by Amy Boyles
“Answer it,” Axel said. “I’m sure it’s bad.”
Praying that whatever Cordelia said couldn’t be that horrible, I thumbed the Answer button and pressed the phone to my ear.
“Hey. Everything okay?”
“Pepper, you’ve got to get back here.”
Okay, so if I had to take a gander, I would say that no, everything was not okay.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. I just got home and can’t find anybody. But when I call for them, I can hear their voices, but I don’t see them.”
I cringed. “Your mother and aunt were there working a spell that they thought would save Betty and the rest from Erebus.”
Cordelia groaned. “But no one’s here.”
“Yet you hear them?”
“Yes!”
I shot Axel a worried look. Dread washed over me like cold water from a showerhead. I closed my eyes and pulled in my lips in frustration. “Do me a favor and look around. See if you can find a small gold dogwood pin. The sort old ladies wear on their blouses.”
“What’s wrong?” Axel asked.
I placed a hand over the mouthpiece. “Cordelia can’t find them, but she can hear everyone.”
“Think Mint and Licky whisked them away to another dimension?”
I shot Axel a harsh look for even suggesting such a thing. Though I had to admit I was worried a little bit of a Stranger Things was going on.
I prayed it wasn’t.
“I found the pin,” Cordelia said. Her breathing came hard. My cousin was panting she was so worried.
“Take a close look at it. What do you see?”
Cordelia gasped. “Oh no! I dropped the pin.”
I heard a muffled sound while I assumed my cousin scrambled to pick up the pin. A moment later Cordelia returned, huffing.
“You’re never going to believe this,” she said.
I seriously doubted that. Whenever Mint and Licky were involved in something, I was pretty sure I would believe whatever the outcome.
“What is it?” I finally asked.
When Cordelia spoke, her voice shook. “I found our family and then some.”
I squeezed my lids tight, hoping the answer would be different from what I expected. “Where are they?”
Cordelia clicked her tongue. “They’re trapped in this old lady pin.”
I groaned. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
“What?” Axel said.
I sighed and dropped the phone to my chest. “Like all things that go wrong when Mint and Licky are involved, it appears that their plan to saturate a pin with Betty’s, Sylvia’s and CJ’s powers has gone terribly wrong.”
He groaned. Even Axel knew what I was about to say was bad. “Let me guess? Everything backfired and they’re now trapped in the pin.”
“You guessed it.” I put the phone back to my mouth. “Cord, hang on. We’ll be there in a minute to get this straightened out.”
No sooner had I hung up than Axel and I were back at the Land Rover and then at the house, barging in to attempt to save the day.
We found Cordelia pacing the living room.
I could hear my grandmother’s shouting as soon as we entered. “Get us out of here!”
Cordelia pointed to it. “There it is.”
Axel and I rushed over, and the three of us hovered around the pin. The glossy gold surface reflected the light, but inside I could see them—tiny little Mint, Licky, Amelia, Betty, CJ and Sylvia.
“Help us,” Mint called.
Betty elbowed her in the ribs. “It’s because of y’all that we’re in this mess!”
“We were only trying to help,” Licky said.
Amelia leaped forward. “Please! It’s so hot and cramped in here. I can’t take it!”
“We need to get them out before they kill each other,” I murmured.
Cordelia smirked. “Do we really have to? I’ve got dibs that Betty survives the longest.”
I stifled a laugh behind my hand.
“What’s so funny?” Betty demanded.
“Nothing.” I waved away her concern. “I’m going to let Axel help y’all. Cordelia and I are going to step over here for a minute.”
“All right,” Axel said, taking control. “One at a time, tell me what happened.”
Everyone started yelling at once.
“That’s why I wanted to walk over here.” I pulled Cordelia over to the fire. “I knew they wouldn’t be able to talk quietly about it.”
Cordelia raked her fingers through her hair. “What a mess.”
“Does Garrick have any ideas how to stop the magic eater?”
She shook her head. “He’s relying on us for that.” My cousin dropped her voice. “And he’s considering charging Betty, CJ and Sylvia with a crime.”
I grasped her arm. “Why them?”
“Because in some ways this is all their fault.” Sadness filled her eyes. “If it hadn’t been for Betty and them and that stupid blight, none of this would’ve happened. We don’t know that Erebus will leave once he’s taken their magic. What if he stays?”
I nibbled my bottom lip. “You’re right. I can understand Garrick’s position. But if he was going to arrest anyone, I would think it’d be us—we’re the ones who released the magic eater.”
“We were tricked,” Cordelia said.
“We never should’ve worked the spell to begin with,” I argued. “We didn’t need it.”
“I needed it,” she said harshly. “We were drowning in mason jars. It was so stupid of me, so stupid to push us into something we never should’ve done.”
I studied her for a moment, trying to figure out where her newfound anger was coming from. “You’re really taking this out on yourself, aren’t you?”
Cordelia dropped her chin to her chest. “If Garrick was going to arrest anyone, it should be me. It’s my fault that all of this happened.”
I shook my head. “It wasn’t just you. It was the three of us. Cordelia…”
She wasn’t listening. Cordelia stared out the window as the sun burned away. “Once this is over, I’m going to demand Garrick charge me with a crime.” Her gaze locked on mine. Tears watered her eyes. “All of this is my fault, and because of that, I’m going to make sure Garrick arrests me for magical neglect.”
I gasped. “But magical neglect means you’ll spend time in jail.”
Cordelia nodded. “I deserve it. This whole mess is my fault, Pepper. It’s mine and I have to pay for it.”
THIRTEEN
I was about to tell Cordelia that her idea of being charged with a crime and taking on all the guilt of what had happened was a horrible one when Axel called us back over.
“I can get them out,” he explained by the window so none of them could hear. “It’s a simple reversal spell. It won’t take much time or effort, but…”
I rubbed my lips together as his unsaid idea planted a seed of interest in my brain. “But you’re wondering if it’s better to leave them inside.”
“At least for tonight,” he said. Axel folded his arms and ran a hand down the stubble sprouting from his cheeks. “Erebus won’t be able to get at them. It would be impossible. But he might be drawn here.”
My eyelids flared in excitement. “And that would give us a chance to catch him.”
“Exactly.” Axel grinned. “Great minds do think alike.”
“Great minds that are meant to be together,” I said.
His smile deepened before fading. “But that means we have to come up with a plan.”
I jerked my thumb toward the pin. “Will they be okay in there? Amelia said it was hot. Do they have enough oxygen? What about food and water?”
“I’ll take them food,” Cordelia offered. “I can go in. I’ll take personal fans, too. The kind with misters if they need them.”
Axel nodded. “They should have plenty of air. They’re not that big.”
“What are y’all talking about?” Betty’s tinny-sounding voice de
manded. “We want out.”
I shot Axel an encouraging look. “Are you going to break the news to them?”
He set his chin in a determined line. “I’ll do it. Betty will understand.”
I patted his back. “I hope she doesn’t hate you for the rest of your life.”
He shot me a surprised look, and then after seeing the mischievous grin on my face, Axel relaxed. “Here goes nothing.”
I patted his shoulder. “We’ll do it together.”
Needless to say our offer to allow Betty and the gang to remain in the pin for one night was met with serious protests. We did our best to explain the situation to my family and friends that this would be the best thing to do—at least for one night.
After about ten minutes of arguing, they finally relented.
“We’re sending Cordelia in with supplies,” I explained.
“What about a john?” Betty said. “We’re going to need one of those, too.”
Axel swooped in to the rescue. “I’ll send one there. How’s that?”
Betty worked her bottom lip. She was ticked, I could tell. But my grandmother also knew this was the best thing to do under the circumstances.
“I guess it’ll do,” she finally snarled.
Axel nodded to Cordelia, who wore a backpack full of supplies. “Let’s do this.”
Once Cordelia was all settled into the pin, Axel and I set about coming up with a plan.
We hashed it out over the dining room table while we each drank a glass of sweet tea. After we’d gone over it several times, I finally glanced up from the piece of paper filled with pencil marks.
I smiled. “I think it’s brilliant. This should work.”
Axel nodded. “If it doesn’t, we’re screwed.”
I shot him a scathing look. “Don’t say that. No matter what, we’re not screwed. We will find a way.”
He exhaled and leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms. “You’re right. There’s always a way.”
I glanced at the window. The last smears of orange and pink were fading on our walls. Darkness would be here soon, and hopefully so would Erebus.
I clenched my fists. I was ready for the magic eater to bring on everything he had.
I felt my lips coil into a devilish smile. “Let’s do this.”
Axel held the book between his hands. I sat behind a five-foot mirror, ready for Erebus.
The mirror will help to confuse him, Axel had explained. I know it sounds strange, but we need Erebus not to think too much.
This had to go fast, and it was as tricky as pulling a tick off a dog’s chin.
“What if he doesn’t show?” I said in a hushed voice. “What if he goes to the jail instead?”
Axel shrugged. “That won’t happen. If Forbes is the one controlling him, which we both believe, the magic eater will appear here.”
I bit the inside of my mouth. “Do you remember what Forbes said about having inside knowledge of Erebus?”
Axel nodded.
“What do you think he meant?”
“I think he was bluffing,” Axel said curtly. “It was just a way to stop Garrick from arresting him.”
“Didn’t work.”
“Not when you punch a cop, it won’t.”
I was about to ask something else about Forbes when the door blew smack open. The sound startled me. I jumped from behind the mirror and caught a glance at Erebus.
The magic eater’s mist nearly ate the room it spread so far out away from him. Erebus fixed his gaze on Axel.
“They’re not here,” Axel said. “Your magic detector isn’t working right.”
Erebus drifted forward and stopped in front of Axel.
Axel eyed him nonchalantly. “They’re not here.”
Erebus cocked his head like a dog questioning something his master has said. Axel shrugged.
Erebus extended a long, wispy arm and reached.
In the blink of an eye, Axel raised the pin into the air. “Pepper!”
I rose. Axel tossed the pin to me. I had to get this right. Had to catch it. I opened my palm, and the golden pin landed safely inside.
Erebus whirled toward me. I stared down the magic eater as he lunged toward the mirror.
I had to hold my position. Had to let Erebus get as close as possible before making another move.
As his long spindly arm came toward me, I had to bank on two things—the first was that Erebus wouldn’t attack and the second was that I could make a three-point shot.
“Axel!”
I tossed the pin back to Axel, who caught it one-handed. He opened the book and tucked the pin into the middle crease.
I swear Erebus glared at me before spinning around. The creature leaped forward, and Axel held open the book, counting on the fact that Erebus would be more focused on his prey than what he was actually doing.
Erebus zipped through the air and dived headfirst into the pages of the book he had come from.
The magic eater had disappeared from sight. My jaw dropped. My heart pounded against my chest. I took a deep gulp of air.
Axel laid one hand flat on the book and chanted low. He exhaled a deep breath and flashed me a victorious smile. “It worked. Erebus entered the book.”
I reached for Axel. “We did it! We stopped him!”
Axel pulled me into a hug. I relaxed into him, relieved that the entire ordeal was over. After a moment I could hear Betty starting to yell at us again.
“Is it done? Get us out of here,” she demanded.
Axel released me and rolled his eyes. “Yes, ma’am. Let’s get you out of there.”
Axel opened his hand. The pin still lay in his palm. He waved another hand over it and started to chant when a rumble filled the house.
I glanced over to the book that Axel had laid on the couch. My eyelids flared as it rattled and shook.
“Um. Axel.” I pointed to it. “I think we have a problem.”
The book burst open. Pages flipped on an invisible current. My stomach clenched.
“Uh-oh.” I grabbed Axel’s sleeve. “We’d better get out of here!”
“Betty, we’ll have to save you later.” He slipped the pin into his pocket. “Run!”
We raced to the front door just as a loud screech filled the air. I glanced over my shoulder to see Erebus stretching up to the ceiling, fully formed, his escape complete.
What had gone wrong? We got him back into the book. How could we have screwed up?
There was no time to think about it. There was only time to focus on survival. I dashed out into the night, following Axel.
“Grab my arm,” he shouted.
I took hold of him. A flash of light and a popping sound filled the air. A moment later Axel had magicked us away from Betty’s house.
We stood on the bank of the Potion Ponds. The humid night air made my skin immediately break into a sweat. The hair at the back of my neck clung to my flesh. I pulled it over my shoulder, hoping it would help me cool off.
I turned to Axel. “What happened? Why didn’t Erebus stay in the book?” I threw my arms into the air. “We did what we were supposed to. We tricked him. He went in. How the heck could he get out?”
Axel hung his head. “I don’t know.”
I groaned. “This just gets worse and worse.”
“At some point it’ll get better,” Axel said. “You have to believe me.”
I gave him a wobbly smile. “I believe you. It’s just so much—we can’t get any relief from this guy.”
A rustle of leaves behind us made me turn. “What is that?” Even as the word left my mouth, a feeling of dread washed down my skin, pricking my flesh inch by inch.
“It can’t be,” Axel said in a low voice.
“It can’t be what?” Please don’t say it’s the magic eater.
The tree branches parted, and out into the night rolled Erebus.
“It’s the magic eater,” Axel said, mystified. He threw his arms out protectively. “Stay back. Get behind me.”
“We can both hit him with our power,” I argued.
“He eats power, Pepper,” Axel snapped. “It won’t do any good.”
I grimaced. Wow. How could I not have been on top of that one? Fighting a magic eater with magic was like fighting a forest fire with more fire—it simply wouldn’t work.
Axel pulled the black pouch full of happiness from his pocket. “Stay back, Erebus,” he warned.
But Erebus either didn’t listen or didn’t care. My vote would be that the magic eater didn’t care. The creature glided forward. Axel threw a handful of powder at the ground and on Erebus.
He slowed for a moment, bowing his back. Then the magic eater shook off the cremated gunk and advanced on us again.
I clutched Axel’s shirt. “What happened?”
“He got an immunity.” Axel tugged me toward him. “Run!”
We ran toward the ponds. Axel shouted at me. “We’re going to dive in.”
I looked at him as if he was crazy. “What?”
“Dive in,” he repeated.
“What if Erebus isn’t afraid of water?”
“That won’t matter.” Axel shot me a frantic look. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes!”
“Then do as I say. Dive in.” We were almost to the edge. I’d never once been in the sparkling water of the Potion Ponds. Not once had I seen anyone swim in them, and though they looked like diamonds on the surface, there was no telling what lay underneath.
This was the South, y’all. There could be all kinds of cottonmouths in the water. It was always best to be a little fearful, at least when deadly creatures were involved.
“Now,” Axel shouted.
I launched myself into the air. My feet lifted from the ground as I tucked my head and brought my arms up to both ears.
Once you learn to dive, it’s like riding a bike—you never forget.
My fingers touched the cool water first. I sliced through the surface, feeling the rest of my body plunge into the pond.
I kicked as I held my breath. I opened my eyes. The water was dark—no surprise there, as it was dark outside. As my vision adjusted, I realized we were in deep water. Tall lake weed that was anchored to the pond floor drifted around us.
The sparkling lights that always danced on the surface of the pond lit up in the distance, reminding me of fireflies. They looked so beautiful as they approached. I extended my hand toward one of them.