Wands Upon A Time (Spellbound Ever After Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 3)

by Annabel Chase

  She hesitated. “You’re still here, so nothing to do except wait until morning and see.”

  My stomach tightened. I didn’t want to wait until morning. I didn’t want to waste another day trapped when my baby was at risk. When my entire future was at risk.

  “Thank you, High Priestess,” I said, and headed toward the door.

  “Where are you going?” Marjory asked.

  “I know you have Blue Ribbon academy information for me, but I can’t spend time on the curriculum today,” I said. “Not until I know for sure that I’ve resolved this.”

  “I’m sure you’ll manage,” Marjory called. “After all, breaking curses seems to be your specialty, doesn’t it?”

  Chapter Fourteen

  I dragged myself into Paws and Claws, not sure whether I should be looking for help for my client or for me. I couldn’t rule out the High Priestess because there was every chance she was playing mind games with me, but I had to keep pushing and see what information I uncovered.

  “Emma,” Chip greeted me. “What a pleasant surprise. Don’t tell me you’re in the market for another creature in the house.” He held the same ginger kitten as before.

  “No, definitely not,” I said. “Our house is full and about to get fuller.”

  Chip shot me a curious look. “You’ve taken on a boarder?”

  “I guess you could say that.” I patted my stomach. “New baby on board.”

  Chip's face lit up. “That’s splendid news, Emma. Congratulations to both of you.”

  “Thanks, we’re really excited.”

  He cocked his head. “You don’t sound excited. Is everything all right?”

  How could I explain that sharing news of the pregnancy lost its shine during the last round? “I’m just tired these days. Trust me, we’re beyond happy.”

  Chip glanced at the kitten in his hand. “A shame this little sweetheart wasn’t as welcome as your baby will be.”

  I stroked the kitten’s tiny foot. “He is incredibly adorable.”

  “We’ve had a rash of abandonments lately. I can’t decide if it’s something to do with open borders or what.”

  A thought occurred to me. “Which woods did you find him in?”

  His brow creased. “How did you know I found him in the woods?”

  “Seems like the most obvious place,” I replied.

  “Anywhere from Whispering Woods to Sacred Spruce Trail seems to be the hot spot for the abandonments,” he replied. He turned the kitten’s back toward me. “This kitten was meant to have wings, but they never sprouted. See? You can tell by the missing fur and raised bones where there aren’t usually any.”

  “Winged cats are rare, right?” I queried.

  “Oh, yes,” he replied. “I have to wonder if this one was abandoned by the mother or if the owner thought the cat was deformed or diseased.”

  “But to abandon him because he wasn’t perfect? That’s awful,” I said.

  “It happens, I’m afraid. The world can be a cruel place.”

  “So what about the other abandoned animals?” I asked. “Were they misfits as well?” Maybe there was a pattern.

  “Sort of,” Chip said. He perked up. “Would you like to see them? They’re still here in the back room. Hard to place them with their unusual qualities.”

  “I’d love to,” I said.

  I accompanied him to the back room where animals were roaming freely. A bat perched on Deanna’s shoulder while she held a brightly colored bird.

  “This is Mr. Fluffernutter,” Chip said, motioning to a puppy on the floor. “He’s supposed to be a three-headed hellhound, but he’s missing the other two heads.” Sure enough, there were nearly indiscernible stumps on either shoulder.

  “This lizard is supposed to breathe fire,” Deanna said. “You can tell by the inside of the mouth and the markings on the scales.”

  “But no fire?” I asked.

  “No,” Deanna said. “Just a lizard.”

  I crouched down to pet the dog. “Have you talked to Sheriff Astrid about this? What if someone’s using the woods as a dumping ground for unwanted pets?”

  “It’s on my list,” he said. “I’ve been so busy with other distractions that I haven’t made the time.”

  “Like the missing items from the supply closet?” I asked.

  Chip balked. “How did you know that?”

  Oops. “Percy Atkins mentioned it during our meeting, that you were upset and sure to blame him now that he’s been arrested for the angel dust.” I fervently hoped that part was close enough to the truth.

  Chip appeared thoughtful. “Yes, I probably did rant about it while he was volunteering. It’s distressing when things go missing and you have no idea how or why.”

  “Do you really think Percy had something to do with it?” I asked.

  “I didn’t until his arrest,” Chip admitted. “Before then, his work ethic seemed impeccable, especially for a volunteer.”

  “Then why were you so quick to jump to conclusions?” I asked.

  Chip set the kitten on the floor to explore a ball of yarn. “Because the items that went missing seem to correspond to the fact that he had angel dust.” He crooked a finger. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

  He walked into the supply closet and lit the fey lantern. “I keep all the jars and bottles in here.”

  “But you don’t lock it,” I said.

  “No, not usually. How could you tell?”

  “I checked out the door on the way in,” I lied.

  “We’ve never had an issue with theft in all the years I’ve been here,” he said. “It never occurred to me to lock it or use a ward.”

  “What do you do with these?” I asked. Some of them looked like they hadn’t been touched in years.

  “Sometimes we donate them to the healer’s clinic for their use because we recognize their value.”

  “Who knows they’re here?” I asked.

  “Well, it’s never been a secret,” he said. “And obviously Percy knew.”

  “Did he ever express an interest in them?”

  “No,” Chip admitted. “Never even laid eyes on them to my knowledge.”

  “You never saw him in the supply closet?” I asked.

  “Not this one,” Chip said. “There are two. The other ones have the usual stock like cleaning supplies. That’s where I’ve seen him.”

  “I see.” I scrutinized the rows of jars and bottles. It reminded me of Cure-iosity Shop. “How do you obtain these items?”

  “Depends,” he replied. “Some are found and brought to us because they’re useful in treating or feeding animals. Some are…remnants of animals we cared for at some point.” He offered a helpless shrug. “Waste not, want not.”

  “Thanks, Chip,” I said. “You’ve been very helpful.”

  He glanced at me. “Do you really think Percy’s innocent?”

  “I do,” I said firmly.

  He nodded. “You’ve given me food for thought, Emma. My mind went straight to guilty when I heard the news, but, truth be told, I can’t think of a single piece of evidence that ties him to the missing supplies.”

  As much as I appreciated his open mind, it didn’t matter if I woke up trapped in this day again tomorrow. He wouldn’t remember. “I’m glad to hear it, Chip. Percy will appreciate any support he can get. As you can imagine, he’s been distraught by the accusations.”

  “Yeah, I can see that.” He glanced at the animals on the floor. “And he’s great with the animals here. Has a real gentle touch that the small ones respond to.”

  “Good help is hard to find,” I said. “I hope that if his case is dismissed, you’ll consider having him back.”

  “Like I said, Emma, you’ve given me food for thought.”

  I didn’t push him any further. Right now, food for thought would have to be enough.

  My conversation with Chip had yielded a few new nuggets of information as well as the added bonus of Chip's willingness to reconsider his opinion of Pe
rcy. I hoped to replicate that outcome with Sammy Munez.

  I entered Cure-iosity Shop, my mind whirring with possibilities. If Sammy was responsible for hexing me, then I needed to tread carefully. She had a motive, as well as access. There were plenty of ingredients in the dispensary that could be used to conjure a repeat spell. The one question mark was opportunity. When had she hexed me? The first time I’d ever seen her was when I questioned her in Cure-iosity Shop. Had she followed me and I hadn’t noticed?

  I marched down the main aisle and stopped in front of rows of jars with herbs and berries. I reviewed the information cards for suggested remedies, not that a repeat spell would be listed on any of the cards. The focus was mainly on treating ailments.

  I arrived at the counter to see Sammy fluttering to and fro, intent on filling bottles of potions as quickly as she could. She seemed to be watching the clock as though it were a race against time.

  “Sammy?”

  Her head jerked up and she nearly spilled some of the potion. “You startled me.”

  “Sorry,” I said. “I was hoping to talk to you about Percy Atkins. I understand he’s on his break.”

  She fluttered over to the counter. “Are you working with the sheriff’s office?”

  “No, I’m his lawyer,” I said. “Percy mentioned you as someone he works with most days, so I thought you’d be a good paranormal to talk to and get a sense of Percy’s performance at work.”

  As expected, Sammy didn’t beat around the burstberry bush. “His performance? You mean the fact that he’s late all the time? That he can’t keep track of inventory and costs this place good coin? That I’m as qualified for the job as he is and would perform it a hundred times better?”

  Sammy certainly didn’t suffer from a lack of confidence that plagued many women. “Do you think because he’s chronically late and bad at counting that he must be guilty of smuggling?”

  Sammy scowled. “I didn’t say that. You asked about his performance and I gave it to you straight.”

  Fair enough. Now it was my turn to give it to her straight. “You seem eager to take over his job. You work together most days. I bet you know his routine pretty well. How do I know you didn’t plant the angel dust for him to find?”

  Sammy bristled. “I’ve never even seen angel dust,” the pixie said. “It’s banned for a good reason. If Percy is guilty, I hope he rots in prison. I happen to have high standards and they don’t include breaking the law. Smuggling substances like angel dust isn’t just illegal, it’s morally reprehensible.”

  The intensity of her response gave me pause. She certainly seemed sincere. “I’m married to an angel, so I happen to agree with you.”

  The pixie reeled back. “Oh, you’re her,” she said. “I should’ve realized.”

  Her reaction struck me as completely genuine. If she didn’t know my identity—didn’t even recognize me as Percy’s lawyer when I came in—could she have hexed me? The more I thought about it, the more unlikely it seemed.

  “Listen, I know you dislike Percy and that having him go to prison serves your best interest, but if there’s anything you can tell me that would be helpful to his case, I would appreciate it.”

  Sammy’s expression crumpled. “I wouldn’t want him to go to prison if he’s innocent. I want the real culprit behind bars where he belongs. I’m not a monster.”

  “I wasn’t suggesting otherwise.” Okay, maybe a smidge.

  “I don’t know anything that would get him off the hook,” Sammy said. “But the boss likes him and customers like him, which is why my complaints fall on deaf ears.”

  “I get why that might be frustrating for you,” I said. “Everyone likes to feel heard.”

  “I’m an attractive pixie,” Sammy said. “Do you know how hard it is to be taken seriously? My teachers expected me to go work at a place like Glow when I graduated. They didn’t see me as a dispenser or anything related to the sciences because of how I look. I feel like all I do is try to improve standards here, but no one listens.”

  “I’m sorry, Sammy.” I hesitated. “Have you considered opening a business of your own? Someone like you might be better off as the boss than serving under someone else.”

  Sammy chewed her lip. “To be honest, it’s a real dream of mine to work for myself. I always feel like I can do better than the way it’s being done.”

  “You obviously have high standards,” I said. “I’m sure customers would appreciate that in a business.”

  “I’d need coin for startup costs,” she said. “I’ve drafted a business plan a hundred times, but the cost is always what holds me back.”

  “Why don’t you look for a business partner?” I asked. “A silent partner to loan the money. I bet you can convince someone that you’re worth the investment.”

  Sammy gaped at me. “I never considered a silent partner. I’m not much of a team player so I wanted to do it on my own.”

  “That’s why a silent partner is a good idea,” I explained. “They don’t get involved in the day-to-day business decisions. That would be all you.”

  Sammy broke into a huge smile. “I love this idea. Thank you.” Her smile faded. “I’m sorry I can’t help more with Percy’s case. I wish I had helpful information.”

  “You still might,” I said. “Have you had any customers come in recently to request ingredients for any kind of repeat spell?” I watched the pixie’s expression to gauge her reaction, although, at this point, I’d stricken her from my list.

  “What’s a repeat spell?” she asked. “Does it cause the object of the spell to say the same thing over and over again?” She stopped to contemplate the reality of that. “Great Goddess of the Moon. How annoying would that be? I could see that being high on the practical joke list.”

  “No,” I said. “Not repeating words. Time. The object gets stuck repeating the same day over again.”

  Sammy pursed her lips. “No, definitely not. If a customer makes a request that’s clearly designed for a hex or curse, the sale would require manager approval. I haven’t seen any requests on the books in weeks.”

  “And when you did…?”

  “It was a tonic that caused warts,” Sammy said. “A mother wanted to teach her teenaged daughter a lesson. The manager deemed it safe, so we went ahead and dispensed it.”

  I shuddered. Poor girl. I hoped she learned a valuable lesson.

  “Does the repeat spell have something to do with Percy’s case?” Sammy asked. “Did someone hex him?”

  “No,” I said. “No one hexed him.”

  “That’s a relief,” Sammy said. “Because it sounds like it can have serious ramifications if left untreated.”

  My hands itched to cover my stomach, but I left them at my sides. “You have no idea.”

  Although I doubted I’d learn anything new by visiting Daniel’s office, I was desperate to see my husband for emotional support. I spotted Jordyn’s head as I entered, confirmation that my late arrival to Marjory’s office hadn’t thrown off my timing.

  “And here’s my beautiful wife, Emma now,” Daniel said. He stood to greet me with a kiss. “Emma, this is Jordyn.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I said. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”

  “It’s no problem,” the banshee replied. “Daniel told me you’re expecting a baby. Congratulations.”

  I peered at my husband. “That was the only mention of babies, right?”

  Jordyn laughed. “I think so.”

  “You seem on edge,” Daniel said, lowering his voice. “Are you still feeling like this day is…unusual?” I nodded and he looked back at Jordyn. “Would you mind if I spoke to my wife for a minute? She’s having a difficult pregnancy.”

  “Good Goddess, of course,” Jordyn said. “I’ll wait right here.”

  Daniel and I moved to a quiet corner of the room where I updated him on the day’s events.

  “Marjory had a pocket grimoire?” he asked. “That’s suspicious.”

  “That’s what I origi
nally thought, but now I’m on the fence. She helped me create a counterspell,” I said. “Why would she do that if she’s responsible?”

  “Not a very good one,” he said. “You’re still here.”

  “True, but maybe I’ll wake up in a new day tomorrow. I won’t know until it happens.”

  “I think she only did it to throw you off the trail,” Daniel replied. “We already know she’s a clever and talented witch.”

  I sighed. “I had the same thought.”

  “She had a relevant spell highlighted in the book,” Daniel said. “Do you really think it’s a coincidence?”

  I drew a deep breath. “It does seem unlikely.”

  Daniel patted my shoulder. “There’s my girl. Suspicious of everyone.”

  “Hey, you just encouraged me!”

  “And I’m glad you’re listening,” he replied. “Usually you do what you want, regardless of what I say.”

  I smiled at my husband. “Is that true?”

  He kissed my forehead. “Yes, and I wouldn’t have you any other way.” He paused. “Well, I’d have you lots of ways, but not while we have an audience.”

  I hugged him tightly, so glad I decided to drop in. “You’re the best, most understanding husband in the world. If I never get out of this day, at least I have that.”

  Daniel tipped up my chin. “Don’t think that way, Emma. If there’s a curse on you, I can’t think of anyone better to break it.”

  “I’m doing my best,” I said. “Try to wait up for me tonight. You’ve been asleep the last two nights.”

  “You’re going to the Spotted Owl, right?” Daniel asked.

  “That’s been on the agenda,” I replied, although maybe I’d reconsider. It depended on how the rest of the day progressed. Maybe there was a clue in the Spotted Owl that I’d missed.

  “Okay, I’m here if you need me. Let me know how it goes.”

  “If not tonight, then tomorrow,” I said. “In a new day.” I stood on the tips of my toes and whispered, “Listen up. No inappropriate questions like whether she plans to have kids. Stick to her qualifications for the job and don’t stray off topic. Very important.”