by Trim, Brenda
My stomach was filled with a thousand wriggling worms. At the same time, I listened to Fiona reassure Isidora that we’d figure out her situation soon. That was item number fifty on my to-do list. I hadn’t searched through the hundreds of magical tomes I had in my bookstore.
“When are we doing this? The witching hour?” I had to interrupt the argument between Fiona and Isidora, or we would be here all night. They were both stubborn, wonderful women.
“That’s the best time,” Fiona replied, then turned to gather the leather satchel on the kitchen table.
Aislinn jumped off her stool, looking more energetic than a few minutes ago. “What’s in there?”
Fiona lifted the flap and pulled the bag open, and held it out to us. “Herbs and a potion Grams taught me how to make this morning. You’d be proud, Violet. I didn’t start a fire, and I didn’t melt my cauldron.”
Grams had a big smile on her face as she bobbed her head. “She’s a natural. Did a great job from the start. I told you all you needed was confidence and the basics, and you’d master your Fae magic and witchcraft in no time.”
Fiona snorted and dropped the flap, then slipped the strap over her shoulder. “You’re lucky the house was still in one piece when I brought your ghost back. I was a mess at first. It was horrible and embarrassing.”
I shook my head and started walking toward the mudroom and back door. “You weren’t as bad as you think. Your biggest problem was you had too much magic coursing through your body to manage an ounce of control, so when you let a little go, it all wanted out.”
A lightbulb went off in my head. Perhaps that was my current problem. Maybe I wasn’t cursed after all. I definitely had more power. I felt it running through my veins and charging my magic. It seemed plausible if I ignored the flaming bird on my chest.
It reminded me of a Phoenix. I had no idea why it was on my body, though. I wasn’t a Phoenix. I’d never met one in my life. They were Fae creatures of fire. They were as close to immortal as beings, other than Gods, got. When they died, they would burst into flames and be reborn from the ashes. As long as their head wasn’t removed from their shoulders.
As much as I would love to be that resilient and hard to kill, that was not me. It was impossible to be one of their descendants and not know it. If someone carried the slightest fraction of Phoenix in their DNA, they couldn’t help starting fires when they reached puberty. According to paranormal doctors and scientists, the flames burst from them during that turbulent time.
“That’s one of the reasons I love you. You see me through the best lens possible. Where should we do this, Grams? Last time we did it at the edge of the property.”
Isidora stood in the driveway, looking around at the property. The garden was to our left, and the cemetery was just beyond that. The pond was off to the side. She pursed her lips and tilted her head.
After several minutes of scanning the scene, Isidora finally lifted one hand. She pointed to the apex where the pond, cemetery, and garden came together. “Magical energy is pooled strongest in this location. Traditionally we have started at the border and worked our way around. That won’t be necessary for you. Especially with your coven helping you. Your power will easily encompass our land. You should include Sebastian’s property since you two are now sharing a bed. He’s never there anyway, and it protects his forge.”
Aislinn and I looked at Fiona with her mouth hanging open then each other and burst into laughter. Fiona snapped her mouth closed as we dissolved into a fit of giggles. “Keep on laughing. Wait until you two find someone that worms their way into your heart and your bed. I’m not ashamed of or embarrassed by my sex life. It’s one of the best parts of my new life. You both should keep an open mind. Orgasms are even better now. Menopause be dammed.”
“You mean you haven’t dried up like an old corn husk?” I wiped the tears leaking from the corners of my eyes. None of us would admit that was one of our greatest fears. Ever since I read an article talking about what menopause did to a woman’s body, I had been terrified most by the idea of dryness.
Isidora chuckled and bounced on her feet. “There’s a spell for that. I can teach you, girls. There’s no need to give up orgasms. Fiona is right. They’re better when you’re older.”
Fiona grimaced and shook her head. Ignoring us, she approached the spot Isidora had pointed to and set the bag on the ground. Aislinn stood by and watched as she grabbed the herbs and vials of potion. Together, we spread the herbs in an arch facing the driveway and stood on the opposite side.
My hands tingled from the mixture. Herbs were powerful no matter where they grew, but these were superpowered because they grew in the soil at Pymm’s Pondside. Powerful witches had lived and worked their magic on the land for the past thousand years, perhaps even a millennium or two more than that.
When heat built in my veins and I felt the wind start to stir around me, I brushed my hands on my jeans before I started getting angry, and my magic tried to lash out. The blood in my veins was lava, and sweat dotted my brow. It was the worst hot flash ever. It started in my feet precisely like a flash caused by out-of-whack hormones.
Fiona stood next to me with Aislinn on the other side of her. “Acies hostem.” Fiona’s power washed over me, and I repeated the chant along with Aislinn.
The air shimmered above the herbs as we charged the line. An essential part of spell casting was the witch's intent, so I was sure to concentrate on imbuing the mixture with energy and nothing else.
The shimmer vibrated, filling the air with crisp scents like mint and lavender. Light filtered through the spaces, and between one blink and the next, a column was lifting from the herbs into the sky.
“Sterno.” Fiona flung her arms into the air, and winds followed the movement. They were close to hurricane force, yet they only picked up the herbal mixture. My hair whipped around my face, obscuring my view.
I caught sight of the particles as they scattered out in a circle. She was directing it to encompass her land. I wondered if she followed Isidora’s advice and included Bas’s property.
I was happy for my friend. She loved her previous husband, but he hadn’t been her soul mate. That was Sebastian. He ignited a fire in Fiona I rarely saw. In turn, she’d cracked his stone exterior and softened his hard edges. When you looked at Bas now, you didn’t turn tail and run. You just fought the urge.
Flames licked my fingertips, and I clenched them into fists to make sure I didn’t start a fire. I didn’t want them to see it either. My chest was tight, and my breathing shallow. I wasn't sure if it was the wind or the energy surrounding us. It’s your messed-up magic.
I couldn’t get caught up in doubt now. We were in the middle of casting new protections. Fiona grabbed the athame from her bag and sliced it into her palm then handed it to me. I did the same and reached around to give it to Aislinn. She hesitated before she cut her hand.
The three of us held our hands over the vial, and blood dripped into the potion in Fiona’s hand. The second we had each added, a drop of red sparks burst from the open top. They carried an acrid stench. What the hell is in that potion? I didn’t recall it smelling so bad the first time.
My chest constricted, and it felt like someone was squeezing my heart. Next, my stomach dropped to my feet. It was me. My blood made the potion smell terrible. There wasn’t much more proof that I was cursed than that.
Find out how you were cursed so you can destroy the spell. I wanted nothing more than to discover the source of my enchantment and eliminate it. Still, I had to finish this with Fiona.
Fiona’s injured hand clasped mine, and Aislinn took her other hand. Electricity traveled through the three of us. It made my body sing. The sensation was addictive and invigorating.
“Praesidio,” we chanted together. An iridescent dome formed above our heads and arched to the other side of the driveway. I couldn’t see the rest of it from our current position, but I knew it shielded all of the Shakleton property.
I pour
ed all of my intent for keeping danger off Pymm’s Pondside and channeled it through my magic. My skin prickled as it left me and flowed into the shield.
After several seconds, I opened myself and tried to get a better magical sense of how vast the protection spell was. I wanted to see what it looked like. The magic surged against me, inviting me to explore more. I was connected to it.
I realized my mistake immediately and tried to pull it back into my body. It bubbled out, and my flames burned Fiona where she held my hand. She screamed and let go of me, and I backed away from the two of them.
Instinct told me to fling the flames away from my body. With Isidora, Fiona, and Aislinn all watching me, it was impossible to stop the fire. I did stop from flapping my arms like a bird. Barely.
Breathe. You can put the flames out. I took several deep breaths before I was able to stifle the fire.
Fiona took several steps in my direction. “Are you alright? What happened?”
I nodded my head and wiped the sweat from my forehead. “I have no idea. In the end, I let myself get distracted.”
Fiona wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “I’m glad I’m not the only one to get distracted when doing magic. The fire was probably my fault. I have an affinity for the element and haven’t quite mastered it yet.”
It hadn’t been her, and I opened my mouth to tell her when Aislinn stumbled into Fiona’s other side. Both Fiona and I jumped into action and caught her before she fell on her ass.
“Are you alright?” I watched Aislinn for any sign of what was going on with her. She hadn’t been herself since we returned.
Her head bobbed, and she hung onto our arms. “I’m alright. I haven’t been able to eat much. It’s low blood sugar, is all.”
I tilted my head to the side. “I didn’t think Fae food affects hybrids like it does the rest of us.” Bas had given me an herbal remedy that made eating and drinking in Eidothea safe for me. No one else had taken it because I was the only one in our group without Fae blood.
Aislinn straightened and took a second before letting go of us. “That’s what they say. I’m beginning to think they are wrong about that. Most full-bloods hate hybrids, so they might have made that up so we would let our guard down.”
“Sebastian would never lie about something like that. He’d have given you the tincture he gave Violet if you were in danger,” Fiona countered.
Isidora approached us with a proud smile on her face. “It was likely the amount of energy that spell took. You three are a force to be reckoned with.”
I wished that was true about me. I’d lost control again. Having them try and figure out what was wrong with Aislinn would lead them back to me eventually. I needed to get out of there. “You’re right. I’m going to head home and get some rest. I have to open the store early in the morning.”
Fiona and Aislinn gave me hugs, and I was in my car a few minutes later. The ride home was the longest ten minutes as I tried to recall every second of the protection spell in an attempt to pinpoint where the curse was coming from.
It was possible to curse a person, but that took hair, blood, sweat, or skin of the victim before you cast the enchantment. It took significant effort and wasn’t used often. It was far easier to curse an object and have it stick to whoever has possession of the thing.
I hadn’t brought anything back with me that carried dark magic. I’d checked my backpack the second I got home and hadn’t found anything.
I pulled into my driveway and parked the car. I was up the porch stairs and through the front door a few seconds later. The ward around my house allowed me through. The power of it parting to give me ingress.
I hurried down to the basement the second I was inside to search for my family grimoire. It was the only book in my house that might give me information. Not to mention I thought I recalled reading something about curses at one point.
My memory wasn’t what it used to be. Getting older meant more to shuffle through to find the answer. That was my explanation. It was far nicer than hormones and loss of brain cells taking precious memories with them.
The large leather book was on the bookshelf where it had been stored for several hundred years. I moved into my childhood home when my husband left me. My parents had left it to me when they moved away ten years ago. I kept it clean and did necessary repairs over the years, so it was in great shape when I needed it.
To my surprise, the cover of the brown leather had a new adornment. The runes around the edges had been there as long as I could remember. The bird on the front was new. It matched the image on my chest. The sight chilled the blood in my veins.
What the hell did this mean? If the bird was a symbol of the curse, it had spread to my family. Only something that changed my essence would alter the family grimoire like this. I was the current owner of the tome and carried the familial power in my hands.
I flipped through pages while my thoughts tried to fracture and go in a hundred different directions. How was this possible? I set the question aside and looked through spells, potions, and uses for crystals.
There was even a passage about creating a protection amulet. I made a mental note to make one for each of my kids ASAP. I was proud of them for spreading their wings despite what they had been through, but still a worried mom.
Nothing jumped out at me. The passage about blocking demons from crossing your wards got a tab so I could come back to it. That would come in handy and keep me safe while I was home.
Maybe a cleansing spell would work. I looked through the information but continued. It was for cleansing crystals, not people. A few pages later and I practically squealed. My great-great whatever relative documented when she was cursed by someone in town.
Here it was. Proof I was cursed. At least all evidence pointed in that direction.
The culprit in the passage slipped a hexed ring into her jewelry box. Her magic refused to work when she called it, and her spells always fizzled out. Dark creatures were attracted to her. When a goblin and an imp both proposed to her, she did a thorough search to determine why it was all happening.
With the help of her mother, they found the cursed object. A complex ritual was performed at the witching hour on a full moon involving two potions and one spell to break the hex. Another tab went on that page.
Seeing that passage confirmed for me that I was definitely cursed. I had no idea when it happened. I had been searching through the stuff I brought back from the Fae realm but shouldn’t have.
It was possible someone else slipped me a cursed object. I needed to do a thorough search of my house and belongings. Possibly even the bookstore. It wouldn’t be hard to leave one for me there.
As I read through the page again, I was grateful my spells weren’t failing me. My magic worked. It just didn’t do what I wanted. I prayed no more dark creatures started following me. I had no desire to have even more evil in my life.
Chapter 6
The bell over the door to my bookstore tinkled, making me jump and turn. My hand flew to my chest, and my head swam for a second. I shook my head and plastered on a smile. “Welcome to Pleasure Bound. Let me know if I can help you find something.”
Relax, A horde of demons from the Underworld is not going to come charging in here.
No matter how many times I told myself to keep calm and magic on, it wasn’t working. The past couple of days had passed with agonizing slowness. I jumped at every noise and barely slept. My nerves were stretched tighter than a timpani drum.
The woman that had entered the store gave me a thin smile and turned down the self-help aisle. Apparently, I looked as bad as I felt. I turned back to the book I had been skimming all morning. There was nothing in them about locating a cursed object.
There was no spell. A witch had to find it by feel alone. I had never encountered anything of the sort, so all I had to guide me was my assumption it would prickle my senses like a hundred bee stings and carry an oily sensation that would try to smother me.
It
was how I felt around Vodor. The evil Fae king was one of the vilest creatures I’d ever encountered. Anything malevolent had to carry similar sensations. I left out the smell of rotting foliage. I didn’t think a ring or button or whatever object was used would carry a scent.
“Where can I find your cookbooks?” The customer had ventured down the self-help aisle and was standing a few feet away from me. I must have looked much worse than I thought. She’d taken an indirect path rather than walking down the main one that led right to me.
“They’re on that side of the store down the third row on the left-hand side. Is there anything, in particular, you’re looking for?” I stepped out from behind the counter and approached her slowly. Her shoulders lowered a fraction, and her smile reached her eyes. I must have managed a genuine one of my own.
“I’m looking for a Thai cookbook. My son wants Panang curry for dinner, and I have no idea where to start.”
I chuckled and headed to the third row. “I have several Thai cookbooks. There’s one, in particular, I love using, but I will be honest. You will have to take a trip into the city to grab the ingredients. Personally, I found that buying the curry paste is far tastier than trying to make it. You have to find shrimp paste anyway.”
“Is it difficult to get the taste right when making it from scratch?”
I stopped by the section she needed and pulled a couple books from the shelf. “I never got it right, which is why I finally broke down and bought the paste. The one in the tub with the purple label is the best. If you’re still interested in embarking on the adventure, here are several books to choose from.”
She smiled and accepted the books. “Thank you so much. I appreciate the advice.”
“Anytime. I’ll be at the counter if you have any other questions.” The tightness in my chest eased a fraction. I wasn’t a complete pariah yet.
Back at the counter, I grabbed the glass cleaning cloths and wiped the smudges my elbows left behind. I loved the antique glass-topped display case. I had tarot cards, a rare first edition copy of The Velveteen Rabbit, and a few other books on Wicca.
