Chapter Twenty-Six
I looked down at Willow, who was almost hysterical. “Willow? These were her journals, right? Nobody replaced them with blank ones?”
Willow looked up at me, teary-eyed. “Of course they were hers. Look,” she said, holding one of them up. “She doodled on the outside of this one. It’s always been here. It still is.”
The book had drawings of flowers and hearts all over the front.
“Somebody must have gotten to them, then,” said Kala. “Could they have been erased?”
“Yes,” said Meredith. “There are spells that can erase the inside of a book.”
Willow shot up. “You!” she hollered. “You did this!”
Meredith stared at her in horror. “What? I did no such thing!”
She got into her face. “You did this to protect yourself! The truth was written inside of them, and you made it disappear!”
“Wait a minute,” said Adrianne, getting between them. “I’m sure that this can be sorted out.”
“How?” asked Willow. “I mean, she erased everything!”
“Tyler,” said Rebecca softly. “I think you know what to do.”
His eyes widened. “Are you sure? Isn’t it dangerous?”
“I think we’ll be fine. Obviously, we need to know the truth,” she replied.
He sighed. “Okay.”
“What do you mean?” asked Willow.
Tyler walked over to Meredith and smiled. “Meredith, can I have a word with you?”
She looked puzzled. “Uh, sure. I guess.”
“Let’s go over to the register and sit down,” he said. He looked at Rebecca and nodded.
She nodded back.
Meredith followed him over and sat down on the stool.
“What’s happening?” I whispered to Adrianne.
“I think I know, but just wait,” she whispered back.
Tyler began talking to Meredith in a soothing voice. When her eyes became glazed, he waved us over.
“Meredith, are you feeling okay?” he asked as we surrounded the counter.
“I feel strange,” she replied. “Almost like I’m floating.”
“It’s okay,” he said, staring into her eyes. “We are all friends here. Nobody wants to hurt you. Okay?’
She nodded.
“I’m going to ask you some questions, and I want you to answer them honestly. Don’t leave anything out either, okay?”
“Okay,” she replied evenly.
“Have you ever placed a curse on anyone?”
She licked her lips but didn’t answer.
“Meredith, have you ever placed a curse on anyone?” he repeated, more sternly.
“Yes,” she said softly.
Willow clenched her jaw and then opened up her mouth to say something, when Rebecca grabbed her arm.
“No,” she whispered. “Wait.”
Willow sighed.
“Who was the person that you cursed?” asked Tyler.
“David Andrews,” she replied.
“David Andrews? Who was that?” asked Tyler.
Her eyes filled with tears. “He was the jerk that broke my baby’s heart. Made her kill herself.”
Tyler’s eyes widened. “What happened to him?”
“I cursed his heart,” she whispered. “Made it weak until it shattered.”
Kala and I looked at each other in horror.
“How do you feel about that?” he asked.
She began to cry. “I don’t know. I thought it would make me feel better, but it didn’t. It didn’t bring Anna back and… I had to keep it a secret all this time. I still feel so… guilty.”
“So, you regret it?” he asked, handing her a tissue.
She nodded and blew into it. “Yes. I guess I do. He was a horrible man, but I guess you could say that I did something even more horrible, by taking a life. I’d taken an oath as a White coven leader, to never harm anyone with a curse. To only defend. Killing him broke that oath.”
“What about Willow’s family?” asked Tyler. “Did you ever place a curse on any of them?”
“No,” she said softly.
“You’re positive?” he asked.
“Of course I am.”
“What about the necklace that Willow has? Why do you want it?” he asked.
“It was Anna’s,” she said and began to sob. “David Andrews found it, and gave it to Willow’s mother, Opal. But it was my Anna’s, and before that, it was my own mother’s.”
Tears filled my eyes as I watched Meredith cry. The sorrow on her face touched my heart and I knew that she was telling the truth.
Willow reached up and touched the necklace, a thoughtful look on her face.
“Why do you think that he gave it to Willow’s mother?” asked Tyler.
“Because he wanted to sleep with her. Just like all the others. He only cared about using girls and tossing them away when he was satisfied. Just like he did to Anna. He obviously used Opal, too.”
Willow’s face darkened.
“Do you know what really caused Opal’s death?” asked Tyler.
She shook her head. “No. I don’t. I always thought it was from childbirth. There wasn’t a midwife to help with the delivery. That’s all I know.”
“One more question – did you erase the journals?” asked Tyler.
“No. I didn’t,” she said. “I wanted to see them myself. I was curious.”
“Do you know who may have erased them?” asked Tyler.
She shrugged. “Either Willow or...”
“I didn’t,” whispered Willow, loudly.
“Shh…” said Rebecca. “Listen.”
“Either Willow or who?” asked Tyler.
“Vivian,” she replied.
“Why Vivian?” he asked. “Why would she do it?”
“To cause chaos,” she replied. “To have us turn against each other.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bailey smile.
Why was that funny?
When I turned to look at him, the smile fell from his face.
I looked away. There was something about his grin that gnawed at me and I began to wonder if Bailey had really gotten away from Meredith, or if there was something more sinister going on. I turned to him again and our eyes met. The hardness in his eyes made my heart stop.
“Oh dear,” said Kala, as Meredith’s nose began to bleed.
Tyler grabbed more tissue and handed it to Meredith. “Here. Meredith, close your eyes and bend your head back, okay?”
She held the tissue to her nose and followed his instructions.
“Is she okay?” asked Kala.
Rebecca touched Meredith’s forehead. “Are you okay, Meredith? Does your head hurt at all?”
“Now that you mention it, it does hurt slightly,” she replied. “But, I’m okay.”
“Kala, can you help me take her into the back? We’ll have her lie down for a while,” said Rebecca.
“Sure,” she replied, moving around the counter.
“We’re going to lift you out of the chair, Meredith,” said Rebecca. “Just put your arms around our shoulders and we’ll help you walk.”
“Okay,” she replied, removing the tissue from her nose.
“Oh, good. It looks like it’s stopped already. I’m sure she’ll be fine, Tyler,” said Rebecca.
Tyler was obviously worried. “Are you sure? I’ve never dug that deep before, mom.”
“I know, but we had no choice,” said Rebecca.
“What are you talking about?” asked Meredith, in a breathless voice. She opened her eyes and looked confused. “I’m dizzy. What’s happening?”
“You’re weak and need to lie down,” said Rebecca. She put an arm around Meredith’s waist and pulled her out of the stool. “Okay, help me, Kala.”
Kala grabbed her from the other side and they began walking toward the back room.
“So, now what?” asked Tyler, rubbing his forehead.
“Actually, I think I may have
a solution,” I answered.
Everyone looked at me.
“What do you mean?” asked Adrianne.
“Willow’s wand can reverse any spell made my Vivian’s, right?” I asked.
Clarice smiled. “Of course. Good thinking! If she did place some kind of spell on the journals, we’ll soon find out.”
“Exactly,” I replied, smiling triumphantly.
“Does it really matter?” asked Bailey. “I mean, obviously, Meredith didn’t put a curse on Willow or her mother, so what’s the point?”
I stared into his eyes, and still, there was nothing but a cold emptiness. It was not the Bailey that we all knew. “The point is that someone else erased what was on those journals. My guess is that it was Vivian.”
“Yeah, but why would she?” asked Willow. “I mean, I guess I believe Meredith now. That she didn’t curse my mother or me. But, why would Vivian involve herself with any of that?”
“To use you,” I replied. “It was part of the scheme.”
Willow sighed. “Okay. Fair enough. She did want to me to help her get your wand. So, I guess, anything is possible. I still don’t really know why.”
“I have a theory,” I said. “It’s kind of crazy but makes sense. Clarice, you mentioned that Willow’s wand could remove Vivian’s spell. How do we do that?”
“Yes, all she has to do is point and say ‘Reverse Spell’,” said Clarice.
I grinned. “Too easy. Okay, Willow, you ready?”
Willow raised her wand. “Of course.”
“Wait,” I said and then hurried over to her. I whispered into her ear and her eyes widened.
“Are you sure?” she asked as I stepped back.
“Yes. I’m pretty sure,” I replied.
Her eyes moved to Bailey.
His face darkened. “What are you looking at me for?”
She smiled coolly. “We’re not really sure.” She then waved her wand and pointed it at him. “Reverse Spell.”
A light surrounded Bailey and we watched as he fell to his knees, grunting in pain as he transformed back into Mark.
“I knew it!” I squealed.
He scowled up at me. “Shut up! You really don’t know anything at all!”
“Mark,” said Adrianne, taking a step toward him. She frowned. “What have you done to Bailey?”
He stood up and glared at her. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Tyler rushed over and grabbed him by the front of the shirt. “Okay, I’ve just about had enough of your crap. Tell us everything you know,” he said, staring into his eyes. “Everything.”
Mark’s eyes began to glaze over.
“Wow, that is so cool,” whispered Willow, moving next to me.
“It sure is,” I replied.
“Where are Bailey and Trixie?” asked Tyler.
“Vivian has them locked away,” he answered.
“Where?” asked Tyler. “In New York?”
“Yes. They are in some kind of magical holding cell,” he said.
“Why are you here?” asked Tyler, poking him in the chest.
“To spy.”
“Obviously,” I mumbled under my breath.
“Where is Vivian?” asked Tyler.
“Waiting for you to attack.”
“She’s at home, just waiting around for us?” asked Tyler.
“Yes.”
Tyler sighed. “Do you know anything about Willow’s journals?”
“There are no journals,” he replied. “They aren’t even real.”
“Explain that,” demanded Tyler.
“Bella created them.”
“Who is Bella?” asked Tyler.
“Vivian’s friend. Her second in command.”
Willow stared at him in shock. “That’s a lie. They can’t be fake!”
“Don’t talk,” whispered Clarice. “Let Tyler do the questioning.”
Willow’s mouth tightened.
“What do you mean – Bella created them?” he asked.
Mark’s nose began to bleed. He licked at the blood with his tongue and smiled. “She created the journals and cast a spell on Willow. To make her believe that Meredith had cursed her mother.”
Horrified, Willow covered her mouth.
“When did this happen?” asked Tyler, tightly.
He used the back of his sleeve to wipe at the blood on his upper lip. “Right after Willow brought Vivian back to life with Juniper. Bella and Vivian wanted Willow to destroy Meredith and all of you, so they came up with a plan.”
“So, there is no real curse on Willow?” asked Tyler.
“There’s a spell on her. It made her forget about what really happened to her mother,” he replied.
“What really happened?” asked Tyler. “Do you know?”
“No,” he replied. “Nor do I care.”
Willow clenched her fists. “Jerk,” she whispered hoarsely. “I can’t stand that guy.”
“Join the club,” I whispered back.
“Are Bailey and Trixie okay?” asked Tyler.
Mark’s eyes glinted evilly. “For now.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
After Tyler was done interrogating Mark, Clarice and Adrianne went in search of Meredith’s coven to let them know what was happening.
“I hate having him here,” I whispered to Tyler as he tied a very drowsy Mark’s hands together. He’d given him some kind of sleeping potion and it was just starting to knock him out.
“I know, but we can’t let him go,” he replied, standing up.
“How long does that potion last?” asked Kala, staring at Mark.
“He should be out for twelve hours,” replied Tyler.
“Good,” said Kala.
“Are you okay?” I asked Willow, who was staring down at the empty box where the journals had been. After trying the reverse spell on the books, they’d simply disappeared. It had been interesting to see that Juniper could reverse spells by other witches in Vivian’s coven.
“I just can’t believe they did this to me,” said Willow tightly. “Now, I don’t know what’s real and what isn’t.”
“Why don’t you try reversing the spell that was placed on you?” asked Kala.
“I tried,” she answered. “But, it didn’t work.”
“Even Juniper can’t reverse everything. It’s possible that Bella put a more powerful spell on you than what she did the books,” said Tyler.
“Lovely,” drawled Willow.
Kala put a hand on Willow’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Willow, once we take down Vivian’s coven, we’ll find a way to get the truth about your mom.”
Willow didn’t look so sure. “How? I doubt that it they’ll just volunteer the information.”
“Well, Meredith did mention that she heard your mother died in childbirth. I’m sure that’s probably what happened and there isn’t much more to learn than that,” I said.
“Something tells me there’s more to it,” said Tyler. “I don’t know why, but I do.”
“Then we’ll force Bella and Vivian to remove the spell on Willow or tell us what they know about her mother,” I replied.
“And if that doesn’t work?” asked Willow, looking defeated. “If they refuse to help us?”
“The only other way to break the spell is to kill the witch who placed it on you,” said Tyler. “Obviously, that isn’t really a viable solution for us.”
“Right. If we kill them for that, then we’re just as bad as they are,” I replied.
“Plus, it’s against a White witch’s code of ethics,” said Meredith, stepping out of the back room.
We all turned.
“How are you?” asked Tyler.
She shrugged. “A little weak and dizzy. But, I’ll live.”
“I’m sorry I had to do that,” said Tyler, sighing. “Hypnotize and prod you for information. I normally try to persuade people to do things. Not pick at their brains like that.”
She waved her hand. “Oh, I understand why you did it,”
she replied. “Don’t be too hard on yourself.”
“Still, they say it’s hard on your nervous system,” he said. “That’s why it’s not something that I’d care to do ever again.”
She smiled. “Yes but sometimes ‘no pain’ means ‘no gain’.”
“I hope there wasn’t any pain involved,” he said, grimacing.
“No, not at all, actually,” she replied. “Like I said before – don’t beat yourself up about it, Tyler.”
“We did find the answers we needed by doing it,” I said. “About the journals.”
“And, we also found out that Bailey was Mark,” added Kala.
She looked over at Mark, who was snoring softly. “Vivian has him brainwashed. The truth of the matter is that she doesn’t even really care about the boy. She just uses him, like she does everyone else.”
“You can’t tell him that, though,” said Kala. “He worships her.”
“Unfortunately,” I replied. “He’s also a monster. He tried killing Adrianne.”
Willow cleared her throat. “Excuse me, Meredith?”
Their eyes met.
Meredith nodded. “Yes?”
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I’m sorry for accusing you of doing something that you didn’t. Of saying so many harsh words.”
Meredith stepped closer to her. “Willow, it wasn’t your fault. Don’t go blaming yourself.”
“I just feel so horrible.”
Meredith put a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve been used and toyed with by those evil women. As far as I’m concerned, they are even worse than David Andrews.”
Willow reached behind her neck, and began fumbling with the necklace. “I want to give you this back.”
Meredith stopped her. “Keep it. There is no doubt in my mind that if Opal kept it, she obviously cherished it and… you should have something that your mother cherished. Had she lived, she would have certainly given it to you.”
“But –”
“I mean it,” said Meredith. “You never got the chance to know your mother and I… well, I was blessed with having Anna in my life for several years. If anyone should have that necklace, it should be you.”
“Are you sure?”
Meredith nodded.
Willow smiled sadly. “Thank you.”
Meredith pulled her into her arms and hugged her. “You’re welcome. I just wish there was more that I could do.”
Enchanted Objects: (Witches Of Bayport) Page 16