Witch at Last: A Jinx Hamilton Mystery Book 3 (The Jinx Hamilton Mysteries)

by Juliette Harper

  “Seek solace in the known, Miss Jinx,” Beau said. “Open your shop tomorrow. Go about your business. Take the time you need to assimilate the new world that is opening before you into your understanding. Let no one else define that readiness for you, and all will be well.”

  “That’s really good advice,” I said. “Today we’d say just get off the rollercoaster.”

  “I don’t know what this is,” Beau conceded, “but the context sounds in keeping with the point I am attempting to make.”

  Off to my left, an owl hooted. When I glanced up in that direction, I suddenly realized the night sky was alive with stars. I could even see the Milky Way. It was breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly peaceful.

  “Can I just stay here with you and Duke for now?” I asked, as the departed coonhound trotted up to us again.

  “We would both be delighted with the pleasure of your company,” Beau said, reaching to catch the ball the dog dropped in his hand. “Duke is quite prepared for this game of fetch to last for eternity.”

  6

  The group in the basement

  No one spoke after Jinx asked for time alone to think. She climbed the stairs, her footsteps echoing on the floor over their heads. Then they heard the back door open and close.

  Chase looked over at Tori. “Is she going to be all right?” he asked.

  Tori was torn between a strong desire to lay into him for being clueless and sympathizing with his obvious remorse.

  “Jinx needs some time to process,” she said. “This was a lot to get hit with in one day. Honestly, guys, couldn’t you have managed all of this a little better? The shock and awe approach was kinda brutal.”

  Myrtle sighed. “I assure you we would have preferred to handle the entire matter in a completely different and slower way,” she said, “but Jinx was a bit ambitious with her use of magic at the cemetery. Frankly, none of us imagined she had enough control to perform a spell of the magnitude necessary to release Brenna Sinclair. Those events accelerated our timetable so to speak. Without formal training, facing Brenna was a brilliant, although foolish, feat. We can’t afford to let anything like that happen again.”

  “Uh, excuse me,” Tori said, “but I was kinda in on all that, too.”

  Myrtle smiled. “You have proven to be a bit of a surprise as well.”

  Mollified, Tori gestured toward the shelves. “Am I right in assuming that everything down here has something to do with training Jinx?” she asked.

  “With training you both,” Myrtle said.

  Tori eyed her suspiciously. “You’ve known all along that I’m descended from Alexander and Knasgowa, haven’t you?”

  Myrtle nodded. “Yes,” she said, “I have.”

  “So why the big act?” Tori asked. “Why the whole thing with the scrying and the necklace?”

  “To put it bluntly,” Myrtle said, “we were testing you.”

  “Because I’m descended from a Creavit witch?” Tori asked. “What? You thought as soon as I found out I’d go all traitor or something?”

  “We took the same precautions with you that were taken with every one of your forbearers,” Myrtle said. “You may ask your mother for confirmation of that. The Creavit element is always an unknown.”

  Tori leaned forward in her chair, resting her elbows on her knees. “You know what, Myrtle?” she said. “I like you. I like you a lot. But you should get one thing straight that will never be an ‘unknown.’ Jinx is my sister. My loyalty is to her. Period. I don’t care what’s running around in my bloodstream. Got it?”

  “Got it,” Myrtle said. “I would have expected nothing less, because those are virtually the same words Gemma used when we tested her loyalty to Kelly. Surely you can understand, however, that we have a great deal to protect.”

  Tori frowned. “Wait a minute,” she said. “What do you mean you tested Mom and her loyalty to Kelly?”

  “As a young woman,” Myrtle said, “Kelly exhibited the same potential as her daughter, but as you have learned, she made a mistake from which she could not recover.”

  “But they told us that they weren’t very powerful,” Tori said. “Are you saying they lied?”

  Myrtle shook her head. “No,” she said, “they told you that with which they are comfortable believing. Had they completed their training, they would have been a formidable partnership.”

  “Trust me,” Tori said, “with or without magic, Mom and Kelly are a dynamic duo.”

  Myrtle inclined her head in agreement and Tori went on. “So, let me see if I’ve got this straight. Jinx is powerful, but together, we’re the mother lode? That’s what happened when we mixed our blood at the cemetery, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes,” Myrtle said.

  “Okay,” Tori bristled, “would it have been too freaking much to tell us about the blood thing before we had to do that whole West Side Story remake?”

  From the hearth, Festus chuckled. “I think you’re going to have your hands full with this one, Myrtle,” he said. “She has claws.”

  “You have no idea,” Tori said.

  Myrtle chuckled. “I suspect I do have an idea,” she said, “she is very like her mother. Now, as for the matter of the blood, had I told you, you might have over-thought the situation. Blood magic must be awakened by genuine need. When you require the power again, a mere pin prick will suffice.”

  “Good to know,” Tori said, “and I’m holding you to that.”

  “Noted,” Myrtle said. “Now, so that I may more fully explain your situation, if you will indulge me, where do you think we are at the moment?”

  Tori’s eyes wandered up the staircase and then tracked around the room. “I think,” she said finally, “that when we come down the staircase we go through some kind of doorway or something. You’ve got it set up so only certain people can come through. The old basement, the one filled with all the junk is still here, taking up the same space, but like Festus said, on a different frequency. If there’s a way to get to The Valley from here, then I think we’re in the place in between.”

  Darby clapped his hands, and then sheepishly buried them in his pockets when Myrtle looked at him over her glasses.

  “I’m guessing I’m right,” Tori grinned.

  “For the most part, yes,” Myrtle said. “And your answer is quite astute. This is one level of the place in between, a sort of transition, if you will, to The Valley. It is necessary to pass through another doorway, as you call it, to reach Shevington proper. That entrance is also warded.”

  Tori frowned. “Warded?” she asked. “Doesn’t that mean you’ve cast some kind of spell on the stairs?”

  Myrtle nodded approvingly. “You are a quick study,” she said. “There are precisely 9 beings other than myself that can enter the place you think of as the basement.”

  Still frowning, Tori counted off on her fingers. “Me, Jinksy, Darby, Festus, Chase, Rodney, Aunt Fiona, and Colonel Longworth,” she said. “Those are all the people I’ve ever seen down here. Who’s the ninth?”

  A voice from the stacks said, “I am.”

  Amity Prescott stepped into the carpeted area and sat down in the chair Jinx had vacated. “Hi, Tori,” she said. “Quite a day you gals are having, huh?”

  Tori stared at her for a second and then she snapped her fingers. “The Briar Hollow coven?” she asked.

  Amity smiled. “Guilty,” she said. “I wanted to reveal myself to you and Jinx when the whole business with the cemetery ghosts was going on, but Fiona wouldn’t let me. She was right. If you girls had needed my help, it would have been better for Brenna not to know about me in advance. But you all did just fine.”

  “For two people who had no earthly clue what they were doing,” Tori said wryly.

  Amity turned to Myrtle. “Since Jinx isn’t here, can I assume she’s having a little trouble coping with the . . . bigger picture?”

  Before Myrtle could answer, Chase sighed heavily, “That and the revelation she’s been more or less dating an alley cat.
”

  Festus arched his back indignantly. “We are not alley cats,” he hissed.

  Tori intervened. “Look, Festus, I’m a huge fan of all things feline and so is Jinx. This is not a species thing,” she said. “Jinx doesn’t like men lying to her. She’s been there, done that, and grabbed the t-shirt. More than once.”

  It was Chase’s turn for indignation. “I’m not one of those guys,” he protested.

  Without blinking, Tori said, “Did you or didn’t you lie to her?”

  Chase set his jaw stubbornly. “Only by omission,” he said.

  “Oh!” Tori said. “I see. We’re going to do the whole shades of truth thing. That should fix things right up. Not.”

  Chase opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again, and looked to Myrtle for help.

  “I’m sorry, Chase,” Myrtle said, “but I’m afraid I have to agree with Tori. I told you that you needed to tell Jinx about yourself. In fact, we all told you, and you insisted you needed more time. I’m afraid that time has caught up with you.”

  “That’s not fair,” Chase said angrily. “How exactly was I supposed to tell her I’m a werecat? How do you work that into a casual dinner conversation?”

  “By just telling her,” Tori said. “Let me give you a real good piece of advice, Chase. If you do manage to get back in her good graces, I don’t suggest you underestimate Jinx again. She’s a big girl. She would have much rather heard the werecat thing directly from you. Weeks ago. I know her. She’s out there trying to decide if you like her for herself or if you’ve just been spending time with her because it’s your job.”

  The flush returned to Chase’s features. “Of course I like her for herself, but it’s not that easy.”

  The comment hung in the air. Tori looked around the room.

  “Okay, spill,” she said, “what are you all not telling me?”

  Festus let out a little rasping cough as if he were clearing a hairball out of his throat. Then, in a completely matter-of-fact tone, he said, “Typically we only mate with our own kind.”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Tori said. “Throw it in reverse there, Garfield. Mating?”

  Chase glared at his father. “What Dad meant to say is that traditionally, werecats only date other werecats. No member of our clan has ever been involved with a witch, and we’re not certain the . . . power sets . . . would be compatible. Even pairings with humans have unpredictable results.”

  “The children could have tails,” Festus offered helpfully.

  Tori’s eyes widened a little. “Uh, yeah, okay. Let’s hold off on telling Jinx about that until she’s a little more down with the whole turning furry thing, okay?”

  “Not. A. Problem,” Chase assured her. “But that is not the reason I didn’t tell her about myself,” he added. “I wanted her to get to know me as a person first.”

  Tori shook her head. “And she wanted you to get to know her as a person before she told you that she’s a witch,” she said. “The two of you are some pair.”

  “So have I completely blown any chance I have with her?” Chase asked somberly. “Should I go try to find her?”

  Without hesitation, Tori said, “No, that would be a huge mistake. I don’t think you’ve necessarily blown it, but do not push her, Chase. Give her some space. Let me talk to her. Jinksy isn’t good with change, and she’s had way too much of it this summer. She’s overwhelmed.”

  Myrtle nodded. “I agree,” she said. “And besides, I can sense Jinx’s power signature. She’s in the cemetery talking with Colonel Longworth. She’s perfectly fine.”

  Chase breathed a long sigh of relief. “Good,” he said, “that makes me a feel a little better.”

  Myrtle turned back toward Tori. “Now,” she said, “to resume our conversation. As I said, you are for the most part correct about our location. We are inside what is technically called a fairy mound. It is my home and the place where The Valley of Shevington maintains its archives and library. The Valley has not only served as a sanctuary for the Fae, but also as a repository for Fae scholarship. Many powerful artifacts of our culture reside here for safekeeping.”

  “Which is why you dress up like a librarian,” Tori said. “You went with the theme.”

  “It seemed an appropriate persona,” Myrtle said, “one that both you and Jinx would find acceptable.”

  “So, if Jinx is supposed to be this big deal witch,” Tori said, “and I’m supposed to have powers of my own, what am I?”

  Darby held his hand up, which won him a bemused smile from Myrtle. “What is it, Darby?” she asked.

  “Please, Your Majesty,” he asked excitedly, “may I have the honor of telling Mistress Tori what she is?”

  Myrtle nodded gravely. “Proceed,” she said.

  With barely contained glee, Darby said breathlessly, “Mistress Tori, you are the next Alchemist!”

  7

  When I got back to the store in the wee hours of the morning, the door of Tori’s apartment was ajar and her light was on. Feeling distinctly like I was standing outside my parents’ bedroom door getting in late from a date to the football game, I called out softly, “I’m home, Mom.”

  Tori appeared at the door in sleep shorts and an over-sized Star Wars t-shirt with Chewbacca in Hank Williams, Jr. shades emblazoned with the words “Party Animal.”

  “Hey,” she said. “I went up and fed the cats, so don’t buy it when they try to convince you they’re starving.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “Would I be a real jerk if I asked you to open up in the morning?”

  “Naw,” she grinned. “I’m good with the breakfast shift.”

  Since we opened the espresso bar, we’d been turning on the lights and unlocking the door around 7 o’clock, just to see if anyone might wander in. They wandered in all right, in droves, with newspapers and tablets. The first couple of days several customers made a point of thanking me for the blazing-fast free wifi.

  One woman in particular, a summer resident who rented a house a block off the square, said enthusiastically, “I don’t know how you do it. You must pay the earth for speeds that fast.”

  As soon as she was out the door, I dragged Tori into the storeroom and whispered furiously, “Free high-speed wifi?! Are you out of your mind? We can’t afford that!”

  She held up her hand to stop me. “Myrtle takes care of it,” she said simply.

  Talk about unlimited MBPS.

  Between that, and Darby’s custom blended grinds, we were a hit from day one. Darby was already begging me to let him supply baked goods, which I had every intention of doing, as soon as I figured out how to sell it to the Health Department. We’d have to have a kitchen to convince the inspector that normal food prep was going on, but Darby was in the Easy Bake Oven class.

  The bar’s seating area started out with six mismatched tables of varying sizes, but we’d just added two more, as well as a couple of beat-up “vintage” armchairs. The more casual, overflow customers just camped on the first few levels of the stairs leading up to my apartment.

  Long story short, as much as I’d thought my early morning waitressing days were over, that was proving not to be the case.

  That night I thanked Tori for being willing to take care of opening up, and then said, a little lamely, “Guess I’ll turn in.”

  “You’ve been crying,” Tori said.

  “Yeah,” I admitted. “I went on a regular jag with Beau.”

  “Poor guy,” Tori said. “I’ll bet he almost went nuts trying to hand you a handkerchief.”

  “Pretty much,” I admitted.

  “Did he help?”

  “He did,” I said. “He suggested I just concentrate on normal things until I’m ready to think about all the . . . other . . . stuff.”

  “That’s good advice,” Tori said. “You go on up and get some sleep. I’ll take care of the store. Don’t worry about coming down until you’re ready.”

  Impulsively, I reached out and gave her a fierce hug.

  �
��Did I do something huggable,” Tori asked when I held on tight, “or do you just really need a hug?”

  “Both,” I mumbled. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Okay?”

  “Whenever you’re ready.”

  I let her go, took a few steps toward the stairs, and stopped. “Is Chase okay?” I asked softly.

  “He feels like an idiot for not telling you sooner,” Tori said. “And he’s worried about you. We all are.”

  “I’m okay,” I said. “I just need a little time to adjust to . . . everything.”

  “That’s what I told them,” she said. “The magical freight train is gonna slow down until you’re ready to ride.”

  When I reached the top of the landing, I heard Tori’s door close. I glanced back over my shoulder and stopped in my tracks. For just an instant, I thought I saw something whizz past the bottom of the stairs, which were dimly lit by the nightlight we left burning by the storeroom door just in case either of us had to move around the store at night.

  I started down to check out what I’d seen, and then it occurred to me it might be what we euphemistically call a “water bug” in the south. That’s a nice way of saying “big ole flying cockroach.” Most of them are large enough to saddle, and they’ll make you hurt yourself they’re so disgusting and prone to dive bomb right in your face.

  For the record, said repulsive insects live in trees, but they get in houses all the time. I’ve never seen one upstairs, but then I live with four furry pest control agents.

  Deciding to leave well enough alone, I made a mental note to get some industrial strength roach traps. I’d already had more than I could stand for one night anyway. A water bug doing a kamikaze imitation could well have brought on a heart attack.

  I should have gone straight to bed as soon as I let myself in the apartment. It was late, or really early, depending on how you wanted to look at it. I was tired, but my mind wouldn’t slow down. Rather than lie there in the dark listening to my churning thoughts, I followed Beau’s advice. I did ordinary things.

  First, I played with the cats, and then I straightened up after we made a mess of the living room. The dishwasher needed to be emptied and there was laundry to fold. At one point I wandered in front of the standing mirror in my bedroom and just stared at myself.