by K E O'Connor
“Belly rubs!” Nugget growled and stalked away.
I shook my head and laughed. He’d get over it once I’d stocked up on his favorite breakfast treats. I looked around the group. “So, what’s the emergency? You came here because you said there was a problem. Is it corpse related?” I gestured at the three skeletons who were sitting watching the show.
“We know nothing about the walking dead.” Storm walked over and prodded one of the corpses.
“It is about Luna,” Odessa said. “And we’ve had terrible news.”
I swallowed, my throat tightening. “She’s not... dead?”
“No! At least we don’t think so.” Odessa grabbed my hand. “Albert is planning Luna’s burial. He wants to hold a ceremony to strip her of her magic so he can claim it as his own.”
My mouth dropped open. “He can’t do that.”
“Technically, it’s within his rights,” Olympus said. “Another magic user can absorb a dead witch’s ability if permission has been granted.”
“Luna’s not dead,” I said. “If her magic is ripped away using this ceremony, it’ll destroy her. This has to be the darkness messing with Albert and forcing him to do this.”
“Which is why we have to stop him,” Odessa said. “We were thinking we could kidnap him.”
“Or kill him,” Storm said.
“Killing’s a little extreme,” Odessa said.
“We could always drug him, like he did to us,” I said.
“Ooohh! Drugging’s an option. We didn’t think about that.” Odessa nudged Storm. “I told you we needed Indigo’s input with this.”
“How did you find out what he’s planning to do?” I said.
“I went to the bakery first thing to grab a pink sprinkled muffin.”
“I told her not to, given the last time Albert saw us he tried to have us burned at the stake,” Storm said.
“My sweet fix wouldn’t wait. And I know he’s just employed a new assistant, so I hoped she would serve me. Anyway, it was so weird. Albert has no memory of attacking us. In fact, he was his usual delightful self. That’s when I learned of his plans for Luna’s burial.”
“He was the same with me when I went to the bakery,” I said. “Of course, I was in disguise, but I asked a few questions about the darkness in the village, and he acted like nothing was going on. Although he got a bit threatening at one point. I could see the darkness peeking through.”
Storm’s mouth twisted to the side. “I still think a blunt force approach is the best option. Take out Albert and the problem is solved.”
“No! We can’t do that. Where will I get my sweet treats from if we kill Albert?” Odessa shook her head. “There has to be another way.”
I chewed on my bottom lip as the others debated how to tackle Albert. Was I ready to face this darkness so soon? My magic still felt like it was evolving. If I messed this up, Luna really could die and the darkness would win.
I glanced at Olympus. He was having nothing to do with this conversation and looked downtrodden and exhausted.
Sympathy fluttered through me. His missing daughter must be on his mind. Of course, he’d always be thinking about her, and I had promised I’d help get him justice. Maybe he thought I’d already forgotten about her.
“You two figure out a plan. Although just to be clear, I’m on Odessa’s side. Albert doesn’t need to die,” I said. “Give me a minute. I just need to speak to Olympus about something.”
They both nodded, and continued discussing kidnap and murder options, while I headed over to Olympus. “Hey! I didn’t mean to mess up our plans by telling them who I am. And I’m keeping the disguise for now.”
“Maybe you won’t get to keep it. I should remove the magic. You’ll do something to reveal to everyone who you are soon enough, and there’s nothing I can do to stop you.”
“These are my closest friends. They won’t make problems for us. And this is a good thing. Now, we’ve got extra support.”
“You’ve got support. I’ve just had my life made more complicated.”
“Olympus, don’t be like that. I haven’t forgotten my promise to you. I will help you figure out what happened to Bloom.”
He turned to me, and the sadness in his eyes made my stomach tighten. “Of course. But she’s my concern, not yours. You have other priorities. It was selfish of me to expect you to halt the search for Luna because of that.”
“You’re wrong. It is my concern, too. Whatever happened to her, we’ll find out and make them pay.”
He nodded, not looking convinced by my words.
“Have you had any more messages sent through about her?”
Olympus sighed, then shook his head. “Nothing new, other than that last note. I keep expecting to find out what my orders will be. What will I have to do to get my daughter back?”
My gut clenched. “I imagine you’d do anything.”
“Most likely. Which is why I need you around to make sure I don’t do anything I’ll regret.”
I squeezed his arm. “I’m not going anywhere. And don’t give up on me. I will help you.” I looked at the corpses. “I just have a few things to sort out first.”
“Don’t worry about the corpses. I’ll deal with them,” Olympus said.
“Thanks. And I’ll figure out what’s going on with the dead in Witch Haven. But... Luna. She’s at risk of losing everything. If Albert carries out his plan, there’ll be no way to get her back. It’ll be like she’s been turned into a shadow. She’ll have no power.”
“Of course.” His expression softened. “Get out of here. Go save your friend. And maybe while you’re doing that, this whole village.”
Chapter 6
After more discussion with Storm and Odessa as to what to do about Albert, and making sure the corpses remained under guard by Monty, we headed to Magda’s house. Olympus remained behind, claiming work duties, but I got the impression he didn’t want to be around me.
I couldn’t dwell on that. I’d made him a promise and I wouldn’t break it. But we had to prepare for battle and make sure Albert failed in his attempt to take Luna’s power.
“Do you know when Albert’s planning this magic transfer ceremony?” I said to Storm and Odessa as we hurried along the quiet streets.
“He’s doing it tonight,” Odessa said.
“Tonight! That gives us barely any time.” Panic welled up in my throat. I had to be focused, and couldn’t let my magic go wrong.
“It’s taking place in the cemetery,” Storm said. “He’s even had a plot arranged, and plans to bury some of her favorite things in place of her body.”
I shuddered. Luna’s wellbeing was hanging in the balance. I couldn’t mess up, but my powers were still so new that I didn’t entirely trust them. Did I dare test my unstable ability on my best friend?
Odessa gripped my elbow. “We’ll do it. We’ll stop Albert. We won’t let him take Luna from us.”
I nodded, her confident tone easing my worries. “I actually feel sorry for Albert. He’s being messed up by dark magic.”
“And it would break his heart if he truly realized what was about to happen to Luna,” Odessa said.
“That’s the problem. Albert doesn’t see anything wrong with what he’s about to do. This darkness has been creeping in so slowly, that people haven’t noticed the changes. They’ve gotten used to the weird vibe, the freaky magic, the disappearances, and the strange behavior going on all around them. And no one blinked an eye when Eden vanished. It was just like another day in weirdsville. Who cares about a young witch going missing?” Storm gasped in a breath and glanced at me.
Odessa hummed a note of sympathy under her breath. “It was a horrible time.”
“I heard what happened to Eden,” I said to Storm. “I’m really sorry. But I’m sure everyone cared when she went missing.”
Storm huffed out her anger. “A few did, but their interest soon faded. Now, it’s like she never existed.”
“I’ve always been arou
nd to help,” Odessa said. “I’ll never give up on you.”
Storm gave her a tight smile. “Yeah, no matter what I do, I can’t shake you loose.”
Odessa wrapped an arm around Storm’s shoulders. “I’m stuck to you like someone rolled me in superglue and threw me at you. I’m never letting go. They can try to tear us apart, but they’ll fail. We’re glued together for life.”
“You’re so weird,” Storm muttered, but the smile on her face was wider.
Odessa kissed Storm’s cheek. “So are you. We’re weirdly compatible. Your weirdness fits my weirdness. We’re the weird gang.” She grinned at me.
We were a bit weird, but all our odd little pieces fit together just right. “You got no help from the Magic Council to find Eden?”
“I reported it. I demanded they help, and they did the basics, but they weren’t that interested. The case is still open, but no one’s working on it.”
“Have you asked Olympus for help?”
“Hardly! I don’t have the luxury of a high up Magic Council member to bend to my will.”
“Storm! That’s not fair.” Odessa thumped her in the arm.
Storm shrugged. “They seemed tight back there. Is there something you want to tell us, Indigo?”
“Um... no. But I am interested in hearing more about Eden.”
“Nope. I’m done talking about her.” Storm looked away.
Odessa gave me a discreet shake of her head, warning me off of pursuing this topic.
Storm tended to go from calm to nuclear in a few seconds, so I knew when to back off. But this conversation wasn’t over.
“Tell us about Olympus,” Odessa said.
I glanced at her. “What do you want to know about him?”
“Everything! What’s going on with you two? Are you living together? Is it official?”
“Nothing is going on. And no, we’re not living together, although I have been hiding out in his office. He let me stay. Olympus is just helping me out.”
“Why would he want to do that?” Storm said. “The guy’s a massive jerk. And he works for the Magic Council. You hate them.”
“Olympus can be a bit of a jerk. And it took me awhile to trust him. And you’re right, given where he works, he’s basically my enemy.”
“So why didn’t you blast him with magic and get away after he arrested you?” Storm said.
“Because he gave me breathing space when the Magic Council was debating my fate, he’s gotten me out of several scrapes since I’ve been back, and... he’s got his own issues going on. I want to help him with those if I can.”
“Do you mean Bloom?” Odessa said.
I nodded. “Olympus hasn’t given up hope that Bloom is still out there. And he received a message recently that said someone has her.”
“Could that be true?” Odessa said. “It’s a long time to kidnap someone and not ask for anything for her safe return. It’s been years since she went missing.”
“Olympus thinks it’s the same witch coven that messed with me and Magda. They’re back and causing trouble.”
“Or they never left.” Storm waved a hand around.
“It makes sense to assume they’ve been lurking in the background all this time. They started with Magda, and have been waiting for a chance to attempt another takeover,” Odessa said. “They’ve been testing the boundaries over the years to see what they can get away with.”
“And hurting villagers while they do that,” I said. “The ghosts in Luna’s apartment, Albert being weird, the hexed dolls I encountered in Ursa’s house.”
“Bloom going missing, and Eden,” Odessa said. “It could all be a part of the same complex puzzle.”
“It’s the build up to something big,” I said. “The coven is getting ready to take over now everything is so chaotic. People are weak, and won’t be ready for any attack.”
“Is that why there were corpses in your office?” Odessa said. “Are they part of this dark scheme?”
“Their reanimation could be a side effect of what’s going on around here. Silvaria Digby reported the dead have been rising and wandering around the cemetery. And in my disguise as Indy Archer, I was dispatched to see what was happening. Those three corpses followed me home.”
“Oh, the walking dead is nothing new. I’ve had problems with corpses for a while,” Odessa said. “They keep chasing my scarecrows.”
“Why are they doing that?”
“I have no idea, and I haven’t been able to catch one to interrogate. My scarecrows aren’t fazed by them, though. They see it as a game and chase the corpses right back.” She laughed.
We arrived at the house, and everyone went inside. My familiars settled in their favorite positions, Russell on his perch in the corner of the living room, Hilda by the magic cabinet, and Nugget on his pile of old towels.
I breathed out slowly as I walked through the rooms, a smile on my face. It felt so good to be home.
I stood in front of the magic cabinet and pulled it open. “We need something with power to neutralize what Albert’s about to do.”
“I’m still in favor of the killing option,” Storm said. “Take him out and the job is done. Luna won’t be under threat from her evil uncle anymore.”
“He’s only temporarily evil,” Odessa said. “We can all get a bit like that when we’re having a bad day.”
“Albert doesn’t deserve to die,” I said. “But if we can’t get him to see sense, we need magic to prevent him from completing this ceremony.”
“Something to neutralize him without it being terminal.” Odessa peered over my shoulder into the magic cabinet. “Look! You’ve got a jar of fossilized hornets.” She took them out of the cabinet. “I wonder how much sting they have in them once they’re reanimated.”
I eased the jar from her hands. “Let’s not find out. Magda collected all kinds of things over the years. This cabinet was her pride and joy. She kept everything she cherished most in here.” I brushed my hand across the surface, happy tears in my eyes as I recalled the joyful hours I’d spent in front of this cabinet with my stepmom, learning spells and charms.
Odessa wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “She was amazing. Come on. Let’s get hunting for ingredients.”
We spent an hour sorting through the magic items in the cabinet and pulling out things that could be useful.
I selected bundles of herbs and other dried ingredients to create a draining spell, a neutralizing spell, and a spell to make a person lose focus.
After everything was assembled, I stepped back and surveyed my collection with Odessa. “What do you think? This should defuse the magic and weaken the strength of the spell Albert plans to cast.”
“I vote we shove Albert in the grave he’s made for Luna and put an end to this.” Storm was lounging in a chair, her feet on the coffee table. “No magic required.”
“How about instead of you being so grumpy, you go and make us all some herbal tea?” Odessa said. She looked at me. “She’s been a proper grouch since you disappeared.”
“I have not,” Storm said.
I grinned at her. “Did you miss me?”
“Of course not.” Storm climbed to her feet and stomped into the kitchen.
“She absolutely did miss you,” Odessa said. “But you know what Storm’s like, she hates showing her emotions.”
I looked over to the kitchen and smiled. Storm might keep everything buttoned up tight when it came to her feelings, but we were good friends. Sometimes, these things didn’t need saying, you just knew it was true.
“You know, I’ve been thinking about Limpy,” Odessa said.
I slid her a glare. “Are you interested in him? I believe he’s single.”
She whacked my arm. “No! Not for me, but for you. When you get past the officious Magic Council veneer, he’s a good man. He could be good for you.”
“I... I’m not so sure. I mean, it’s Olympus Duke. He stands for everything I hate.”
“You don’t hate th
e Magic Council, you’ve said that yourself. What they did to you and Magda was wrong, but...”
I nodded. “But they thought they were doing the right thing. And I thought they were for a long time, too. But right now, they’re standing in my way, and Olympus is heading up that organization. Well, at least a part of it.”
“Don’t you think he’s even a tiny bit attractive?”
“Sure, he’s a good-looking guy.”
“There you go. That’s a great start.”
“A relationship is built on a lot more than looks,” I said. “Can I really trust him?”
“Has he ever done anything to deceive you?” Odessa said. “For example, has he ever disguised himself as a different person and hidden from his best friends because of some misguided opinion it was the right thing to do?”
I grimaced. “That’s a good point and well made. I really thought I was doing the right thing.”
Storm marched back into the room with three mugs of steaming coffee that looked like they were strong enough to stand a spoon up in. “I hate herbal tea.” She jabbed a finger at me. “And you do too much thinking. Olympus isn’t my type, but I guess he appeals to some. And he’s sticking up for you when you need it. Maybe he’s not such a jerk.”
“Limpy is a decent guy. We all know he’s had a few problems in the past. I think you’d be great together,” Odessa said.
“How about we focus less on my love life, and more on putting together this magic neutralizing kit and all the spells we need for tonight?” I was eager to stop talking about my never-going-to-happen love life with Olympus.
“I’m just saying, you could do a lot worse.” Odessa clapped her hands together. “Right, let’s put together some amazing magic to blast Albert off his feet, and make sure Luna keeps her abilities.”
I grabbed a mug of coffee and took a sip, grateful the attention had shifted away from Olympus. That was one mystery I wasn’t ready to solve.
The rest of the day was spent creating and testing strong magic neutralizing potions, along with draining spells to make sure they were perfect. Nothing could go wrong tonight, not when Luna was counting on us.
