The Strongman's Spell

by Amorette Anderson

  I disagreed, but I kept it to myself. Instead, I waited for her to go on, which she did. “The Record Keeper Reviews is not just a website,” she said. “It’s a modern version of the Akashic Records—a cosmic repository of information which beings of all five realms can access, if they know how.”

  “The records are important, aren’t they?” I asked.

  “Very important,” she said. “Once an entry is made into the records, it can never be undone. It will remain forever.”

  “See?” I said. “If Carlisle writes up an entry that reflects poorly on us, no one in the magical universe will want to come to our retreats. We’d be dead in our tracks before even getting business off the ground. When I had my vision, Gran said that this was my task; I really don’t want to fail. I have to keep Carlisle happy.”

  “Be yourself, child,” Skili said. “Let Carlisle react however he wants.”

  With Skili’s no-nonsense words of wisdom ringing in my ears, I pulled up to the portal gate, hopped out of the van, and focused on opening the waiting room.

  When the magical curtain above the gate opened, I saw a man who was average height with a beefy build. He had rosy cheeks that matched his bright red bow tie, a thick, stubbly, blondish-gray beard that looked almost accidental, and horn-rimmed glasses. His thinning silverish hair was swept over his head, and his tweed blazer parted at the middle where his belly protruded. He was huffing and puffing as he exited the waiting room, pulling a rolling suitcase behind him.

  There were two women behind him. One looked to be his age, mid-fifties. She had a figure like a bean pole, was dressed head-to-toe in a sleek emerald green pantsuit, and wore her hair clipped short and spiky. The other woman was in her late twenties, like me. She was pretty, with wide-set eyes, milky pale skin, and auburn hair that was styled in a chin-length bob.

  “What an awful waiting room,” Carlisle said before I even had a chance to greet him.

  “So bare,” the older woman said.

  “So boring,” the younger woman said. “Dad, is this whole weekend going to be boring?”

  Carlisle turned to the young woman. “Alyssa, I told you that you didn’t have to come along. This is a work trip for me, and it’s not going to be my responsibility to entertain you. To be honest, I don’t know why you and your mother insisted on coming along.”

  The older woman put her arm around Alyssa’s shoulders. “Oh, Carlisle, give us a break for once, why don’t you? Alyssa, honey, the events that this retreat center has put together are sure to be dreadful, but like I told you, there’s a spa. We’re going to skip all the lectures and boring events and enjoy some first-rate pampering.”

  I stepped forward, away from my van, and offered a wave. “Hello. I’m Marley Greene, founder of the Greene Center for Magical Living,” I said. “Welcome to the Earth Realm.”

  “A magical retreat center in the Earth Realm,” Carlisle muttered. “What a preposterous idea. Earth Realm dwellers are so stuck in their ways. They’ll never understand magic. I can’t see why you think this is a good venture.”

  “It’s a new era here on Earth,” I said as I ushered them toward the van. “My friends and I want to help introduce magic to the beings here. We’re excited to get the center up and running this weekend. Eventually, we’ll open the center up to non-magical and magical folks alike. We plan on being very inclusive.” I helped them load their suitcases into the van, and then opened the side door. They piled in.

  I tried to steer the conversation toward positive topics as we bumped and crawled our way down the steep road. Then Skili remained outside while I guided the three newest arrivals across the lot, toward the center.

  Once they were all safely inside, the older woman, who I found out was Carlisle’s wife, Beatrix, and the young woman, his daughter Alyssa, hurried off to check into their shared suite. I was left alone with Carlisle in the lobby.

  The lobby is a part of the center that I’m very proud of. The building is three stories high, and when we constructed the building, we left the lobby entirely open so that when you look up you can see the very roof of the building. The ceiling is composed of many skylights formed into geometric patterns, which allows sunlight to stream down through the open area. A large tree in the center of the lobby forms the focal point of the space. Rustic wooden tables and chairs are scattered around in little clusters, and there’s a stone fountain near the front entrance that allows natural creek water to trickle in from outside. A piano painted with vines and flowers stands in one corner of the room. Since I love the lobby so much, I was hoping Carlisle would, too.

  However, the scowl on his face as he looked around indicated that he was less than impressed.

  I felt the knot in my stomach tighten.

  “I understand that you write entries for the Record Keeper Reviews,” I said, trying to keep my apprehension from being too obvious. “Do you have a lot of readers?”

  “Oh, I’m only the most popular and followed reviewer on the InterRealm Net,” he said. “And my write-ups for the Record Keeper Reviews are the most highly regarded. I am a direct descendant of one of the original Akashic Record scribes, after all. My father’s father’s father’s father’s father’s—” he paused to suck in some air. I did my best to keep up with him as he continued, “father’s father’s father was an original scribe for the Akashic Records. So naturally, my opinions are well-respected.”

  I knew that Carlisle was from the Air Realm. Air Realm dwellers are notoriously capable of tooting their own horns, and Carlisle certainly wasn’t an exception.

  “Interesting,” I said.

  “You're lucky that I chose to visit,” he said. “Everyone checks reviews before booking stays at resorts like this.” He pushed his round spectacles higher on his up-turned nose, pulled at the collar of his tweed blazer, and sniffed snootily.

  Then he spun around in a circle while looking up at the ceiling. “So many skylights. Too many, if you ask me. Isn’t that drafty, on cold days like today?” He licked one of his stout fingers and then held it up in the air, as if searching for a breeze. “Guests at places like this want to feel cozy and comfortable. They’re not here for a wilderness experience. No. They’re here to feel pampered.”

  “The building is extremely air-tight,” I said softly. “And I happen to love those skylights. Sunlight pours in, but the cold air stays out. Here in Colorado, we have over 300 days of sunshine a year.”

  He whipped out a notebook and scribbled something down on it. I hoped it was about the sunshine, and not about potential drafts.

  I cleared my throat. “Would you like me to show you to your room then, Carlisle?”

  “Mr. Crimson, to you,” he said. He turned his nose up at me, even more than before. I had a view right up his nostrils.

  I was beginning to have a bad feeling about his visit. He seemed unimpressed by the center so far. However, I kept my energy light and graceful as I guided him up the wide staircase on the far end of the lobby. We passed the entrance to the second floor and continued to the third story, where the guest rooms were located.

  “I think you’re going to enjoy your room, Mr. Crimson,” I said as I opened the door that led from the staircase onto the third floor. “It’s a private suite, just like you requested, with a jacuzzi bathtub. You’ll also find an aromatherapy station and a meditation corner that looks out over the mountains. I hope it provides a sense of peace and relaxation for you.”

  “That would be nice,” he said. “You have no idea how stressful my work is.”

  For the first time, I sensed that I might be winning him over.

  “I understand,” I said. “One of our main goals here at the center is to provide beings with a peaceful getaway, where they can not only nourish their minds with magical knowledge, but also heal from the stress of daily life. My familiar, Skili, is also a bit of a guide for me, and she says that healing has just as much to do with magic as learning. She says that all beings have magic inside, and that most just have to do
some healing so that they can access that magic. Only she didn’t say it in so many words—she doesn’t like to be too wordy.”

  The hallway was wide, and the pale wood floors were padded with thick oriental rugs. Large plants studded either side of the hallway, and bright natural lighting filtered through the skylights that dotted the ceiling above.

  The suite that I’d booked for Carlisle came into view—I could see the white numbers 312 glistening on the door

  It felt good to see the room. I hoped that Carlisle would step into the sanctuary of his room, and the stress of traveling would melt away from him just in time for the four o’clock meet and greet. I had my fingers crossed that my calming talk had turned his mood around.

  Just before I was about to announce that we were nearing his room, an awful shrieking sound filled my ears.

  “Eeeeeeeeeeiii!”

  The sound echoed down the empty hallway. I turned and saw a blur of silver and white approaching us, fast. The screaming grew louder. As the silver blur neared, I began to see some details of the form, including swirling silver hair, a pale white face, which was slightly translucent, and a long dress that floated across the carpet as though there might not be legs or feet beneath it. I recognized the figure; she was a banshee named Doreen that had been one of the first to arrive through the portal that morning. She was staying in room 301. What is she doing at this end of the hallway? I wondered.

  “Death! Death!” Doreen shrieked. “I warn you—death is coming for you! This is your warning! You have been warned!”

  At first, I thought that the banshee was talking to me, but she glided past me and slid right up to Carlisle. “Ohh!” she cried out, placing her hands over her cheeks and raising her brows. “You, sir, are going to die! Eeeeeeiiiiii!”

  I walked up to the shrieking woman and placed a hand on her back. She was cool to the touch, and though she looked translucent, she did have a form that I could feel. “Excuse me,” I said, “Mr. Crimson has had a long day. He traveled quite a ways to get here, and I think he’s looking forward to going into his room and unwinding for a moment. Do you mind giving him some space?”

  She stopped shrieking, swirled around, and then glided away.

  I looked at Carlisle. His pink cheeks were now even brighter with anger. “That probably didn’t help your stress level, did it?” I asked sympathetically.

  “It most certainly did not!” he said. “Who was that woman?”

  “Another one of the guests,” I said. “She’s a banshee. Her name is Doreen. I’m really sorry.”

  I could tell he was shaken up, and to be honest, so was I.

  “What a welcome,” he muttered. “I’ve never felt so affronted in my life. Talk about stress! To say I’m going to die like that. Obviously I’m going to die eventually. Everyone is. She doesn’t have to shout about it in my face.”

  “How about this,” I said. “We have a few mud baths set up down on the first floor. They’re part of the spa. Would you like me to book one of the baths for you now, to help you unwind?”

  I reached forward and unlocked his door for him. I opened it wide, and then stepped aside. “I could have it ready for you in no time,” I said. “Each private bath is custom created with minerals to suit your needs. I could—”

  “No, thank you,” he said. “I’d better take down some notes about my initial impressions of this place.”

  I swallowed hard. I had a feeling his initial impressions weren’t very good.

  “At least take a soak in your jacuzzi,” I managed to say quickly just before he slammed the door shut in my face.

  Unicorn poop, I thought. I bit my lip as I stared at the door. That didn’t go very well at all.

  But what could I do about it? I couldn’t change Carlisle’s first impression of the center. What was done, was done. All I could hope for was that the remainder of his stay would convince him that the Greene Center for Magical Living was a place worth visiting.

  With this hope in mind, I spun on my heel, lifted my chin, and headed for the lobby. There was more work to be done.

  Chapter Two

  As I crossed the lobby heading for the exit, I caught sight of my friend, Annie. She was heading my way with a platter of cheese held in one hand. She wore a lavender shawl draped around her shoulders, white slacks that matched her short white hair, and big fluorescent-purple chandelier earrings.

  “I got here as soon as I could,” she said with a smile. “We had a busy morning at the café.”

  Though Annie is in her seventies, she is far from retired. She wakes up at four each morning and bakes her heart out for the customers of the Death Café, which is Hillcrest’s one and only coffee shop. She’s agreed to help me out up here at the retreat center once her café closes each afternoon. I’m not entirely sure where Annie gets her boundless energy, but I think it has something to do with the fact that she’s a witch, just like me.

  “How is it going so far?” she asked as she set the cheese platter down on a table near the fountain in the entryway. “Cora, Penny, and Azure are on their way, too.”

  “That’s good to hear,” I said as I glanced over the cheese platter, eying my options. I’d barely eaten since my morning tofu scramble, and now that it was afternoon, I was starving.

  “Today started out great, but it went downhill,” I admitted. “I just made a less-than-ideal first impression on one of our most important guests.”

  “The reviewer from the Record Keeper site?” guessed Annie.

  I nodded and exhaled a long sigh as I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “I think he’s going to be hard to please. I’m just hoping that the relaxing atmosphere and healing vibes around here will convince him that this is a place worth visiting.” I picked up a cube of cheddar and popped it into my mouth.

  “That’s what this center is all about!” Annie said, sweeping a hand through the air dramatically. “Healing! High vibes! And above all else... magic!”

  A couple descending the stairs looked in our direction. I nodded and offered a slight smile. “Yeah,” I said softly to Annie. “Carlisle’s visit got off to a rough start, but we can turn it around. I just wish that freaking banshee hadn’t screamed at him.”

  “A banshee?” Annie said. “That does sound unfortunate. What did she say?”

  “She wailed right in Carlisle’s face that he was going to die.”

  “Oh goodness gracious,” Annie said with a shake of her head. “That’s not quite the warm welcome we were hoping for. But that’s what banshees do, dear, they wail about death. It’s their occupation. Carlisle shouldn’t take it personally. Everyone’s going to die eventually.”

  I nodded. “That was Carlisle’s take on it, too,” I said.

  Annie was making me feel better. So was the food. I picked up a cube of Swiss and chewed it thoughtfully. Once I swallowed, I said, “You’re right. I’m not going to worry about it. I can’t, anyway. There’s too much to do around here before the meet and greet at four.”

  I pulled my phone out from my vest pocket where it was tucked. “It’s already 3:15,” I said, as I checked the time. “I’d better get up to the portal gate. This is my last trip up there today, thank the stars. Red Rover is getting tired, and I think Skili is, too. She stayed outside to rest up before this next trip.”

  “What a loyal familiar,” Annie said.

  I nodded. “And van. Red Rover has treated me well these last ten years. I can’t believe I’ve been up to the portal gate half a dozen times today and good ol’ Red hasn’t bottomed out once—knock on wood.” I tapped the wooden table by my side.

  Annie finished the bite of cheese she was nibbling on. “My! That Swiss cheese is good. I’m glad I went with the block rather than the slices. Don’t worry about anything around here. The girls and I will get the food and drinks set up. I have a spell or two up my sleeve to help us with the heavy lifting.”

  She winked one of her sparkly blue eyes at me.

  The couple that had been chatting by
the stairs approached us. They both had pale skin, charcoal black hair, and ruby-red lips. “We saw on the program that there’s a wine and cheese meet and greet at four,” the man said. “Is that accurate?” He flashed a smile, showing off his glistening white fangs. Apparently, he was a vampire.

  The topic of the weekend retreat was “Harness the Power of Your Inner Athlete: Strengthen Your Magical Powers,” and I found out soon after doing some marketing that the event was popular amongst the magical universe’s vampire population.

  Vampires were the type of being with the highest representation for the weekend; the second highest went to shifters, and after that it was a tie between merfolk, nymphs, fairies, and wizards. I’d learned since my own introduction to the paranormal that all kinds of beings can practice magic in their own way.

  Take vampires, for example. They like to express their magical abilities by moving with super-human speed, sucking blood (we only accepted animalitarians to our retreat center, out of consideration for the other guests), and protecting their life-force, sometimes for eternity. Werewolves expressed their magic by shifting forms. As a witch, I was prone to expressing magic by getting together with my coven, drinking tea, and working with crystals, herbs, and other ingredients to influence my outer reality for the highest good of all involved.

  So it all boiled down to different strokes for different folks.

  I smiled at the vampire gentleman. “That’s totally right,” I said. “We’re getting together here for some appetizers and refreshments in about forty-five minutes. You’re welcome to hang out here in the lobby while we set up, or you could check out the center.”

  I motioned across the lobby toward the doors to the first floor and the staircase. “The first floor houses the spa—mud baths, massage studios, sauna, steam room, and a crystal cave. The second floor has conference rooms and a meditation studio. The third floor, as I’m sure you know, has guest rooms for our visitors.”

  Annie chimed in. “Or, you could stroll out around the grounds. We’ve put up a magical barrier, so you won’t have to worry about being spotted by the humans in town. There’s a deck outside, and the views of the surrounding peaks are quite nice. Just don’t venture more than one-hundred feet from the front door; that’s where the barrier is.”