the twists and turns Mary threw at her. "Sure," she agreed before she had really thought it through.
"It will take a good chunk out of the afternoon, but it would be a good way to get to know each other."
"Um, yeah. That sounds nice," Aylin said uneasily. The thought of spending the entire afternoon with Mary made her a little uncomfortable, but she would have to force herself through it. This was Terra’s mother and she would force herself be comfortable
around her.
"Wonderful. I will pick you up at Terra’s at three. That should give us time to get there and back before dinner." She smiled. "Now you go back inside and don’t let Lisa know what we were discussing. She is very kind but has a very busy mouth."
"Okay." Aylin nodded and waited until Mary had crossed the street and was halfway down the next block before retreating down the opposite direction, away from the floral shop, away from the danger that lurked inside.
Aylin sat on Terra’s front steps in a sweater and jeans jacket, waiting for Mary to pick her up. She had left a note on the fridge, not knowing where Terra and El had run off to. Those two were becoming close, and it made Aylin feel good. She knew that when the day came they would be okay. They would make it through with out her. She only hoped that the day would be far off, since she wasn’t ready to leave and there was still so much work to be done.
She also had some unfinished business with Blake. The kiss definitely left her even more intrigued with him. She just might be able to accept him for what he wanted to be with her. He certainly hadn’t hidden his feelings from her, or from El and Terra. Terra didn’t seem to mind; actually she seemed to be very happy with the fact that Aylin and Blake were being more than friendly with each other.
Then there was the whole issue of him having an ex-fiancé. She would have to ask Terra about that. She didn’t want to jump ahead of herself. It might be premature to be asking about previous relationships when they didn’t even know what was going on between them. But, she could still ask Terra.
Mary pulled into the driveway in a white four-door sedan and when she stopped she waved at Aylin to get in. "I am thrilled that you’re coming with me!" Mary patted Aylin’s forearm.
"I am happy to keep you company," Aylin said tentatively. There was something off about the smell of the car. She couldn’t put her finger on it, and looked out the window hoping the scenery would distract her.
"So, tell me more about you and Blake," Mary said as they pulled out of Terra’s driveway. Aylin looked at Mary questionably and noticed her fingers were trembling on the wheel, and her smile didn’t reach her eyes. Mary looked nervous.
"Ah, it really isn’t any more than what I said before. We had dinner, and it was nice," she lied. "I don’t know. You said yourself you knew there wasn’t anything there," she said. Mary’s nervousness was contagious and she felt her own fingers tremble slightly.
"I was merely looking for a reaction. And you had one. You looked hurt when I said that. There is something there. Come on, tell me what you are feeling," Mary urged her on. "Oh, I forgot." She pointed down at the cup holders in the console between them. "I picked us up some hot tea for the road. It’s a special blend."
"Thank you." Aylin picked up the hot container and wrapped her hands around the cardboard wrap that was meant to keep your hands protected from the temperature. She, however, welcomed the heat of the cup. She felt very awkward at the moment; she didn’t want to divulge her feelings toward Blake to his mother, especially since she couldn’t get a clear read on her. One minute she accuses Aylin, and the next she wants her to dig deep down and unload things to her that she hadn’t even discussed with Blake. "My feelings toward him are just simply he’s a good friend, and a good brother to Terra. You brought up a gentleman who really looks out for his family." Aylin hoped her avoidance would deter Mary’s questioning and compliment her at the same time. Maybe it would get her off her back. But when she looked over, the old woman was frowning, her lips trembling, and she looked out her side window. She took a sip of the scalding liquid, and burned her tongue bringing tears to her eyes. "Wow, that’s hot."
"Do you like it?" Mary asked, and still didn’t look her way. There was also a new tone in her voice, and it seemed to have less interest than before. Now Aylin had really done it. Mary had been nice enough to ask her to come along with her, wanting them to get to know each other, probably for mostly Terra and Blake’s sake, and Aylin had screwed that up in the first five minutes. Wonderful.
"It’s very good, although I didn’t get to taste much of it because I burned my tongue." She tried laughing at herself, but Mary didn’t smile. When her mouth started cooling off she noticed her tongue felt thick, like it was swollen. "Oh, I really think I did burn my tongue."
"Take another sip, I’m sure it’s cooled off now," Mary said with, again, no interest. She concentrated on the road, which they were on a single lane highway following a red truck closely. That’s when Aylin realized they weren’t on the main highway that took them along the shore toward Duluth.
"Where are we?" Aylin asked.
"Taking the back way. Less traffic, everybody drives so slow on the scenic highway."
"Oh." Aylin blew into the hole in the lid of her tea. She sipped the tea again, and it had cooled off slightly. Now she could taste the tea. It was different than anything she had made. It was sweet, with a little cinnamon, and the sweetness was overpowering. It had an aftertaste of orange and-
"What’s in this?" Aylin felt panic set in. Her heart was racing and she put the tea down as fast as she could, sloshing the liquid over her hand. The tea that touched her skin burned and welts began to form before her eyes.
Mary looked at her and now she had an ugly sneer on her lips. "I told you, it’s a special blend. I keep it for special occasions."
"What’s in it?" Aylin was gripping the door handle and the dashboard. Her heart was racing and her stomach churned. Her mind became frantic in her panic.
"It’s my usual spice tea with cinnamon, orange zest, lemon zest, cloves, but I did put a little capsule of iron in yours. I didn’t think that would be enough, so for safe measure I dropped a few iron ore weights in the bottom." She was pulled over to the side of the road now and turned to face Aylin.
Aylin tried to push open her door, but Mary had locked them. She fumbled around, looking for the lock, but her vision became increasingly blurry. "Why?" Aylin slurred.
"You have to understand, I didn’t have a choice here. But you must fight to survive. If you don’t he will murder my children. I didn’t know…" Mary continued speaking, but her words blended together. Aylin slipped into unconsciousness.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
"I don’t understand. Why would Mom take Aylin out to run errands?" Blake asked Terra. "I thought she was doing that yesterday." He leaned against the door of the refrigerator with his arms crossed as he watched his sister move about the kitchen.
Terra shrugged and dumped pasta in a large pot of boiling water. "Make sure you salt that water!" El called from the living room.
"I’m making dinner!" Terra snapped back. "Which means I do it my way!" She then grabbed the salt and threw a few pinches in. "She left a note on the fridge. El found it when she came back from her run." Terra pointed at the piece of paper on the door that Blake leaned against. "Why? Jealous someone else is giving Aylin attention?" She smirked at him.
"Whatever." He pulled open the door after glancing at the note and grabbed a bottle of beer that Terra now kept stocked for him. "It’s just I talked to Mom this morning and asked if she needed to go anywhere since I’m off today. She told me that she wanted to take it easy today. It just doesn’t sit right with me."
"Maybe Aylin is better company than you," El said strolling into the room. "I know I prefer her to you." She winked at him.
"We need more men around here," he grumbled and left the kitchen.
El stuck her nose over the pot the sauce was simmering in. "Well, maybe you did learn something from me. Is that wine in the sauce?"
"You are the one that said that any red sauce that doesn’t have red wine in it isn’t worth anything. So, yes." Terra pointed at her with a wooden spoon. "Aylin better be home for dinner, since it’s going to be wonderful."
"Mary does seem to favor Aylin lately," El said thoughtfully, leaning against the sink.
"Yeah," Terra said, her mind wandering to her previous thoughts from the day before.
"What is it?" El frown
ed at her.
Terra shrugged. "I don’t know, it’s probably nothing. My mind is playing tricks on me. You two have got me so paranoid lately, I’m making things out of nothing."
"Spit it out Terra." El glared at her.
"I’ve just been thinking, Mom has been acting differently lately, you know? She’s barely been at the bookstore at all this past week, which doesn’t bother me, but she usually controls how its run at all times. I had asked her if she would watch the store the day before while I took the afternoon off and she nearly bit my head off. And yesterday she asked me if she had given me anything recently. Like some old books." She stirred the sauce.
"Wait, she asked you like she didn’t remember?" El stood erect.
"Yes. It took me by such surprise I told her I didn’t know what she was talking about. Then she got mad and called me a thief, yelling at me in the bookstore in front of customers. So I left her and barely ten minutes later she called me on the phone apologizing. She said she had been under a lot of pressure lately with this whole historian’s investigation."
"I think we should keep an eye on her, Terra. Not to alarm you, but those are the kind of signs Aylin said to watch for. People asking about things they don’t remember, bursts of anger. She might be under someone else’s control." El called for Blake. She warned him also to watch his mother.
Sounds penetrated Aylin’s unconsciousness with grunts, swearing, car doors slamming, and metal scraping stone. She roused slightly when her body was carried with little care. Her head bobbed around, and the dizzying images of the bare treetops sent her back to her fitful dreams. Mary’s face drifted around in her head, mixing with Terra and Blake’s, and El never left her thoughts.
