The Rhinestone Witches Omnibus: Books 1-3

by Addison Creek

  “That makes one,” I said dryly, thinking of the witches who didn’t value my grandmother, at least not in her current position. They might value her more if she moved to Canada and never came back. The Coven Council and the three governing witch queens were not fans of the Rhinestones.

  “We wanted to talk to you before the ritual tonight. My mom is very busy, so she doesn’t even know I’m here,” said Jackie.

  “I had to make a deal with one of my brothers to do the work I was supposed to do today,” said Kelly with a wry smile. “He knew why I was coming, though, so he was more than willing.”

  Kelly’s family was kind of like mine. Their standing in the coven was precarious and lowly. They sold goods at all of the farmers markets. Kelly worked hard for her family, and she was also an excellent witch. Kelly’s passing her tests had solidified their membership for years to come.

  Just then both Spunk and Tiger joined us. Spunk strutted in, while Tiger swayed in a stately manner. They each went to one of my guests. Jackie giggled as Tiger hopped on her lap and demanded to be petted.

  “He likes the side of his head scratched,” I said helpfully. Jackie of course obliged.

  Once I had tea ready I brought it to the table. “You said that you came for a specific reason?” I asked, turning to Kelly.

  The old wood creaked under her weight as she shifted nervously in her chair. “That’s right, I did. Well, we did. Jackie wanted to help me. I didn’t know where to turn. With the ritual coming tonight, nothing has been normal. Everyone is upset about it. Poor Glory.”

  Unfortunately, I agreed with her. It was a terrible situation, but I still hadn’t heard why they had come, so I asked again, “What can I help you with?” I was a bit mystified, since I really couldn’t think of anything I could help anybody with. Maybe they wanted expertise on life on the outside, stuff like what humans were really like. I had supposedly grown up among them, having lived with my dad and my stepmom and her daughter for so many years. Then again, I wasn’t so sure that Blossom and Bailey were representative humans.

  My stepmother and stepsister took a particular view of the world, one where being thin, wearing the right clothes, and marrying the right (rich) person was what counted. I was never that thin, my hair was never that straight, and my clothing choices could best be described as eclectic with a dash of practical.

  “It’s my other brother,” said Kelly. “He and his friend were out the other night. His friend was found unconscious in the woods, and my brother hasn’t come home.”

  “I’m so sorry. What night was the other night?” I asked

  “This was the night after the dance,” Kelly explained. “After the ball my brother and his friend stayed out. My mom wanted him to come home, but he never does. He hasn’t fallen into the best crowd lately, and we’ve gotten used to him staying out for a few days at a time. At first we didn’t think much about it, but now . . . I don’t know.” She paused, furrowing her brow and looking worried.

  “What is the sheriff’s office doing about it?” I asked.

  Kelly made a face. “Nothing, yet. My brother’s friend was unconscious until a little while ago, so he couldn’t tell us anything. They say they’re looking for my brother, and I think they are. It’s just not that simple.”

  “Why is it not that simple?” I asked.

  Jackie was sitting quietly, sipping tea and petting the cat. I felt like I was asking all the questions and Jackie already knew everything. Well, Jackie and Kelly were friends, so that made sense.

  “My brother may or may not have gone missing before,” murmured Kelly, hanging her head.

  “He’s gone missing more than ten times,” Jackie cut it. “It’s always that he has run away, and he’s always fine and comes back after a while, usually when he’s hungry or has run out of money.”

  Kelly was still looking down at the table, clearly ashamed of her brother and of having to tell me any of this at all.

  “So they don’t really believe anything has happened to him,” I said.

  Kelly nodded soberly. “They don’t. I understand why they feel that way. It’s just that he’s never been gone this long before. Also, he’s usually in touch with my other brother, who told the sheriff as much. This time they’ve had no contact,” said Kelly.

  I bit down on my lip and tried to think. “Was there any sign of a struggle where his friend was found?”

  “A bit. There was a strange orange substance clinging to some of the trees and Henry was on the ground. I heard my mom talking to the sheriff, and he said there were exceptionally strong charms around him that erased any history or markings. For all we know there could have been an epic struggle, but by the time Henry was found there was no evidence of it,” she said.

  “I’m very sorry about your brother,” I said again. “It must be hard. As you know, my sister is on the run, and I worry about her a lot. But I still don’t understand what any of this has to do with me.”

  “The sheriffs don’t believe me. They aren’t really looking for him. I don’t argue their motives, but I know something has happened. I thought that since you solved Jonathan’s murder, you might be able to help figure out what’s going on with my brother, and what happened to Henry,” she said.

  I nearly choked on my tea. “Are you kidding me? I’m not a detective. I don’t know the rules. Besides, the sheriff’s office already doesn’t like me. If I meddle in the investigation, we’ll all get in big trouble.”

  Kelly’s shoulders drooped and she looked crestfallen.

  “Don’t you think you could just look around a bit?” Jackie asked. “I know you did the last investigation for your sister, but this time it’s Kelly’s brother. It’s family. Besides, not knowing the rules is probably a good thing.”

  “How would that be a good thing?” I asked.

  “If you follow the rules, you might never get anywhere,” Jackie offered helpfully.

  Kelly broke in and added, “Kyle might need help! We can’t just sit around while we don’t know what’s happened to him.”

  In a way I had brought this on myself. After Nancy’s arrest I had met up with Jackie and Kelly and we had discussed what happened. I had told them of my suspicions based on Nancy’s continued accusations against my sister, and also that I had been up to Jonathan’s office and then later heard someone snooping around up there. They thought I was quite the investigator even when I demurred and told them that Quinn had really solved the case.

  Now I fiddled with my cup, trying to decide what to do. Part of me was curious. Part of me had also liked the thrill of snooping. The singular focus on finding out what had happened to Jonathan and clearing my sister’s name had been part of something larger, relating to the secret pearl trade in Twinkleford. Jonathan had been wrapped up in it, and so were the Vixens. Jonathan had lost his life, and now Kelly’s brother was missing. How much more destruction was there going to be?

  A dark cloud was descending over this town just as I had started to feel at home in it. Or maybe the cloud had been building for far longer than that..

  “You know that my sister had nothing to do with Jonathan’s murder?” I said.

  Two heads nodded.

  “There has been an illegal pearl trade going on in this town for decades. I’m sure there would be illegal trade in unicorn dung trade as well, if your grandmother wasn’t such a force around here,” said Jackie.

  “Was your brother involved with the pearls?” I asked, wondering if all the mysteries would turn out to be connected in the end. Pearls were valuable for rituals and hard to come by. There had been a few left in Jonathan’s office after he died, and I had yet to figure out where they had come from.

  “I can’t imagine Kyle would be involved in something like that. Pearls are strictly regulated. He surely isn’t old enough to get his hands on any. He wouldn’t steal them, and anyhow, most people that have them keep them under lock and key,” Kelly said. “I’m just saying he must have gotten into trouble one way or another
. Henry wasn’t a good influence, and now he’s been in a coma.”

  “I suppose the sheriff thinks your brother was the one who put him there,” I said.

  Kelly made a face. They had blamed my sister for Jonathan’s death, at least until I had proved that it was a secretive and terrifying organization called the Vixens that had caused it. Those witches were only getting stronger, and we all knew well enough that they could be behind this new trouble, too.

  “I don’t know what they think,” Kelly said at last, “but I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if they do suspect my brother. Please just help me. Do a little bit of snooping. We had no idea that you were looking into Jonathan’s murder, and then it turned out that you had solved it. Maybe the same thing can happen here. Maybe Kyle is afraid of something, but if he sees you he won’t be. You aren’t the sheriff,” she explained.

  I sighed. “We have the ritual tonight. I suppose I could ask a few questions tomorrow, sort of start looking into things. I can go see Henry at the hospital. I’ll just have to avoid the sheriff.”

  Chapter Three

  At least now I had something concrete to do the day after the ritual. If I was lucky, it would take my mind off what was going to happen that evening. I’d go to the witch hospital and try to speak with Kelly’s brother’s friend, and see where things might go from there.

  There was silence at the table for a few minutes as we all sipped our tea. Then Kelly said, “Thanks so much for helping me. I already feel better. Henry is awake at the hospital, at least that’s what my mom said just before we came here. He’s going to try to help the sheriff piece together what happened.”

  That didn’t necessarily sound like the sheriff wasn’t believing him, but I didn’t make any comment.

  “How are you doing yourself?” asked Jackie. She gave me such a look of concern that I knew she had decided it was time to change the subject.

  I frowned. I knew what she was referring to, and it had nothing to do with witchcraft. At least not the magical kind. I had started to think there was a witchcraft that came over our hearts.

  “I’m holding up fine. Can’t imagine why you’re wondering.”

  If I thought I could deflect the topic, I was mistaken.

  “We saw that exchange with you and Quinn’s wife,” said Jackie, making a face. “We had no idea he was married either. He doesn’t act married.”

  “Strange and complicated. The only problem is, I don’t like complicated,” sniffed Kelly.

  “I promise. I’ve barely thought about that,” I said, rolling my eyes.

  “Have you seen or spoken with him since that day?” Jackie asked.

  I thought back to that night at the ballroom. The uproar had been unending. Everything had happened at once. Quinn’s wife had been glaring at me, while Quinn himself had looked shocked and stricken, and who could blame him? Afterwards I had refused his explanation and had just come home.

  I shook my head and kept on trying to avoid the subject. “I haven’t been able to face it.”

  “He’s been very busy investigating. I don’t know that he slept at all. My mother has spoken with him several times and I know he’s been in to see Henry,” said Kelly.

  Truth to tell, I hadn’t been able to get the image of the woman out of my head. Of course she was pretty: delicate like Bailey, in a way that I would never be. I felt clumsy next to her.

  “It isn’t a big deal. I barely knew him,” I said.

  “If you say so,” said Jackie.

  It was clear that neither of my friends believed me, but if they were taking the hint at last, I was glad. I didn’t want to talk about it.

  In the silence that followed, I glanced out the window and saw that the sky was getting even darker. It was almost time for the ritual. Soon my grandmother would come home and we would go together. At least once that happened I had a chance of no longer thinking about Quinn.

  More importantly, I had a chance of no longer thinking about Quinn Merchant’s angry wife.

  After we finished the conversation about Kyle, my friends didn’t linger. They both had to get home so that they could go to the ritual with their families. It was important that each family arrive together, and Jackie especially couldn’t afford to be late. Her mother was always under a microscope.

  Kelly thanked me again before she left and offered to meet me the next day at the Twinkleford Memorial Hospital. I told her that might not be a good idea, that the less attention we drew to all of this the better. Hopefully I’d be able to slip in and out without being noticed.

  I fed the cats, checked on the unicorns, went upstairs to shower, and got ready to go. My witch’s garb was luxurious. Even the outfits Blossom had insisted I wear had never been this fine. The cape, the hat, and even the shoes were covered in beautiful rhinestones. I had thought I might feel funny wearing witchy clothing, but it was the exact opposite. I felt splendid.

  My only regret was that I was first putting on my garb for an expulsion ritual. I sighed and ran my hand down the dress, a soft double silk blend, beautifully made. My grandmother said that now that I was part of the coven, I had to play the part.

  Bethel was waiting for me when I got downstairs and went into the sweet kitchen. She was busy putting various ingredients into a basket, but she looked up when I came into the room and I saw a look of satisfaction flit across her face.

  Lowe was doing dishes and cleaning up. Tiger was sitting in the window, appearing aloof while actually keeping an eye on everything that was going on. In other words, what a cat did best.

  Chapter Four

  My grandmother was dressed as formally as I was. Although I had seen her wear the same clothes when I was confirmed as part of the coven, I had been too nervous on that occasion to really take in the details. Now I did.

  Her dress was longer than mine and brushed her ankles, while mine hit about mid-shin. Her clothes were a midnight blue and the rhinestones on it were white, except for a few gold ones around her collar. She had told me that the touch of gold was a fashion choice singular to herself. It was something she had always wanted, and it made her feel official.

  “Are you ready?” Bethel asked.

  “I’m ready. Do I look all right?” I said.

  “You look exactly as I’ve taught you. Well done,” she said.

  “Have you been to see the Trophis?” I asked.

  My cousin glanced over her shoulder, and Bethel shook her head. “It is not customary to visit a witch family being expelled. We merely assume that they want to be left alone, and we respect those choices. Were we to go and visit them, we would only remind them of what they’re losing,” she said.

  “That seems kind of cold. What if all they want is a hug?” I said.

  “They are there to hug each other. Glory is in enough pain. She feels certain that she failed her family,” she said.

  “Didn’t she?” I said. “Isn’t that how this is set up? She failed her family and now she’s losing all the ritual privileges of the coven. That’s a serious loss.”

  “She’s also losing some of the magic,” Bethel pointed out. “We derive some of our power from the group, from the center. You cannot perform the spells if you’re not part of the coven.”

  I swallowed hard. This was stuff I had heard before, but I hadn’t really taken it in until now. Given that I had never lived as a witch, I hadn’t really imagined what there was to lose. I knew that my grandmother was very worried about losing our witchy powers should we be expelled, but since I had never had them to begin with, it hadn’t worried me all that much. Now I was even more concerned than I had been before for the Trophis.

  “Are you going to be all right here by herself?” Bethel asked Lowe.

  “Of course. I’m not really alone. There are plenty of animals around to supervise me,” said my cousin with a smile.

  “I don’t see them so much supervising you as causing trouble with you,” said Bethel.

  “I guess it’s all about perspective,” said Low
e.

  “That’s especially true when you’re young,” said Bethel dryly.

  We finally headed out the front door just as dusk was falling. Most people were inside for the evening by now. The trolley didn’t run as often as it did during the day, and everyone knew that tonight was the night of the ritual. People who weren’t connected to it were keeping indoors in case something went wrong. Over the past couple of days I had decided that some of the residents of Twinkleford secretly thought that expulsion was catchy. One family was being thrown out, so the rest might be as well if we looked at them wrong. My goal was not to look at anyone as we left the neighborhood.

  I didn’t like this particular aspect of being in the coven.

  “What am I supposed to do at this ritual?” I asked.

  “Just follow my lead. Do not suggest that we keep them in the coven. Do not say anything at all, in fact. There are ancient rules, and they leave us no choice,” said Bethel.

  “Somebody has a choice,” I muttered.

  “You’re right,” Bethel shot back. “We could choose to have a weaker coven. Other than that, there are no options. It’s sad, but it’s necessary.”

  After that I kept quiet.

  The trolley running tonight was cream and pink, and we were the only passengers. I was careful to make sure that there were no chameleons on the seats. When I had first come to Twinkleford I’d had the traumatic experience of almost sitting on one.

  The ritual circle was within the Crown Borough, not a place where I had spent much time. As we got off the trolley in Crown, I could see that it was different from any of the other places I had seen so far in Twinkleford. The houses were larger and more imposing. The lawns were long and well manicured. The streets were wider than any I had ever seen before. This was the wealthy part of town.