Page 21 of Potions and Proposals
“Okay. If you think it’s nothing,” Grams said, still looking as uneasy as Lucy felt. The smoke might’ve cleared, but the smell of burnt toast lingered.
On the counter, Chaos distracted them by kicking her breakfast bowl off the counter.
“I want you to call me at the tarot shop if anything else happens. I’m doing readings in the afternoon,” Grams said, stroking the cat, who hissed at Lucy as she grabbed her bag from the counter.
“What’s up with you?” Grams asked, picking Chaos up with ease. She snuggled into her shoulder. Grams frowned. “Odd. She never usually cuddles in like this.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, she’s been like that all morning.” She kissed Gram’s cheek, careful not to touch her, just in case. “I’m going to work. I’ll see you tonight.”
Closing the door behind her, she stared at her hands for a minute, but she didn’t have time to think of who she’d woken up with this morning or last night’s coven meeting if she was going to open the library on time. She grabbed a smoothie anda bagel on the way to the library, careful not to accidentally use her magic.
Gram’s words played on her mind. What if shehadset the fire?
Suddenly it hit her. Grams had mixed up the last ingredient of last night’s makeshift love spell.What if the mistake altered the meaning of the spell?She figured the only place she would find answers was the very place she was headed.
Outside the library, flowers wilted on the windowsills.Lucy’s gut told her not to try and use her element after what she had done to the toaster, but she needed to know if there was any trace of her water element left. She ran her fingers over the petals, expecting droplets to appear.
Her breath caught in her throat as the petals withered and crumbled to ash.
This can’t be happening.She opened the library door quickly, wanting to hide before anyone saw what she’d done. The smell of old books and melted candles hit her, and she hesitated on the threshold. How could she open the library and have a normal day when something was wrong with her element?
If there was one person who would know if fire emanated from her, it would be Benedict.Finding her phone, she tried tocall him, but it went straight to voicemail. Quickly, she left a note on the door of the library stating she’d be back soon.
“Answer your damn phone!” Lucytried again, hurrying across the quiet street. She kept her head low to avoid any small talk, but as she rounded the corner at the butchers, she nearly crashed into Mrs Crawford opening the awning of her flower shop. Muttering a half-arsed apology, she failed to stop. She was far more worried about what was wrong with her element than offending Mrs Crawford.
When she reached the Manor gate, she decided Benedict was either ignoring her calls or had turned off his phone. There was no way he wasn’t awake at this hour, which didn’t make her feel any better, since she had left him without a word and apparently somehow taken his element with her.
Benedict will be able to sense if there is any fire within me,she thought, making her way down the gravel path to the ivy-covered manor she’d fled only hours ago.What if he sabotaged my element on purpose? The same way Grams and Mum cast a spell to stop the binding ritual?She wanted to believe he wouldn’t go that far. Such a move went way beyond any pranks they had pulled in the past, and elemental magic was dangerous if messed with, because it was tied to a person as much as their soul. It took years to master. Fire was the most volatile of the elements, and she didn’t want to believe he would put her in danger like that.
“I believe congratulations are in order, Ms Hawthorne.” Rodney, the doorman, tipped his top hat as she reached the revolving door.
“Thank you. How’s the gout?” Lucy asked, trying to divert the conversation away from her engagement. She should’ve known word would travel fast. Rodney had worked at the Manor for as long as she could remember– longer than most could remember.
“All cleared up, thanks to your Grams,” he said, his broad smile enhancing the lines around his eyes.
“I’m delighted to hear it, but I thought you were supposed to be taking some time off?” Lucy knew Grams had advised some time off his feet. She tried to recall whether he had a family or not, but all she knew about him was that he lived and worked in the manor. His whole world revolved around the Mathersons.
“Mr Matherson, the young master, gave me some time off while they were fitting the new chandeliers in the lobby a while ago and that was plenty. Like his father, he has a kind heart, even if he doesn’t like to let others see it,” Rodney said, straightening his tie.
In this case, Benedict’s kindness wasn’t a surprise. Sadly, Rodney had been in his life longer than his father.
To Lucy’s relief, Rodney was distracted from further questions by the arrival of some guests checking out. As he took their bags, she stepped into the expansive lobby with its new low-hanging chandeliers and high-beamed ceilings. A rich navy carpet led from the entrance and up the grand staircase to the guest rooms. The back entrance she’d escaped through this morning wasn’t nearly as pretty or grand.
Behind the reception desk, she was surprised to see Suzy, a vampire, was working the morning shift. Then again, the ceiling let in no sunlight, and the revolving door was the only entrance. As all the promotional material boasted, the Manor was inclusively designed to suit the needs of all magical folk. Benedict had even updated the interior and gone to bat with the historical society so he could put ramps and elevators in. She wondered if a bribe had helped sway their decision; they very rarely allowed changes to the oldest buildings in town.
“Hi, Suzy, I need to see Benedict… Mr Matherson, please,” she told the day manager.
“I’m afraid Mr Matherson is dealing with a crisis,” Suzy said, with a forced smile that exposed her vampiric canines.
Lucy wondered if the crisis was code for wanting to be left alone. However, she wasn’t taking no for an answer, even if they were busy with morning checkout.
“Please, if you could call up to his room?” Afraid she’d set the hotel on fire, she couldn’t help pulling her sleeves over her hands. She doubted she’d be appointed High Priestess if she destroyed one of the greatest sources of income in their small town. With the interior riddled with wooden beams and long tapestries, she didn’t doubt the place would light like a match.
Suzy shook her head. “It’s out of the question.” Her pale skin was highlighted by the dark navy uniform, white shirt and flawlessly tied black tie, matching the Manor’s interior.
“I’ll forgive your late returns for the last few books you borrowed,” Lucy bargained.
“It’s not my fault you aren’t open at night. Otherwise, I would’ve returned them on time,” Suzy argued quietly, so the guests checking out beside them wouldn’t notice.
