I opened my eyes to find Giovanni smiling at my reaction to the hot chocolate. He pulled a chair out next to me and sat down. His expression changed and he became more serious. “Cassia, I know you’re not here for a social visit. Tell me the real reason why you’re here.”
Chapter 5
In between stuffing my face with the delicious whipped cream and sipping the hot chocolate, I told Giovanni about the black magic which had been causing disastrous problems for Brimstone these last few months. Stanley added his comments while lapping up the light brown liquid from the bowl in front of him.
Giovanni listened silently and then said, “Yes, I keep in contact with Gilda regularly and she’s told me about the murders that have taken place.” He shook his head sadly. “Murders. I can’t believe it. Gilda also told me about the work you’ve been doing in town and how you’ve caught the murderer each time. When I heard you were coming over here, I did wonder if there’s already been a murder somewhere nearby.”
“There hasn’t been a murder that I know of,” I said. “I think my visit here is one of a preventative nature. I want to find out if there are any arguments or misunderstandings brewing between the residents which could lead to something more sinister.” I pointed my spoon towards the log cabins and some of the residents who were walking along in front of them. “I’d like to get to know everyone better. Is there somewhere where they all meet or congregate on a regular basis?”
Giovanni waved his hand around the gazebo. “Most residents turn up here at some point. You’ve probably already noticed that the temperature in here is kept high despite it being an open structure. Your gran cast a spell on it years ago and it’s still holding strong now. As much as I love the snow and ice, I don’t want to be cold all the time. Most residents appreciate the warmth in here and come in here often.”
“Gran put a spell on Stanley and me to keep us warm too.” I looked at the empty tables around us. “When will the residents start coming in?”
Giovanni placed his hands on the table. “I’m usually very busy at this time of the day but everyone is getting ready for the Brimstone Mountain Festival which begins tomorrow. It’s the first one we’ve ever had.” His eyebrows rose. “It would be the perfect opportunity for you to meet everyone because they’ll all be at the Festival. There are going to be stalls selling various wares, competitions of all sorts and athletic things going on at the back of the square.” He glanced towards a clock on the wall. “It’s probably too late for many residents to come here now. Why don’t you come back in the morning after a good night’s sleep? You can meet everyone then.”
As soon as Giovanni said those words, a weariness settled on my shoulders like a heavy coat. I’d concluded a murder investigation earlier in the day, had a very awkward and draining conversation with Gran and Blythe and had then travelled a fair distance to arrive at this area. An early night sounded like an excellent idea.
I said to Giovanni, “Gran said she’s got a log cabin here. Do you know where it is?”
Giovanni produced a key from his pocket and handed it to me. He turned in his seat and pointed to the left of the blue carpet. “It’s that one there with the green curtains and the swinging bench on the porch. I hope you don’t mind, but as I knew you were on your way here, I lit the fire for you. I don’t know how long you’re planning on staying, but I’ve stocked the kitchen with everything you need.” He gave me an intense look which made me feel flustered and added, “If there’s anything else you need that I can provide, just let me know.”
Before I became all hot and bothered again, I quickly drained the rest of my hot chocolate and stood up. I said, “Thank you, that’s very kind of you to offer, but I’m sure we’ll be fine. Goodbye for now.”
Before we left, Giovanni insisted on hugging me again and he planted big kisses on my cheeks. I hoped this wasn’t going to be a regular thing.
I could see that Stanley was dragging his paws as we left the gazebo so I picked him up and tucked him under one arm as we walked along the blue carpet; my broomstick was in my other hand.
The sky was getting darker now and lights were being switched on in many windows The lights that adorned the roofs and porches also came on and I stopped in my tracks to gaze at the amazing sight. The lights glittered and twinkled in a wide variety of colours and cast rainbow reflections along the snow.
Stanley said tiredly, “It’s like a Christmas card. It’s beautiful.”
I walked over to Gran’s log cabin and let us in.
The furniture inside was very similar to the furniture Gran had in her apartment in Brimstone town, and the layout was similar too. There were a couple of sofas to the front of the cabin which had comfy-looking cushions piled on them. Bookcases stood at the side of one of the sofas and I could see some of my favourite novels resting on the shelves. There was a small television set under the window with a collection of my favourite DVDs piled up. To the back of the cabin was a kitchen area and the cabinets in it were made of light-coloured wood. A fire crackled at the left of the room and huge cushions had been scattered on the carpet in front of it inviting us to sit down and rest. An open door to the right of the kitchen showed me a glimpse of the bedroom and as Stanley was falling asleep in my arms, I decided to go in there first.
The bed inside was huge and was covered in a knitted blanket which had images of the Brimstone butterflies on it. There was a cat basket at the side of the bed so I gently placed Stanley there. He muttered something which I couldn’t make out and then rested his head on his paws. He was asleep in seconds. I walked over to the large wooden wardrobe to see what clothing was inside. I opened it up and discovered some thick jackets, an array of woollen jumpers, pairs of jeans and long warm-looking trousers. A selection of scarves, hats and woollen gloves adorned shelves at the side of these items. At the bottom of the wardrobe, I registered pairs of sturdy-looking boots. It seemed I had a good choice of items to wear and I sent a silent thank you to Gran who must have arranged this.
The bed looked inviting, but I wanted to have a bit more of a nosy around the cabin before I retired. I went back into the living area and noticed a note on the mantelpiece above the fire. It was from Giovanni and he said the wood in the fire was enchanted wood and a switch at the end of the mantelpiece turned the flames on and off. He added that he’d prepared special dishes for me and Stanley which were in the fridge. My tummy rumbled as I read those words.
I went over to the fridge and had a peep inside. I found covered dishes and each one had a note from Giovanni to say what the dish was and how long it needed to go in the oven for. My stomach rumbled again and, not counting the whipped cream, reminded me I hadn’t eaten for quite a while so I took out a tuna fish pie and put it in the oven. I’d save some for Stanley in case he woke up later. There was also a bottle of white wine in the fridge so I poured myself a small glass.
Once the pie was in the oven, I went over to the nearest sofa and settled down on it with the wine still in my hand. I noticed a small book on the table in front of me and picked it up. It was a book of spells which were suitable for this area. I flicked through it and soon came across some warnings about certain creatures who might be dangerous. It wasn’t what I was hoping to find, but I told myself it would be wise to know that kind of information. I put the wine glass down and gave my full attention to the book.
One image caught my eye. It was of a long-haired woman whose skin and lips were pale blue. She wore a long, white dress to camouflage herself against the snow as she looked for her victims. The book informed me she was a snow-spirit and it was rare to come across her in this region. However, if I did come across her, the book warned me her breath was lethal and only one spell would save me from certain death. Despite the notification that her appearance was rare, I took heed of this spell and committed it to memory. It was always better to be prepared.
I heard chatter and laughter coming from outside and went over to the window to look out. I could see some residents twirling
around on the ice. The gazebo was now lit up and the lights cast colourful beams across the ice. It looked magical. If I weren’t so tired and hungry, I would have gone out to join them.
The oven pinged to let me know my pie was ready. As expected, it tasted amazing and quite like no other tuna pie that I’d tasted in the human world. I soon finished off most of the pie and left a little bit for Stanley in the fridge. I drank the rest of my wine and then made my way into the bedroom. There was a bathroom to one side and when I went in I discovered my favourite pyjamas laying across the radiator. I smiled at Gran’s thoughtfulness.
It didn’t take me long to get into my pyjamas and ready for bed. As I snuggled down into the deep, warm covers I gazed at Stanley who was snoring gently in his basket. The events of the day started to tumble into my mind and I did my best to ignore them. I’d never get to sleep with all those thoughts wanting my attention. I sent a small amount of magic into my fingers and laid my hand against my forehead. I wasn’t sure if I could perform a sleeping spell on myself, but it was worth a go. My eyes began to feel heavy and all troublesome thoughts melted from my mind. I felt myself drifting away. As I fell asleep, I hoped there wouldn’t be any murders in this beautiful area.
Chapter 6
I must have fallen into a deep sleep because the next thing I registered was Stanley jumping up and down on the pillow inches away from my face.
I tiredly waved a hand at him. “Hey, calm down. You nearly landed on my head then. What’s wrong?”
Stanley stopped bouncing and moved his furry face closer. His eyes were shining with excitement. “It’s snowing! I can see the flakes going past the gap in the curtains. This is so exciting!”
I squinted and looked around me. There was a white light coming through the gap in the curtains and I could see shadows of snowflakes falling across the floorboards. The snowflakes were huge.
Stanley started bouncing again. “I want to see the snow! Lift me up to the window so I can see it, please.”
“I won’t be doing anything if you land on my head and knock me out,” I warned him. I pulled the bedcover back and dragged myself out of bed. The bare floorboards beneath my feet were pleasantly warm.
Stanley stood on the pillow with an expectant look on his little face. If he were a small child, he’d be raising his arms in readiness to be picked up.
I did need to use the toilet, but I couldn’t resist Stanley’s cute face so I picked him up and carried him over to the window. I pulled the curtain back and we looked out.
My breath caught in my throat as huge snowflakes fluttered past the window. A couple landed on the glass and stayed there for a few seconds before sliding down it.
Stanley gasped and reached a paw towards the snowflakes. “They’re in the shape of butterflies! And they’ve got tiny silver sparkles in them! Wow. They’re incredible.”
“They certainly are.” I couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful snowflakes as they continued to silently fall outside. Perhaps I could capture one and freeze it somehow.
Stanley moved his head to one side. “Cassia, look. There are many creatures out on the ice. What are they doing?”
I looked that way and saw busy residents bustling in and around the ice square. Tables and stalls had been set up and beings of different sizes were hurrying about between them. I could hear laughter coming from them along with the occasional shout.
Stanley said, “They must be getting ready for that Festival thing Giovanni told us about. Shall we go over and have a look? We can mingle. I wonder if there’s anything for us to eat over there?”
“We’ll go out soon.” Keeping Stanley in one arm, I pulled a chair over and placed him on it so he could continue to look outside. “I’ll need to make myself presentable first. How are you feeling this morning? Do you feel warm enough or shall I use Gran’s warming spell on you?”
Without taking his attention away from the scene outside, he replied, “I’m okay at the moment. I think someone’s selling ice cream out there. I wonder if they’ve got any that I’ll like?”
I gave him a quick stroke on his back and headed to the bathroom. Once I’d done everything I could to make myself look presentable, I returned to the bedroom to find Stanley still in the same place.
He looked my way and said, “You look nice. I like that jumper. Dark purple suits you. You look very cuddly. Watch out for Giovanni, he’ll be giving you more cuddles when he sees what you’re wearing.”
“He can keep his hands to himself,” I informed Stanley.
Stanley chuckled. “He is very handsome. Not as handsome as Luca, though. I like Giovanni. He smells nice. Shall we go to the gazebo for breakfast?”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. Come on. And we’ll have a good nosy at everyone while we’re there. If you start to feel cold, let me know.”
“Will do.” Stanley jumped off the chair and padded out of the room.
We left Gran’s log cabin, walked down the wooden steps and onto the freshly fallen snow in front of us. I noticed the paths were still clear of snow even though many flakes were falling on it. Magic? Probably.
As we headed towards the gazebo, we passed some of the coat-clad residents who were walking along the paths. I raised my hand in greeting and called out a hello. Some gave us a quiet nod in return and some gave us suspicious looks. It didn’t bother me. I’d had more than my fair share of suspicious looks since becoming a justice witch.
Giovanni was busy with customers when we arrived at the gazebo. He gave me a big smile, a wink and then blew me a kiss. “Take a seat, beautiful girl, and I’ll bring your breakfast over. Stanley, you look even more handsome today. How is that possible?”
Stanley chuckled. “I don’t know. I did have a good sleep. Could I have a bit of breakfast too, please?”
“I’ve already got something ready for you.” He treated Stanley to a wink and then busied himself behind the counter.
We received more wary looks as we headed over to a table at the side of the gazebo. Stanley continued to call out cheery hellos and soon won most of the residents over. I was trying my best to work out what sort of beings they were without blatantly gawping at them. After a minute of discreet staring, I was none the wiser.
Within minutes of sitting down, Giovanni was at our side with plates for Stanley and me. My plate contained a thick sandwich.
Giovanni explained, “It’s got every breakfast item you like in there, and it’ll keep you going all day.” He looked me over. “That colour really suits you. You look radiant.”
That hot feeling washed over me and I put it down to the thick jumper I was wearing. Giovanni smiled before going back to the counter.
I bit into the sandwich and instantly got the taste of smoky bacon. That was replaced by buttery scrambled eggs which was quickly followed by salty hash browns. The breakfast party in my mouth continued as I wolfed the sandwich down. I didn’t realise I was so hungry. I washed my breakfast down with the mug of tea Giovanni had brought me. It was perfect and I smacked my lips in appreciation. I noticed the odd look that was thrown my way, but I didn’t care. The food in Brimstone was amazing and I always enjoyed every morsel.
I looked over at Stanley and saw a dreamy look on his face and an empty plate in front of him. I said to him, “What did you have?”
“A bowl of heaven.” Stanley sighed happily. “I think I’ve fallen in love with Giovanni. Do you think he’ll come home and live with us? He can cook for us every day.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Mine was delicious. Let’s go and mingle with the residents. I want to see what this Festival is all about. I can see some ice sculptures over there. They look interesting.”
I was about to rise when I felt a sharp tap on my shoulder. I looked up and was confronted with the angriest-looking woman I’d ever seen.
Her lips were pulled back in a snarl as she hissed, “I speak for everyone here, young witch. You are not welcome. Leave immediately or else!”
Chapter 7
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Before I could say a word in my defence, Giovanni rushed over to us and held his hands out towards the angry woman.
He said to her, “Xodia, you need to take a deep breath and calm down. I won’t have you shouting at my customers like that. I know for a fact that you’re not speaking on behalf of everyone here. Cassia is more than welcome. And so is Stanley.” He looked down at me and continued, “Xodia is an Amazon, and I know she won’t mind me saying this, she has quite a temper on her.”
“I do not!” Xodia exploded. “I merely like to make my opinions clear!”
I took in the statuesque woman in front of me. Even though she was bundled up in a thick coat, woolly hat, gloves and a long scarf, I could tell she was of an athletic nature. She must have been over six feet tall and her facial features were large and her skin clear and healthy-looking. I looked a bit closer and noticed the tip of her nose was red. A long, thick plait of dark hair fell over her shoulder and down to her waist.
“An Amazon?” I questioned. “I’ve never met an Amazon before. I thought you lived in warm places and ran about half dressed.” I immediately stopped and I could feel heat flowing into my cheeks. “Sorry, that was a silly thing to say, it was based on assumptions and not facts.”
Xodia gave me a tight smile. “You are right about Amazons living in warm climates. Since I came to this area, I’ve had a constant cold which I can’t get rid of.” On cue, she abruptly sneezed.
I got to my feet and produced a tissue from my pocket. Gran had brought me up to always have a tissue ready. I handed it to Xodia who took it with a sour look. She didn’t even say thank you.
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