Gloria’s eyes widened. She whispered, “I’m going to get paid to stay here and work? And I still get my own living space?”
“Wait, what? Of course, you’re going to be paid! Why wouldn’t you be?” A disturbing thought occurred to me. “Didn’t Jeremy pay you at the resort?”
Her expression turned guilty. “Uh, not really. But he didn’t charge us rent. And we got to keep some of our tips, you know.”
Some of her tips? Jeremy and I would be having words. Soon. Well, as soon as I got things settled here.
My indignation must have been evident, because she started stammering nervously, trying to smooth everything over. “R-really, it was fine. The work wasn’t hard or anything. And we got most of our meals free. He pays for the protection on the resort, so everybody there understands.”
Giving her a tight nod, I went back to the big freezer and grabbed one of the sausage gravy trays and a can of biscuits, careful not to slam them down on the counter when I came back out.
“Would you mind heating this up and doing the biscuits, please? I’m going to cut up some fresh fruit and get the table set. After breakfast, how about we explore some and get our bearings?”
She squealed and threw her arms around me, then jumped back. “Omigosh! I’m so sorry! I’m just so excited.”
Not being able to remain upset when she was clearly so happy, I waved her apology away. “It’s fine, Gloria. I’m excited you want to stay. Let’s get breakfast set, okay?
Aunt Stella came to breakfast in far better spirits than she had been last night. She was tickled that we had made her favorite gravy and biscuits and that it was every bit as good as Paulette’s had been. Gloria and I looked across the table at each other guiltily, trying to keep our poker faces on. Zara was silent for a change, licking the last of the gravy off her little plate. I would have to keep some of the labels off of those trays for future reference, though I was sure my sausage gravy was every bit as good as this one was.
When we were all done eating, she sat back contentedly. “What are you girls going to do today?”
“For the most part, I thought we would explore before I head back to the resort to grab food for Toby and my things. This house is so big, I can imagine it would be easy to get lost in. And Zara mentioned going over everything that needs to be done and talking to Gloria about her salary.”
“Ah, yes, excellent. Zara, dear, why don’t you show Roxanne the lower level, if you would. She’ll need access to that sooner rather than later, I believe.”
Zara didn’t even look up at her mistress’s suggestion, just nodded. I had the impression she was . . . sad. Or maybe resigned. Gloria must have felt it, too, because she let out a small whine. Slapping both hands over her mouth, she mumbled an apology through them.
Stella laughed, reaching over the table to take Gloria’s hand. “It’s quite alright, dear girl. There’s no need to be embarrassed about your nature, not here. And Zara, you know that nature must take its course. Chin up, my love. All is as it’s supposed to be.”
Confused over their odd, one-sided exchange, I wondered if Zara was speaking to Aunt Stella privately. The cat lifted her head just long enough to meet my eyes and then looked down at her plate again. That wasn’t exactly a confirmation, but I took it as so anyway.
“Well, I am going to spend some time in the library and I need to make some calls. If you ladies would excuse me.” Clapping her hands together, she pushed her chair back.
“Oh, before you go, Aunt Stella. Is it okay if Toby stays with you while we look around? Rand doesn’t seem to be around this morning. If it’s a bother, just let me know.”
“Of course he can, Roxanne. He’ll be no trouble at all, I’m sure. Come along, Toby.” With the German Shepherd by her side, she stood up and left the room without a backward glance.
Chapter 19
Do I even want to know what that was about, Zara? I had no idea there was a lower level. I haven’t seen any stairs leading down anywhere, yet.
Not meeting my eyes, the tabby jumped down from her seat. Come on, I’ll take you to the workshop. We can discuss the rest while we’re down there. She completely avoided my question.
Fine. But if something’s wrong, I would like to know, please.
Well, for one thing you need to learn how to not look so constipated when you’re talking to me. That would be a good start. The snarl in her voice nearly made me fall out of my chair.
Perhaps we should wait until you’re a bit more calm to discuss matters. Go get whatever’s bothering you out of your system, then come see us. I won’t have you scaring Gloria away before she’s even settled in.
Turning to Gloria, who was watching us both anxiously, I ignored Zara. “Change of plans. Let’s clear the table and, if you don’t mind, we can go back to the resort to grab my things and anything else of yours you might want. We can make multiple trips over the next few days if we need to, it’s not a problem.” I stood and started stacking the bowls and plates.
“What about exploring here?” She got up more slowly, taking some of the dishes from me.
“We can do it after lunch.”
Wait. Zara must have sent that to both of us, because Gloria jumped at the same time I did. Her next words surprised me in a different way. I’m . . . sorry. You really do need to see the lower level. Why don’t we do that first?
Okay. Is Gloria coming with us?
She considered this. I don’t think it will hurt. You’ll need someone besides just me down there sometimes.
That wasn’t cryptic at all. Gloria shrugged her shoulders good naturedly when I looked over at her to make sure she was fine with this.
Lead on, fearless feline.
Since we were apparently going right by the kitchen again, we carried the breakfast dishes in and set them in the sink.
“I’ll load it later, no worries,” Gloria offered.
Zara walked ahead of us briskly enough that we scrambled to keep up. So to go over everything that needs to be done, there’s the usual—cooking, cleaning, and laundry. The cleaning, of course, is the most challenging task because of the sheer size of the house. Since the upstairs rooms aren’t in use, they really only need to be aired out every couple of months. Stella made those stooges take all the rugs out and beat them last month, so that doesn’t need to be done for at least two or three more months. She paused. Better make that next month. That dog of yours probably tracks in a lot of dirt. As far as the shifter’s salary goes . . . she threw out a number that made Gloria yelp again. I was right there with her.
“Is that the going rate around here?” If so, housekeeping was extremely lucrative. I’d never asked Annie how much she made.
Zara gave the mental equivalent of a shrug. It’s what Stella said to offer her.
She came to a stop at the end of the long back hall, past Gloria’s new quarters. There was a door leading outside to the covered breezeway between the house and the garage, and a door on the right hand side.
“Is this it?” Not waiting for her answer, I opened it. “Oops! These stairs lead up.”
Yes, those are the original servants stairs to the rooms above. Please close the door.
Confused, I shut it. The cat walked up to the door and reared up onto her hind legs, both paws reaching up nearly to the middle of the door.
Please put your hand next to my paws.
“Which hand?”
It doesn’t matter. Just press your hand on the wood next to mine and don’t move.
Doing as she asked, I placed my hand between her paws and the doorknob.
Close your eyes and think after me.
This had better not be some kind of a joke. I glanced over my shoulder at Gloria. She watched everything with interest, still not fazed in the slightest.
Close your eyes! I snapped my eyes closed. Now picture a staircase leading down and think these words—Open to me, secrets that be.
I repeated the little rhyme and waited with my eyes closed.
&nb
sp; Open your eyes and turn the handle, witchling.
When I opened my eyes, Zara had moved away from the door. Reaching for the handle, I opened it, fully expecting this to be Zara’s idea of fun and games at my expense. It wasn’t. Gloria scooted closer to look down the stairs now leading beneath the house.
“Oh wow! That is so cool! How did you do that?” Gloria was in rapidfire mode with her words. I couldn’t speak yet, so I slowly shook my head in bewilderment. No wonder those goons hadn’t found what they were searching for.
Magick, witchling. You’re embracing your new life, remember?
How did she know that? When had I thought that around her?
She chuckled. In my head, of course. Does it matter? Your first lesson begins now. Magick is two hundred percent intent and at least fifty percent direction.
“Where did you learn math, cat?” Gloria’s giggle echoed down the stairs. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
I was around before math was, dear girl.
Gloria caught my eye and mouthed, ‘For real?’
Yes, for real. If you want to know what came first, the chicken or the egg, I could tell you, but I won’t. I’m that old. Let’s go to the workshop, shall we. She zipped down the stairs and disappeared around the corner at the bottom faster than I could have imagined anything could move.
I took my time going down, not sure what to expect. Gloria followed closely behind me, no hesitation. As I rounded the corner at the bottom, I stopped abruptly enough that Gloria bumped into me, giving me a push into the room. Zara sat in the center of an odd sundial design on the floor. The shelves behind her were filled with books, bottles, and other odds and ends. There were books stacked everywhere, even on the floor, and a bookstand made out of branches in one corner, holding an open book.
“Hey,” Gloria whispered, “is that a skull?”
My eyes following the direction she pointed, I spotted the skull.
“I’m going to say, yes?” She was standing so close now, she was almost a second skin, and had grabbed my hand. Strangely, it didn’t bother me.
This is the old part of the workshop, but it still has it’s uses. If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you the more modern areas. She walked at a more sedate pace through a doorway off to the side.
“I’m embracing this crazy new life. Really, I am,” I murmured.
“Are you talking to me or yourself?” Gloria giggled.
“Yes. Come on, you, let’s go through the rabbit hole.” I pulled her along as I followed Zara.
“You, uh, might not want to mention rabbits around dog shifters, Roxie,” she advised. “Or squirrels. Definitely not squirrels.” She gave a full body shiver. “Not all of us can control ourselves that well.”
“Can you?” I asked her, curious.
“Yes. Mostly.” Her answer didn’t inspire my full confidence.
We stepped into a very modern looking lab type room. Well, except for the cauldrons—those looked really old. There was a whole rack of them next to a small sink. The bookshelves were all neatly labeled, there were several racks of what looked like spices, canvas bins of empty glass bottles, and a few things that looked like they belonged in a science lab. Was that a really big bunsen burner?
Yes, it is.
Searching the room for the cat, I spotted her between two freestanding islands with stainless steel tops. They looked almost like surgical tables. There was another sundial pattern on this floor, too, which Zara sat in the center of. Again. For some reason, that felt important, but I had no clue why.
Speaking out loud for Gloria’s sake, I asked slowly, “So, why do I need to see all of this, exactly?”
You’ll know soon enough, witchling.
With that she turned and went back to the stairs. Gloria and I took one last look around and then followed.
Once we were back up on the main level, Zara instructed me to close the door and to repeat the process we had before. She stayed back this time.
Picture the stairs you saw the first time, leading up, and think, Hide from all, til next I call.
I did as she instructed and repeated her words in my mind. “That’s it?”
Open the door and see.
Opening the door, there were the servants stairs, leading up again. Tentatively, I put my weight on the first stair. It was solid, not an illusion.
We call them glamours, but tomato, tomahto. Well, I’m off. Enjoy your exploration.
Gloria watched as the cat trotted off. “This place is so cool!”
We explored for the next hour, then collected Toby from my aunt and headed back to the resort to pick up some of our things. Rand still hadn’t made an appearance, and I wasn’t sure exactly how the anchor thing worked. I didn’t want to leave both him and Jake trapped in Stella’s house, so I tried not to dawdle.
I dropped Gloria off at a camper that was about half the size of the one I had been staying in and felt that flash of indignation for Gloria—and the rest of the shifters staying here—again. She hopped out and was greeted by two others, her roommates, all of them chattering excitedly as they went inside. She knew not to mention certain things she had seen, so I had to trust that she would be discreet.
Back at my RV, I started repacking everything, making sure to grab Toby’s food and bed first. Just as I was loading some of it into the back of the Jeep, Sam called.
“Hey! Sorry I missed you yesterday, but I was at the courthouse. What’s up?”
“Oh my gosh. You are not going to believe all of it!” I launched into the past two days' events, leaving nothing out. By the time I finished, I was almost out of breath. “Sam? Are you still there?”
“Yes. You know, every time I think your life can’t possibly get any weirder, you prove me wrong. So what happens now?”
“I’m packing up my stuff as we speak. I’m officially a maid.” Going back for another load, I debated on whether I would have time for a quick shower before Gloria and I headed back. Probably not.
“For how long?”
“I’m wondering that myself. I have no idea. I’m going to say until I can help her hire a staff that can be trusted. Gloria and I can’t do it all ourselves, I know, not as big as that place is. Plus, I’d really like to get to know her better, while I can.” I took a last look through the closet and drawers, then did a walkthrough, checking each area. Satisfied I hadn’t missed anything, I relaxed and grabbed the bottle of water I’d opened earlier. “You would love her place, Sam. It really is gorgeous. And the library is amazing. I still haven’t had a chance to really check it out.”
“If you’re sure you’re okay. I’m afraid there’s not much I can offer in the help department for all you’ve got going on, not from here, but I’m glad you were able to get rid of those troublemakers. Oh, before I forget, the girls met me for lunch and I let them know what was going on down there. Tess wanted me to tell you she thinks she found something in her ancestry, a connection to Salem witches. She’s so excited.”
Once upon a time, I would have laughed at that. “Has she decided to forego the head injury route, at least?”
Sam did laugh. “Yes, thank goodness. That girl had me all kinds of worried for a minute! Now she’s rewatching all the Harry Potter movies ‘to learn about her people.’ I told her she’d be better off watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and studying Willow.”
“Well, you might not want to tell her I did my first spell today, then. There’s no telling what she might try.”
“If you’re learning spells and things, do you think you could find one to banish this one stubby chin hair I’ve got that refuses to stay gone? I pluck it and I swear it grows back overnight!”
“At least you’ve only got the one, girlfriend! My tweezers groan every time I pick them up these days.” I hated those hairs. “But I’ll see what I can do.”
We talked for a few more minutes before she had to go. I decided to go check on Gloria to see if she needed help with anything before it was time to head back. If we left soon
we’d be there in time to get lunch set.
As I stepped out of the RV, I stopped in surprise. Gloria was already over by the Jeep with two bags and there was a small line of shifters waiting on the boardwalk. For me, from the looks of it.
Gloria grinned proudy. “When you’re ready to pick more help, these people all want to apply!”
I didn’t know what to say. Literally. “I guess I’ll have to talk to Aunt Stella about it. I have no idea what kind of budget we have to work with.” I hoped she hadn’t told them all what she was getting paid, because I’m not sure if Stella could afford to pay two or three people like that. “If you want to get their information, Gloria, we can get back with them, okay.”
Everyone immediately started crowding around Gloria, all talking at once. This was going to take an hour at this rate.
“Hey!” I yelled. They turned as one, and the talking stopped. “Tell you what. If you have Gloria’s phone number, just text her your info and she can pass it on to me. We’ve got to get back now.” They all must have had her number because their phones were in their hands almost before I’d finished talking.
“Do you have more, Gloria? I’m done, so we can go back and get the rest.”
“Nope. This is it. I had some tchotchke stuff, but I told my roommates to keep it.”
We loaded her bags in the back seat, since Toby’s bed and my things took up a good part of the cargo space and headed back to Stella’s.
Over the next couple of days, Gloria and I barely had time to look at that list. Between cooking, cleaning, and the laundry, our days were busy and we became fast friends. She was easy to work with, smart, and eager to learn anything new. It turned out she had a college degree, having majored in Management and minored in Accounting. I filed that information away, hoping she would be able to do more than just the cleaning here someday.
In the evenings we sat with Stella in either the parlor or the library, listening to her stories, sharing our own, or just browsing through the books. Stella seemed to love the company and seemed less tired than she’d been since I’d met her. She was all too happy to answer my questions about my parents whenever we were alone. Several visitors stopped by, rarely for very long, but since she greeted them warmly and appeared to know them well, I didn’t worry. Stella said they were there for business and always took them to her small office near the library. Zara was far more quiet than usual, rarely offering her usual snarky comments, and was content to stay close to Stella. Neither Stella nor Zara suggested any more trips to the lower level, which I was more than fine with.
Seeing Witchy Things Page 21