“What are you talking about?” I asked, confused.
“She duped us,” said Rebecca. “And what’s worse is that she now has Juniper and Penelope.”
Clarice raised her wand. “Willow never meant to help us. She only wanted the other bonding wand. We need to go back and find her.”
I stared at her in horror.
Chapter Eight
Willow
Willow appeared by the creek behind her grandmother’s cabin. She ran through the weeds and up the rickety steps, clutching the witch’s satchel against her chest. She flung the front door open and rushed inside. “Here,” she said, breathing heavily. She tossed the purse at the hooded figure waiting inside.
“What is this?” asked the woman, narrowing her green eyes.
“The item that you requested.”
The woman opened up the purse and the wand shot out. It hovered in front of her face and the witch smiled. “You were actually able to get the wand from them. I’m impressed.”
Willow nodded quickly. “Yes, I did. Now, please, remove the curse. Like you promised.”
The woman got up from the leather sofa, walked over to the sliding glass door that led to a large deck, and scanned the woods. “Were you followed?”
“No. The spell on this cabin still stands. Nobody will find it.”
“We found it,” said the witch, smiling smugly.
“That was before. The original spell was never meant to keep out family. This time nobody will be able to find it,” she replied.
Not even you when you leave here.
She thought about Clarice and Kendra and felt a pang of guilt, but then reminded herself that deceiving them had been her only choice.
“Where were they when you left them?”
“Somewhere far from here,” replied Willow, not wanting to give away too much. “Somewhere cold and snowy.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Can you take me there?”
“No. They have a spell protecting it. Just like here.”
“Pity.” She tapped her fingers on the window panel. “There must be another way to get to them.”
“Get to them?!” Willow gasped. “Look, you promised me that if I retrieved your wand, you would find a way to remove this stupid curse. You have to keep your end of the bargain.”
The older witch considered all of her options and then smiled. “I need you to perform one more favor first.”
Willow clenched her fists. She knew that she’d been taking a risk when she’d gotten herself involved with this woman. Obviously, everyone had been right about her. But, they’d made a deal. “I saved your life. I brought you your wand back. You owe me and I’m not helping you with anything more until you pay up.”
The woman glared at her. “Watch your tongue.” She lifted her wand and pointed it at Willow. “Before it disappears,” she hissed.
Willow, clutching her own wand, raised it. “How dare you! I brought you back from death with this wand and now you’re threatening me with yours?” Willow smiled coolly. “Remember, cousin, your wand can’t hurt me. I have Juniper.”
“Maybe so, but without my help, you’ll be at the mercy of the curse for the rest of your life.” Her eyes glittered. “Or until you lose that precious wand of yours. One needs to sleep, don’t they?”
Willow stared at Vivian in horror, realizing that she may have made a dreadful mistake.
Chapter Nine
“For the love of God! We have to go back for her. Now!” I cried.
“I can’t believe it. Why would she steal your purse?” asked Tyler, looking confused.
“Isn’t it obvious? The dark wand,” said Rebecca. “Remember how she asked us about it?”
“Oh my, the girl really pulled a fast one on us. Too bad. I really felt sorry for her,” replied Clarice, shaking her head miserably.
“She obviously lied about everything – and to top it off, is a thief,” said Tyler. “Next time, we don’t listen to anything she says. We take the wand and bring it back here ourselves.”
“Exactly,” I replied. “Now, let’s go back and find her.”
“So, who exactly was that girl?” asked Kala.
“Margaritte’s granddaughter. How is mom doing?” I asked, lowering my voice.
“The same,” she said, her face grim. “She’s in that comatose state and doesn’t respond to anything.”
“You didn’t touch her?” asked Rebecca.
Kala smiled sheepishly. “No, but I almost did. Thank goodness for Bailey. He stopped me from touching her cheek earlier. She’d looked so pale and I wanted to see if she had a fever. Or…” she swallowed. “If she was even with us anymore.”
“I’d better check on her,” said Clarice, walking toward the bedroom. “And then we’ll go back and find Willow.”
“That conniving little witch,” I said, rubbing my forehead. “I can’t believe she did this to us.”
“She surprised me too,” said Rebecca. “I really thought she was being sincere about everything.”
“Do you want me to accompany you back there?” asked Bailey.
“If you don’t mind, I’d prefer that you stay here and continue watching Adrianne and Kala,” said Rebecca.
“Of course,” he replied, glancing toward Kala. He smiled. “I don’t mind at all.”
Kala blushed and lowered her eyelashes.
“Why do you think Willow lied to us? She seemed so… honest when she was telling that story,” I said, feeling ill. Not only had she deceived us, but she knew that Adrianne’s life was in danger and she’d taken the wand without helping us anyway.
“The truth is that we really don’t know anything about her,” said Tyler, walking toward the kitchen. “Who knows why she really did what she did?”
“Where you going?” I asked,
He looked over his shoulder. “Told you before, I’m hungry. Want anything?”
I shook my head. My appetite left with Willow. “No.”
“Even so, you should still eat something,” he said, as if reading my mind. “It will keep you focused and more alert.”
“Uh, okay,” I replied.
“I’ll get you a protein bar,” he said. “Fast and easy snack.”
“Sure. Thanks,” I replied.
“Anyone else?” he asked.
“No, Tyler. Just be quick about it,” replied his mother, staring out of the large plate glass window at the snow.
“Will do,” he replied, disappearing into the kitchen.
“I’m still not used to seeing you this way,” said Kala, walking over to me. “It’s like looking in the mirror. It’s freaky.”
“Yes, I know,” I replied looking down at my jeans and T-shirt.
“How does it feel?” she asked. “Losing weight like that so quickly?”
I shrugged. “Okay. I mean, I thought that I’d feel differently, but I really don’t. I still feel like me, only a little guilty that I cheated by using a potion.”
She suddenly threw her arms around me. “No matter what, you’re my sister and I’m so glad that you’re safe.”
Surprised, I hugged her back. “Thanks. I’m glad that you’re safe too.”
“God, I just wish this was all just a dream,” she murmured, pulling away. She smiled. “It isn’t, is it?”
I chuckled. “No such luck.”
Clarice walked out of the bedroom. “She’s holding on. I guess we should be thankful for that.”
“Adrianne is a strong person,” said Rebecca, turning away from the window. “Believe me, she’s fighting this spell, even though she seems dead to the world.”
“Speaking of which, we probably shouldn’t waste any more time. Let’s go back to Salem and find that blasted girl,” said Clarice, raising her wand. She looked around. “Where’s Tyler?”
“Here I am,” he replied, walking back from the kitchen, holding a couple of bars. He handed one to me.
“Thanks,” I replied, my stomach rumbling.
“See, you’re hungr
y,” he said, ripping open his bar.
I blushed as my stomach growled again. “I guess. I’ll save it for later, though,” I said as he began chewing.
“Suit yourself,” he replied between chews.
Clarice raised her wand again and looked at Tyler specifically. “Everyone ready?”
“I can eat and teleport. Don’t worry about me. Kendra’s driving anyway,” said Tyler before taking another bite of his protein bar.
“Yeah, were going green,” I said.
Rebecca looked at me like I was off my rocker.
“Ask him about it,” I said, nodding my head toward Tyler.
“Oh, I will,” she replied and then disappeared.
“Okay,” said Clarice. “We’ll meet you there.” She then also disappeared.
“Good luck,” said Kala, plopping back down on the sofa.
“Yeah,” said Bailey, sitting back down next to her. “Just remember, if you need reinforcements, just ask.”
“Will do,” said Tyler, as he grabbed my hand.
I raised my wand. “See you later,” I said. A few seconds later, we were back at the cabin, and there was no Willow.
“I don’t think any of us were naïve enough to believe that she’d be waiting back here with open arms,” said Rebecca, looking discouraged.
“Believe me, she’s far from this place,” said Clarice. She pulled out an object from her coat pocket and smiled. “Which won’t matter a bit. Not with this baby.”
“What is that?” I asked, staring at the plain dark box.
She turned to me. “It’s a tracker box.”
Rebecca’s face lit up. “That’s what I thought. You’re a genius, Clarice!”
“What’s going on?” I asked, puzzled.
“My purse means everything to me, dear. It’s why I have a tracker stone hidden in the lining,” replied Clarice.
“What’s a tracker stone?” I asked.
“It’s basically a beacon,” said Tyler. “And that little box can detect it.”
“Exactly. This little lovely works like a G.P.S. Which means, it should be able to locate the stone,” she replied, waving her wand over it.
“Will it work?” I asked, as the shiny black box began to glow.
“It will, as long as Willow doesn’t know about these new contraptions,” said Clarice. “And chances are – she doesn’t. Not if she’s been alone and holed up in Salem.”
“What if she was lying about that?” asked Tyler.
“Well, I guess it’s possible. But, something tells me that she doesn’t get out much,” said Clarice.
“I wouldn’t put anything past her,” I mumbled.
“Nor would I, but, fortunately, not many witches know about these yet,” replied Rebecca, staring at it with glee. “I’d forgotten that you’d picked this up in Japan last year. When you were visiting Mae.”
“It was pretty costly, too. But, obviously worth the money. Thank goodness I paid off my house two years ago and had some money saved,” said Clarice. “Because social security barely pays the bills as it is.”
Rebecca’s eyes widened. “I thought you were still selling jewelry?”
“No, dear. I didn’t want anyone knowing that I was in Bayport. So, I quit a long time ago.”
“There are witches in Japan, too?” I asked, still in shock.
“Of course,” said Rebecca. “Mae Sung is one of the most powerful witches in Asia. Japan is actually where the tracker stone was created.”
“Incredible,” I said, watching the box in awe as a map began to appear.
“Is that where she is?” asked Tyler, pointing to a blip on the box.
“You bet your fanny,” said Clarice, smiling triumphantly. “And would you look at that – she’s less than a three hundred yards away.”
“She’s practically right under our noses. Let’s go,” I said, getting excited. I wanted that wand more than anything, but I also wanted to see the expression on her face when we arrived.
“We need to proceed with great caution,” said Clarice, looking at all of us. “Remember, she’s Margaritte’s granddaughter. That alone makes her very unpredictable.”
I thought about that. “Do you think Willow might be schizophrenic, like her grandmother?” I asked, almost hoping that it was the case and that she really wasn’t such a bad person.
“Possibly, or she’s selfish and really just wanted the wand. Meredith did warn us about her thievery,” said Clarice.
“Meredith’s bonding wand is very sought after. Even we do not know the true magnitude of its power,” said Clarice.
“So, what you’re saying is that Penelope really is one of the most powerful wands in the world?” I asked.
“Yes, and because Penelope was made for Black Magic, obviously, one of the most dangerous, as well,” Clarice replied gravely.
“You can bet that some witches would do almost anything to possess such a mighty wand. Obviously in the wrong hands, it could be catastrophic,” said Rebecca.
“Yes, and because we really don’t know anything about Willow, as far as her mental wellbeing,” replied Clarice. “We must be very wary.”
“What should we do?” I asked. “Obviously, she isn’t going to give up either wand easily.”
“No,” said Clarice. “That’s why we need to have a plan of attack before we invade her home. She is obviously a clever girl.”
“Should we bring in Meredith? To help us?” I asked.
Clarice sighed. “No, let’s try doing this on our own. Three witches and one Enchanter should be able to handle one teen witch, right?”
“If the said teen witch was normal,” I replied dryly.
Rebecca laughed. “Honey, when it comes to witches, none of us are normal. Well, maybe Adrianne. She was probably the closest thing to normal.”
“And look where that got her,” I said, smiling grimly. “Seems like you have to be a little kooky to survive being a witch.”
“You’ve got that right, honey,” said Clarice. “Being a little nutty will definitely give you an edge.”
I laughed.
“Listen to Clarice,” said Rebecca. “She’s about as unpredictable as they come and that’s why she’s made it to fifty.”
“Oh, you know I’m much older than that,” she replied. “But, I do not consider myself normal.” Her eyes glittered in amusement. “And I’m okay with that.”
“Check it out,” said Tyler, pointing to the box. “The map is changing!”
We all stared in dismay as the image on the block began to change and a new one appeared.
“That’s Bayport,” stated Tyler. “I can tell.”
“Yes,” replied Clarice, her eyes narrowing. “And I think we all recognize that place.” She pointed to the building that appeared next to the blipping light.
Secrets.
Chapter Ten
Willow
“Do you recognize this place?” asked Vivian, as they stood outside of the building in a small town. It was near eight a.m. and the streets were quiet.
Willow stared at the building. It appeared to be some kind of shop, with jewelry and other trinkets displayed behind the purple shuttered windows. A large cauldron filled with brightly colored flowers stood next to the entrance, and a sign on the window announced it as “Secrets.”
She shrugged. “No. I’ve never seen it before. I have never even left Salem until today. Why are we here?”
Vivian waved her wand, and the front door opened. “Follow me,” she ordered, walking inside.
Willow, still angry and frustrated with the woman, didn’t have much of a choice. She followed her into the building and the door shut behind her.
Vivian turned around to face her. “You’re positive that this isn’t the place they took you to?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I told you, the place that we went to was snowy and cold. And, from what I could see – there were mountains. Lots of them.”
Vivian wrinkled her nose. Two things she hated –
the cold and mountains. “Mountains, you say?”
Willow nodded. “Yes. Giant ones filled with snow and snowboarders.”
“Hmm…” Vivian’s eyes scanned the dark store. She waved her wand and the room lit up. “As long as we’re here, let’s take a look around. We might find some clues as to where they may have disappeared to.”
Willow turned around and rolled her eyes. The witch’s obsession with finding the other group was unnerving. “Fine,” she replied. “What exactly am I looking for?”
“Letters, bills, receipts. Anything with an address.”
“Okay. So, I take it that one of the witches own this place,” said Willow, walking over to a shelf. She picked up an owl figurine and rubbed her finger over it. The owl sparkled and warmed in her hand, making her feel all bubbly inside. I have to have this, she thought, shoving it into Clarice’s satchel.
“A witch owns this place,” repeated Vivian. She snorted. “My, you’re quick,”
Willow scowled. She didn’t deserve Vivian’s condescending tone after everything she’d done for her. “Why are you after them, anyway? You have the wand. You’re alive. What more do you want?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“No. That’s why I’m asking.”
“I want to make sure that my vengeance is carried out.”
“Well, you can have your vengeance without me,” she replied loudly, picking up an old book. “I just want this stupid curse removed.” Her eyes narrowed. “You know – the one that you promised to help me with when I saved your life.”
“I still plan on helping you with it. In time,” she replied, walking around the front counter to the register.
“In time? What if my time runs out?” answered Willow. “What if something happens to the wand? What if we run into Meredith?”
She snorted. “Do you think that I’m afraid of that old hag?”
“She’s very powerful,” said Willow. “Look at how she cursed me and my mother.”
“Your mother was naïve and didn’t know how to stop a spell or a curse if the instructions were sitting right in front of her.”
Enchanted Objects: (Witches Of Bayport) Page 6