by penny watson
The jingle of bells heralded more visitors to the bookstore. Mr. Brockman must be pleased with the turn-out for his New Year’s party. Kiana shivered once. She needed to ignore the burning memory of that midnight kiss with Oskar Klaus, and get back to work.
Easier said than done. Never in her life had a kiss affected her in such a way. Every nerve ending in her body had suddenly come alive last night, blazing with heat and sexual awareness. Oskar’s lips were both gentle and coaxing, strong and insistent, promising things she had never experienced. She’d never shared a kiss like that with Tom; she had always held back with him, as though she knew subconsciously he wasn’t to be trusted. She could not believe she’d been so forward with Oskar, a man she barely knew. The passion had welled up in her like a fireball wanting to escape. And that scared the hell out of her.
Good thing she wouldn’t be seeing Oskar Klaus again.
Oskar pushed open the door to Brockman’s Books and was greeted by a jangling brass bell. He pulled off his Oakley sunglasses and laughed out loud at the sight in front of him. Mr. Brockman certainly knew how to celebrate New Year’s Day in high style. The shop literally vibrated with noise and commotion. Kids dressed as wizards, Darth Vader, and revolutionary war soldiers skirted past him on the way to a table piled with candies and sweets. The old man stood in a corner surveying the action, reminding Oskar of a monarch keeping watch over his kingdom.
He had to admit, that as far as kingdoms went, Brockman’s Books was pretty damned cool. There was just something about it, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on, that felt good in here. The stacks reached back forever, promising never-ending adventure. The smell of furniture polish, yellowing photos on the walls, and old cracked fixtures breathed a long-ago aura into the space, something that appealed to Oskar quite a bit.
Dressed in his “Sunday finest”—Seuss hat, slouchy jeans, Doc Marten tie-up boots, and a raggedy old Eagles concert T-shirt—O figured he’d fit right in with the party.
His gaze raked over the crowd until he spotted his prey. Sure enough, Kiana was right in the thick of things, kneeling beside a kiddie table. She’d traded her mousy evening attire for jeans and a baggy sweater, and was sporting a new pair of decorative eyewear. Two pencils jutted out from the bun on the back of her head.
He leaned against the doorframe for a moment, watching her giggle with a young girl. There was no uptight or uncomfortable vibe coming off her today. She seemed relaxed and happy, really in her own element here. A boy dressed as a pirate snuck up behind her and gave her a hug. Kiana turned with a laugh and high fived the kid as he showed her some sort of craft project.
“Can I help you, young man?”
Oskar gave a start to find Old Man Brockman standing directly in front of him, with an odd expression on his face. His head was cocked to one side, as though taking Oskar’s measure. Those two bushy eyebrows drew close together.
“You look familiar… been in before, haven’t you? As I recall, you’re partial to poetry and biographies, right?”
Oskar laughed. “Yeah, I like pretty much everything. Mostly I just enjoy browsing in here. You have some great stuff.”
“You’re a bibliophile, I can tell. You get that funny smile on your face when you find something that strikes your fancy.” Mr. Brockman scratched his chin. “Any particular reason why you smell like salt water, son?”
Oskar’s eyebrows shot up. “Uh, you can smell that? I thought I was the only one.”
The old man nodded. “Yep. Smells like you just came from the beach. And I can hear music, too. Like a ukulele. You got one of those iPods on?”
Oskar shook his head. “No, sir. I can’t believe you can hear that. No one else can. Do you… uh… hear the waves, too?”
Brockman crossed his arms. “It’s fading. But yes, I can hear that, too. What are you thinking about? Whatever it is, it’s eliciting some strong reactions. Usually people don’t broadcast so strongly.”
“What do you mean, broadcast? I’m having some pretty intense dreams, too.”
Brockman’s eyes narrowed. “Are you now? What’s her name, young man? Only thing that usually gets that much of a reaction is a woman.”
Oskar’s eyes darted quickly to Kiana. “Well, actually, I am sort of interested in a woman. She volunteers here. Kiana Grant.”
Brockman’s demeanor changed in an instant. He stepped closer to Oskar, scowling fiercely. “Not sure what ‘sort of interested’ means exactly, but Miss Grant is a real treasure. You better have the best of intentions as far as she goes…”
Oskar held up a restraining hand. “Honestly, Mr. Brockman, only the best of intentions. I just met her last night and I really enjoyed her company.”
“Hmmm. Last night, you say? You must be the reason she’s glowing nice and golden today. Your aura’s got a bit of zing to it, too.”
Oskar had no clue what the old guy was talking about, so he wisely kept his mouth shut.
Brockman took in Oskar’s bright green hair, scruffy clothes and shoes. “You don’t look her type, if you don’t mind me saying so.”
“Yeah, well, don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Mr. Brockman’s eyes grew wide and then he tipped back his head and roared with laughter. He slapped Oskar on the back, with a surprisingly strong grip. “I don’t believe you just said that. A little bookstore humor, eh? So, what is below the cover, Mr… ?”
Oskar sighed. “Oskar Klaus. My brother Gregor is Kiana’s neighbor.”
“Klaus, eh? That’s a nice German name. Your brother’s the financier for Klaus Enterprises, is he not?” Mr. Brockman regarded him with an odd look on his face.
“Yeah. What’s with the interrogation anyway?”
The bookseller raised his chin. “I’m the closest thing Kiana has to a father, so you’ll have to indulge my paternal instincts.”
“All’s on the up and up, Mr. Brockman. I met her last night at a party and we had a cool talk. I’m hoping she’ll go out with me today.”
Mr. Brockman nodded. “Well, good luck with that. She isn’t so trusting of new people, especially men. Truth be told, she’s due for a little fun. I was happy to see that golden glow about her this morning. Sometimes I think this city is crushing her spirit.”
“What do you mean by that?” Oskar asked.
Mr. Brockman shook his head. “She’s from Hawaii, you know. Not sure if she’s made the adjustment to city life. Her aura is filled with the colors of the sea, but lately…” The old man shrugged. “I’ve watched that glow dim a lot over the last couple of years.”
Oskar frowned. “Do you have any idea what’s going on with me? Why I’m hearing ukulele music and smelling salt water?”
Brockman looked at him and smiled a lopsided grin. “Well, son, maybe you can tell me. What the hell do I know?”
Before Oskar had a chance to inquire further, a small boy dressed in a Star Wars costume ran up to them. “I need some help, Mr. B. My bookmark doesn’t look so hot.”
Oskar checked out the kid’s outfit and nodded in approval. “Cool costume, little guy. Darth Maul, right? I love his double light saber.”
The boy looked up at Oskar and smiled. “Cool Seuss hat, big guy. Me, too. Look!” He pulled a light saber out of his belt and passed it to Oskar.
“Very nice. I love the fight scene with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn. They had some seriously sweet moves.”
The boy’s eyes lit up. “I learned all the moves. My brother John and I can do the whole fight. We watched that scene about a million times!”
Mr. Brockman raised an eyebrow. “What seems to be the problem with your bookmark, Andy?”
“I can’t figure out how to make the light saber. I want it to glow.”
“Here, let me see,” said Oskar. He held up the construction paper and nodded. “I have an idea.” He glanced at the craft table in front of him. “How about using some of that neon silly string for the laser part of the saber, and then tin foil for the base?” He turned to Mr. Brock
man. “Is it okay if I help Andy with his bookmark? I think we can make a fine saber with this stuff.”
The old man smiled. “Sure enough. I can use all the helping hands I can get on a day like today.”
Oskar plopped down on a stool by the table. “Okay, kid, let’s get this thing put together. You’re gonna have the most amazing light saber bookmark in the store.”
“Thanks, mister. What’s your name?” Andy started to collect his supplies.
“Oskar.” He held out his hand for a shake. “Nice to meet you, Andy.”
Andy giggled and shook Oskar’s hand. “Nice to meet you, too. Your green hair is cool. I wore this costume for Halloween and dyed my hair red and black. My mom hated it, but I think it looked awesome.”
Oskar laughed. He reached for some silly string and caught Kiana’s eye from across the room. She was staring at him slack-jawed. He gave her a quick salute and a wink. She blushed and shook her head in confusion.
Keep her guessing, Oskar. Let her come to you.
He wasn’t used to playing games with women. They usually flocked to him with no effort on his part. But he had a feeling Kiana would run as fast as she could if he came on too strong. Hell, she disappeared fast enough last night. He was still reeling from his weird out of body experience when he realized she’d vanished from the apartment.
Today, he would bide his time until the moon goddess decided to assuage her curiosity. Anyway, one of his favorite activities in Glasdorf was organizing parties for the elves and their families. He always got a big kick out of the kids. He was actually looking forward to doing the craft project with Andy.
“All right, little man. Time to make a rockin’ Darth Maul bookmark.” Andy fist bumped Oskar and they got to work. Oskar smiled to himself, wondering how long it would take Miss Kiana Grant to meander his way.
And if she’d be glowing.
Ingo set two mugs into the sink and shook his head in disbelief. Lys Bauer had just spent the better part of an hour having tea and honey with him on New Year’s Day. Unbelievable! They talked about their jobs (Lys worked in the Glasdorf Floral Center, making wreaths), they reminisced about the old days in school, they chatted about everything and nothing. He even made Lys laugh a few times. His chest puffed up with pride at the thought. Somehow he managed to break a barrier with her, moving past her constant blushes and fluster in his presence. Well, Happy New Year to me!
He brushed his fingers over the soft scarf around his neck. It was the best gift he had ever received.
Bang! Bang! “Ingo, you home?” Loki shouted from outside.
“Just a minute.” Ingo hustled to the door and pushed it open for his friends. “Happy New Year’s. I’m surprised you’re up already.”
Hieronymus stood next to Loki, looking rather peaked. “Aren’t you going to invite us in? It’s freezing out here.”
Ingo chuckled and stepped aside. “Too much Schwartz bier last night, Hie? You look a little worse for the wear.”
“Uh, yah. My head feels cracked in two. Jen’s band kept going for hours. What happened to you?”
Loki smacked Ingo on the back. “You missed the best part of the night. Per showed up around two a.m. I kicked his ass at darts and he was pissed! Ha!”
“What the hell are you wearing around your neck?” Hieronymus tilted his head and studied the scarf from several angles. “Did the cat rip up your sweater?”
Loki laughed. “Nah, it’s a bib! Ingo doesn’t want to spill any food on his good shirt!”
Ingo rolled his eyes as Loki and Hie laughed until their eyes teared. He looked down at the stained flannel shirt and wished he’d been a bit more buttoned up for Lys’ visit. “It’s a scarf.”
Loki wiped the tears from his face and shook his head. “No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it is.”
Hieronymus stroked his wispy beard. “No way, Ingo, that thing is not a scarf.”
Ingo was getting perturbed. “For your information, this is a hand-made gift… from a friend. It’s the first thing she’s ever knitted, so cut her some slack.”
Hie’s ears twitched. “She, you said. Ah, well, that’s news. Who’s been giving you gifts, Mr. Hertz. You holdin’ out on your best friends?”
“Naw, I just got it.” He cleared his throat. “Lys stopped by with a belated Christmas gift for me.”
Loki’s eyebrows sprang up his forehead. “Lys? She actually spoke to you? It’s a bloomin’ miracle!”
“Truly, Ingo? This is some good news. Did she visit with you for a while, too?”
Ingo nodded. “Yep. For almost an hour. It was… it was very nice. I’m thinking maybe I’ll ask her to go skating later or something.”
Hieronymus and Loki slapped Ingo on the back and congratulated him. They both knew he’d been pining for Lys since he was a schoolboy. At that moment the Zauberwort Buch came bounding down the hallway, bumping and thumping into the walls, crashing into a small table near the front door. It snapped at Loki once, then hightailed it back to the library.
“What the hell was that, Ingo? Looked like one of those old magik books we used to study with Master Eugen.”
“It is. The Zauberwort Buch. I better put it away before it causes any more trouble.” Ingo hustled after the bouncing tome, which was leaving a sparkling trail of sternschnuppen behind it.
Hie and Loki followed him into the library. The book stilled in front of the sofa, and Ingo dove for it just as the ancient document scrambled under the couch. Ingo heard it cackling in the shadows.
“What do you mean ‘any more trouble’? You haven’t been fooling around with the magik, have you, Ingo?” Hieronymus shot Ingo a worried glance.
“What’s this?” Loki pointed to the assortment of candles and other objects on top of the library table. He picked up the scorched calendar sheet in one hand and the newsletter in his other. “This is an announcement for Per’s promotion.”
Hieronymus lifted the mother of pearl button and a scrap piece of paper. “Why is your name and Oskar’s name written on this paper? What’s going on here, friend?”
Ingo snatched the button from Hie’s hands and stuffed it into his pocket. Before he had a chance to answer, the Buch bounced out from beneath the sofa, covered in silt and dust, and snapped open to the page with the Zottig Herz spell. It slid along the floor until it hit Hieronymus’ shoe.
Hie leaned over and picked up the book, his eyes widening as he read the page. “Oh hell. What have you done, Ingo?”
Ingo plopped down onto the lumpy sofa and buried his face in his hands. “Something stupid. Last night I stopped by the Lady’s Auxiliary to check on Lys. Per was pestering her, the son of a bitch. I got angry. Something Wiebe said stuck in my mind. Said it wasn’t fair that Oskar was having the time of his life in New York while I got screwed because he gave Sven misinformation. That if I had gotten the promotion instead of Per, then Lys would have finally noticed me. He said spelling him would be ample feedback.” He rubbed his forehead wearily and sighed. “I know it was wrong, but I kast a spell. I was a drunken fool.”
Hieronymus paled. “You kast a spell on Oskar Klaus? Have you lost your mind? What if the council finds out about this?”
Loki sat down next to Ingo on the couch. “Tell us about the spell. What does it do?”
Ingo swallowed nervously. “Zottig Herz, Ragged Heart. It’s to seek vengeance on one who has interfered with your heart’s own path.”
Hieronymus shook his head. “Wiebe put some idiotic notion in your head that it was Oskar’s fault Lys wasn’t celebrating with you on Silvester? That makes no sense at all, Ingo.”
“Lys stopped by to see you today, promotion or not. She doesn’t care what your work title is, Ingo. She cares about you,” added Loki.
Ingo nodded. “I guess you’re right. I wasn’t thinking clearly last night.”
“How does the spell work?” Loki held up the calendar sheet. “What is this going to do to Oskar?”
“It’s supposed to give him a dose
of a broken heart, too, just as the spell kaster has suffered. It’s completed on the first full moon after the spell has been kast, which is January eleventh. Eleven days of pining for a woman who will break his heart. The spell makes her irresistible to him.”
“Jesus.” Loki scratched his head. “This is a muddle, for sure.”
“I think you should go to Master Eugen, see if he can un-do the spell.” Hieronymus lifted the Buch off the ground and placed it back on the table. It appeared to be snoring, exhausted after causing so much mischief.
“No!” Ingo shot off the sofa. “Not Eugen. If Eugen gets involved, then I’ll have to go before the council, and Lys will find out. I don’t want her to know. Please, Hie. Maybe it won’t even work. Who knows? Anyway, it will all be over in eleven days. How bad could it be?”
“Do you really wish to cause Oskar such pain?” Hie looked at his friend expectantly. “You know it will work, Ingo. You’re a magik Bändiger, one of the best. It was an honest mistake Oskar made.”
“I agree,” added Loki. “Oskar’s not a bad guy. But, truthfully, he doesn’t seem the type to lose his head over a woman. He likes the snow bunny type, if you know what I mean.”
Hieronymus stroked his beard. “That is true. It would certainly be unfortunate if the first time he falls in love he gets burned by the Zottig Herz.”
Ingo swallowed uncomfortably. There was a tightness in his chest when he thought about Oskar falling in love and getting his heart broken. The boy seemed confused and perhaps a bit unsure of his place in Glasdorf. Like he was searching for something, something he thought he could find on top of a mountain riding a board with the wind at his back.