Sprinkles, Spelled, and Slayed

by Sara Bourgeois

  "Excuse me?"

  "I didn't mean it as an insult,” I said.

  "He's not using any magic on you,” Voodoo said.

  "Hey, are you coming?" Athan called from the other room.

  "On my way."

  I poured the chips into a big bowl and took it down the hall. After I set it on the coffee table, I returned to the kitchen to grab the bottle of wine and two glasses.

  "I don't know that I've ever had this combination,” Athan said. "Wait, I take that back. I know I've never had this combination."

  "Well, it's a night of firsts for you,” I said as I sat down on the sofa next to him.

  "Did you have a particular reason for coming over?"

  "I suppose just wanting to hang out with my new friend isn't reason enough,” Athan said.

  "I wasn't aware that I was your new friend."

  "Don't be mean,” he said and took a sip of his wine.

  Athan swallowed the wine and set his glass down on the coffee table. He turned toward me and his knee brushed against mine. Electricity shot up my leg and right into my heart. It began to pound and I had to take a deep breath to steady its erratic rhythm. Until that moment, it hadn't even occurred to me that I'd sat down on the sofa with him instead of in the chair next to it.

  "I'm not being mean,” I said. "You spared me at the council. I get that, and I'm thankful for it, but outside you acted like you're lord over the witches in this town. How can we be friends if you think of me as your subject?"

  "Do you want me to leave the Elder Council?" Athan asked, and he seemed to be completely serious.

  "Do I want you to leave the council? So we can be friends?" I was taken aback. "This is very strange. Are you messing with me? Is this a new angle to get your hands on the grimoire?"

  "No, I wish you could trust me,” Athan said.

  "That's something that is going to take time,” I said and took a gulp of my wine.

  I wanted to trust him more than anything. Athan felt like an old friend or a kindred spirit. Voodoo said that it wasn't magic making me feel for him, but my head still said not to trust it. It was a constant war between my brain and my heart whenever he was around.

  "I spared you,” he said. "I spared you from the council's wrath at my own peril."

  "And it's still possible that you did that for your own ends,” I said and let out a sigh. "Look, just give me some time. Let me figure out why I feel so drawn to you. Let me do it in my own time, and that will go a long way toward me trusting you."

  "All right,” he said.

  Athan shifted again, and his knee almost brushed mine. I flinched away to prevent the contact. Not because I didn't want it but because I wanted it too much. The way he made me feel was dangerous, and I needed to keep my wits about me.

  "So, you just came here to hang out. Okay."

  "It's more than that," he finally admitted.

  "Now we're getting somewhere,” I said. "I'm still not giving you the book. So, if you're going to try that nonsense again, perhaps you should just go."

  "It's about Alex,” he said, and I almost dropped my wine glass.

  "You know where he is?" I asked.

  "I don't know where he is now, but I know where he was last,” Athan said.

  "Where was he?"

  "Savannah, Georgia,” Athan said.

  "Is that where they took him?" I asked. "Why is he gone? Did they move him?"

  "His order has a headquarters there,” Athan said. "He was called back when he failed to deliver on the grimoire. They've sent him to a new post."

  "No,” I said. "That's not right, and even if it was, how would you know?"

  "I've got friends everywhere, Allegra,” Athan said. "I put out the word that I needed information, and I got it."

  "But you don't know where they allegedly sent him?"

  "I'm still working on that. It's nearly impossible for someone to get information on Alex's order. While I've managed to get it, it's only after the fact."

  "So, you're going to find out where he's gone?" I asked.

  "If you want me to, I will,” Athan said.

  "Why wouldn't I want you to..."

  But I trailed off. I got it. If he was telling the truth, and Alex just left me, then why would I care where he went next?

  "Allegra,” Athan said, and the sincerity in his eyes burned through me.

  "I don't want to believe you,” I said.

  "But some part of you does. I can see it written on your face. Try to think of it a different way,” Athan said. "You're thinking of Alex and his order as hunters who take out prey. In your mind, they hunt down dark beings and destroy them, but what if they were relic hunters?"

  "Treasure hunters,” I said.

  "Yes, except the treasure they seek contains magic and power instead of money."

  "Have you told the rest of the council any of this?" I asked.

  "Yes, and they don't care, Allegra. It's just a bunch of old witches who want nothing more than to be left alone."

  "So much apathy from witches with so much power,” I said.

  "If you'd seen the things they've seen, Allegra, you'd probably want a quiet, boring life too."

  "I guess,” I said, but I felt like I'd had the wind knocked out of me.

  "Do you want me to keep searching for Alex?" Athan asked.

  That was the million-dollar question right there. Did I believe what Athan was telling me? Much to my dismay, it had all started to feel like the truth.

  Voodoo had confirmed that Athan wasn't using any magic on me. I felt so drawn to him because we really were... kindred spirits, then? The stuff about Alex being too strong to be kidnapped made sense too. I'd seen what he could do, and it was hard to believe that he could have been captured.

  The look on Athan's face told me what he wanted. I was about to tell him to keep searching for the time being. He's just have to forgive me for my doubts, but something clicked into place.

  The grimoire was still in Knox Hills. He'd left the book just like he'd left me. If it had been so important, then why hadn't he taken it with him? No, he'd discarded the black spell book and me when we were no longer important.

  "No,” I said. "There's no need to keep looking. Voodoo and Trixie will keep the book safe, but I'm going to let the whole thing go."

  I remembered meeting Alex. He'd been so sweet and caring to me, and I'd thought that was because he was just a kind and gentle person.

  What had really happened was he'd seen how vulnerable I was, and he'd taken advantage. He'd pretended to be what I needed.

  "Allegra,” he said and my stomach did a somersault.

  "You keep saying my name like it's some sort of spell."

  "I shouldn't have told you,” Athan said.

  "Why? So I would keep looking for him forever? It is what it is."

  "Is there anything I can do?"

  "You can leave me alone for a while. I need some time to process this,” I said.

  "I don't know if I can do that,” Athan said. "I can't stay away from you."

  "You have to, okay? The funeral for Rosaline is tomorrow. Just let me get through that."

  Chapter Eleven

  The next morning, I got up and went to work like it was a regular day. The funeral for Rosaline was in the afternoon, and I planned to go. I wanted to be there not only to support Gareth, but also to see if anyone acted suspicious. The funeral was a good time to observe people's behavior.

  Until then, though, I needed a mental break. Scooping ice cream seemed like the perfect way to do that. I put on my best smile and greeted each customer like they were an old friend. The repetitive movements of scooping ice cream from the buckets and making sundaes helped numb my brain a little. Lyn must have sensed that I was going through some things because she ran the register and gave me my space.

  Mid-morning, a man I didn't recognize came into the shop. He had a bright smile and long blond hair tied back in a ponytail.

  "Hi, how can I help you?" I asked.r />
  "Oh, I just thought I'd come in and check out the competition," he said with a chuckle.

  "The competition?" I was confused because there wasn't another ice cream shop in town. Unless he was talking about the grocery store, his comment made no sense.

  "I'm Faust Wilson. It's a pleasure to meet you. My wife and I recently purchased the bakery,” he said.

  "Oh, okay. So, you're my competition because people have to choose between baked goods and ice cream when they want something sweet,” I said.

  "Exactly."

  "Well, I think the best way to check us out is to try some of the ice cream,” I said. "But I'm biased."

  "You make a good point,” he said. "And life is too short not to experience everything you can. We should let that Rosaline girl's unfortunate demise remind us of how fleeting life can be."

  His statement, while seemingly said in earnest, struck me as jarring. He was being very flippant about her death, and I had not expected that.

  "I..." I started to say.

  "Sorry if she's a friend of yours. I guess I should be more careful with my words. I suppose she's got friends in this town. Though, sometimes I'm not sure how."

  "Come again?" I asked.

  "Well, she was very confident in her ability to predict the future, and she wasn't nearly as good as she projected."

  "You were one of her clients?" I asked.

  "Not so much. She came into the bakery a few days back, and while I was clearing her table of a plate and empty cup, she stopped me and said she'd had a vision about me. She said it was about an investment I'd been contemplating and that I needed to go forward with it." He let out a strangled laugh. "She was so adamant about it that I actually believed her."

  "It didn't go well?" I asked.

  "No, and I feel stupid. Now the bakery has to be profitable or we're going to be in trouble. I just don't get it. Why would someone do that? She was so confident, and it was completely reckless for her to go around insisting that she knew what she was talking about. No wonder someone killed her. I wonder how many other lives she ruined?"

  I was caught off guard at how cavalier he was being about her death. I was a stranger, and he was basically telling me that the world was better off without Rosaline. Could he have killed her? He was new in town. Who knew what kind of man he really was?

  "I'll have Strawberry Surprise,” he said.

  "Excuse me?"

  "I'd like a scoop of Strawberry Surprise in a sugar cone."

  "Right. I'll get that for you."

  After he left, I began to wonder if the Knox Hills residents who had been dubious about the new bakery owners had picked on something I hadn't. Maybe they'd sensed something sinister under the surface that I didn't because I was too wrapped up in worrying about Alex.

  And then I was thinking about Alex again.

  But before I could spiral into misery, Bethany walked through the door of the shop and saved me from my thoughts. The look on her face told me she absolutely wasn't there for ice cream either.

  Chapter Twelve

  "I have news. Can we talk outside?" Bethany asked after she approached the counter.

  "Sure,” I said. "Hey, Lyn, I'm taking off. Call me if you need anything. I won't be far."

  I grabbed Voodoo and we went outside with Bethany. She kept walking away from the ice cream shop, so I followed. When we were down the street a ways and no one was around, she finally stopped.

  "Sorry to drag you so far, but I want to make sure no one hears us discussing this,” she said and looked around one more time to make sure there were no prying ears close by.

  "Did something major happen?" I asked.

  "I arrested Felix McCoy today,” she said.

  "For the murder?"

  "No, for breaking into Rosaline's house. He caved and confessed as soon as I asked him about it,” she said. "He started shaking and sweating so bad that for a moment, I thought I might have to call an ambulance."

  "But then you should be able to get him for the murder,” I said.

  "Well, there's no evidence that he killed her. I think that's why he confessed to breaking in so fast."

  "Why did he say he broke in?" I asked.

  "He said he wanted to check her laptop in case she had a file on him. Felix believed that Rosaline died before she could give him the prediction that would finally turn his life around. He still believed in her,” Bethany said with a sigh.

  "He might have just been blowing smoke up your butt,” I said.

  "It's possible, but until I have evidence he killed her, then I can't charge him with it. The good news is that I have him dead to rights on the burglary. He's not going anywhere."

  "That is good, I suppose,” I said. "Well, I've got to get going. I need to go get ready for Rosaline's funeral. Are you going?"

  "I'm on shift,” Bethany said. "But if it stays quiet, then I'll probably drop by to pay my respects."

  "Okay. I'll see you later, then."

  Voodoo and I went back to my car, and I drove us home. I'd halfway expected to see Athan's Bentley parked out in front of my house, but it wasn't. I wasn't sure if I was happy or disappointed that he'd actually given me the space I asked for the night before. I briefly considered calling Gareth because I suddenly felt the urge to talk to him. But, he was getting ready for his fiancée’s funeral. I knew it was best to leave him alone.

  I went up to my room and dug through my closet for the right black dress. I found a simple black shift dress and paired it with black tights and black loafers. My jewelry was simple. I went with a silver chain and a matching bracelet. I didn't have time to do anything fancy with my hair, so I pulled it into a neat chignon. When I was nearly ready to go, I threw on some mascara and a swipe of nude lip gloss.

  On the drive over to the funeral, I realized I had no idea where it was being held other than at the cemetery. But I only had to drive around for a couple of minutes before I found the location. I parked kind of far away so that people who were closer to Rosaline could have the nearby parking spots. I hadn't been friends with Rosaline, and it occurred to me that I was there for Gareth. That hadn't felt that weird when we were keeping each other company, but it felt super awkward standing there in the graveyard.

  In an effort to protect myself from a total scandal and complete humiliation, I stayed back and watched people file in for the funeral from a distance. I eventually saw Gareth and offered him a smile and a subtle wave. He was standing near who I presumed was Rosaline’s family. They looked like they were chewing on broken glass. It was apparent they didn’t really want to be near him but were too polite to make a fuss about it. He didn’t look like he wanted to be with them either, but he didn’t have any family at the funeral. Where was he supposed to go?

  Scarlet was also there. It seemed that she was acting as a buffer between Gareth and Rosaline’s family. She saw Gareth waving and then followed his line of sight to where I was standing.

  As soon as she saw me, Scarlet headed in my direction. She had a look of sheer determination on her face, and at first, I thought perhaps she was coming over to tell me to get lost. Not that I knew why she would be doing that, but that’s how her face looked.

  “Allegra, good of you to come. You don’t have to stand all the way over here. You should come have a seat. The services will be starting soon.”

  I guessed that I’d read her wrong. She was burying her best friend that day, so it was probably that strain I saw on her face.

  “Okay. If it’s not a problem.”

  “Not at all. We’re all here to tell Rosaline goodbye and do what we can to celebrate her life.” She led me over to the area where the chairs were set up. “This row is for guests.”

  It was the back row, but I didn’t protest. I took my seat. “Thank you.”

  Scarlett went back up to the front of the seating area and rejoined Gareth and Rosaline’s family. The casket was a pearl color with gold trim. A huge bouquet of pink and white flowers flowed over the top of it.<
br />
  It was tragically sad and very beautiful all at the same time. Bethany came a while later and sat down next to me. We exchanged a nod, but neither of us said anything. Just before the services started, her radio crackled to life, and she left quickly to take a call.

  A minister walked up behind the podium off to the left of the casket. The woman I assumed was Rosaline’s mother harshly whispered something to Gareth and glared at him like she wanted to bore holes in his head.

  Instead of taking a seat at the front, he made his way to the back row and sat down next to me. Scarlet started to follow him, but Rosaline’s mother took her hand. I watched as Scarlet offered him a shrug and then sat down with Rosaline’s family.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered to him.

  “I’m just glad you’re here. I didn’t realize how few friends I had in this town until today.”

  That tore my heart out, and I instinctively took his hand. He let me, and I held it while he cried softly. While we barely knew each other, it did seem that Gareth and I were kindred spirits. The least I could do was comfort him during his awful day.

  “I think I’m going to go,” Gareth said. “I don’t think I’m wanted here any more than I want to be here right now.”

  “Are you going to be okay?” I asked.

  “Yeah. I’ll text you my address. Could you come by later and check on me?”

  “Do you want some company now? Maybe you shouldn’t be alone,” I said.

  “I’ll be fine,” Gareth said. “Thank you for offering. I’m just going to go home and clear my head. I really do mean it about coming over later. I think I need to be alone but not for too long.”

  “I can do that,” I said.

  I left at the same time as Gareth. I didn’t have any other reason to be at the funeral. I’m sure it probably looked weird, but I didn’t care.

  I went home and made myself some tea. While I was sipping it, I realized I’d had my head up my own butt for so long that I hadn’t noticed the lack of Trixie in my life.

  Panic seized me for a moment. What if Athan had been wrong and she was now missing too?

  I took out my phone and called her. The knot in my chest unclenched when she picked up.