Pointy Hats and Witchy Cats

by Addison Creek

  “We won’t have to leave. Why would you think such a thing?” I asked.

  “Because if we get kicked out of the coven, that’s the only option. They aren’t going to move the unicorns away from here, they’re going to move us. They don’t care if they rip us from our family home or not.”

  “I’m sure it won’t come to that,” I said.

  “Have you gotten any better with crystal ball reads?” she asked.

  All I usually saw when I looked into the crystal ball was a pink haze. So, no. Even though it was my favorite part of witchcraft training, I was, sadly, not very good at it. I went to bed every night and tried to think positive thoughts, because I had heard that might help. Unfortunately, all that came into my mind was uselessly tapping at the glass of the crystal ball.

  “Do you know how long it’s been since a witch family was kicked out of the coven? I don’t think one of the pillar families has ever been kicked out, actually,” Lowe stewed. “The last time any family left was thirty-one years ago. They just kept having boys. Eventually it caught up to them.”

  She couldn’t seem to stop herself. “This is probably the only world in which girls are preferred,” she went on. “Of course, nobody likes to say that, but it’s true. Witches are female, after all. Well, this family had a lovely home and everything. They had an expansive garden that the mother and the family spent countless hours cultivating. Flowers from all over the world, vegetables, everything bright and rich and beautiful. It was perfect. Well, they were given an hour to leave their family home, never to return.

  “Luckily with all of those boys, they had a lot of manpower, but even so, they were unprepared. They had some random third cousin who was supposed to pass the test but had failed. And do you know why? She failed to cast a basic calling spell properly. It was the most obvious thing in the world, and she couldn’t do it. Her shoes were immediately revoked. The family left in shame. The coven didn’t care about the garden, so they gave the house to a family that didn’t have a green thumb. The flowers wilted and died and the vegetables rotted in the ground. Nobody ever heard from the family again.”

  By the time she ended this sad tale, Lowe was sitting at the table, her eyes intent on my face as if she was trying to read the future there.

  My mouth was hanging slightly open, but I couldn’t seem to do anything about it. I was so shocked at her outburst that I couldn’t think of a thing to say.

  At last I managed a feeble protest. “I don’t think telling me about the ruination of an entire family makes me feel any better about the pressure I’m under.”

  “Of course it doesn’t. The coven is trying to scare us witless, and they’re succeeding. This is awful. We’re only going to have an hour to leave. I have to keep packing,” she said, springing to her feet so fast I had to sit back a bit to get out of her way.

  There didn’t seem to be anything I could do to stop her, and in the end I decided I didn’t need the stress. I let her go, and she was gone in a flash.

  Then a purring noise drew my attention to my feet, and I looked down to see Tiger rubbing my ankles. He was the softest and smartest cat I had ever seen, and his presence calmed me after Lowe’s panic. I reached down to scratch his nose, having discovered that this was a particular favorite way he liked to be petted.

  “It’s going to be okay, isn’t it?” I asked him.

  He just kept purring. I sincerely hoped that meant yes.

  “We’re ready for your fittings,” said my grandmother, coming in from the back field.

  I polished off the last of my yogurt and said, “I didn’t know there were fittings.”

  “Of course there are fittings. Kyra and Kayla are here to help,” she said.

  “Who?” I asked.

  “The foremost designers in Twinkleford,” scoffed Bethel.

  “Excuse me for not knowing everything before I’m told,” I muttered into my empty bowl.

  “Chop chop. Time’s a’ wastin’. You have a lot of outfits to try on, and you’re not the only hopeful they need help. Come along,” my grandmother ordered.

  No room in Bethel’s house was bit enough for several of us to move around in, so she took me across the street to Linda and Lucky’s place, where there was a spacious living room. Their bathroom was tiny, and that’s where they expected me to change, but at least all of us could fit in the living room to assess the outfits.

  Lucky’s design aesthetic could only be described as interesting and eccentric, a sort of Wild West meets Tchotchke Heaven. She had all kinds of knickknacks and cheap-looking pictures crowding the walls. An old carpet led along the hallway to the living room. I was pretty sure that Lisa had been in charge of decorating that room, mostly because there was enough space in it to move and breathe.

  Already seated on one of the overstuffed sofas were two young women, so alike that the couldn’t be anything but twins. One of them had shaved the right side of her head and the other the left, so that when they stood together it almost looked as if they were one person. Not to mention that their hair was orange.

  They were both dressed in tight, incredibly ornate outfits. They seemed to be in their early thirties.

  Both ladies dashed out of their seats and came to greet me with extended hands. Their nails were bright and colorful; in fact, they were sparkling, as if the twins had glued little jewels to each nail. When I took a second look, I realized that that was exactly what they had done.

  Their makeup was no less bright. Blue eyeshadow and pink lips ensured that they would stand out in any crowd. I knew perfectly well that I would never have the confidence to wear a single article of the clothing or decoration that they were wearing.

  “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Kyra,” said the one who got to me first. I searched for any distinguishing characteristics between them, not sure the hair would be enough.

  “I’m Kayla,” the second one offered. “If you’re looking to tell us apart, we always try to wear different shoes.”

  I glanced down. Today Kayla was wearing yellow shoes, while Kyra’s were white. Okay, so they had given me a lifeline. Now at least I could tell them apart if I looked at the floor first, but I had no idea what would happen the next time I saw them and they had different shoes and still looked exactly the same otherwise. I decided to worry about that when the time came.

  “We took the liberty of getting your dresses ready,” said Kyra-with-the-white-shoes. “Bethel tried to give us some direction as to what you might like, but since you’re new here, you may not realize that most of what you wear is dictated by custom. The Rhinestone witches have been wearing the same outfits for generations.

  “When a new member joins, all the outfit design requires is a bit of an update. Now, you have two outfits for the weekend. We also got your cape, shoes, and hat ready in the event that you pass your examinations.

  “That was the most exciting bit, if I do say so myself. The Rhinestone witches really get the best outfits. Given that you’re one of the first families, you’ve always gotten to pick beautiful clothing.” Here she finally had to stop and take a breath, but she had one last thought that she had to get out.

  “The only family that comes close to the Rhinestones in terms of style is the Carlisles. They have excellent bought-and-paid-for style, if I do say so myself,” she gushed.

  When she was finished at last, she took a big gulp of air, gazing around with pleasure at her audience. I knew I was staring at her, but I couldn’t help it. She sounded like Bailey without the condescension. Clothes had never been very important to me, though I’d had to learn to pretend a bit. I liked to look nice, but the history of style was beyond me.

  “Some people buy style and some people are born with it. A perfect confluence is when there is both,” said Bethel.

  “Anybody can have style, even if they aren’t rich,” said Lucky.

  “I agree. Her cloak, shoes, and hat will look beautiful,” said Lisa.

  “Money just lets you have more options for the
same dress,” said Bethel dryly.

  “Thanks for doing all of this. I had no idea you were working so hard,” I said.

  “Of course you didn’t. Bethel didn’t want to distract you from the work you had to do. Spellcasting is far more important than what we’re doing. She only told you when it was absolutely necessary. We’ve only had a couple of consultations with her, but she knows perfectly well that any time she needed anything from us, we’d be there,” Kayla explained.

  I nodded my head, overwhelmed.

  The twins bustled me to the bathroom, but it was too small for the three of us to fit into all at once. In fact, I could barely fit on my own. So they stood outside the door and handed me the first dress, but I was so nervous I nearly dropped it before I could get a good grip on it. The material was heavy and dripping with crystals.

  “You’re a Rhinestone witch, after all. We can’t have you as a wallflower,” said Kyra firmly.

  I managed to get the dress on, but I couldn’t zip it up in the back. It felt absolutely spectacular sliding over my skin; I had never felt such rich material. Maybe Bailey dressed this well on a regular basis, but I certainly didn’t. I kept checking myself in the mirror to confirm that it was real.

  “Kayla here,” came a voice from outside the door. “How’s it going in there?”

  “I’m ready. I just couldn’t zip up the back,” I called out.

  “Don’t worry. That’s what we’re here for,” a voice assured me as I made my way out of the bathroom. The dress was so flowing, it required me to do a dance with the door to get around it.

  I wrenched the door open and stared into the cramped hallway where the twins were waiting. When they saw me, they both gasped.

  “You look unbelievable,” said Kayla “I had hoped that the dress would look that good, but I didn’t really dare to assume it would fit so well with your personal style. Now that I’ve seen you, I totally believe you would look exactly that gorgeous. Well. We are good at our jobs!” She turned to her sister and gave her a high five.

  “It’s beautiful. I think it’s a bit long, though,” I said, staring at my feet. The dress had several inches dragging on the ground. I tried to tuck it upwards, but that didn’t work very well either.

  “You’ll be wearing witch shoes with it,” said Kyra. “We have a couple of options you can try out for practice. They’re a lot like high heels. The dress won’t be that long once you have heels on. You do know how to wear high heels, don’t you?”

  “I’ve tried to walk in them before. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m good at it,” I said, sounding as unsure as I felt.

  “Don’t worry,” said Kyra. “I’m sure you’re better than you think. Anyhow, you don’t have to try them on right now. Let’s go show the others.”

  The twins headed for Lucky’s living room, while I hiked up my dress a bit and followed at a waddle, feeling sophisticated and beautiful despite the slight clumsiness. It was a reminder that the right clothes had a way of giving confidence, an entirely foreign feeling for me.

  I found myself wondering what it would be like for Quinn to see me in this dress. Would he look at me as more than a troublesome murder suspect? I suppose I wasn’t precisely a murder suspect; he just thought I was an accomplice. How would it be to dance with him while wearing the most beautiful gown in the world, his strong arms wrapped around my shoulders and back?

  I shivered, not sure if it was from the cool air touching my skin or from something else.

  “What do you think?” I asked Lisa, Lucky, and Bethel as I came through the living room door.

  “I’ve never seen anything so gorgeous,” Lisa assured me.

  Kyra and Kayla beamed.

  It seemed that despite the fact that they were already the most respected designers in town, they still appreciated praise.

  The only one in the room who remained silent was Bethel.

  I suddenly felt incredibly nervous. Bethel was the Rhinestone matriarch, the only one who really had to be impressed.

  After the praise died down, there was an awkward, brief silence. Then Bethel rose to her feet, her hands unconsciously smoothing her skirts as she paced around me once and then a second time. Both the sisters shifted nervously. They clearly valued her opinion almost as much as I did.

  “That’s an awful lot of shimmer on those black sequins,” she said absently. “I think it needs to be let out a bit at the hip.”

  “It’s the style these days to have a lot of shimmer on sequins,” said Kayla.

  “It’s all the rage,” said Kyra.

  My grandmother lifted a disapproving eyebrow. “I don’t support following trends, but I do support my granddaughter looking splendid, which she does. You look beautiful,” she finished, looking directly into my eyes.

  The pads of her fingers were smooth and soft as she reached up and cupped my face. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had touched my face so lovingly, as if I was the most important thing in the world to them—as if I was family.

  I covered her hands with mine. “Don’t worry. I’ll pass this exam and become a witch. We aren’t going to be kicked out of the house, not on my watch,” I said.

  My grandmother smiled thinly. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. Ladies, the second outfit, if you please?”

  If I thought the dress was beautiful, splendid, and unbelievable, the second outfit was truly remarkable.

  Unique and unusual where the best ways to describe the purple pantsuit the twins brought out next. This wasn’t some pantsuit you’d find back in the day. It was sharp and incredibly well tailored. There were no padded shoulders. The pants flared at the bottom and the jacket gave me a razor-sharp waist and curves I definitely didn’t have for real. The shirt they gave me for underneath the jacket was a frilly blouse with a wide opening. Oh, and did I mention that the shirt was a bright blue? With rhinestones along the collar? I looked crazy and wonderful all at once.

  Standing outside the bathroom again, the twins debated whether to give me a rhinestone belt or not.

  “Ask the ladies in the living room,” they agreed at last.

  “She’s a Rhinestone after all,” said my grandmother when presented with the question. “These outfits are for your actual exams. You want to be able to move. You can’t exactly throw ingredients into a cauldron in a fancy gown.”

  “I don’t usually wear bright colors,” I told them.

  “What you usually did before you came here doesn’t matter anymore. Live a little,” said Lisa, the corners of her eyes crinkling with amusement.

  “Don’t you have any family heirloom belts we could add to this outfit?” Kayla asked.

  “I might have something, but I don’t want to make any promises. I’ll have a look,” said Bethel.

  After a little more discussion of tailoring, accessories, makeup, and worst of all my hair, the consultation was over. I was tired. I couldn’t wait to crawl into bed.

  Part of me still couldn’t believe all of this was real. I was in full swing in the process of becoming a witch. That’s what my mother had been and that’s why I had lost her. Finally I knew. Now it was just a matter of saving my sister.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Finally, my outfits for the debutant weekend were set, my spellcasting was practiced, and Lowe’s possessions were packed. I figured there was about a five percent chance that I was going to carry the family through this crisis.

  Guilt washed over me in great waves. I fervently wished I could help the Rhinestones remain in the coven that was as old as time. My inability to gaze into the crystal ball properly or to flick my wrist with appropriate flare, not to mention my difficulty in putting the right potion ingredients at the right temperature into the cauldron at exactly the right time, made that highly unlikely.

  “Debutant weekend is here!” a voice yelled in my ear. I shot into a seated position and looked wildly around.

  My room was empty, but the window was open, so I told myself the voice must have come from o
utside. I threw off the covers and peered over the sill, but there was no one outside either, nor could the clear voice have come through the closed door to the hallway.

  The bad dreams had gotten considerably worse over the past few days as stress had consumed me. I kept reminding myself that I was a Rhinestone witch. My magic wasn’t in question. It was in there somewhere, and all it took to bring it out was a lot of practice. Potion-making and Seer abilities could be cultivated. I loved the crystal balls. Not long from now I’d look back on this time and think what a piece of cake it had been.

  So I kept telling myself.

  The actual weekend would go something like this: There would be examinations during the day, then we’d break for dinner and get ready for the ball. Those witches who had passed would be presented to the Twinkleford public.

  “Wake up!” Bethel called from the other side of the door, this time for real. I rolled out of bed and flung the door open.

  About to give my grandmother a piece of my mind, I caught sight of her face.

  “Your father is here,” she said, and turned on her heel.

  My breath caught.

  Dad!

  A huge range of emotions rushed through me. He must not have been satisfied with my letter. Guilt still washed over me regularly for leaving him, but I knew I wasn’t the only one who should feel guilty.

  I pulled on some jeans and a sweater and went downstairs. The day wasn’t cold, but the house was still drafty in the mornings. For now, I needed to talk to my father.

  He was seated at the kitchen table with a full mug of tea in front of him. Bethel was bustling around the kitchen sink. They were both silent.

  “Kiddo!” Dad jumped to his feet when I entered and came to give me a hug. I hugged him back, and after one more squeeze he pulled away. I might have been imagining it, but I thought he might have a few more gray hairs than he’d had before.

  “You look great!” He grabbed my shoulders and stood a step back to look at me. “You’ve really come into your own.

  At that Bethel glanced over her shoulder, and I pulled out the necklace I’d gotten from Morice. My dad nodded with approval. “Sorry it took me so long to come. There were complications.”