Charms & Clouds

by Emilia Spring

  “Oh, I put together this jewelry for her,” Diane said. “It’s to help protect her, with the threats and everything.”

  Did everybody know about those except for me?

  Diane shrugged, seeming uncertain. “I know she said she wasn't worried, but I worry.” She was holding a jewelry box in her hands. “How have you been?” She glanced at the clock. “When are you getting Gianna from school?”

  Unease prickled across my neck, but I smiled, forcing myself to relax. “I'll go get her in a couple hours,” I said. “She is attempting to join the chess club, so she’s there late.”

  Diane looked thoughtful. “You don't see many of our type playing board games.”

  I hummed in agreement. I personally didn't play many board games, but that was because I didn't have a social life.

  “Did Riley make any progress on the investigation?” Diane asked, concern tinting her voice. “We’ve had the funeral but there’s still no resolution.”

  I glanced up, saw another of the faceless photos. This was a close-up, their arms wrapped around each other.

  I looked at my feet, and then glanced up again, and that was when I saw it. On his finger was the same type of band that had been in the pictures Riley had showed me. That didn't mean anything, not completely. It could've been a coincidence. I definitely wasn't going to ask, because – I’d learned my lesson.

  “We think it might be Oscar,” I said.

  “We?” Diane looked at me, curious.

  I sighed, rotating my shoulders back. “He was cheating on his wife with Clara,” I explained. “He also had jewelry that was found on Clara’s body.”

  “The body that disappeared?” Diane asked.

  I looked at her, surprised.

  “Gossip travels fast in this town.” There was amusement in her eyes.

  I gave her that, even though I wasn't quite thrilled with it. “I think he may be trying to frame Zane.”

  “Why?” Diane frowned. “Zane is brand new to the Council.”

  “And he’d be looked at with the most suspicion,” I explained. “Not much is known about him. That makes him dangerous.”

  “He did appear about ten years ago,” Diane said thoughtfully. “It was right before Sage graduated from high school. That's how I remember.”

  I lifted my head to look at her, surprise flashing across my face. “You're sure?”

  Diane looked at me. “I'm pretty good with dates,” she said. She looked almost like she was humoring me. “Yes, because we went to the Council. Clara was particularly interested in Sage’s progress.” There was a bitter turn to her lips. “And look how that turned out.”

  I didn’t say anything, just nodded. “Did Zane talk to Sage at all?”

  I could see something connecting in her eyes, and she frowned. “I don't think so,” Diane said. “Here's the jewelry.” She passed me the box she had been holding in her hands. “Marguerite’s expecting it, so if you could give it to her, that would be lovely.”

  I smiled at her, the bright smile I reserved for when I was faking it and I didn't want them to know. “Thanks.”

  She shrugged, suddenly modest. “No problem. I don't want any of us to get attacked.”

  I smiled at her, and Diane walked me back towards the foyer. There while putting my shoes back on, and grabbing my jacket, I snuck a couple glances at the photographs on the wall. The same ring band, no matter who they were on.

  “Are you okay?” Diane asked, something cautious in her voice.

  “Had an exhausting lesson with Marguerite today,” I said, letting some of my fatigue seep into my voice. “All I want to do is take a nap.”

  Something small relaxed in Diane's posture. “Go get some rest. Take a break from all the research, and everything you’ve been doing.” There was a wry twist to her lips. “Marguerite can be exhausting.”

  I smiled at her, grateful. “Thanks,” I said. “I will.”

  I headed back to the library, thinking over everything I’d just been told. Could Diane and Sage have been connected to Zane? Could Diane be guilty?

  If Diane knew, if Diane knew I knew, then we were both in danger. “How did I get involved with the murder again?” I moaned to myself. Stupid question. Riley had warned me.

  I grabbed my mobile, dialing Riley. No answer.

  “Of course she doesn't pick up her phone,” I muttered. She had the worst timing.

  I sighed, heading into the library for at least a little bit. I felt safer around Charlotte. Plus I didn’t have to get Gianna from school for another couple hours. I stood right by the door, looking at Charlotte at her desk. Now I was curious. “What do you know about Diane?”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Charlotte looked at me, curious. “What do you want to know?”

  “Has she always lived in that house by herself?”

  Something flashed across Charlotte's face. “Sage used to talk about that,” she admitted.

  “About what?” I was curious now, leaning forward. “She wouldn't happen to have taken lovers, would she?”

  “She had flings,” Charlotte said. “Couldn't keep them for very long, but liked them.”

  That would explain why their faces had been erased. I rocked back on my heels, thinking. “Do you know if any of them cheated on her?” I asked, not really expecting an answer.

  Charlotte looked at me, confused, and shook her head. “I don't think so,” she said slowly. “You’d have to ask her.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why do you ask?”

  “Just curious.” I wasn’t very convincing.

  Charlotte made a noise that made it very clear that she didn't believe me. I looked offended, but then grinned. She had a point, after all.

  “Text Riley,” she informed me. “Don't go do anything harebrained by yourself.”

  I tried to look like an angel. How would I do something harebrained? After all, I was completely innocent. The fact that that was bullshit was not lost on me.

  “If you have anything else, I'd love to read it.” I figured she would get the hint.

  Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Go read that ghost book I gave you,” she ordered.

  I mock saluted her, grinning. “Yes ma'am.”

  Okay, I may have opened the book, and maybe even skimmed some of it, but an hour later, I couldn't have told you anything that book was about. Instead, I spent that hour tapping my foot, watching the clock. It was getting closer and closer to when Gianna got out of school. All I could think about was Diane, about the conversation. Did she know? Did she suspect? She didn't seem too surprised by the theory that Oscar did it. Then there were those photos.

  Maybe she hadn't killed Clara. Maybe Oscar had. But I had a feeling there was a connection between Diane and the human murders.

  As soon as I could, I escaped from the library and drove Ruth to Gianna’s school. I didn't know what was going on, or if we were under what could be a proper threat, but I may have snuck in early and signed Gianna out. Like she was going to object to getting out of school early.

  Gianna plopped into Ruth. “What's got your knickers in a knot?”

  I started Ruth. “Where'd you learn that?”

  “TV,” Gianna said promptly.

  I sighed. “I'm going to have to watch your TV usage.”

  Gianna snorted and was quiet in the passenger seat for a few seconds. “Seriously though. Is everything okay?”

  I considered telling her the truth, because I felt like I owed her that much. “You know how I did that thing a couple weeks ago, where we ended up in the warehouse with a murderer?”

  Gianna looked at me out of the corner of her eyes. “Did you find a murderer again?”

  “Sort of,” I said.

  Gianna looked at the sky, as if she was praying for patience.

  “That's supposed to be my face,” I said, only half kidding.

  “You’re, like, more determined to get yourself killed than anybody I've ever known,” Gianna said. “Who is it?”

  I sighed. “It
was the woman you saw.”

  I could feel Gianna's blink. “The woman whose ghost I saw?” she asked slowly.

  Yeah, I realized how insane that sounded. “I think so,” I said.

  “But why did I see her ghost?” Gianna asked.

  I wish I knew. “Why do you keep asking me like I’m the paragon of magic?”

  “Because you're supposed to be,” Gianna teased.

  “Insubordination.”

  Gianna stuck her tongue out at me. It was a relief, to see her acting the way she did. After she'd acted weird, I had worried that something was wrong. But she seemed as easy-going as usual.

  “A couple of the orders came in,” I said.

  She looked up at me, eyes brightening. “The fish?” she asked.

  I nodded. “When we open next week, we’ll have the basics,” I said.

  She grinned at me, looking excited. “Theodore’s gonna be so pissed,” she said fondly. “All of the attention not on him.”

  “We’re going to have to talk to him,” I said with a groan. “He can't go freaking out the human customers.”

  “I don't know if humans can hear him,” Gianna said thoughtfully.

  I looked at her as we parked in front of the shop. I needed to order a sign.

  “Well, worst case we find out,” I said, getting out of the car. Gianna practically skipped inside, and I locked the door behind us out of habit. She didn't seem to notice, instead bouncing over to the large coolers.

  “We got the pair of clown fish,” I said, looking at them. They were a specific type that was a darker red, not the traditional clowns. “They’re a little bit territorial, so we’ll have to see how they do.”

  “They're not perfect Nemos,” Gianna said, peering closer.

  “No, we have those over here.” I nudged her towards another bag. It was for the second forty gallon breeder, one pair of clowns in each.

  “What are the rest of them?” Gianna asked, getting as close as she could without touching the bags.

  “We want the tank to be established more before we put in any corals,” I said. “So I got a couple good gobies – which are the fish that like to hang out on the floor?” I pointed these out, and she made a suitable noise.

  “I also got a bunch of snails,” I said pointing those out. “And shrimps.”

  “These aren’t the kind of shrimp we eat, right?”

  I bit back a grin. “I have a feeling these shrimp would be very unhappy to be eaten.”

  Gianna snorted, as if amused at my humor. “They're shrimp,” she said. “I'm not sure they would know.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I'm pretty sure they would.”

  “What about the freshwater side?” Gianna turned to look at the other container, which presumably had what she was looking for. I opened it, and she gasped. The fish were bright and multicolored, swimming this way and that in their bags. “They’re cichlids,” I said. “Primarily from Africa, although some are also from countries in Asia.”

  Gianna made an appreciative noise. “I like these ones,” she declared. She lifted her head, looking across the room. “Don't you, Craig?”

  I could almost hear Craig’s laugh. “Food,” he said.

  “If you eat these fish, we’re going to have a discussion.” Gianna seemed more amused than anything. Craig seemed entirely unconcerned by Gianna's threat. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was completely unconcerned. After all, Gianna was like, 11.

  I really needed to look up when her birthday was.

  “All right,” I said, clapping my hands together. “Let's get these fish ready to enter their new homes.”

  “That sounds a lot like work,” she said, narrowing her eyes at me.

  I looked at her. “If you hoped that we would have fish without any work, I don't know what you were hoping we would have.” I paused. “Plastic ones?”

  “Fine,” she said, exasperated. “If you're going to make me work, we might as well get started.”

  “Your lives are so tragic,” Theodore drawled.

  I winked at him. “Just wait,” I told him. “Just wait.”

  We’d gotten the last of the cichlids in their tank when there was a knock on the door. I looked up at Gianna, alarmed. It had only been an hour. Maybe it was Sam or Avery. Gianna wasn’t paying attention to me, instead cooing at the clown fish in one of the saltwater tanks.

  I headed to the front door, stopping in my tracks when I saw it was Diane on the other side.

  Worry swamped her face. “Riley sent me to get you.”

  I looked at her, fear making my heart beat faster. “What do you mean?”

  “They've arrested Zane,” she said. “He confessed to Clara's murder.”

  I held the door cracked open, not completely closing it in Diane’s face, and checked my phone in my pocket. There was no message from Riley. Uneasiness prickled up and down my spine. I was pretty sure if that was true, Riley would've contacted me. She wouldn’t have sent Diane to do it.

  Still, I didn't want her to be alerted right away.

  I smiled at her, and then opened the door slightly. “I just have to get Gianna,” I said. “If you could –”

  Then there was a wicked knife in Diane’s hand, and she tilted her head at me.

  “Come on in,” I said, backing up.

  Gianna turned around, and then froze. “Is that a knife?”

  Diane smiled, coming into the shop and shutting and locking the front door. There wasn’t much I could do without risking destroying everything. There also wasn’t any wind coming in.

  “You killed those men,” I said. “Didn't you?”

  Diane looked somewhat impressed. “How did you figure that out? Not even the human police put it together.”

  I swallowed. “The photos on your wall,” I said. “They all had the same kind of wedding band that the humans did.”

  I thought of the little jewelry box, nestled in the lockbox of my car. “Was that what you were hoping to do to Marguerite? Hurt her with that?”

  Diane rolled her eyes. “No,” she said. “Maybe just modify her memory a little bit.”

  “Natalie?” Gianna asked, her voice soft.

  I held up a hand. “It’ll be okay,” I told her, my voice as gentle as I could make it. Gianna didn't look entirely convinced. I couldn’t really blame her.

  “Who cheated on you?” I asked, looking at her. “Who caused you to murder those men?”

  Then it hit me. I’d never been able to find the lover of the first one, even though he'd definitely been cheating. “It was that first man,” I said. “Jonathan. He broke up with you.”

  Diane rolled her eyes. “It's not quite that clichéd,” she drawled. “It's not the first time I've been cheated on.” Her lips turned down at that. “Don't worry, it's easy enough to frame Tiernan for this,” she smiled. “You got her poor husband thrown in jail, so she murdered you.”

  “That's insane.” I took a half-step back, shielding Gianna.

  She tilted her head. “Is it?” she asked, taking a step forward.

  I wasn't quite sure what to say to that. “I mean, murder is generally insane.”

  She looked at me, entirely not impressed by my logic. Still, I kept trying. “I mean, I won't tell anybody,” I said. “Gianna won’t either.”

  Diane looked entirely unamused. “If you think I'm going to fall for that, you're dumber than I thought you were.”

  I looked at her for a few seconds. “That's pretty impressive,” I said. “Given how I'm pretty sure you think I’m as stupid as the fish in those tanks.”

  Chapter Thirty

  “Why did you kill Clara?” I asked, trying to put the pieces together. “I don't think you're gay.”

  Diane rolled her eyes. “Clara was the one who could put it together,” she said. It was sort of funny, how so many villains seemed to indulge in the monologue when things were heading towards the end. I mean, if you were going to murder somebody, get it over with.

  “She knew the men?” I
asked.

  “She knew I'd been dating one of them,” Diane said with a sneer. “She told me to turn myself in. I promised I would, just as soon as we got back from the summit.” She looked all too satisfied with herself.

  “So predictably, you killed her instead.” Humans were predictable. Even witches.

  Diane shrugged. “Sometimes it's got to happen.”

  “How’d you do it?” I asked, curious. Then it hit me. “The jewelry.” I didn't know exactly what it’d been about the jewelry, but that made sense. If the men were all wearing the same rings, and there was jewelry taken from Clara’s body, it obviously had something to do with it.

  “For Clara, it was an electric charge, from one piece to the other. Stops your heart.” Diane looked incredibly proud of herself. “For the men, a simple sedative, to make stabbing them easier.”

  “Why, yes,” I said. “We wouldn't want murdering them to be hard.”

  Diane shook her head. “The mouth on you.”

  “I like my mouth,” I quipped.

  “Do you have brains in your body?” Gianna muttered, elbowing me.

  “I do,” I said. I just didn’t always choose to use them. I was actually grateful that Theodore and the birds stayed quiet. With any luck, Diane would think them stupid, and wouldn’t attempt to harm them. Because they had just overheard her magical evil plan.

  “Put this jewelry on,” Diane said, tossing us a couple of pieces. “The smaller set’s for her, the bigger set’s for you.”

  I looked at the bracelet and choker combination, dread coiling in my middle. Gianna didn't move forward to pick hers up.

  “Can we please go outside?” I asked.

  She arched an eyebrow at me. “Why?”

  I swallowed thickly. “I don't want anything to happen to the animals we’ve got here.”

  Diane seemed to have some compassion left in her, because she seemed to consider that point. “Are you even an apprentice yet?”

  I let my cheeks burn with what she probably thought was shame but was actually anger. “No,” I said, sounding as if I was frustrated.

  The answer seemed to satisfy her, so she went over and ensured my bracelet and choker was on, before checking Gianna’s. Gianna was an inch away from fighting her, I could see it in her face.