Page 110 of House of Ruin
Blaze’s chest was burning, his breathing heavy. The urge to break something, to punch a wall and watch himself bleed was hard to resist.
“You think you’re protecting yourself and me and whoever else by keeping it quiet, by pretending that everything is okay,” Blaze bit out. Auburn’s shoulders tensed as she braced herself for a verbal lashing. Blaze made sure the next words that came out of his mouth were softer. “But you only do more harm by staying silent. You only do more harm by keeping his secrets and whatever else you and the rest of the alumni are keeping from us.”
“You’re right,” Auburn said, her voice shaky. “The things we keep hidden in the dark tend to come out. And the past we run away from always catches up with us.”
40
Alecto wondered whether Val had sent her to Gill on purpose, knowing that Alecto wanted to talk with the witch. It would have been too kind for a witch like Val.
When did she ever do anything that didn’t serve just her interest?
Gill’s was empty when Alecto walked in, the place stuffed with crooked shelves and dead animals. Alecto tried to be respectful and not gag at the skulls and bones hanging above her head as she made her way to the counter.
Gill appeared from the back the moment Alecto walked up. “Black.”
“Gill,” Alecto greeted the witch. “Nice to see you.”
Gill only stared at Alecto, one of their crows settled on their left shoulder. The crow croaked at Alecto. She hoped it was a greeting and not a warning.
“Spill it, girl,” Gill said.
Alecto looked around, tapping her fingers on the counter. “I’m here to buy a spell from you. The recipe for the truth serum.”
“Why do you have a Book if you keep bothering me with your petty business?”
“Val wants a spell that’s more powerful than the one we have in the Book,” Alecto explained, meeting Gill’s eye. “Your spells are the best in Avalon Hills if not the whole Avalon State.”
Gill scowled and turned to go. Just before they disappeared behind the black curtain, they added over their shoulder, “Best in the whole East Inathis.”
Alecto chuckled. “And who stole your spot in the West?”
“My useless piece of shit of a brother,” Gill called out from the back.
While Alecto waited for Gill to come back with the spell, she walked around the shop, looking around. A sparkling glass shelving unit that didn’t match the place caught her attention.
There, on the plush gerberry silk pillows, lay the most beautiful jewelry Alecto had ever seen. Black, pink, and white diamonds gleamed in the artificial light, gold and platinum glowing with infused magic. And at the very end of the shelf lay an identical pearl necklace to the one Alecto wore on her neck.
Alecto’s mother had gotten the necklace from Gill. She hadn’t known that.
At the lower corner of the shelving unit hung a metal plate with words printed on it. Alecto bent down to see the small letters better.
Handmade jewelry infused with the most potent magic to help fulfill every witch’s needs. Precious metals carry the strength of a Sea Monster, making every spell you cast more potent. If you’re looking to never again be turned down by another witch, then the diamonds infused with Siren’s tears are what you’re looking for. And the mother-of-pearl necklaces are filled with the strongest old protection magic to protect the witch’s mind and soul from any harm cast their way.
Alecto fingered the pearls hanging on her neck. So it wasn’t just a simple pearl necklace her mother had worn and passed down to her. It was a protection charm of some sort.
Smart.
And when she left it to Alecto, she had passed down the protection to her. Without saying anything in the will. This also could mean Alecto was right to come here to talk with Gill about the notebook and the magic protecting it.
Maybe Alecto’s mother had asked Gill for help with it. If that was the case, then Alecto would finally be able to open the notebook and read whatever was inside.
“Here,” Gill said, returning from the back. They tossed a silver card holder on the counter. “This is my signature truth serum recipe. The regular antidote you’d use for the average spell won’t work. You’ll need this.”
Gill tossed another card holder on the counter. This one was made of black metal.
Alecto fished out her checkbook from her back. “How much?”
“Always pay how much it’s worth to you, girl.”
