Cursed Brides and Alibis

by Amy Boyles

  I cringed. “Can you call?”

  “Afraid of the vampire?”

  I shot her pointed look. “Just don’t want to. You call Thorne, and I’ll call Jamison.”

  It took some prodding, but I was able to get Jamison to come. I just hoped he didn’t faint on me. Or Reese. How awful would that be?

  He arrived looking sheepish—all messy hair and dark circles under his eyes. Jamison had taken all of this very hard, and I could understand.

  I gave him a big hug. “You may be upset about Corley, and your emotions may be in knots. I don’t know if she spelled you to have feelings for her, and frankly, at this point it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that in this house is the woman I originally matched you with. She doesn’t know what’s happened and is asking for you.”

  Guilt slashed across his face.

  I poked his chest. “She wants you,” I said firmly. “And as much as it may hurt, all you have to do is walk in there and give her a big smile. Sit and hold her hand. Do you think you can do that?”

  He stared at his shuffling feet before lifting his face to me. Determination filled his eyes, and the tightness in my chest released.

  “I’ll do my best,” he said.

  I sandwiched his shoulders in my hands. “That’s all you can do. Now. Let’s get inside and meet your bride.”

  He stopped.

  “Sorry,” I said. “I mean Reese.”

  But I knew she would be his bride. I knew that Jamison would adore her so much he’d want to marry her. I’d never had any doubt, and his reluctance to meet Reese hadn’t changed my thoughts.

  We traipsed inside just as the doorbell rang again. Mama took Jamison from me. I sucked a deep breath and opened the door.

  “Hello, Charming.”

  “Hey, Thorne.”

  Our gazes locked. A conversation that needed to be discussed hung in the air, but neither of us said anything. Feeling that now wasn’t the time for a talk, I swept my hand over the threshold.

  “Good to see you. Come on in.”

  His brow quirked as if he couldn’t believe I actually had a polite bone in my body, but he did as I commanded.

  When we were all inside and introductions had been made, Reese said she was ready to talk.

  Jamison sat beside her, holding her hand. The apprehension in his face had vanished, and it had been replaced with intrigue.

  I smiled to myself. He would be cautious, as was appropriate, but he would adore her, I just knew it. And she would adore him.

  It was written in the stars, and there wasn’t much they could do about their attraction. Where they went with that attraction was up to them, but a feeling cemented to my brain hinted that the altar was their final destination.

  I stood against the wall, trying to stay out of the whole thing while Mama, Rose and Thorne sat in chairs that the house had just spit up and Pig sat in Reese’s lap, seeming to offer her a bit of comfort.

  “Reese,” Thorne prodded gently, “can you tell us everything you remember from the train ride?”

  Reese bit her lower lip, unsure of herself. Her gaze met Jamison’s, and he nodded in encouragement.

  “We left Chattanooga on time. As soon as I boarded, it wasn’t but a few minutes later I met the woman I shared my cabin with. Her name was Corley. She was so friendly, so nice, explained she was coming to Witch’s Forge to visit relatives.

  “Corley and I chatted and had lunch. But the strangest thing happened while we ate.”

  “What was it?” Thorne asked.

  Reese paused to touch her head as if trying to make a memory bloom. “Corley said there was a man she had to avoid. Something about him being dangerous.”

  Could this be Rots?

  “Do you know his name?” Thorne prodded.

  Reese patted Pig with her free hand, seeming to think about his question. “I feel like it’s on the tip of my tongue, but I’m not certain. I can’t remember it, but I can tell you that when Corley and I entered the dining car, she became really nervous, as if the man was in the car with us. She didn’t say he was, but she kept staring at one particular man. I didn’t get a good look at him, but he had dark hair. That’s really all I can remember right now.”

  Thorne threaded his fingers tightly. “If you saw him again, could you identify him?”

  Reese slowly nodded. “I think so.” She shook her head and sighed. “I’m sorry I’m not much help. A lot of my memory is fuzzy.”

  “You were spelled, that’s why,” Mama said.

  Reese’s mouth fell. “Spelled?”

  “Corley spelled you and took your identity,” Thorne explained.

  A horrified expression filled her face. “That’s terrible. Why would she do that?”

  “That man Corley said was dangerous, we believe he may have poisoned her,” Thorne explained.

  Reese dropped Jamison’s hand and planted her face in her palms. “She’s dead? But she was so nice. Such a friendly person.”

  “I’m sorry,” Thorne said.

  Tears sprang from Reese’s eyes. They fell in fat drops down her cheeks.

  Mama said stiffly to Thorne, “I think that’s all for now.”

  He rose, his bulk nearly swallowing the room. “If you think of anything else, let me know. But in the meantime, rest. You need it.”

  “Thank you,” Reese said.

  She turned to Jamison, and without hesitation, he wrapped her in a hug. A pivotal moment in their relationship is what it was. I couldn’t help but feel that even though Corley was dead and sadness filled the room, these two people were coming together just the way I’d hoped.

  “Thorne,” Mama said, “can I offer you some tea?”

  He shook his head. “No. I need to be getting back to work. I’ll be back tomorrow to see if Reese is up to coming out and identifying the dangerous man.”

  “We know he was on the train,” I said.

  Thorne nodded. “We do. But there were a lot of passengers.”

  “Only one Rots,” I chimed.

  Thorne shot me a skeptical look but said nothing. “Y’all have a good night.”

  With that, Thorne left. I steeled myself from feeling anything as he briskly strode away, not even bothering to speak to me privately. But whatever, I was a big girl. I could deal with it.

  I peeked in on Reese and Jamison. They sat, heads together, talking low.

  “Let’s just give them a moment, shall we?” Mama said.

  I followed her to the kitchen. She sat at the table and folded her hands. “Well, it appears as if Rots is involved in this in more ways than one.”

  Rose’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are Jamison, Rose and Rots all involved romantically?”

  “Yes, Rose, they’re all kissing each other in our parlor right now,” Mama snapped. “Of course not! No. I think Rots may be the man Reese was running from. We’ve got to get into the botanical gardens tonight and find that machine.”

  The front door closed, and Reese entered the kitchen.

  The three of us swooped around her. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “I’m okay. Just confused.” Reese pushed a brave smile to her face. “I just wish I could remember more of what that man looked like.”

  I rubbed her shoulder. “You can figure it out tomorrow, with Thorne. He’ll help.”

  She slumped into a chair. “I wish there was something I could do now to help.”

  Rose sat and cupped her hands over Reese’s. “Well, apart from breaking into the botanical gardens with us tonight so that we can find a machine that’s screwing with people’s magic, I’m not sure there is much you can do.”

  Reese’s eyes widened. “Breaking in?”

  I flexed my fingers. I wanted to yell at Rose. Why the heck would she admit to Reese that we were about to break the law?

  “She’s just kidding,” I said harshly. “Tell her, Rose. Say it was only a joke that we’re going to do that.”

  Reese gritted her teeth. “But I want to help. Corley wa
s nice as could be, and the fact that she’s dead makes me angry. Yes, I know she stole my identity, but she didn’t kill me. I believe she only planned on me being asleep for a little while. Not forever.”

  Reese glanced at me, her eyes pleading. “Let me go. Let me help however I can.”

  I shot a glance to Rose and Mama. “Well? What do y’all think?”

  Mama hiked a shoulder. “If she wants to come, I say we let her. Maybe she can help us search.”

  Reese grinned widely. “I can do it. I won’t get in the way. I can help. I know I can. Besides, I need something to keep my mind off Jamison. He seems very confused, and his confusion is making me all twisted inside.”

  My heart pinged for her. Jamison would come around. He’d given Reese several looks filled with longing while we were all together. It was only a matter of time.

  Mama’s gaze swept the room. “Well, if everyone is in agreement, I say we let Reese join our group and be the fourth member of our little search brigade.”

  Relief filled Rose’s voice. “Thank goodness.”

  “For what?” Mama asked.

  “Well, I thought for a moment that you were going to say fire brigade, and that could’ve been disastrous.”

  “Why?” I said.

  “The last time I was in a fire brigade, half the town caught on fire. Of course that could’ve been because I accidentally doused the fire with butter instead of water.”

  I rubbed my lips together to keep from laughing. “Yep. Could’ve been.”

  “If everyone’s in favor,” Mama said, “let’s get the rest of our plans situated. Are y’all in agreement?”

  Mama thrust her hand out. One by one, we each covered hers until the four of us had made a pact.

  Tonight. The botanical gardens would be searched.

  Chapter 21

  Broom and Pig insisted on coming with us. So the four of us witches along with one potbellied pig and one magical broom loaded up into my Mini Cooper and headed off to the botanical gardens after dark.

  Spotlights shone on the entrance. “Park down the street,” Mama instructed.

  I did and we made our way back to the entrance, staring at it from bushes across the street. The gate stood at least ten feet tall. Creeping Jenny dripped down the sides, giving the gardens an almost sinister appearance.

  Mama turned to Broom. “Broom, can you whisk us over the gate one at a time?”

  Broom jumped up and down.

  “Yes,” I answered for it.

  So Broom did. I had to admit my first time on Broom was a bit unsteady and wobbly. I started to make the mistake most witches do their first time on the broom—attempting to balance myself. But in all reality, the broom does the work. All the witch needs to do is hold tight.

  So that’s what I did. I shut my eyes, and the next thing I knew my feet touched concrete.

  “Perfect,” I cooed.

  When we were all tucked safely inside the gate, Mama turned to me. “Charming, you and Reese search the main gardens around the area where Corley was murdered. Rose and I will take the outer perimeter. The device has to be either buried or hidden behind thick bushes. If you start to feel your hair lifting high, then you’ve found the right area.”

  “My hair has been frizzy ever since this happened,” I said.

  Mama smirked. “You know what I’m talking about.”

  “I do.”

  We split up. Broom came with Reese and me. We headed quietly into the gardens.

  Lucky for us, a lot of the pathway lights were lit, which made it much easier to move and see.

  Once we found ourselves on the main trail, Reese rubbed her arms. “This place gives me the creeps.”

  “I know. Let’s hope we can find what we’re looking for and get out of here.”

  The path wound around a patch of azalea bushes. Just as we passed it, a figure appeared from the shadows.

  Fearing it was Rots, I shrank back. But when the silhouette came into view, I realized it was none other than a dripping Hildegarde.

  “Hildegarde?” I blinked to make sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks. “What are you doing here?”

  Water pattered the trail as she approached. “I came to see how you’re getting on.”

  I spoke in a hushed voice. “To be honest, this isn’t exactly the time to be asking how I’m getting on. I’m in the middle of something.”

  I stared at the strange smirk on her face and frowned. “How did you even find me?”

  She flicked her hand, splattering water onto a nearby bush. “I just found you. I can do that. I’m a witch.”

  “But why?”

  She floated closer to me. Swamp water trailed behind her like mucus from a slug. A puddle steadily built under her feet.

  “There’s something I need to give you.”

  My gaze darted around the gardens. I couldn’t stand here talking to a water witch about how my life was going when I needed to be scavenging the garden.

  “Sure. What is it?” The words flew from my mouth before I had a chance to stop them.

  Why didn’t I just say no? Why didn’t I walk past her? I think it was out of obligation to an elder, especially since Hildegarde was a seer.

  But more than that, she was a bit ditsy, so I never for one moment considered that she would gift me with something I’d regret taking it.

  Until she placed it in my hand.

  I stared down at a seashell—a small nautilus, dried, the creature inside long dead.

  That’s when I realized what I’d just done—I’d taken the third gift, the gift of water.

  A wave of magic flooded me. It pressure cooked inside my body, pushing out my chest and changing, shifting things inside me.

  I closed my eyes tight and nearly cried for what I’d done. The shell, a tiny thing compared to the size of an adult nautilus, filled my whole palm, but I could easily squeeze my fingers around it.

  I closed my hand and brought it to my head, wishing I could turn back the clock—that I could rewind this moment and never take from the swamp witch what she had offered.

  “That’s all I needed to do,” she said. “Now I must be going.”

  I stared at her in disbelief. “But why? Why would you do this?”

  She shrugged. “Like I said, my prophecies always come true, but sometimes I have to help them out.”

  With that, she vanished.

  I hated Hildegarde.

  A cool kind of anger, cold and worse than the kind that burns hot, filled me. I wanted to scream. To follow her back to the swamp and throw her stupid gift into the muddy water, but it would be no use.

  The magic had been released inside me.

  “Who was that?” Reese asked.

  I jumped, having forgotten that she stood beside me. I shook off my jitters. “Just someone who thinks bad things should happen in our world.”

  I dropped the shell into my pocket, and our search continued on. How would I tell Mama? How could I admit to her what had happened? This was the worst thing possible.

  Part of me wanted to slap myself and say there was no point in crying over spilt milk. The other half of me wanted to cry about the spilt milk.

  Oh well, no point.

  Reese huddled beside me. “I’m glad that woman’s gone. This place gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

  “I know.”

  “Listen, Charming.”

  “Yes?”

  “I know this may not be the best time, but I want to thank you for setting me up with Jamison. I think, given any other circumstances, we’d be very much together, but it seems like he’s taken this whole Corley thing very hard.”

  My lip curled in sympathy. “I know. I’m so sorry.”

  Her big blue eyes portrayed confusion. “You? Sorry? Charming, there’s nothing for you to be sorry about. You did your best to bring us together. For that I’m so grateful.”

  “Thank you.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. “I’m relieved you’re okay. We were so worried about you.”<
br />
  She sniffed and nodded. “Yep, me too.”

  We rounded a corner, and I stopped dead in my tracks. Semi-buried behind a thick cluster of hydrangeas glowed something green.

  “Holy jeez,” I said. “I think we’ve found it.”

  Reese’s lids flared. “We have?”

  I glanced left and right, making sure there was no one around. The last thing I needed was for Rots to jump out from behind the bush and use the machine to kill my powers.

  Jerk.

  “Stand back,” I commanded Reese.

  “No way,” she argued. “If you’re going forward, so am I.”

  I smiled at her courage. “Okay, then. But move slowly.”

  My sloth-like movements eventually got us over to the structure. I pulled back the shrubs, being careful not to touch it.

  The emerald crystal glowed. It beat like a heart as it sat in its chamber. An outer box with all the wires encased an inner box that appeared to be made of glass.

  “What does it do?” Reese said.

  “This somehow pulls magic from folks. I’m hoping it’s only temporary because Mama’s been affected.” The crystal flared and the light darkened. “Mama believes it’s temporary, though she could just be saying that.”

  “How does it work?” she said.

  “I don’t know.”

  Reese stared at it. “Corley mentioned something about a crystal when I spoke to her. Said it was missing.”

  Puzzle pieces clicked into place. “I spoke to someone at the Duvall’s magic shop in Chattanooga. She said they’d had something stolen.” I stared at the glowing rock. “Is this it? Could Rots have used Corley to get close to this crystal and then stole it? Corley knew what he’d done, so she fled, he followed her and then poisoned her?”

  Reese shuddered. “All of that sounds horrible.”

  “Agreed.”

  “But what if that’s the truth? What if it’s just that simple? Or complicated?” I nibbled the inside of my mouth as I considered my outlandish idea.

  Corley and Rots had been on the train together. Rots had argued with Corley on the platform. Maybe he wanted Corley to know he’d followed her. Corley had clearly been afraid for her life; otherwise she never would’ve stuck poor little Reese in a closet and spelled her.