A Sinister Spell in Faerywood Falls Page 8

“Welcome,” I said with a broad smile. “Please be careful if you come over here. One of our clocks broke. I was just cleaning it up.”

  “Oh, good heavens,” said an elderly woman with a blue net hat on. “Do be careful with that glass.”

  I went to the back and pulled the broom out of the closet, along with the small handheld vacuum. I saw Athena slip inside the closet before I closed the door. Probably best while customers were around.

  I swept up the shards, my heart pounding all the while. First the book floated, and then it…what…coated the whole clock in ice somehow? It definitely seemed to respond whenever I read the words off the page out loud. But if I were to open the book again, I would bet that particular word wouldn’t be there anymore.

  I knelt down with the vacuum to get the last few sparkling shards off the ground when a pair of blue and yellow striped stockings appeared in my periphery. I glanced up and saw a woman in a short navy dress peering down at a small, carved end table.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am,” I said. “But there might be some broken glass nearby, so please watch your – ”

  My jaw fell open as I saw her lift the red leather book and open it right up.

  The vacuum clattered onto the floor as I jumped to my feet and snatched the book out of the woman’s hands. “Again, I’m terribly sorry, but this book is not for sale,” I said.

  The woman looked up at me. She had vibrantly purple eyes, a thin pointed nose with a pointed chin to match, and dirty blonde hair with the ends dyed blue. Her pencil thin eyebrows shot upward with indignation as I tucked the book underneath my arm. Her look of shock quickly melted into one of sickly sweetness, though. “Would you be willing to negotiate?” she asked. “That book looks quite intriguing, and I would be oh so interested in adding it to my collection of fascinating books.”

  Her voice was like tar covered in honey. Her eyes glinted as they fixed on the book instead of my face.

  “I’m really sorry, but this is just not for sale,” I said, moving past the woman and walking toward the counter with the book. It was my fault, really, for leaving it out in the open like that where anyone could find it.

  “Then why was it out in the store among everything else that is for sale?” the woman asked, a bite to her words, though it was clear she was trying to remain civil.

  I put the book carefully behind the counter. “That was my mistake,” I said. “I’ve been trying to get everything cleaned up in here for Mr. Cromwell, and I neglected to put everything where it belonged when I should have. Really, I am sorry.”

  The woman huffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “I have never been treated so unfairly in all my life,” she said, her eyes narrowing. She jabbed a finger in my direction. “You listen here, missy. You tell Mr. Cromwell that he is going to regret not selling me that book.”

  “Mr. Cromwell has nothing to do with it,” I said, my heart in my throat. I was starting to fear challenging this woman. But I couldn’t just let her walk out of here with a book that seemed to have the capability of setting clocks off like explosive icicles. That would be incredibly dangerous.

  And if I was honest with myself, there was a part of me that wanted to see what the book was really capable of for myself…

  “We also do not appreciate threats in this store,” I said, my hands shaking behind the counter. “So I am going to have to ask you to leave.”

  The woman’s gaze turned dark. “Oh, I’ll leave all right. Leave and take my money with me. You won’t see me walk through this door ever again!” she declared as she stomped between the shelves toward the door. She yanked the heavy wood open, and then slammed it behind her, making a tremor run down the length of the room.

  The two older women who were standing off to the side turned to look at me with concern. “Are you all right, dear?”

  I took a shaky breath, but nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m sorry about that.”

  “You have nothing to apologize for,” said the other woman. “Some people are just so selfish that they can’t handle it when things don’t go their way.”

  “Yeah…” I said, my eyes lingering on the door. “People are selfish…aren’t they?”

  My fingers touched the cover of the red book, and I felt a protectiveness wash over me. It wasn’t selfishness, not really. It was to keep other people safe.

  At least that was what I kept telling myself.

  11

  I had never liked any of the retail jobs I’d had in high-school and college. They were always at the local shopping mall or at some fast food restaurant. They were stressful and boring all at the same time. I’d learned early on that I was good with numbers, and even better when it came to managing money, and so not only would I get told to do the bookkeeping at those low paying jobs, I also decided I should make a career out of it. Four years of college later, I left with a degree in hand and debt up to my eyeballs.

  I worked as an accountant for seven years after that. My days were all sort of the same, and it wasn’t long before the work lost its charm. I didn’t love my job, but I didn’t hate it, either. I knew that in that regard, I was better off than most.

  Working at Abe’s Antiques completely changed my mind about the matter. I found that I could do the bookkeeping side of things as well as manage inventory, deciding what was worth keeping at the store to sell, and what wasn’t. It gave me a chance to do some research about the objects we received, and learn the history of some of the items.

  The only thing that had really stumped me so far was the book. I couldn’t seem to find anything about it online anywhere.

  There were a few other pieces that seemed a little…off when they came into the donation boxes. Things I couldn’t find information on, either.

  Athena and I had developed a bit of a routine, which was helping me get adjusted to my new life in Faerywood Falls. Every morning we’d wake up around six. We’d go for a run together by the lake. We’d come back, and I’d shower while she napped. We’d have breakfast together; something healthy and hearty for me while she ate whatever she’d found in the forest nearby.

  Then we’d hop on the bike and head to the store, where we’d spend most of the day.

  And I was really starting to love it.

  It was the Saturday of my second full week working at the store. I’d spent a good portion of the afternoon with Abe going over some of the more detailed information about the budgeting.

  “Now, you make sure you enjoy your day tomorrow, all right?” Abe said. “I’m glad that I keep the store closed at least one day a week. Otherwise you’d never take a break, would you?”

  I grinned at him. “I really like working here.”

  “Yes, but you’ll burn yourself out eventually,” he said. “Look at me. I love this shop, too, but I should have given myself a chance to live my life outside of it. Now, go on. I’ll see you on Monday, all right?”

  I said goodbye to Mr. Cromwell and made my way back downstairs.

  Athena had fallen asleep on my jacket, which she’d pulled down onto the chair and curled up in.

  I was just packing my backpack when I heard a rumble of thunder outside.

  Athena perked her head up.

  “Oh, great,” I said, deflating. “I should have checked the weather this morning. I hope we can make it home before it rains.”

  “Be careful out there,” Abe called as he started down the stairs to the shop. “You get going. Don’t worry about locking up; I can take care of that.”

  I waved Athena into the backpack, where she disappeared just before Abe appeared through the black curtains. “Thanks, Mr. Cromwell. You take it easy, okay?”

  “If it starts raining, just pull over and give your aunt a call, okay?” he said.

  “Will do,” I said, pulling my hood up over my head.

  The sky was becoming awfully ominous as I mounted the bike. It wasn’t a far trip back to the cabin, but I wasn’t liking the look of the rolling clouds overhead.

  They’re moving fast,
Athena commented. I saw her little nose peek out over the top of my backpack, sniffing the air. The clouds, I mean. We’d better hurry.

  “You don’t have to tell me twice,” I said, setting my feet on the pedals and starting to move.

  I hurried down the hills, careful to keep my hands on the brakes. The sky seemed to be chasing me, as if it were taunting me. It would win, and I knew it.

  Thunder rumbled overhead, and my heart leapt into my throat.

  How much further? Athena asked.

  I wasn’t sure, but I thought I could hear some anxiousness, even through her mind.

  “Not far,” I said, slowing to a stop at a stoplight. The crossing sign across the street flashed orange, warning me not to walk. There were a few cars crossing, their headlights already on despite the early hour of the day. It was as if it was two or three hours later than it really was, given the darkness that had fallen over the valley. “We just have to cross Spruce Street here, and then head down along route 4…”

  A crack of lightning lit up the sky in the direction that we had to ride.

  I gulped.

  The crossing sign changed, and I rode across the street, my heart beating uncomfortably in my chest. The inside of my cheek was raw from biting down on it.

  We made our way down the road, and as we crested a low hill, I could see the lake in the distance.

  Pure relief washed through me, and I smiled despite my exhaustion from pushing myself harder than normal. “We’re almost there, Athena. I can see the lake.”

  Wonderful, the fox said. And so far, no rain.

  Encouraged, I kept pushing myself along.

  The only problem I found was that even though I’d seen the lake, it was still a few miles away. I was going to have to ride this road way around the outside of the lake, which ultimately was going to go right past my cabin. If only there was a shortcut…

  There were walking trails through the woods though, weren’t there? Aunt Candace had told me about them. I’d even seen one that came out right behind Mrs. Bickford’s place.

  That meant it connected to the forest that I was riding beside. It would cut the rest of our ride in half, and probably help get us home before it started to pour.

  Thunder clapped overhead, causing me to twist the bike handles. I nearly toppled off onto the pavement as a car raced past.

  I pushed my helmet back up onto my head; it had fallen down over my eyes. I set my jaw. “That’s it, we’re taking a shortcut.”

  Athena appeared over my shoulder. Shortcut? Where?

  I pointed to the tree line. I could see a sign for the hiking trails. “I have a mountain bike. They’re made for that kind of terrain. Besides, it will keep us dry if it starts to rain before we get home.”

  Athena ducked back inside the backpack.

  I turned the bike off the road and headed into the grass. The tires rumbled underneath me, but I was able to keep the wheels steady in the muddy earth.

  I was amazed how smoothly it rode through the terrain. It wasn’t all that much different than the tarmac. The paths, which were mostly dirt and rocks, were a bit harder to navigate, and I stopped just inside the line of trees. Darkness had fallen in earnest over the forest, and hardly any light made its way through the tall and ancient branches.

  I took a deep breath. I could still see, and these trails were safe. And more than anything, I just wanted to get home.

  I continued to push forward, finding it much harder to avoid the gaping holes in the ground as I rode. I kept my grip strong on the handlebars, and tried not to let my teeth chatter too much, worried I might accidentally bite the tip of my tongue off.

  The trail meandered through the thick trees, and shadows greeted me at every turn. The smell of wet earth was strong, and thunder continued to rumble overhead.

  A bat suddenly burst out from one of the trees, screeching as it went.

  I let out a yelp of fear in response, and my hands wobbled on the handlebars. My front tire caught a sizable hole, and the bike flopped over onto the ground, taking me with it. I landed on my side, even though I’d tried to jump away as it tumbled over.

  Pain shot up my leg as it tangled with the metal frame of the bike. Dread weighted my stomach as I tried my best to pull myself away, the back wheel spinning lazily in the air behind me.

  Are you all right? Athena asked. She had managed to get out of the backpack before we fell over.

  “I…I don’t know,” I said, shoving the bike off my legs. It scraped through the dirt, leaving streaks of mud on the frame. “My ankle…it really hurts.” My hands trembled as I reached down to peel back my sock to examine the injury. I could touch it, even though it was incredibly tender.

  Can you move it? Athena asked, walking around me slowly and sniffing at the area around my leg.

  Wincing, I slowly rolled my ankle in a circle. It made my eyes water, and I had to remind myself to keep breathing. The pain was sharp and intense, but I could move it. “Well…” I said through gritted teeth. “I don’t think it’s broken.”

  What should we do? Athena asked.

  I really didn’t know. I looked up and down the path. My cabin was only a short distance away, maybe no more than a mile or so, but there was no way I was going to be able to walk there. Not with this pain.

  “Can you grab my cell phone out of my backpack?” I asked. “I need to call my aunt.”

  Cell phone? Athena asked, looking up at me, her black eyes shining in the dim light. You mean that pink and black box you talk into sometimes?

  “Yeah,” I said, stretching the ankle out straight, trying to keep it steady.

  It wasn’t in there, Athena said.

  “What?” I asked, my heart skipping. “It has to be. I was charging it and – ” It was like someone knocked the wind out of my sails. “…I left it plugged into the charger, didn’t I? What was I thinking?” I sighed, rubbing my hand over my face.

  I’m sorry there’s nothing I can do…Athena said, looking at me with sad eyes.

  “It’s all right,” I said. “Maybe I just need a second to recover my strength.”

  The gentle pitter patter of rain started over our heads, the drops bouncing off the leaves of the branches high above. I looked up, and a few rogue drops managed to make it through the leaves, and flecked my cheeks and the ground around me.

  I glanced over my shoulder and saw that a sturdy pine tree was directly behind me, its branches draped around the forest floor like a tent. That would probably be the driest place to wait out the pain.

  I gathered my resolve, and pushed myself a few inches backward with my hands. The pain was bearable, and it was only in that one ankle.

  I glowered down at it. “We were so close, too…”

  Athena suddenly perked up, her snout pointed further down the path. She stood perfectly still, staring into the darkness.

  “What is it?” I whispered.

  Something’s out there…she said.

  I followed her gaze, and a shadowed silhouette stepped out from behind a fir tree. My heart skipped. “Oh my gosh, thank goodness someone walked by,” I said. “I twisted my ankle. Do you by any chance have a cell phone on you? I need to call my aunt. She’s the one who owns the lodge up on the hill – ”

  But the silhouette suddenly dissolved into a dark cloud with a bat-like shape and took off into the trees, disappearing.

  My stomach dropped. “What…what was that?”

  Athena hadn’t relaxed. Her nose still pointed in the direction of the shadow.

  I took a shuddering breath, the fear washing away some of the pain in my leg as I pushed myself all the way back against the trunk of the pine tree, its branches shielding me from the rain that started to fall more steadily overhead.

  Athena hopped up onto my lap and spun around three times before settling down, her warmth a soothing presence.

  I lay my head back against the tree and sighed. This place just kept getting weirder and weirder.

  12

  The nex
t thing I knew, it was pitch black out. At first, when I opened my eyes, I thought maybe I had gone blind. Panic flooded through me as I tried to move, but the pain in my ankle and the fallen pine needles jabbing into my palms reminded me where I was.

  Athena stirred on my lap. What’s the matter?

  My mouth had gone dry. “We fell asleep. In the middle of the forest.”

  That’s not such a bad thing…Athena said, laying her head back on my lap.

  I wondered what time it was. Now that I stared in front of me, shapes started to appear in the darkness. It was quiet, too, aside from the hum of crickets. The rain had stopped. I could just make out the parting of the branches of the pine tree I sat against. My bike was still lying on the path, cast aside like a forgotten toy.

  There was a sudden glow outside along the path. A small burst of warm green light, no bigger than my fingernail. It faded out of existence just as quickly as it had appeared.

  I watched closely. Another green light appeared, and soon, a few others.

  “Fireflies…” I said.

  A few more began to glow, filling the path with a very dim light.

  One of the fireflies came floating into the tent of pine branches. It lit up for a few seconds, long enough for me to watch its path across to me, and then it landed on my arm.

  “Well, hello there,” I said.

  A strange sense of peace came over me. I didn’t have to be scared of this forest. I wasn’t sure how I knew that, especially with the creepy shadowy silhouette I’d seen earlier, but somehow I understood that it was safe.

  There is magic about…Athena said.

  I could feel a strange presence in the air, too. It was mingled with that peace I was feeling. It was almost like the memory of a voice I hadn’t heard in a long time, or the echo of a warm hug that I’d been missing. It felt strangely familiar, as if I’d been here in this same place once before.

  I tested my ankle, and realized that even if it was painful, I could move it easier now. I wondered if it might support my weight.

  Be careful, Athena said, hopping down off me. Don’t push yourself too much.