Witchy Tales: A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Fairy Tale

by Amanda M. Lee

  “We’ll do that next weekend,” I said. “I … I also need to talk to Aunt Tillie.”

  His body stiffened, but Landon’s face was unreadable. “Okay.”

  “Aren’t you going to ask why?”

  “Nope,” he said, draining the rest of his coffee. “I’ve learned you always have a reason for the things you do.”

  “How long do you think this great understanding of one another is going to last?”

  “Until the next time we tick each other off,” Landon said. “I think we have two weeks of bliss in front of us.”

  “Two weeks?”

  “Give or take.”

  I couldn’t stifle my giggle. “You make me laugh.”

  “I try. Now get moving. I feel dirty and I’m starving. Besides, you promised me a full day without any of your family. We can’t honor all of that, but we’re going to do our best and disappear for the rest of the day after breakfast.”

  “I was actually thinking we could just disappear to my bed,” I suggested.

  “We’re disappearing to bed,” Landon said, “but we’re going to another inn to rent one.”

  “Oh, I forgot about that. Do you still want to do that?”

  “That’s what’s fueling me this morning,” Landon said. “Move. Pack your clothes for the night before we go up to the inn. We’re not coming back here. Not today at least.”

  “IT LOOKS quiet,” Thistle said, pressing her ear against the door to The Overlook. “What if they’re still trapped somewhere?”

  “Then they’re going to be really ticked off,” Landon said, reaching around Thistle and turning the door handle. “Come on. I’m starving.”

  “If they’re not in here, you’re not getting breakfast,” Thistle reminded him.

  “Oh, I’m getting breakfast,” Landon said, wrapping his arm around my waist and lifting me off the ground so he could control our pace. “I’ve earned it.”

  After slinking through the back of the house – the family living quarters was cut off from the rest of the inn except for swinging doors at either end of the kitchen – we paused again outside of the kitchen.

  The quiet was worrisome. And then … there was a noise. It was slight, but there it was. Someone moved a pot off the stove. I pushed the door open and stuck my head inside, exhaling heavily when I saw my mother.

  Instinct took over when I caught sight of her and I hurried over and gave her a brief hug.

  “What was that for?” Mom asked, surprised.

  “I was afraid something happened to you,” I admitted. “I … we … that is to say … .”

  “We already know,” Mom said. “You were cursed into the fairy tale book Aunt Tillie wrote when she was forced to read to you guys when you were kids.”

  “You knew and you didn’t force her to let us out?” Relief at my mother’s safety was turning to anger pretty quickly.

  “We didn’t know until this morning,” Twila said, pushing Thistle’s hair back on her forehead and studying her for a moment. “You look tired.”

  “I killed a wolf and rode a turtle.”

  “We fought zombies,” Twila said. “Don’t even start complaining.”

  “I knew it!” Clove said, pumping her fist. “I told you they were cursed into the zombie book.”

  “This whole family has a weird thing about being right,” Landon said, moving away from me and heading toward the stove. He didn’t even ask before grabbing three slices of bacon. Even though Marnie gave him a dirty look, he didn’t back down. “I got turned into a monster and had to fight a giant. I’m hungry.”

  “Fine,” Marnie grumbled.

  “When did you get out of your book?” I asked.

  “Overnight,” Mom said, her tone clipped. “We checked on you guys immediately, but you were all asleep. That’s when we found out everything that happened.”

  “Is Aunt Tillie still alive?” Thistle asked.

  “She is.”

  “Does she still live here?”

  Mom sighed, exasperated. “Of course she still lives here,” she said. “She’s family. You don’t turn your back on family.”

  “Even when she puts you in mortal danger in a zombie book?” Clove pressed.

  “Even then,” Mom said. “I’m glad you’re all okay, although you look exhausted.”

  “It’s been a long thirty-six hours,” Landon said. “And, just so you know, as soon as we’re done with breakfast I’m taking Bay to a hotel for twenty-four hours – and I don’t want to hear one complaint about it.”

  “Have fun,” Mom said.

  I’d been excited to tell her about her appearance in the fairy tales when I first saw her, envisioning a loud screaming match with Aunt Tillie. She looked beaten down, though. Now definitely wasn’t the time.

  “I’ll be back tomorrow,” I said.

  “Take as much time as you want,” Mom said. “I think we all need some … space.”

  “Oh, you guys fought the entire time you were in the zombie book, didn’t you?” Thistle asked. “I’m surprised you didn’t kill each other.”

  “Let’s just say it’s been a struggle and leave it at that.”

  “Wow,” Thistle said, laughing. “I thought we were grumpy until I saw you guys.”

  “You were in a fairy tale book,” Marnie said. “You have no idea the horrors we saw.”

  “I think we have some idea,” Landon said. “Our stories were … unique.”

  Mom studied him a moment, a question on her lips, but she dismissed it. “I’m sure we can tell each other all about our adventures later. I don’t want to talk about it now.”

  “I don’t blame you,” I said, patting her shoulder. “Everyone is still processing. I do have one question, though, and I’m almost afraid to ask it.”

  Mom waited.

  “If you guys were in a book, and we were in a book, who ran the inn yesterday?”

  Mom pursed her lips. “We got lucky that Belinda was here,” Mom said, referring to a recent addition to The Overlook’s staff. “She managed to hold things together all by herself. We really lucked out with her.”

  “We did,” I agreed. “What did you tell her?”

  “We told her there was a family emergency and we forgot to leave a note,” Marnie replied. “I’m not sure she believes us.”

  “I wouldn’t,” I said. “Where is Aunt Tillie?”

  Mom lifted an eyebrow. “Are you going to cause a scene?”

  “Maybe.”

  “She’s in the library.”

  “Aren’t you going to warn me about making a scene?”

  “Nope,” Mom said. “Go nuts.”

  Landon and I exchanged a look. “Make sure you save me a heaping pile of bacon,” he said. “I’m going with Bay. We’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  We found Aunt Tillie sitting on the small couch in the library, a large leather-bound book resting on her lap. “Is that what I think it is?”

  Aunt Tillie smiled at the sound of my voice. “How was your weekend? I haven’t seen you guys since Friday night.”

  “How was your weekend?” I countered.

  “Very lucrative,” Aunt Tillie said. “I sold out at the Renaissance fair and made a killing. I didn’t have one problem with law enforcement. It was a great weekend.”

  “For you,” Landon said.

  “You sound angry,” Aunt Tillie said, smiling. “Is something wrong?”

  Landon wasn’t about to play her game. “I can see you wanting to punish me,” he said. “Why did you purposely hurt Bay, Clove, Thistle, Marcus and Sam, though?”

  “I didn’t hurt anyone,” Aunt Tillie said. “I gave you all a chance to expand your minds.”

  “By being beheaded?”

  “You were never in any real danger,” Aunt Tillie said. “You don’t die in the real world if you die in the book. In fact, had you died in the book you would’ve simply slipped back into your regular lives. So, in theory, you should’ve all just offed yourself at the outset and saved yoursel
f the aggravation.”

  Landon growled. “You’re not even sorry, are you?”

  Aunt Tillie seemed surprised by the question. “Why should I be sorry?”

  “I guess if you don’t know there’s no sense in explaining it to you,” Landon said. “I don’t have the energy and I just … you don’t want to learn the lesson you were trying to teach us for yourself.” He kissed the side of my head. “I’m going to eat breakfast. Don’t stay in here too long. I wasn’t joking about taking off right after breakfast.”

  “Okay,” I said. “Are you okay?”

  Landon graced me with a weak smile. “We’re fine, sweetie,” he said. “We just need some sleep and solitude. In twenty-four hours this is going to be nothing but a distant memory.”

  “That’s not what I asked.”

  “I’m fine,” Landon said. “I really am. Hurry up.”

  I watched him go, slowly turning back to Aunt Tillie when I was sure he was out of earshot. I had no intention of making a scene, but I wasn’t about to let Aunt Tillie off the hook. I’d figured something out in my sleep, and I wanted to confirm it.

  “I know the truth,” I said.

  “You’ll have to be more specific.”

  “The book,” I said. “That was really you in there. That was you who showed up to be my fairy godmother, and it was you who finally got us out. You go into the book all the time, don’t you?”

  Aunt Tillie shifted the book in her lap to the couch and got to her feet. “They need a benevolent ruler to lead them.”

  “That’s not why.”

  “Then why?” Aunt Tillie was amused.

  “You made them self-aware,” I said. “They exist in the book. When we’re not there, they’re going on about their lives like they’re real people ... or creatures. You created the book for us and it somehow got away from you. Admit it.”

  “I created the world for you and your cousins,” Aunt Tillie corrected. “And you used to love visiting there. I thought you would like a return trip.”

  I was stunned. “I … we’ve been there before?”

  “I took you there for short trips all the time when you were small,” Aunt Tillie said. “Those weren’t just stories. They were memories.”

  “I don’t understand. Why don’t we remember actually being there?”

  “You grew up,” Aunt Tillie said. “You stop believing when you grow up. Although something tells me you won’t forget this most recent trip.”

  “Everyone fought,” I said. “Everyone got upset. Everyone got … hurt. I think Landon got hurt most of all.”

  “If that’s the case, I’m really sorry,” Aunt Tillie said. “I really am. I needed a distraction. I didn’t know he’d take it so hard.”

  “You knew,” I said, “but I don’t think you realized how bad things would get.”

  “How were they bad?” Aunt Tillie asked. “You saved each other at every turn. You gave up the ghost about your insecurities where he’s concerned and he came to the conclusion that you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself. How is that bad?”

  My mouth dropped open. “Are you serious? Is that the real lesson you were trying to teach us?”

  “I don’t pick the lessons, Bay,” Aunt Tillie said. “The book does. Those were the lessons you two needed to learn.”

  “Landon was right. You don’t feel bad about any of this.”

  “I feel bad you were so stressed,” Aunt Tillie said. “I don’t feel bad about the rest of it, though. I warned you.”

  “I guess you did,” I said, shrugging. I turned to walk away.

  “That’s it? You’re not going to yell?”

  “I’m not going to yell,” I said. “It’s not going to do any good, so why bother?”

  “I thought you weren’t going to give up the fight?”

  “I’m not,” I said, widening my berth when I saw Thistle loitering in the hallway with a red blanket in her hand. It was incredibly childish and yet … somehow I was fine with it.

  “Oh, now, come on,” Aunt Tillie said, scampering behind me. “You can’t stay angry with me. It’s impossible.”

  I turned and watched her walk into the hallway. The second she rounded the corner Thistle jumped on her and wrapped the blanket around her head. “Who’s fast now?”

  “You get off me right now, Thistle Winchester,” Aunt Tillie ordered. “Ow! That hurts. I’m old. You’re going to break my hip!”

  “I’m going to break your nose,” Thistle said. “I can’t believe you did that to us. I’m so angry I could kill you!”

  “Get off me!”

  “Make me.”

  “Get off me right now!”

  “Make me right now.”

  I blew out a weary sigh and left Aunt Tillie and Thistle to their fight, joining Landon at the breakfast table.

  “Is everything okay?” His face was calm but his eyes were stormy.

  “I’m looking forward to our day together,” I said. “Let’s eat fast.”

  His eyes softened, twinkling a bit. “Do you want me to carry you around like a princess all day?”

  “I’m the hero,” I reminded him. “I’m going to carry you around.”

  Landon barked out a laugh. “Eat quickly,” he said. “From the sound of that fight, Aunt Tillie is going to have twitchy fingers. I don’t want to be here when they get loose.”

  Truer words were never spoken.

  “Do you want to get breakfast someplace else?”

  Landon considered the offer. “I’ll race you to the truck.”

  Author’s Note

  I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read my novels. I have a particular brand of humor that isn’t for everyone – and I know that.

  If you liked the book, please take a few minutes and leave a review. An independent author does it all on their own, and the reviews are helpful. I understand that my characters aren’t for everyone, though. There’s a lot of snark and sarcasm in my world – and I know some people don’t like that.

  Special thanks go out to Heidi Bitsoli and Phil VanHulle for correcting the (numerous) errors that creep into a work of fiction.

  If you’re interested in my future works, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or join my mailing list. I do not believe in spam. I only announce new releases or free promotions.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  Books by Amanda M. Lee

  Avery Shaw Mysteries

  Who, What, Where, When, Die

  If it Bleeds, it Leads

  Buried Leads

  Shot off the Presses

  The Preditorial Page

  Misquoted & Demoted

  Headlines & Deadlines (August 2015)

  Covenant College Mysteries

  Awakening (Book One)

  Whispering (Book Two)

  Conjuring (Book Three)

  Waxing & Waning (Book Four)

  Graduating (Book Five)

  The Living Covenant Trilogy

  Rising Covenant (June 2016)

  Dark Covenant (July 2016)

  Eternal Covenant (August 2016)

  The Dying Covenant Trilogy

  Haunted Covenant (June 2017)

  Desperate Covenant (July 2017)

  Everlasting Covenant (August 2017)

  Wicked Witches of the Midwest Mysteries

  Any Witch Way You Can

  Every Witch Way But Wicked

  Witching You Were Here

  Witching on a Star

  Something
to Witch About

  Careful What You Witch For (A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Short)

  Wicked Brew (A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Short)

  Witch Me Luck

  Witchy Tales (A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Fairy Tale)

  On a Witch and a Prayer A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Short

  You Only Witch Once (A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Short) September 2015

  Life’s a Witch (November 2015)

  The Christmas Witch (A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Short) December 2015

  Aisling Grimlock

  Grim Tidings (Book One)

  Grim Offerings (Book Two)

  Grim Discovery (October 2015)