by K E O'Connor
“They were big wounds,” I said. “I deserved to have some downtime and look after myself.”
He hissed again. “You should be ashamed of behaving that way. You’re an Ash witch. They stand up for the defenseless.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I muttered.
“I do. Come with me. I’ll show you exactly what you have to stay for.” Nugget marched away along the alleyway.
I hesitated. I should go. The longer I stayed in Witch Haven, the bigger the risk I’d get caught. But I knew these familiars, and they had just helped me out. I owed them.
“What do you have to show me?” I hurried along behind Nugget.
“You’ll see. It’s worth staying for, but only if you’re witch enough to handle it.”
Chapter 15
“This is what you wanted to show me?” I stared at the huge pile of rubble. It was all that was left of Magda’s house. “Are you rubbing my nose in everything I’ve lost?”
Nugget growled at me. “Stop acting like you don’t have magic. Use what you’ve got left to see the truth. It’s right in front of your eyes.”
“I’m looking and I’m seeing. The Magic Council destroyed the house, just like they said they would.”
Nugget headbutted me hard in the calf.
“I’m out of here. I shouldn’t have wasted my time coming with you.” I dodged out the way as Nugget charged me. “Hey! Quit thumping me. You have a bony head.”
“You won’t believe it until you can feel it.” He rammed into me again.
“What am I supposed to feel, other than angry and frustrated?” I backed away from Nugget as he continued to headbutt me. I froze as something tingled up my spine. “What was that?”
“Finally! You’re sensing it. If you weren’t so convinced about how useless your magic was, you’d have felt it the second we got near.”
I turned and held out my hands. Now I was paying attention, I sensed there was some kind of magic barrier in front of me, exactly where Magda’s house used to be.
And it was huge. I spent ten minutes exploring how far it went.
I stepped back and stared at the pile of rubble to my right. “That’s in the wrong place.”
“Exactly. Because that rubble doesn’t belong to your house,” Nugget said.
“I still don’t get it. What did you do?”
“Think about it. There’s only one thing that needs a barrier spell as big as that.”
I touched the boundary of the magic again, and its energy tingled on my skin. Excitement skittered through me. “The house is behind here?”
“We couldn’t let the Magic Council take our home. When we heard what they planned to do, we got to work,” Nugget said. “And it wasn’t so hard. This house has a tendency to flip itself around when it’s in the mood for a re-design. Convincing it to shift over didn’t take long. This house wants to remain standing just as much as we want to keep living in it.”
A smile hit me. “I remember! When I was a kid, the front door would move from one side to the other, and the rooms would rearrange themselves.”
“You got it. We used the house’s desire to change to conceal it. It took us hours to create a realistic enough replica to fool the Magic Council.”
“You, Russell, and Hilda did this?”
“We did. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re awesome familiars.” Nugget licked a paw and swiped it over an ear.
I nodded. I’d underestimated them and forgotten how powerful they were. “What happened when the Magic Council got here?”
“There were three guys who arrived at midnight. They were grumpy and tired and just wanted to get it done. They didn’t do much checking, just fired up the spells and blasted the house to pieces.”
“Didn’t they go inside and check it was safe? They must have known about the powerful magic contained in the walls. And I told Olympus that you lived here and to make sure you all got out safely.”
“They didn’t bother about any of that,” Nugget said. “Not that I’m surprised. Our association with you and Magda hasn’t left us with the best reputations. They’d have been happy if we died when the house was destroyed.”
I clenched my fists, anger bubbling inside me. “That’s illegal. You can’t destroy a familiar. It injures the witch they’re connected to.”
“That’s probably another bonus reason to get rid of us. It would have kept you weak. Besides, they can kill a familiar who’s lost their owner,” Nugget said. “And you’ve made it clear you don’t want us.”
That made me feel like a total heel. “I... I honestly don’t know what I want.” I gestured at the concealed house. “I never expected my stepmom to die. I never expected to come back here. And I really never thought I’d end up in a position like this.”
“Look at the positive. You still have the house, and all the power is still inside, just as it should be. It’s yours, if you want it.” Nugget walked to the magic barrier and placed his front paws against it.
The magic shivered, and a small opening appeared, revealing the house.
I walked closer, a smile on my face. I’d have missed this place if it was destroyed. “We’ll have to keep the house concealed until we figure out how to keep it.”
“And convince the Magic Council it doesn’t need to be blown up,” Nugget said.
I looked around to make sure no one was watching us. “What happened to the trolls?”
“Once the house was destroyed, they were sent away.”
“We’ll have to keep this barrier in place. We don’t want the Magic Council to find out what we’ve done.”
“So it’s we now? You’re planning on sticking around?”
I grimaced. I’d been a jerk to Nugget, Hilda, and Russell. I hadn’t meant to lash out, but I was freakin’ terrified. I didn’t want to lose my magic, and I didn’t want to lose this place.
I kneeled beside Nugget. “Thanks. For everything. I’m not the easiest person to be around at times.”
“No kidding. You’ve been a horror since you returned to Witch Haven.”
I could have argued with him, but he was right. “I don’t know how long we’ll get to keep this house, but you can stay as long as you like. All three of you. Your home is here.”
“Of course, we will. It’s always been our home.” Nugget flicked his tail. “You may pet my head as your reward for finally coming to your senses.”
“Petting you is my reward?”
“It is. I’m very soft. I spend hours a day grooming.”
“With your tongue. And I know where else that goes.”
“I’m clean! But only pet my head. You can tickle in between my ears and around my ruff, but if you touch my belly, back, or tail, you die.”
I laughed and gave Nugget a tentative scratch between the ears. “Why did you do this?”
“I’m selfish. I don’t want to move anywhere else. I have my bed just the way I like it. And now you’re here, I’ll get regular meals. I have a long list of things I prefer to eat. Tinned cat food isn’t one of them. I like fresh tuna. Magda always made fresh.”
“You purred loudly enough when I gave it to you.”
“A starving cat will think moldy cheese and stale bread is tasty. I have much more refined tastes.” He glanced at me. “Hilda and Russell kept going on about making sure you didn’t lose your home and had something to stick around for, but that didn’t bother me. You’ll make your own decisions. We’re not going to sway you. You left us behind a long time ago.”
Nugget had a hard exterior, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out I’d hurt him. I continued to tickle between his ears, and after a minute, he gave a quiet purr.
“I need to make it right with Russell and Hilda.”
“You do. And they did the heavy lifting when concealing this house. I supervised, which is also an important job. If there’s no coordination, then there’s chaos. You hurt their feelings when you said you were leaving.”
“I hurt you
rs, too.”
He nibbled on his leg. “I don’t care what you do. But for some strange reason, they’ve grown attached to you.”
I let out a sigh. “They shouldn’t have bothered.”
“That’s what I keep telling them.”
“And you’re right. The world is better off without me. I can’t offer people anything by coming back to Witch Haven.”
“I agree.”
“So, what do I do?”
“Beats me. But when you sell the house, make sure you put a condition in the deeds to say we have to stay. If a witch takes it on, we can assess her to see if she’s good enough for us. We could even become her familiars since you don’t want us.”
I wish I could keep them as mine. “You’re all amazing familiars. Any witch would be grateful to have you.”
He was quiet for a few seconds. “But not you.”
“I would, but it’s complicated.”
“It always is with you. And that’s of your own choosing. It’s just a pity you’re not witch enough to take this on.”
I looked at the house. “If things were different, if the Magic Council weren’t hunting me, I’d stay.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation. I was around when things went bad. I may even have turned tail and run myself if I’d committed such atrocities.”
My mouth went dry as my past threatened to overwhelm me. “I can’t change the past, but I can change the present.”
Nugget tilted his head. “You’re staying?”
I nodded. “For now. We’ll have to be sneaky to ensure the Magic Council don’t find out you fooled them and catch me. I’ll figure out how to sell this house and make sure you’re all safe and have a home for as long as you need.”
“Or you could try figuring out if there’s a permanent place for you in Witch Haven,” Nugget said.
“That’s impossible.”
“I disagree. But you do have the quitter label firmly attached to you, so I won’t be surprised when you abandon us.”
“I’m not a...” maybe I was throwing in the towel too quickly. But I had good reason. “I have the small matter of being an escaped prisoner to deal with.”
“It’s a challenge, but it could be worth it.”
I took a long look at the house. My home. “I didn’t think you liked me.”
“I didn’t say I did, but Hilda and Russell would be upset if you left. I hate it when they’re miserable.”
I stared through the gap in the magic barrier. Was there a life for me here? A community I could be a part of? For the first time in a long time, I felt excited about my future.
But before I could puzzle through that conundrum, I had bridges to mend. “Let’s get out of here. We need to find Hilda and Russell. I owe them big time.”
***
Three hours later, my feet were aching and my options gone. “I don’t know how I’ll persuade them to come back.” I ducked out from behind a building as we continued our fruitless search for Hilda and Russell.
“I suggest a six course meal, the room of their choice in the house, and you to be their slave for a month,” Nugget said.
“I don’t even know what a six course meal for a spider would involve,” I said.
“Lots of flies. Hilda’s great at getting rid of those. She’s also partial to chocolate. Russell likes fruit and crickets. You should catch them yourself to show extra effort.” Nugget was trotting beside me, being surprisingly cheerful.
“What do you want out of this deal?” We’d been sneaking around Witch Haven all morning trying to find my missing familiars, and done several circuits of the village, risking getting spotted every time we moved.
“I’m thinking about it. But it’s time for my nap. We can keep looking later.” Nugget strode away, leaving me hiding behind a bush.
I checked the coast was clear, before scurrying after him. “We still haven’t found Hilda and Russell. What if they’ve left the village?”
“To go where? They’ve only ever known this place.”
I nudged Nugget into the tree line that ran along the road. He was terrible at keeping a low profile. “We could try behind the stores again. The alleyways are a great place to hide.”
“You check the trash cans if you like. I need to recharge.”
We were taking a huge risk by searching in the daytime, but I was keen to make amends.
“We’ll start again at dusk,” I said.
“That works with my feeding, napping, and grooming schedule.”
I slowed as we approached the magical barrier concealing the house. My eyes widened, and I groaned. Russell and Hilda sat on the pile of rubble, looking gloomy.
“You’re here!” I dashed over to them. “We’ve been looking for you.”
Hilda lifted one long black leg, and I touched it.
“We came by an hour ago,” she said.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you unhappy. This is your home. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like.”
Hilda turned to Russell, and he flapped his wings.
“And the rest,” Nugget said.
I raised my hand. “I owe you. How about a meal on me? Whatever you like.”
“Say how many courses,” Nugget said.
“Six? Yes, six courses. Of whatever you want.”
Hilda waggled her front legs. “That sounds nice.”
“And....” Nugget said.
“Your rooms! You can both have a whole room to yourselves. Whichever one you like. I want to make it up to you. I shouldn’t have shoved you away. I was a jerk, and I was scared about what was happening to me.”
“That’s very generous of you,” Hilda said.
Russell squawked and flapped his wings again.
“So, you’re all staying?” I asked.
“I’m in,” Nugget said.
Russell bobbed his head up and down.
Hilda waggled her legs. “Me, too. And just so you know, I’d have come back without you throwing in all the sweeteners. You’re not a bad witch, Indigo. You’d be an amazing witch if you put your mind to it.”
Russell squawked and flew around my head a few times, before zipping through the magic barrier and over to the house.
“Great. Let’s get inside so you can pick out your rooms.” I stepped through the front door and let out a sigh. The house felt warm and inviting, as if welcoming me back. Everything was just as I’d left it. “How about you go and pick out a room? I’ll find food.”
Russell circled the living room, before settling on the wooden branch stuck in the corner.
“You can pick anywhere,” I said to him. “It doesn’t have to be there.”
He ruffled his feathers, seeming content with his decision.
“It’s your choice. There are plenty of spaces upstairs if you need privacy to do... crow stuff.”
Hilda scuttled under the magic cabinet in the corner.
I ducked down and peered under it. There was a small pile of cotton in one corner, some carpeting, and a mural painted on one wall. “Is this your home, Hilda?”
She ran out and pressed a front leg against my hand. “I’m happy here. I’ve always lived under here. I’ve done it up how I like it. And I don’t want much space because it’ll only need cleaning. This’ll do for me.”
“I’m picking my own bedroom upstairs,” Nugget said. “I need a place of silence and solitude.”
“Won’t you be lonely up there on your own?” Hilda said. “We’ll all be down here.”
“I like my own company.” Nugget turned and sauntered out of the living room.
“He’ll be back,” Hilda said. “He likes to think he’s his own cat, but he enjoys being with us as much as we like being with him.”
“Sometimes, he’s got a strange way of showing it,” I said.
“Nugget’s cautious about getting close to people. He adored Magda.”
“I remember. He used to follow her everywhere. And when she sat down, he’d drape himself around her sho
ulders and fall asleep.”
“He did. Nugget took it hard when things went wrong for Magda. And he’s worried you’ll leave us, too.”
I held out my hand for Hilda to step into so we could carry on a conversation and then stood. “Staying here isn’t safe long-term. I’m not saying I don’t want to stay, but something happened to my stepmom in this house. She lost control of her magic. What if the same happens to me?”
“That’s what everyone claims happened, but no one knows for certain,” Hilda said. “We were all here, and none of us saw what was going on until it was too late.”
“I don’t remember much about that time. It’s a blur. And it happened so fast. Everything was great. Then the darkness appeared, and it all went wrong. Then Magda got arrested. I never got to talk to her, to figure out what happened.”
“You’re a lot like her,” Hilda said. “Even though you’re not related by blood, you have the same stubborn streak. You get on a particular path and don’t want to get off, even though it’s taking you in a direction you don’t like.”
“I need to find a direction that’ll keep me safe. I can’t stay hidden here for long. The Magic Council will be hunting for me. They’ll know I escaped from the cell by now.”
“They won’t come looking here. And if they do, all they’ll see is a pile of rubble. This gives us time to find a solution.”
I smiled. “It does. But since I’m staying, I want to deal with the spirit attached to Luna. I have to help her. She won’t recover until I get rid of him.”
Hilda bobbed up and down on my hand. “If you capture the spirit and set Luna free, will you leave us?”
I looked around the house. It called to me. I wanted to stay. “I’m thinking about staying.”
“That’s good enough for now. You think about it while you make our amazing food. Then we have work to do.”
A few hours later, and after some major over-indulging of flies on Hilda’s part, it was down to business.
I set Hilda on top of the magic cabinet and pulled it open. “Let’s see what we’ve got that will get rid of this ghost once and for all.”
Hilda scuttled into the cabinet and rooted through an open drawer.