Alchemy and Arson

by Lily Webb

  “Where are we?” she whispered.

  “I don’t know.”

  Seconds later, Circe appeared in a loud crack. She flung her wand in the direction of a nearby fireplace and it burst to life with flame, making Grandma shout. Pictures of Circe and Raina on the mantle flickered in the light from the fire. Were we at Circe’s?

  “What on earth were you thinking, Zoe? Are you trying to get yourself thrown out of town, or worse?”

  “No, I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking, maybe I wasn’t thinking at all —”

  “Clearly you weren’t. Mrs. Clarke, I’m sorry we met this way, but such is life,” Circe said to Grandma, who looked completely bewildered. She sat staring at Circe, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

  “She’s a little overwhelmed,” I said.

  “Rightfully so. Zoe, this is unbelievable,” Circe said. “What possessed you to go against the Council’s wishes?”

  “I didn’t feel like it was fair as a ruling after all I’ve done,” I said, my face burning as I realized how lame it sounded coming out of my mouth.

  “That’s childish and you know it. You should thank Lilith herself it was me who found you two and not someone — or something — else lurking in the darkness,” Circe said.

  “Now hold on a tootin’ minute. Zoe, you lied to me?” Grandma asked and I knew I was in serious trouble.

  “Well, I’d say it was more a stretch of the truth than a —”

  “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, where did I go wrong with you, child?” Grandma interrupted, throwing her hands in the air. Despite her anger, Circe smiled.

  “Mrs. Clarke, it’s not safe in Moon Grove right now for anyone, much less for someone who isn’t familiar with magic and the magical world,” Circe said. “Under normal circumstances, I’d arrange for you to return home immediately, but that’s not possible tonight.”

  “You mean because of the hour?” Grandma asked. Circe frowned and shook her head.

  “No, because of a temporary curfew that’s been implemented for everyone’s safety,” Circe said.

  “Safety?” Grandma repeated.

  “Yes. Tonight we’re experiencing a Blood Moon, which aggravates the conditions of werewolves and makes them much more dangerous,” Circe explained.

  “Werewolves?” Grandma gasped. All the color drained from her face and she looked like she might pass out.

  “Correct. For reasons I can’t explain, your granddaughter decided it would be a good idea to try to sneak you into town when it wasn’t safe,” Circe said and Grandma scowled at me.

  “Okay, okay, I get it. I screwed up bad. You don’t have to rub it in,” I groaned. “Grandma’s here now and that’s that. What are we going to do?”

  “There’s no better place for your grandmother to be than here,” Circe said. “She can stay with me tonight, and possibly for a few more days if necessary until we can arrange for her to return home safely.”

  “And then what? Am I going to be put on trial?” I asked.

  “As I said, you were lucky to be found by me and not someone else. Though I’m disappointed, I won’t throw you under the broom, Zoe. Assuming we’re able to fix this without anyone finding out — a rather brazen assumption — we can pretend it never happened and ensure it never happens again,” Circe said.

  “Thank you,” I said. Though I had no right to her kindness after the way I’d gone behind her back, I was grateful for it regardless.

  “Werewolves…” Grandma muttered, clearly off in her own world. Maybe that was just her way of coping with things.

  “You need to get home. Does anyone else know about this? Anyone at all?” Circe asked.

  “Just my roommate, Flora. Oh, and my cat, but I don’t think that matters much,” I said.

  “Assuming she doesn’t tell anyone what she knows, no, it shouldn’t,” Circe said.

  “Luna wouldn’t betray me,” I said.

  “Wait, Luna can talk?” Grandma asked.

  “You’ve got a lot to learn, Gram,” I sighed.

  “But it won’t be this time,” Circe said. “Don’t worry about her, Zoe. I’ll make sure she’s taken care of and has everything she needs until it’s time to leave.”

  “Thank you again, I don’t deserve this,” I said, feeling intensely ashamed of myself. Circe and her sister Raina had bent over backward for me, and this was how I repaid them?

  “I expect better of you going forward, Zoe,” Circe said as she pointed her wand at me again. “Now go home and stay there. Evanesco!”

  Seconds later, I found myself back in Flora’s living room, my head buzzing. Flora screamed from where she sat on the couch and Luna jumped three feet in the air.

  “Zoe! Are you okay? Where’s your grandmother?” Flora asked as she rushed to me.

  “She’s at Circe’s house. It’s a long story,” I sighed.

  I’d screwed up everything.

  Chapter Four

  Trying to stay focused at work the next day was like trying to walk on water. No matter what I looked at or what came across my desk, all I could think about was Grandma.

  Though I knew she was safe at Circe’s house, that didn’t stop me worrying about the punishment I was sure to face for breaking the rules and defying the Council’s ruling. That fear didn’t get any better when I came across stories of things that had been destroyed by unruly werewolves overnight.

  The fact that I hadn’t run into any myself while I was out gallivanting in the dark was a miracle. Circe was right, it was lucky she found me and Grandma rather than someone else. I shuddered every time I thought about it.

  “How are you holding up?” Flora asked and I jumped. I hadn’t heard her come to my desk.

  “Oh, you know, just another day,” I laughed. The truth was I felt like I was coming unraveled.

  “Aw, Zoe, I’m sorry. What do you think’s going to happen?”

  “I have no idea. Circe said she would keep it all under wraps for my sake, but that doesn’t mean the word hasn’t spread. If there’s anything I’ve learned in my short time in this town it’s that no one can keep a secret,” I sighed.

  Though the curfew was in place for everyone last night, I wondered if I was the only one out wandering around when I wasn’t supposed to be. If it was as easy for me to get to the town gates as it was, was there anything stopping others from doing the same?

  I just hoped no one saw me or Grandma. If word got out, it could be the end of me personally and professionally.

  “Well, good luck. Try not to let your head get away from you in all this,” Flora said.

  “Easier said than done.”

  “Maybe you should go out and get some fresh air for a while. You know, to take your mind off things,” Flora suggested.

  It wasn’t the worst idea in the world, and it wasn’t the first time it’d occurred to me. If anything, I could use it as an excuse to drop by Town Hall to talk to Circe. Surely, if anyone had a comment to make about the Blood Moon and its effects, it would be one of the Councilmembers, right?

  “Good idea. Will you tell Mitch I stepped out if he asks?”

  “Sure thing,” Flora said, smiling. “Don’t worry, Zoe. Everything will be fine.”

  “I hope you’re right,” I said as I pushed back from my desk and headed outside.

  Not even the sun’s rays on my face made me feel much better. I was too worried I was about to be accosted by someone asking me questions, questions I couldn’t answer.

  Now I knew how it felt to be on the other side of an interview.

  Though I’d seen reports about destroyed property, nothing in this part of town looked like it was out of sorts. Then again, maybe that wasn’t much of a surprise. Who in their right mind would go after the Town Hall, even if they didn’t have full control of themselves?

  I shoved through the double doors to find the hall relatively empty. Maybe everyone was out doing cleanup control instead of sitting around debating policy. In
any case, no one would notice if I slipped past, so I made my way down the hall toward Circe’s office and knocked on the door.

  No one answered. Was she even there? I could only imagine how busy Circe must’ve been after an eventful night like the one we’d just had, not to mention babysitting my grandmother.

  I knocked again, louder this time, and the door flung open a few seconds later. Circe looked wild-eyed like she hadn’t slept. That made two of us.

  “Hey, can I talk to you for a few minutes?” I asked, gingerly. I had no right to even make the request, but there I was.

  “About what?” Circe asked, eyeing me.

  “About the Blood Moon. You know, for the Messenger,” I lied, just in case anyone overheard.

  “Come in and close the door behind you,” Circe said, leaving me to stride back to her desk. I closed the door and stood rooted to the spot, unsure what to say.

  “How is everything?” I asked when she didn’t speak.

  “Fine, all things considered,” Circe said as she rummaged through the various stacks of papers on her desk. As cluttered as it was the last time I’d seen it, somehow it looked worse.

  “What does that mean?”

  “Your grandmother is understandably in a bit of shock after everything she’s seen, but she’s coping,” Circe said and a stab of guilt wrenched in my stomach.

  “I’m never going to be able to make this up to either one of you,” I groaned.

  “We shouldn’t be talking about this here,” Circe said.

  “Why not? There’s no one else around and it’s not like they can hear through walls,” I said.

  Circe looked sideways at me. “Are you sure about that?” she asked.

  “Fine. I guess I’d better get something for the paper while I’m here. Anything you care to share with me?”

  “I’m sure you probably know more than I do at this point,” Circe said.

  “I heard there were several cases of damaged property. Do you know anything about that?” I asked.

  “No, other than we’re all lucky no one was injured,” Circe said. “Particularly you.”

  “Circe, I’m so sorry, I—”

  Circe held up a hand to silence me.

  “As I said, not here,” Circe said.

  “Can I visit later?” I whispered. She nodded.

  “So long as you aren’t obvious and you’re sure you won’t be followed,” Circe said.

  “If I can sneak around town without getting caught under a curfew, I think I can manage to get to your house safely,” I said. “But I guess you’ll need to give me the address since I didn’t exactly walk through the front door.”

  “Here, take a card,” Circe said and reached for one of the business cards in a tray on her desk — probably the only thing in the entire room that was somewhat organized. She handed it over to me and I pocketed it without looking.

  “After dark, no sooner,” she whispered.

  “Okay, I guess I’ll see you then,” I said.

  “You can see yourself out, I’ve got things I need to take care of,” Circe said. She was clearly upset with me, not that I blamed her, but I didn’t know how to handle it. Nodding, I walked myself out of her office and back across the street to the Messenger, defeated.

  It was going to be another long day waiting for sunset.

  “So she didn’t tell you anything?” Flora asked, her arms crossed over her chest, her brows furrowed.

  “Not really, no. Circe said Grandma was okay, but she wouldn’t say anything more,” I said.

  “Well, I guess that’s all we can really hope for, isn’t it? I’m so sorry this happened, Zoe,” she said.

  “I’m just sorry I was dumb enough to think I could get away with it,” I said.

  “Clearly you're not the one with nine lives,” Luna said from her spot between us on the couch.

  We’d been sitting in the living room without saying much after work, all of us not-so-patiently waiting for the sun to set so I could visit Circe and Grandma.

  “I guess not. I wonder what Grandma’s been doing all day while Circe was at work,” I said.

  “I’m sure she’s not having a hard time entertaining herself. She was never high maintenance,” Luna said.

  “I can’t imagine how angry she must be with me,” I sighed. “That’s the worst part of all of this, knowing how much I let her down.”

  “Don’t beat up on yourself too much,” Flora said. “Though I obviously think you made a mistake, I think your heart was in the right place. I don’t know that I would’ve been capable of making a better choice in your shoes.”

  “That’s sweet of you to say, but you don’t have to kiss up to me,” I said. “Grandma will get over it eventually, I’m not too worried about her, but I don’t know how I’m going to smooth things over with Circe or if it’ll ever be the same again between us.”

  “Well, the only thing you can do is try. She likes you, maybe even loves you after the way you helped her solve her daughter’s murder, so I don’t think she’ll hold it against you for too long,” Flora said.

  “I hope not,” I said, staring out the window as the sun sank below the trees.

  “Do you know where you’re going?” Flora asked. I pulled out the card Circe had given me and held it up so Flora could read it.

  “Not exactly, but I’m sure I can figure it out. It looks that she doesn’t live far from her sister over on Moonbeam,” I said.

  “Good. It won’t look suspicious if anyone sees you walking through the Witches’ Quarter,” Flora said.

  “Well, I guess I should get this over with,” I sighed as I stood from the couch.

  “It’ll be fine. Maybe Circe already has a ticket booked to send your grandmother home and she’s just waiting for you to come over to say goodbye,” Flora said.

  “That would be the best case scenario, but somehow I doubt it,” I said.

  “Good luck,” Flora said as I stepped out the front door and walked idly toward the Witches’ Quarter in the northwest part of town. The moon had mostly returned to normal, though a red tinge lingered and it was still a little larger than it should’ve been.

  I turned left on Moonbeam Avenue and walked past number three, Raina’s house, hoping Circe hadn’t yet shared everything with her sister. It was bad enough I’d disappointed Circe; I couldn’t handle disappointing both of the Woods sisters.

  As I approached the end of the street and number twelve, the address listed on the business card Circe gave me, I noticed a faint green light flickering above the trees that surrounded her house.

  I picked up my pace, panic gripping my chest, and let out a gasp when I rounded the corner to find Circe’s house ablaze in bright green flames that could only have been magical.

  “No!” I screamed as I pulled my wand from my robes and ran toward the house, but skidded to a halt when the flames surged. The front door was wide open, but there wasn’t any indication Circe and Grandma had escaped.

  Everywhere I looked there was fire, a kind I’d never seen in my life. I racked my brain trying to think of a spell, anything that might help me put out the fire, but nothing came. As if my wand could read my desperation, sparks began to fly from its tip.

  “Zoe!” a voice sputtered and I squinted to find Grandma on her hands and knees among the bushes on the side of the house, her clothes covered in soot. I raced over to her and my ankle rolled as I stepped on something hard and round, sending me tumbling to the ground. What the…?

  I flailed in the dirt to find a golden piece that looked like some sort of stopper for a vial. Annoyed, I picked it up and tucked it into my robes to keep anyone else from tripping on it. I crawled to Grandma and examined her for any signs of injury. Aside from some burns on her clothes, she seemed to be fine.

  “What happened?”

  “I don’t know,” Grandma croaked, her voice raw from smoke inhalation. She coughed, the wheezing seizing her entire body, and I threw my arms around her. Thank Lilith she was okay — but wh
ere was Circe?

  “Did you see anything? Was it something inside the house that caught fire?” I asked, frantic.

  “No clue. I was in the living room and Circe was in the kitchen makin’ us some tea. Next thing I know, the house explodes in green and I can’t see or breathe or nothin’ so I did what they told us to do as kids: I got on my hands and knees and crawled out the front door,” Grandma said.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” I said and hugged her again, ignoring the sharp stench of smoke on her clothes. Was Circe still in the house, and if she was, how could I get her out without getting hurt myself?

  “Ain’t no way you can go in there, Zoe,” Grandma said. She must’ve read it on my face.

  “I have to do something, I can’t just leave her in there,” I said.

  “You’re a witch now, ain’t you? Can’t you put out the fire with some spell or other?”

  “I just got this thing, I barely know how to hold it, much less use it,” I said, slapping my wand against my leg as it continued to spark. Was it broken? Or was it just me who was broken?

  “There’s gotta be somethin’. Think fast, Sugar!” Grandma said. I released her and stood up, recalling every one of the few magical lessons I’d had since getting the wand. Nothing came to mind to help put out a fire, but maybe that wasn’t what I needed now.

  I held my wand straight up into the air and closed my eyes, willing the magic coursing through my blood to flow into the wand. It vibrated in my hand and when I opened my eyes, sparks shot from its tip into the sky and exploded like fireworks.

  If no one knew about the fire yet, they definitely would now.

  “‘Atta girl!” Grandma shouted before another coughing fit took over her.

  I helped Grandma up off the ground and walked her as far away as possible just to be safe. With flames that high and unpredictable, there was no telling if or when the roof might collapse.

  Every second counted, so I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard police sirens roar to life in the distance, barely audible over the roar of the flames. The cops might not be able to put out the fire, but they could probably save Circe if she was in danger.