A Call to Charms

by Denise Swanson

  They gave each other a look I couldn’t decipher, then the woman held out her arms and said, “Alexandria, darling, it’s so good to see you. We’re your aunt and uncle, but please call us Nora and Bryn.”

  “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”

  I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of a hug, but I knew I didn’t have a choice unless I wanted to look like a real bitch, so I came around the candy display case and allowed myself to be enveloped in a cloud of expensive perfume. After my uncle had his turn, I returned to my original position behind the counter and waited.

  “We were so sorry not to be here to greet you when you arrived.” Nora adjusted the gorgeous blue pashmina around her shoulders and toyed with her silver necklace. “But I’m sure Elissa took you under her wing and made sure you had what you needed.”

  “Between her and Uncle Will, I’ve been taken care of very well.”

  At the mention of my honorary uncle, Bryn’s mouth tightened. It was only for an instant, and his eyes remained expressionless, but I was sure I hadn’t imagined his reaction. What about Uncle Will had caused the tension to appear around his lips?

  “Well, now that we’ve returned, I hope you’ll call on us for any assistance.”

  Bryn’s lush, thick accent startled me and my aunt must have seen the surprise on my face because she explained, “Bryn is from Mont Pulcianoa, a town in Italy with the same extraordinary properties as Echo Springs. We go there after Christmas and stay through the end of March.”

  “I imagine the weather is much better there,” I said, then searching for something to talk about, I asked, “How did you two meet?”

  “There’s an exchange program between special towns like ours.” Bryn’s brown eyes twinkled and reminded me of expensive brandy. “Otherwise the bloodlines would get too genetically narrow.”

  “People in Echo Springs do marry each other,” Nora elaborated. “But enough choose partners from other towns to keep our genes vital.”

  “Good to know.”

  We exchanged a few more pleasantries, then Nora said, “We must be off, but we’ll see you tomorrow at the ball. You’ll sit at our table of course.”

  “Of course.” I agreed, having no idea what my other options might be.

  After my aunt and uncle left, the rest of the day was routine. I was happy that no one came in looking for a charm, but the real relief was that no one tried to kill me.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Ghouls Just Want to Have Fun

  After I closed up for the day, I toyed with the idea of stopping at Uncle Will’s before heading to the dress shop. I wanted to know why he hadn’t told me about the Spring Ball. But if I showed up at his office he was bound to ask me about the estate papers, so instead, I fired off a snippy text warning him I would need to use the credit card he gave me as I had to buy a gown for the ball he hadn’t mentioned to me.

  And while I was at it, I sent a similar message to Elissa. One of them should have warned me that there was a formal event that I was expected to attend.

  I had checked the Althorp’s Fine Apparel Website and fortunately, the store was open until seven on Thursdays. Now if I could just catch a break, Princess Di, I mean Francine wouldn’t be working.

  Of course, my luck wasn’t that good, and she met me as I walked in the door. Her upper crust British accent rubbed me the wrong way, but I pasted a cheery expression on my face and returned her greeting.

  After glancing around and seeing that I was her only customer, I looked at Francine and said, “As it turns out, I didn’t pack any gowns when I moved here, so I need one for Friday night’s ball.”

  “Oh, my.” Her forehead wrinkled under her wispy blond bangs. “I’m afraid I don’t have much of a selection in your size.” She tilted her head, appraisingly. “You’re an eighteen, right?”

  “Well,” I gritted my teeth, “beggars can’t be choosers. And I’m a sixteen unless the designer runs small.” Honestly, in a formal gown, she was probably right, but I wouldn’t admit that to her.

  “I have two in each of those sizes.” Francine swept her the center of the store where a small sofa and two matching chairs were arranged. “Have a seat. I’ll bring out the evening gowns. I keep them in the back as there isn’t usually a lot of call for them.”

  Once she left, I tried to make myself comfortable on the couch, but the mannequin looking down on the seating arrangement made me nervous. I kept turning around and staring at the faceless woman.

  She was wearing black and white geometric patterned capris and a red top. I wasn’t sure if was the lack of features or the fact the top should have been black that bothered me. But something was making my skin crawl.

  Finally, I forced myself to stop checking on the mannequin and look around the shop. The walls were lined with racks of clothing organized by color. I was tempted to take a quick look at the tags to see what the prices were like, but before I could get up, I heard footsteps. A second or two later, Francine appeared with a gown in each hand.

  I recognized a Ralph Lauren and an Adrianna Papell. The Lauren was a classy black number with a metallic jacquard flared skirt, and the Papell was a blouson in a lilac gray beaded chiffon.

  Francine held out the latter gown and said, “This would be a good shape for you, but the color won’t be flattering with your fair skin.”

  “It will wash me out.” I nodded my agreement with her assessment. “I’m not crazy about full skirts, but I’ll try the Lauren.”

  “Let me put it in a fitting room for you, and I’ll grab the other two.”

  So far Francine was very gracious, and I wondered if my initial reaction to her was because of my mother’s Princess Di obsession. Maybe the snootiness I thought I’d detected in her when we first met was more in my imagination than in any reality.

  I was still contemplating my possible bias when Francine returned with a sequined silver gown from a designer I didn’t recognize and a gorgeous Aidan Mattox.

  She held up the silver one and said, “This is a sixteen, but it runs small.”

  “It’s not really my style anyway and I’ve never been a fan of silver.” I pointed to the other one and said, “But I love the Mattox.”

  “It’s my favorite for you too.” Francine beamed. “The cloud blue color will look amazing with your copper hair.” She frowned and bit her lip. “Unfortunately, it is the most expensive of the four.”

  “Hmm.” I pondered my meager resources, then said. “I still want to try it.”

  “Yes. You must.” Francine clapped her hands and said, “This way.”

  “Thank you.” I smiled and followed her. “It was a relief to see that you were open late tonight. I just found out about the ball this morning and had to wait until after the candy store closed.”

  “There’s always a last-minute customer on Thursday nights.” She didn’t explain the reason for the Thursday evening rush, instead as she ushered me into a spacious fitting room, she asked, “Now that you’ve had a chance to learn about the true Echo Springs, how do you like it?”

  “It seems like a very nice little town,” I answered noncommittally.

  “And have you come to accept all the special abilities of its citizens and your place in the community?” Francine stepped out of the dressing room and closed the door behind her, but she spoke through the louvers. “I mean it had to be difficult after growing up with no knowledge of your families’ gifts.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  I wasn’t about to discuss the whole magic situation with her when she might be the one who had talked about killing me at the welcome party.

  Turning my attention to the dresses. I quickly shed my khakis and long-sleeved polo shirt, then glanced at my feet and wished I had my high heels on instead of loafers. I knew the Lauren would fit and look okay on me. I’d worn that label before, but I tried it first anyway, saving the one I really liked for last.

  Once I slipped the gown over my head, I opened the fitting room door and asked, “Could you zip me?”
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  Francine obliged, then stepped back, gestured to a raised dais in front of a three-way mirror and invited, “Let’s see how you look.”

  After inspecting myself from all angles, I said, “It fits well and looks nice.” And it did, but it wasn’t the one that I liked the most.

  “Yes, but doesn’t do as much for you as I think the other one will.” Francine took my elbow and pulled me toward the fitting room. “Go ahead. Try on the cloud blue one and see what you think.”

  I returned to the fitting room and slipped the Mattox over my head. It had a body-skimming fit through the bust and waist, then flared slightly over my hips. The sweetheart neckline showed enough cleavage to be sexy without being slutty, and the built-in bra meant I wouldn’t have to worry about the thin shoulder straps. The A-line skirt was covered in cascading tulle ruffles and would be the perfect length with my three-inch bone heels.

  Even before I stepped out of the fitting room and onto the dais, I loved the dress.

  Francine zipped me up, then stood back and breathed, “It’s perfect.” She fingered the gold bangle on her wrist and said, “You look beautiful. You’ll have to fight the men off with a stick.”

  “I really like it.” Twirling around, I admired how the ruffles moved.

  I should have checked the price when I was in the fitting room, but I’d been afraid to see the number. Now, I took a deep breath and went for it. But as I tried to grasp the tag, Francine intercepted me. I feinted to the left and made a successful grab at it, then turned the little cardboard square so I could see the amount.

  I gulped and Francine said, “It is on the pricey side.”

  You think? Thankfully, I didn’t say that out loud, only to myself.

  Aloud, I murmured, “I shouldn’t spend so much for a dress. I probably won’t be able to wear again.” I fingered the material. “Even if it is utterly gorgeous and seems to be made for me.”

  “Maybe we can make a deal.” Francine’s big blue eyes held a crafty gleam.

  “Like what?” I kept staring at my image in the mirror, and I almost felt hypnotized.

  “I’ll sell you the dress at my cost, and you’ll owe me a favor.”

  “What kind of favor?” I knew that I should say no and take the perfectly nice Lauren dress, but although I like to think of myself as a responsible adult, I tend to lie to myself about stuff like that.

  “Nothing awful,” Francine giggled. “Just a charm I might need in the future.”

  “For what?”

  “Why don’t you go change into your street clothes and we can discuss this over some bubbly.” Francine glanced at her watch. “It’s past closing time, so I’ll lock up and meet you in the lounge area.”

  Before I could answer, she hurried away. My mind racing, I carefully took off the gown and hung it on its padded hanger. Then I put on my slacks and top and walked out into the front of the store.

  Francine was seated on the sofa and patted the cushion next to her. I sat down, and she handed me a crystal flute of champagne.

  “If I promise you I don’t want a charm to harm anyone, will that be enough?” Francine took a swallow of the golden liquid.

  “I hadn’t even thought of that.” I wrinkled my nose at the bubbles as I sipped the delicious nectar. “Actually, I’m not even sure I can give you a charm unless it’s something you truly need.”

  Okay. I had vowed not to discuss magic with her, but I caved in with that gorgeous gown dangling metaphorically in front of me.

  “It is something I need.” Francine's cheeks turned pink. “I suspect my husband is losing interest in me. Or maybe just never loved me as much as I loved him. Now he wants to try for a baby, but I need to know one way or the other before I get pregnant.”

  “Oh.” I thought it over as I drank a little more champagne. It seemed like something that would be all right to use my family’s ability to accomplish. And I did want that dress. After a few more seconds of indecision, I wrestled my conscience into submission and said, “That sounds like something I can do. Let me know when you want it, and I’ll give it my best shot. But you know that I’m a novice at this charm stuff, right?”

  “Believe me.” Francine beamed. “Something like what I need will be a piece of cake for you.”

  As she leaned over to hug me, out of the corner of my eye. I caught a slight movement behind us. Instinct took over, and I snatched her arm and jerked both of us to our feet. A nanosecond later, the mannequin toppled from its stand and crashed into the couch.

  Looking at the smashed dummy, I gasped as I saw that her extended right arm had pierced the sofa cushion where I’d just been sitting. If I hadn’t gotten out of the way, there was a good chance that I would have been seriously injured.

  Francine had been beside me and in the same danger, so she couldn’t have been responsible for the mannequin’s fall. The shop was locked up, so unless someone was hiding, it had to have been an accident.

  Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was another attempt on my life.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Face the Magic

  I had begun to accept that everything Elissa had told me was true. There was just too much evidence and too many Echo Springians who talked about it as if it was a fact to deny it any longer. Unfortunately, now that I was a believer, I was even more uneasy about my new life.

  If it was true that I was the Shield of the good magic, it was also true that the other side wanted me dead. And that meant attending the Spring Ball was like walking through a minefield. In snowshoes. Blindfolded.

  There were a few other obstacles in going to the dance. One, I either had to close the candy store early or ask Inga to come in since I couldn’t work until six and get to the hotel ballroom by six-thirty. Second, I wasn’t sure I could drive the truck’s stick shift in a long dress. And third, the shoes I had been hoping to wear with my gown must have gotten left behind in Chicago.

  Yes, those were more mundane complications than someone out to murder me, but they were still problems. The first two were easily solved. Inga agreed to cover the store from four to closing and Elissa answered my snippy text by offering to drive me to the ball.

  That only left the shoe situation. It was six fifteen, my cousin would be by to pick me up at any moment, and I still was standing around in my stocking feet. I held a black sandal in one hand and a bone pump in the other. Neither was dressy enough for the occasion.

  Briefly, I tried to use magic to conjure the right footwear, but no matter how hard I concentrated, nothing happened. Evidently, whatever force controlled my ability didn’t think formal shoes qualified as a real need. I’d have to ask Elissa about that.

  Wait a minute! Wasn’t there a pair of silver high heels among Aunt Pandora’s things?

  I hurried out to the garage where I had stacked the boxes I’d filled with the contents of her closet. Shoving them around until I found the one I wanted, I tore open the flaps and dug through until I found the pair I remembered. Since we appeared to be so physically similar, I could only hope that my aunt’s pumps would fit.

  They were a tiny bit big, but I rushed back inside and stuffed the toes with tissue. I was walking around making sure the shoes would stay on my feet when I heard Elissa’s car coming up our shared driveway.

  Grabbing my evening bag and the lace stole that Francine had given me as a gift to apologize for her mannequin almost shish kabobbing me, I dashed outside. Elissa was behind the wheel of a cute orange MINI Cooper and waved enthusiastically when she saw me.

  As I settled in the passenger seat, I was surprised at how roomy the car was inside. My dress and I fit just fine. Almost before I got my door closed, Elissa hit the gas, and I hurriedly fastened my seatbelt.

  Rocketing down the street, Elissa beamed at me, then gestured between her dress and mine. “It’s almost as if we planned this.”

  She was right. We were not only wearing the same designer, but our gowns were also the same cloud blue and basic style. But hers had bead
ing and was more fitted instead of flounced. I glanced down at her feet. She had on a gorgeous pair of Badgley Mischka embellished d’Orsay stilettos, and I had to swallow my jealousy before I could speak.

  “Did you get yours at Francine’s store?” I finally was able to ask.

  “Where else?” Elissa shot me a look. “I mean, is it worth risking a couple of days of aging to drive to Kansas City to shop?”

  “True.”

  Suddenly Elissa hit the brakes, threw the car in reverse, and neatly paralleled parked in front of the hotel. I was shocked that we’d gotten such a good spot. Had my cousin used a charm to get it?

  Once the MINI Copper was tucked between two large sedans, she shook her finger at me and said, “How long did it take you to be convinced about the magic?”

  “Not long enough,” I muttered exiting the vehicle. Then as we walked to the door, something dawned on me and I said, “You aren’t on the council, right?” She shook her head and I asked, “Then why are you here so early? I thought everyone else had until seven.”

  “I was in charge of making sure you got here.” Elissa’s cheeks reddened. “My mom seemed to think you weren’t too thrilled about attending, and our family absolutely has to be represented by our council member.”

  “Oh.” I couldn’t recall saying anything about not going to the ball to my aunt and uncle, but then again one of our family’s powers was the ability to read people’s emotions, and I hadn’t been trying to block her. Clearly, I needed to work on that.

  “I’ll hang out at the bar until the meeting is over.” Elissa licked her lips. “I can definitely use a drink before the ball starts.”

  She started to turn off into the lounge area, but I stopped her with a hand on her arm and asked, “Can you teach me how to put up a wall so people can’t use their abilities on me so easily.”

  “Sure.” She patted my fingers. “Let’s get together tomorrow for a girls' night and I’ll show you then.” She dug through her purse, pulled out a folded fan, and after murmuring a few words, she gave it to me and said, “If you feel someone nudging you to do something or intruding on your thoughts, hold this up between you and the person.”