The Ghost, the Buttons, and the Magic of Halloween (Steampunk Sorcery Book 6)
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“Please, do not use it on us,” Sir Copperpot politely insisted.
“We got that magic dust for you,” Uncle Glitch declared in a gruffer tone.
Peter Butterpig snorted in agreement with them.
But Meredith Pocket told them in a confident yet kind tone, “It is my magic dust and I can do with it as I like.”
So she used a pinch to fix a squeak in Sir Copperpot’s knee. Then she used another sprinkle to help Uncle Glitch’s memory processors remember his right shoe from his left. And she used the final dash of magic dust on Peter Butterpig to give him what all butterpigs loved most in the world, which was mashed potatoes covered in ketchup.
All four of them—Sir Copperpot, Uncle Glitch, Peter Butterpig, and little Meredith Pocket—were more than just the best of friends. They were a real family.
CHAPTER FOUR
Magic Dust Harvesters
Magic dust came from several places.
Much of it came down from the moon and stars like gently falling snow. But that kind was legally gathered by major magic companies, like the Wicked Wizard & Warlock Group, or the Ted Zombie & Sons Organization, or even The Bad Banshee, Basilisk, & Boggart Club. Anyone caught gathering stardust or moondust without a license would be arrested and sentenced to several hopeless years in the Dungeon of Despair.
More magic dust grew on a variety of trees too, like the lean fay trees, or the small pixie trees, or the chocolaty trees of the brownie folk. But they were in far away lands and were difficult to find. And their magic dust was harvested by Mystical Creatures like the Gory Gremlins Guild, or the Forgotten Prairie Pucks, or the Dark Elves of the Dire Woodlands, none of whom liked outsiders and would cast nasty curses on trespassers trying to gather even so much as a mote of magic dust without the proper papers.
Magic dust could also be gathered from under the beds of children having very vivid dreams or horrible nightmares. That dust was usually harvested by the Nomadic Gnomes, the Desperate Dwarves, or the Grave Goblins, who worked quickly and were gone before anyone woke up. But if you happened to awaken quickly enough, and if you happened to catch them, then they might give you just a pinch to keep you quiet, or they might blow it in your face to make your nose trumpet with violently magic sneezes.
The easiest place to gather magic dust was from off the tops of magic books, especially the really old kinds scented of age and glue and ink. If you had one really old magic book, you could probably gather a thimbleful of magic dust in a month. Amounts like that could last a spendthrift several minutes or a penny-pincher maybe a few weeks. Or if you had a whole bookcase full of old magic books, and if you knew how to spend wisely, then that amount of magic dust might last you many long years.
Some grownups saved their magic books in very special places so that they could gather the most amount of magic dust naturally. But that was a very long term investment because great fortunes of dust took a really long time to gather. At the same time, other grownups would spend great fortunes just to buy one magic book that had already gathered magic dust, but that was a dangerous business because it was very easy to get hoodwinked by swindlers.
There was one place in town that had many magic books covered in mounds and mounds of marvelous magic dust. It was the greatest collection of magic books and dust in the world. It had piles and hills of books. It had mountains of magic dust. It was the most magical building in town, and little Meredith Pocket lived in a little box right across the street from it.
This place was…
THE MAGIC LIBRARY!
Credits
Cover design by Becket
www.becket.me
Illustrations by Raven Quinn
www.facebook.com/officialravenquinn
ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BECKET
Becket is the assistant to New York Times bestselling author Anne Rice. He is also the author of ten other books, including a book of poetry, and two other books about Key the Steampunk Vampire Girl.
He also is a music composer and has an instrumental music album.
Becket’s music and books is here
www.becket.me
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
RAVEN QUINN
Raven Quinn is a Los Angeles based singer/songwriter, recording artist and illustrator. Although Raven is primarily recognized for her work in music, she has also revealed herself to be a passionate visual artist with a unique and whimsical style that is all her own. Her artistic tools of choice are usually simple: a BIC pen, watercolor pencils, and her expansive imagination. Drawing has always been a creative outlet for Raven, but it was only in 2012 that she began making her original artwork available to the public through online auctions. Due to increasing demand, she eventually began taking commission requests as her schedule allowed in 2013. Raven's artistic contribution to Key the Steampunk Vampire Girl marks her debut as an illustrator for a children's book, and is the realization of a life-long dream to help visually bring to life fantastical worlds and characters for young readers. When she is not writing or in the studio recording new music, Raven can inevitably be found working on her latest illustration.
You can find Raven Quinn here
www.facebook.com/officialravenquinn