"No way," I said. "Sigmund will take us. I have directions.“
"Then we should get going before it gets too close to sunset," he said. "A dark cave in daylight is bad enough. A dark cave in darkness is even worse."
I studied him. "Daniel Starr, are you afraid of three old women?"
"Let's review. Harpies, witches, Gorgons." He ticked them off on each finger. "Grey sisters. Yes, I am emphatically afraid of the older women in this town."
I laughed to myself. "You're like the George Clooney of Spellbound."
He shook his head, confused. "Who's George Clooney?"
I patted him on the back. "Don't worry about it. Human reference.“
We rode together in the green Volvo that Daniel had pulled from the bottom of Swan Lake and paid elves to magically enhance. It had been a thoughtful gesture, since this car was the last physical connection I had to my family.
"How far away from town do we need to go?" I asked. I couldn’t read directions and drive at the same time. Not one of my skills.
"Out toward Curse Cliff," he said. "In the foothills, there are some caves. They live in the largest one."
I'd been to Curse Cliff recently, on a date with a werelion called Fabio. He freaked out when he found me standing on the cliff. Apparently, it was forbidden ground because it was allegedly the place from where the enchantress cursed the whole town and sealed the borders.
"Do you believe in the tale of Curse Cliff?" I asked.
Daniel cast a sidelong glance at me. “I didn't realize you knew the story."
"I've heard a story, but I don't know if it's the story. I stood on Curse Cliff and I felt nothing but peace and tranquility." It was true. I didn't feel any negative energy standing in the alleged spot.
We arrived at the mouth of the cave and I moved instinctively closer to Daniel. What was the etiquette for visiting a cave? Did we knock on this rock? Call in through the entrance?
Daniel was one step ahead of me. He cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed, “Good day, Grey sisters. You have visitors."
“They should really have a doorbell," I said. “This just makes it awkward for guests."
The sound of shuffling feet drew my attention to the darkened cave. An elderly women woman emerged from the shadows, her white hair long and braided. She wore a brown cloak with a hood. Her one striking feature was her perfect nose. I would have expected something more prominent, but it was the nose I would have liked on my own face if given the choice.
"Who calls upon the Grey sisters?" she croaked. As she stepped into the light, I noticed her single eye for the first time. It was entirely white.
"I am Daniel Starr, accompanied by a young witch called Emma Hart."
She sniffed the air around us. "I know your name, Daniel Starr. Fallen angel that you are." She cackled softly. "A rhyme, don't you know? And a young witch on your arm, is it? So says you.”
I inched closer to Daniel so that my hip was touching him.
"We came to ask for information," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "We were told you might have the answers we seek."
She grinned and I saw nothing except her gums. "Who sent you?”
“The banshee, Maeve McCullen,” I said. I omitted any reference to Althea since she didn’t seem to think they would react positively to the Gorgon.
The sister nodded and motioned for us to follow. As she retreated further into the cave, I gave Daniel an uneasy look.
"It will be okay," he whispered, giving my hand a quick squeeze.
“We come bearing gifts,” I said. We deposited the chicken and the jug of Goddess Bounty on the dirt floor in front of them.
“I smell chocolate,” the tall sister said, inhaling deeply. “Where is it?”
“You’ll get your chocolate when you’ve answered my questions.”
“Oh?” the tall sister said. “So you do not intend to steal our eye and demand answers in exchange for its return?”
That seemed particularly cruel, considering they shared the one eye between the three of them.
“We have no interest in stealing your eye, thanks,” I said. “We each have a set of our own.”
The three sisters cackled and the sound bounced off the stark cave walls, adding to their eerie quality. They moved toward me, circling me one by one.
“You do not dance beneath the silvery moon,” the short sister said. “Not one of them. Not one of them at all.”
“Oh, I know,” I said. “But they’ve allowed me into the coven since I am a witch, as long as I can meet the requirements.”
They laughed again and I bristled.
“I know I’m not the best student, but I do think I’ll pass all the classes…eventually.”
“You have no tolerance for flight,” said the middle one.
“And surely you have glimpsed what hides in dark corners,” said the tall one.
The short one stood behind me and yanked up my hair. “She bears the mark,” she cried.
The other two hurried to catch a glimpse.
“Give me the eye,” the middle one insisted. I felt their elbows jostling each other.
“My turn now,” said the tall one.
“Leave her alone,” Daniel said firmly. “It’s only a birthmark.” He was the one who’d drawn my attention to it. Because the birthmark was at the nape of my neck beneath the hairline, I didn’t know it was there until he told me.
The short one released my hair and I quickly stepped away from them.
“Not just a birthmark,” the short one said.
“Do you know what it means?” I asked. “Do you know which coven I belong to?”
The short one held out her hand. “The chocolate.”
I pulled a bar from my cloak pocket and handed it to her. Daniel came to stand beside me as the short sister tore the wrapper from the chocolate and breathed in its scent.
“It has been too long,” she said, and opened her mouth to take a bite, which is when I made my move. I swooped in and snatched the tooth right out of her mouth. Her gums closed on the chocolate and she wailed in protest.
“I need my sweet tooth,” she cried.
“Not until you tell me about my coven,” I said. Never mind that I was here to ask about Gareth. If these sisters had information on my origin, I needed to know. Now.
The middle one stared at me through the single eye. “She is most determined, sister. And we know what she is, what she is capable of. For that alone, we would do best to answer.”
What I was capable of? Right now the only thing I was capable of was not puking in my mouth while holding the old ladies’ tooth. I’d never been a fan of the Tooth Fairy, coming to take the teeth of children in the middle of the night. I mean, for what purpose? I remembered crying every time I lost a tooth because I hated the blood and saliva that accompanied it.
“If I answer, you will return the tooth unharmed,” the short one said.
“Of course,” I replied.
“You cannot find your coven because you do not have one,” she said.
“But all witches have covens,” I insisted. “That’s what everyone said.”
“Witches do not fear heights,” the tall one said. “But you do.”
“Witches have feline familiars,” the middle one said. “But not you.”
The short one gave me a look that could only be described as sympathetic. “You must follow that logic to its natural conclusion.”
Daniel spoke first. “Are you saying she’s not a witch?”
“Of course I am,” I said. “That’s why I’m stuck here. I drank the potion that Ginger gave me and it made me glow purple.”
“An easy mistake,” the short one said. “As you are closely related.”
What was closely related to a witch? I glanced helplessly at Daniel, whose turquoise eyes widened.
“No,” he said. “It isn’t possible.”
“What isn’t possible?” I asked. “Someone please tell me in plain English.”
/> Daniel shook his head in disbelief. “I think what they’re trying to say is that you’re a…a sorceress.”
My laughter echoed in the cave. “How can I be a sorceress?” I wasn’t even sure I knew what a sorceress was.
“You are kissed by starlight,” the tall one said. “The sign of the sorceress.”
I touched the mark on the back of my neck. “What does that mean?”
“Black magic resides in you,” the middle one hissed. “Very dark.”
I tried to process what they were telling me. “And this is why I can see Gareth and Raisa’s ghosts?”
“As one who is close to darkness, you are privy to much and more,” the tall one said.
I didn’t feel very close to darkness. Heck, I still preferred a nightlight.
“What about my owl?” I asked. “Is an owl familiar a sorceress thing?” Dark magic would certainly explain Sedgwick’s salty attitude.
“The choosing is mutual,” the short one said. “Any animal would do. A sorceress has no ties to a particular creature.”
I began to feel dizzy as the enormity of their revelation settled over me. What did this mean? Would they kick me out of the academy? Banish me to some remote area of Spellbound?
“What exactly is the difference between a witch and a sorceress?” I asked.
“They are carved from the same mold,” the middle one said. “But darkness calls to those kissed by starlight. Black magic.”
“But I don’t know any black magic,” I insisted. “Doesn’t that make me a witch?”
“It is not what you know,” the tall one said.
“It is what you harbor inside you,” the short one finished for her.
“Am I…evil?” I asked. I certainly didn’t feel evil. Maybe Magpie would disagree, but I generally considered myself to be a nice person.
It was the only question they didn’t answer.
“And what about my mother?” I asked. “Was she a sorceress too?”
“But of course,” the tall one said. “Inherited magic is the most powerful.”
My mother was the sweetest woman who ever walked the planet. No way was she inherently evil, nor was I.
“Why do you know this when no one else does?” I asked, my irritation showing. “I consulted books, the coven. I even went to see Raisa.” Visiting the frightening witch with a bone fence and iron teeth was not an experience I cared to repeat.
“They have forgotten the world that we once belonged to,” the tall one said. “Trapped too long in one place, they have been.”
“The eye sees more than what is in front of it,” the short one added. “Now return the tooth. We have more than held up our end of the bargain.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“You know, I’ve noticed at least three dentists in town,” I said. “Have you considered paying one of them a visit? I’m pretty sure you could each have your own set of teeth if you were so inclined.”
The three sisters exchanged surprised glances.
“You seriously never thought of that?” I rolled my eyes. “And people here think I’m ignorant. I mean, if we can put a man on the moon, I bet the optometrist can do something about your eyesight, too. She’s a fairy, for crying out loud.” I folded my arms and assessed them. “I’ll make you a deal. One of you agrees to help my friend Gareth improve his ghosting skills and I’ll set you up with a new set of chompers.”
“Leave the cave?” the short one asked, uncertain.
“I’m afraid so,” I said. “Gareth’s movements are restricted. I’ll handle the transportation, though. You just have to agree to come along.”
The middle one stepped forward. “Lyra will go forth. A break from this hovel is much needed.”
“Hovel?” the tall one shot back. “Our cave is wondrous. More hospitable it would seem if you cared for it.
“You should feel blessed by the gods to have a roof over your head,” the short one added.
“A cold, stone roof with damp walls and two joyless sisters for company,” the middle one said. “Yes, how fortunate I am.”
“Lyra is free to join you now,” the short one said. “We have no tolerance for her today.”
The middle one scowled at her sister.
Oh no. We couldn’t take her now. “Let me make arrangements with the dentist first. That way you know I’m going to make good on my promise. I’m inherently evil, remember? I might try to double-cross you.”
The middle one recoiled slightly. “As you desire. Send your owl with the time and place.”
“Only if you promise not to eat him.” Crap. Did I say that out loud? “I’ll be in touch.”
I hurried out of the cave with Daniel right beside me. Neither of us wanted to linger there one second longer than necessary. Even with a single tooth, I had the feeling the Grey sisters would be more than willing to make a meal of us.
Chapter 10
I was still reeling from the news on the ride home from the cave.
“So was it a sorceress that cursed the town?” I asked. “Am I like her?”
“An enchantress allegedly cursed the town,” Daniel corrected me.
“Argh.” I gripped the wheel in frustration. “So what’s the difference between those two?”
“They’re both in the same paranormal family tree as witches,” Daniel said. “But an enchantress is often a beautiful woman who uses white magic.”
“And I’m the ugly, evil one whose heart is made of black magic?” My jaw tensed. “That’s so racist.”
Daniel smiled. “No one said you were ugly, Emma.”
“But I am evil, apparently.”
He covered my hand with his. “And I’m a fallen angel. Together, we make quite a pair.”
I tried to ignore the tingling in my body when his skin met mine. This was not the time to pine after Daniel, not when I needed to process everything I’d learned today.
“So here’s what I don’t understand,” I said. “How can an enchantress have cursed the town? Doesn’t that make her bad and, therefore, a sorceress?”
“I guess it depends on which version of the story you believe,” Daniel said. “If she was someone in need of shelter and cursed us when we refused her hospitality, then she was trying to teach us a lesson. That’s not necessarily black magic. In her mind, we were the bad ones and she was showing us the better path.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “Everyone in town? For all eternity? Seems way harsh.”
“Maybe, but still not dark magic.”
I gave him a pointed look. “By all accounts, you were around then. Possibly even connected to the curse. Which version do you believe?”
He leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes. “I knew this conversation would have to happen sooner or later.”
I tried to keep my eyes on the road, but all I wanted to do was look at Daniel. “You can tell me anything. You know that.” And it won’t change the way I feel about you.
He opened his eyes and blew out a breath. “Yes, there was a time when I got involved with someone of great power.”
“Someone who answered to the name ‘enchantress’?”
“She was called Lia.”
“For how long?”
“In the grand scheme of things, not long at all. She was passing through town on her way to the west coast. She was beautiful and radiated power and confidence.” He shrugged. “We hit it off.”
“And?” I prompted. “What did you do to her?”
“I suppose I deserve the negative assumption,” he said. “I grew tired of her rather quickly. Too much power and confidence are a dangerous combination, even in someone who isn’t inherently evil.”
“So where’s Lia now? If you don’t think she’s the one who cursed the town, shouldn’t she be trapped here?”
“I don’t know,” he said softly. “I assumed she left town before the curse took hold, not because she created it, though. That part was a coincidence.”
“If you saw her again tomorrow, wh
at would you say to her?” I asked. “Do you regret how you treated her?”
“Of course I do,” he said. “I regret how I treated all of them. Sometimes I think of how I would feel if a man treated you the way I treated them and it makes my blood boil.”
“Really?” My pulse began to race.
“I feel protective of you,” he said. “It’s my fault you’re here, after all.”
My heart grew heavy. Of course it was the guilt talking. I should have known.
“Speaking of that,” I said. “You didn’t have to ward my property. I appreciate it and all, but I can take care of myself.”
Daniel looked at me askance. “What are you talking about?”
“The protective spell around my yard to keep out the bad elements,” I said. “Wasn’t that you?” I’d been certain Daniel was the culprit.
He shook his head. “I’m sorry to say it wasn’t. I guess someone else is looking out for you.”
How about that?
“Emma,” Daniel said carefully. “About the sorceress thing…I don’t think we should tell anyone about what we learned in the cave.”
“Why not?”
“I…I’m not sure how people would feel,” he said. “I think they might treat you differently.”
“Differently how?”
“Like someone capable of horrible atrocities.”
Oh.
“So we’re going to keep it a secret?” I asked. I wasn’t a fan of secrets. In my experience, secrets seemed to rot and fester.
“I think it’s a necessity.” He patted my knee. “To keep you safe.”
“Do you think the coven would disown me?” I asked.
“Possibly. Lady Weatherby is quite strict. It was a miracle she agreed to take you under her wing, knowing you weren’t one of theirs.”
I knew he was right. I pictured myself moving into Raisa’s isolated cottage in the forest with its bone fence and jars of live mice. No thank you.
“If that’s what you think is best,” I said, “then let’s keep it between us.”
“At least we trust each other,” he said. “I’m relieved I decided to come with you.”
Me too. For more reasons than I was willing to say.
“I’m glad I have you, Daniel. Sometimes I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Lucky Charm (Spellbound Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 4) Page 8
