by Rose Pressey
Chapter Twenty-Six
I rushed into my room and closed the door, locking it behind me. There was one curious thing mentioned in the book. It claimed that I could change my appearance. Of course that caused an idea to cross my mind—but it could be a very risky endeavor. That was if in fact it actually worked. The book said I had all these special powers now, but would I perform the magic any better than my lackluster attempts in the past? I had spell books that my mother had given me in the hopes that I’d someday need them, but they didn’t have spells like the ones listed in the Book of Mystic Magic.
The spells I really needed would be in the mysterious spell book hidden in my closet. Or the Book of Mystics Spell Book as it was apparently called. I retrieved the heavy tome from its hiding place, then sat on the bed with the book on my lap. When I flipped open the cover, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The book was now all in English. I understood the spells and ingredients. There was even a table of contents. I scanned the list with my index finger stopped when I found the spell I needed. Could I really pull this off? Could I change my appearance and trick Liam into giving me the information that I knew he was withholding?
Aunt Maddy hadn’t led the Underworld, so why had she had the book? The book might have said that my magical powers were now needed in the Underworld, but I didn’t want that much power. I just wanted life to go back to the way it was before I cleaned out that darn attic.
But I couldn’t dismiss the fact that the book seemed to have had an effect on my magic skills. My witchcraft had improved beyond my wildest dreams. Baking delicious cupcakes was no longer a problem—would they come out perfect every time? My mother would be so proud. I could reanimate the dead, for heaven’s sake.
The book listed all my newly acquired powers now that I’d unlocked the magic of the book. It said that I could change an object’s appearance or even my own appearance if I wanted. That was a scary thought. Using magic for vanity would never work out in the end. At least that was my philosophy.
I hadn’t believed it, but the spell to change my appearance was actually listed on page fifty-two. Did I really have the nerve to try it? What if I was stuck that way forever? Try explaining to Nicolas why I had changed my appearance to look like him and then couldn’t switch back. I’d have to slip down to the kitchen to collect the ingredients for the spell. I hoped Isabeau wasn’t still down there stuffing her face with cupcakes.
There was no sign of Liam when I slipped out the door. The fact that he wanted the book made me nervous. I wouldn’t put it past him to be lurking outside my door at any given moment. Isabeau’s door was closed, so I tiptoed over and pressed my ear against the wood. I’d broken every code in the bed-and-breakfast proprietor rule book. I’d looked at one of my guests’ underwear, for heaven’s sake. Not on purpose, but I doubted that would be any excuse.
Noise sounded from the other side of the door. Thank goodness she was in her room. I rushed down the stairs, trying to keep from slipping and killing myself. I doubted Isabeau would use magic to bring me back if I died.
Once I reached the kitchen, I hurried and gathered my items—cinnamon, basil, cloves, and frankincense. I dumped the ingredients into the cauldron that was already in the big stone fireplace. It was about time that I tried using Aunt Maddy’s things. Someone once told me that anything could be performed easily with the right tools. Maybe I’d always assumed my magic was atrocious, but if I’d used the right tools, my magic wouldn’t have been half bad.
After adding water to the cauldron, I swiped a long match against the stone then lit the fire underneath. While I waited for the water to boil, I eased back to the kitchen door and peeked around the corner. No one was there. I hoped Nicolas didn’t catch me doing this. I hadn’t prepared an excuse in my mind if he did. There wouldn’t be one. If he caught me, I’d just tell him the truth.
Once the water came to a boil, I recited the words.
“For a brief time, make my appearance not mine. Alter my look to that of Nicolas Marcos and no one’s beliefs will falter.”
Nothing felt different. No wind whirled or brilliant light show appeared like with the spells I’d worked earlier. Maybe I’d been over-confident in my new found skills. After all, I’d only cleaned a kitchen and made cupcakes. What made me think I could change my entire appearance to look like someone else? Furthermore, what was I even going to say to Liam if it had worked? What made me think that he would fall for it in the first place?
As the thoughts whirled in my head, the wind began to stir in the kitchen. Pots and pans and dishes clanked. Blue and red and white lights pulsed and flickered around the room. The water bubbled like a sea churning in a hurricane. When the concoction finally settled down, the wind stopped and the lights settled down, I glanced down at my body. Everything looked the same to me. My hands looked the same, my body was the same. Nothing had happened.
I’d messed up the magic once again. There was no telling what this spell had actually done. I just prayed that it hadn’t reanimated more ghosts. I was running out of rooms. I hurried and cleaned up my mess, then grabbed the book and headed back upstairs.
I’d hide the book once again, but I was finished with this Underworld business. It was all a ruse. Probably some weird story made up by some wackos. Unfortunately, the wackos were the good-looking men staying in my home. Good-looking or not, they had to go. Why did they have to be crazy? Why couldn’t I just for once meet a sane guy? Of course if I did meet a sane guy, I always managed to do something to chase him away.
Once I made it back upstairs, I locked the door behind me and hid the book again. This was becoming my new normal and I hated it. I couldn’t deny that I was a little disappointed that the spell hadn’t worked. Not that I wanted to be the leader, because I didn’t, but I wanted to try to get answers from Liam. That would have been majorly deceitful though, so it was probably best that it hadn’t worked. Anyway, I was going to confront him right now about this fake Underworld business. If he wanted to continue to stay at LaVeau Manor, then he’d have to stop with that nonsense.
As I walked toward the door to have a confrontation with Liam, I caught my reflection in the dresser mirror. Only the problem was that it wasn’t my reflection at all. Staring back at me from the mirror was Nicolas’ face. I glanced down at my hands. They were still my hands. I looked down at my body and it was still the same. But when I looked in the mirror again, Nicolas’ reflection looked back at me.
Incredible. The spell had actually worked. I stared at Nicolas’ reflection. He really was gorgeous with his strong jaw and chiseled features. His long lashes rimmed his sexy cobalt blue eyes.
No matter how gorgeous he was, what I had just done was freaking me out. I reached up to touch my cheek. It still felt like my cheek, but in the mirror I was touching Nicolas. As I stared into the mirror, my heart pounded and I shivered at the realization of what I’d done. I had to talk with Liam and get rid of this spell before Nicolas came back. What if the counter spell didn’t work? It was too late for what-ifs though. The deed had already been done.
Would I be able to convince Liam that I was Nicolas? How did Nicolas walk? I watched in the mirror as I walked forward. I had way too much swing in my hips. Nicolas didn’t walk like that. I spread my feet apart a little and attempted my best guy walk. It looked more like I was approaching someone to kill them than to have a normal conversation. This being a guy stuff was a lot harder than it looked. What did guys do? Should I scratch my genitals? Burp? No, Nicolas was way too suave for that, right? Oh, who was I kidding? All guys did that stuff sooner or later.
Okay, my guy walk would have to do for now. But what about talking? Did I have Nicolas’ voice?
“Hello, I’m Nicolas Marcos,” I said out loud.
I gasped. It actually sounded exactly like Nicolas’ voice.
Well, it was now or never. I’d get to the bottom of this Underworld nonsense and find out if this whole story was real or not. Attempting to
master my manly swagger, I marched out my bedroom door and down the hall, but before I could make it to the head up the third flight of stairs, Isabeau approached me with a come-hither look on her face. Oh dear, I hadn’t thought about this scenario. Would I be able to fool her?
“Where have you been hiding, gorgeous?” she purred.
Isabeau stepped closer and ran her hand down my chest.
I stepped back. “Hey, you’re invading my personal space,” I said.
The words came out in Nicolas’ voice.
Isabeau scowled. “Don’t you like me?” she asked, then stuck her bottom lip down in a giant pout.
“I’m sure you’re a very nice person. I’m just very funny about people invading my personal space.” I stepped back, pushing my arms out to fend her off.
“I bet I could change your mind.” Isabeau lunged toward me with her arms stretched out to grab me.
I jumped to my side, avoiding her embrace. She fell to the ground with a thud. Oops.
“What is wrong with you?” she snapped.
If she only knew. She looked up at me expectantly. I sighed. Apparently, I was supposed to be a gentleman and help her up.
After a couple seconds, I stuck my hand out and said, “Let me help you up.”
The words came out way less enthusiastically than I’d hoped. She scowled, but reached up and took my hand. As I pulled her to her feet, she pressed her lips together in anger. Did she know my secret? My stomach turned. What if the spell had worn off? No, if it had she would have said something by now. She probably sensed something though.
Isabeau continued to look at me. “There’s something different about you,” she said.
“Nope. Nothing different. Now if you’ll please excuse me. I need to speak with Mr. Rankin.”
I hurried toward the landing and started up the stairs. When I glanced down at Isabeau, she still stood in the second floor hallway with her hands on her hips, glaring at me. She was suspicious and if given enough time she might figure me out. But it didn’t matter. If I could talk to Liam and reverse the spell quickly, she’d never know the truth.
