Queen Witch

by Amy Boyles

  "Who's knocking on my door at this hour?" came the gruff voice.

  "Your queen. I need to see you."

  A latch slid into place and the top half of the door swung open. The hinges squeaked as Cornelius the postman, wiry eyebrows waving at us, appeared.

  "What do you want? Do you know what time it?"

  I lifted my chin. "I know exactly what time it is. There's been another murder."

  The postman gasped. His hands flew to his mouth. "Who? What? When?"

  "I can't give you any of the details." Besides, you'd throw me out if you knew it was a parrot. “I need to know if there was anything strange about the package that Gertrude received from Fairyland."

  He spit in his hands and flattened out his eyebrows. "Strange? Let me think. I gave it to the detectives a few days ago, but if memory serves…" He coughed, a hacking violent thing that made Sera and I take a step back. I wasn't sure if it was catching or not, but it sounded bad enough to put you down for a few days.

  "There was one strange thing about it."

  My eyes widened. "Yes?"

  "There was a small smear on the outside of it."

  "Like an ink stain?"

  He shook his head. "I don't think so. A normal person might mistake it for that, but that's not I think it was."

  I leaned in. "What do you think it was?"

  His lips twisted into a smile. "It's best not to conjecture on things I can't be positive about. But if you find that package and you see the stain, you'll know what I mean."

  Okay, awfully cryptic, but what else did I have to go on?

  "Thanks," I said. "Sorry to bother you."

  Sera and I left the mailman and tracked down Roman, who was still searching rooms. He'd corralled Em to help him, which should make the whole thing go a lot faster.

  "I need to see the package that Gertrude received," I said.

  He sighed. "Dylan, we've looked all over it for clues."

  I gripped his arm. "I know. I probably won't find anything else, but can I at least look?"

  He glanced at Pearbottom, who was busy sifting through some clothes. Roman lowered his voice. "Be sure to leave it where you found it." He pulled a key from a chain tucked into his pocket. "There's an evidence room upstairs. It has a red door and looks like a closet."

  I took the key. "Great. I got it."

  Sera and I rushed upstairs. I found the door with no problem. We glanced around to make sure no one saw us. I fitted the key into the lock and turned. The tumblers snicked into position. I took a breath and pushed the door open.

  I flipped the switch. Electricity buzzed as a light hummed. It really was a closet, small and cramped. A silver table sat in the center. There was enough room for Sera to stand on one side and for me to take the other.

  Two items lay atop the glinting surface.

  "Is that Gertrude's wand?" Sera asked.

  "That's it."

  She reached for it, then hesitated. "Can I pick it up?"

  "Go for it," I said. "I'm about to look at this package."

  Brown wilted paper had been taped over a box. I looked for the smear Cornelius had mentioned and thought I saw it running from the ink of the return address. It looked like ink, so why did he think he wasn't?

  I thumbed the stain and felt a little bump. Feeling as stupid as stupid could get, I pressed my nose against the paper and inhaled. The scent was familiar, but I couldn't place it. I sniffed again.

  "I don't think brown paper can give you the same head rush that a highlighter can," Sera said.

  "This is that stain Cornelius was talking about."

  Sera scoffed. "Right. Because he seems like a reliable source."

  I nibbled the fingernails of my left hand. "I think he's right. This smells familiar. I can't say what it is, though." I held it out to her. "Care to take a whiff?"

  Sera frowned. She stared at me for half a second and then shrugged. "Sure."

  "Well?" I said.

  "I don't recognize it."

  "Figures," I mumbled. "Okay, I'm finished here. What about you?"

  Sera ran a finger over the wand. "I think we should borrow this for a few minutes."

  I lifted my eyebrows as high as they would go. "Roman will kill me if Pearbottom comes in and finds this stuff gone."

  She smoothed her hair. "Don't worry. We won't keep it for long. I just want Grandma and Milly to see it. Get their perspective."

  I sighed. "All right. We show it to them and we're done. We don't keep it one second longer."

  "Fine," Sera snapped.

  We locked up and made our way back. We found Grandma and Milly in our room. Roman and Pearbottom had already combed over it. The window was fixed and the broken glass removed.

  Grandma rose from the bed when we entered. "Dylan, what's the meaning of all this chaos? There are men ruffling through things and people milling about the corridors. How am I supposed to get my rest? Tomorrow is the most wonderful day of the year."

  Reid glanced up from the bed. "Grandma, I think that's today. Pretty sure it's Christmas already."

  Grandma fixed an angry gaze on me.

  "I'm sorry, but—"

  Milly stamped her cane. "Where's Polly?"

  The air was sucked from the room by a giant vacuum. I glanced at Reid. She gave me an embarrassed smile.

  "I couldn't tell them," she said.

  "Tell me what," Milly snapped.

  I raked my fingers through my hair and collapsed on the bed. When I looked up, tears blurred my eyes.

  Stay strong.

  I inhaled and told them. Milly sank onto a chair, and Grandma sniffled a little. When I was finished, both women were silent.

  "So that's why Roman's searching the rooms. He's looking for evidence of the person who attacked Polly. Don't worry. If he doesn't find them, I will. I will find out who killed Polly, and they'll be sorry when I do."

  Grandma threw Milly a look that said, yeah, right, but both women stayed silent.

  "Where's his body now?" Milly asked.

  "In Roman's cottage. I left him there for safety. We just got back from looking at the evidence they have against Brock."

  Reid perked up. "Did you see anything good?"

  Sera raised her hand and displayed the wand.

  Milly sniffled. "Polly had been with me for a long time," she said.

  I rose and crossed to her. I wrapped my arms around the stiff and somewhat surly woman and said, "I can't say I'm as sad as you are, but in the short time I knew Polly, he made a significant impact on me."

  Milly nodded. "He was a good parrot."

  I squeezed her shoulders and said, "So let's get his murderer. Let's bring the person who did this to justice."

  She nodded dumbly.

  "Hey," Reid said. "That wand you've got. I've seen it somewhere before."

  "Where?" I said.

  Reid tapped her cheek and said, "I know." She threw off the covers of the bed and dived into the trunk at the foot of it. She riffled through the contents. "I thought I left it right on top. I guess not." More shuffling. "Here it is."

  She pretty much climbed out of the trunk and lifted the book on queen history in the air. "I know it's somewhere." Reid licked her thumb and peeled back the pages. "Here! Here it is."

  We gathered around. Reid's index finger was placed on a picture of a woman holding what looked like the exact same wand.

  "Are you sure that's it?" Sera said. She placed the wand on the opposite page where we could all compare it.

  "That's it," Reid said. "That's the Wand of Transition."

  I lifted a skeptical brow. "The Wand of Transition?"

  Reid nodded. "Yeah. It was created like a hundred years ago to conduct the power of an object."

  "What does that mean?" Sera said.

  "It means, if you captured a bit of sunlight on your fingertips and held it up to the wand, it would use that power."

  Sunlight on your fingertips? I'd heard of crazier things. This was my grandmother talking, after
all.

  "Okay, so saying we don't have sunlight," Sera said, "how does it work?"

  Everyone looked at Reid.

  "Oh," she said. "I almost forgot. It has a secret compartment."

  My jaw unhinged. "What?"

  She shrugged. "Yeah. It holds stuff."

  I grasped her by the shoulders. "Can you open it?"

  She scratched her head. "I don't know. Maybe."

  Sera tapped our baby sister on the shoulder. "Reid, this could save Brock's life."

  "No pressure," Reid grumbled.

  I smiled widely at her. "Think of it this way. For once, we're all relying on you."

  Reid nodded thoughtfully. "That's true. It almost makes up for the fact that I'm always left out of things."

  "Not because we have a choice," Sera said.

  "Yeah," I added. "We don't leave you out because we don't like you. It's because you don't have any magic."

  Reid laughed maniacally. "And now I have the power."

  "Don't let it get to your head, toots," Milly said. "If the directions are in that book, any one of us can do it. Even Hazel, and she doesn't have any power right now, either."

  I rubbed at a headache forming behind my eye. "Focus, people. Reid, can you open that wand?"

  "I'll try." She glanced down at the book and mumbled something. Then she twisted the top of the wand until we heard a click and she pushed on a knot in the wood near the base. A small spring-loaded compartment jutted out from the bottom.

  "That's it," Reid said.

  I peered over to see what Gertrude had been hiding inside her wand.

  Sera's bright blue eyes looked in first.

  She gasped.

  bookmark:Chapter Twenty-Five

  TWENTY-FIVE

  "It's empty," I said. "Well, that was a waste of time."

  Sera collapsed onto the bed, facedown. She looked up. "How do you think I feel?"

  "I know," I said. "It just seems like the closer we get to this thing, the farther away we are."

  Grandma lifted a finger. "You couldn't be any farther away than Mars. One time the monkey king needed to send me there on a covert mission. He said a coven of witches was planning an intergalactic attack from the planet."

  I groaned. "Please tell me you didn't go."

  She flapped her hands. "How could I? I don't have any magic."

  Dear Lord. I really didn't want to have to explain the difference in the past and present right now to my grandmother. I wasn't in the mood.

  "Maybe someone should check on Nan," I said, trying to encourage her to leave.

  Grandma tightened the belt of her robe. "You're right. My bodyguard needs me. I must attend to her."

  I looked over at Sera. "Want to come with me to take this wand back to the closet?"

  She shook her head. "I'm done. I've officially reached the lowest of the lows. All I want to do is eat chocolate and ice cream."

  "Okay," I said. "I'll see if I can bring some back for you."

  "Thanks," she mumbled.

  Milly caned over to me. "I'll go with you. I want to see Polly anyway."

  I nodded. "Come on."

  The halls were empty as we slowly made our way through the winding corridors. I guessed Roman and Pearbottom had finished searching the castle. The fact that Roman hadn't come to find me made my stomach churn. They must not have found anything.

  After I dropped the wand back in the room, Milly said, "What were you and Polly doing before he was killed?"

  I shrugged. "He had me follow him through the castle."

  Her hair stood up on end. I swear to all that is good in the universe, my paternal grandmother's hair rose off her scalp and stuck straight up in the air. Never, not once in my life, had I witnessed something like that before.

  "You okay," I said.

  "Take me where he led you."

  So I showed her the bowl. The sun was rising. Pale yellow light burned into the room. Milly dunked her snarly nose into the bowl.

  "Nothing here," she said.

  "Exactly. I couldn't figure out what Polly wanted."

  She drummed her cane on the floor as we left the room. "Probably nothing. Now. Where can I find my bird?" So I told her and gave her Roman's key to return to him. Milly waved to me. "I'll see you back in the room."

  "All right," I said, trying to figure out what to do next. The council would be here soon, and there still wasn't one lead on who the killer was.

  Milly mumbled something as she wandered off.

  "What was that?" I called.

  She waddled around, facing me. "Perhaps it wasn't what was in the bowl that Polly wanted you to see. Maybe it was what had been in there."

  I waved. What the heck did that mean? "Okay. Sounds good." I didn't understand any of that. Boy, did I live in a family of crazy folks or what?

  I headed back to the room. My brain buzzed with static. I needed rest.

  I passed by the room with the bowl and gave it a quick glance.

  Perhaps it wasn't what was in the bowl that Polly wanted you to see. Maybe it was what had been in there.

  What had been in there.

  I snapped my fingers. Oh dear goodness, why hadn't I seen it before? Milly was right.

  I rushed into the room and stood in front of the bowl. With my palm hovering over the lip of the silver container, I pinpointed my focus.

  I needed to see what had been the last thing in that bowl.

  Two objects glowed in the shallow pit of darkness. I glanced over my shoulder. No one there. Thank goodness. I fished them out and realized exactly what they were.

  Two ballots.

  Two ballots left over from the night of voting.

  I peeled back the edges and read the names on them. I tucked them into my jean pocket and knuckled a tear from my eyes.

  Polly had known the whole time and he'd wanted me to see. I would make sure he hadn't lost his little enchanted life for nothing.

  I dashed back to the bedroom. Folks were waking up. I heard a chorus of Merry Christmases as I raced down the hall. When I reached our room, I found a package outside. It was wrapped in red and green paper and was about the size of a box of candy.

  I threw open the door and flicked on the light. "Get up."

  "What are you talking about," Reid said. "We've barely had a chance to get any sleep."

  I glanced at the clock. "I've been gone an hour. There's a crap ton to do today. You're not allowed to spend it in bed."

  "I'm staying right here," Reid said.

  Sera threw a pillow at her.

  "Hey! That smacked me on the eye."

  "You'll live," I said. "Now get up, you won't believe what I found. Here." I tossed the box of candy at Reid. "Maybe these will give you some energy."

  She mumbled something about since she wasn't a witch none of this applied to her, but I noticed she did unwrap the box.

  "What's going on?" Sera asked.

  So I told them what I found. Reid stopped opening the box to listen.

  Sera's eyes twinkled with interest. "What's that mean? Do you know who the killer is?"

  I shook my head. "No."

  Her face fell.

  "But I know something that's important. Reid, where's that queen book?"

  She pointed at a chair. "Right there."

  I flipped through the pages until I found what I was looking for. "Yep. It's exactly what I thought."

  Sera smacked her hands on the bed. "What is? All this suspense is killing me."

  "Okay. So—"

  "Ugh." Reid spat out one of the candies from the box. "This is disgusting. Tastes like licorice. Who would give that as a Christmas present? The Grinch?"

  I ran over to my baby sis and kissed her on the cheek. "Reid! You're brilliant."

  She threw a confused glance at Sera. "I am?"

  I jumped up and down. "You absolutely are. I know who did it. I know who killed Gertrude."

  Sera threw off the duvet. "Who? Tell me."

  I raised my hand. "Not yet
. Not until I confirm it." I glanced at the clock. "Oh crap. Do you know what time the council's getting here?"

  Sera slipped from the bed. "Soon, I think. From what I understand, they wanted to get this over with so they could enjoy their holiday."

  "Sera, I need you and Reid to get dressed. You've got to go meet the council."

  Reid spat out the remnants of the candy from her mouth. "Why?"

  "Because there's something I need to do. If they arrive before I show up, stall them. I don't care how you do it, short of flashing any skin, of course." I charged toward the door. "I'll be right back."

  I raced to Roman's cottage.

  He wrapped me in a bear hug. "Merry Christmas."

  "Merry Christmas."

  "I was just making breakfast. Want some?"

  Hot coffee percolated in the machine while bacon sizzled on the stove. "Sorry. But I don't have time. Has Milly been by?"

  He raised an eyebrow as he slathered mayonnaise on a piece of bread. "She already took Polly. She gave me back the key."

  "Great." I hooked my thumbs in my jean pockets. "'Cause I need it."

  "Dylan, I can't risk giving you that key again." Roman poured a mug of coffee and slid it over to me. "Why don't you sit down for a sec?"

  "Well I would, but the council's going to be here any minute." I needed to get out of here.

  Roman built himself an egg, mayo and bacon sandwich and sat on a stool. Steam from a recent shower wafted off his body.

  "Listen, I really need to get into that closet again," I said.

  "No dice."

  "But—"

  "Not without me. What is it you need from there and why?"

  I bit my lower lip. "Um. I can't tell you."

  A sliver of bacon fell from the sandwich he held inches from his mouth. I snatched it up and popped the salty wonder into my mouth. "Why not?" he said.

  "Because if I tell you, you'll insist on coming with me and stuff, and I'm not sure if I'm right. I mean, I think I'm right, but I'm not one hundred percent."

  He rolled his eyes. "Sounds like an awesome plan."

  I nodded. "It is."

  Roman took another bite and rose. He walked over to a side table and opened a drawer. His fingers disappeared. When they reappeared, he was holding a red box.

  "Merry Christmas," he said.

  My heart froze. "Is that for me?"