Page 39 of Magic Blooms
“I’ve never seen someone so corrupted by black magic before,” she continued with a sniff, “but they tend to keep to the shadows. They live under moonlight and darkness.”
“So, see, if you’re in bed between dusk and dawn, you’ll probably never have to deal with her or her kind,” Lorraine added with an encouraging nod.
“Except she’s coming to stay,” Joshua countered.
Lorraine returned her attention to the coffee cup in her hands. “Oh, I know. I bet everyone here’s worked up quite the appetite after all of tonight’s drama. Let me put dinner on.” She stood up so fast, her chair fell backward and clattered to the ground.
Joshua jumped up to assist her. “It’s okay,” he told her. “We can grab leftovers or takeout. Today has been hard. Yesterday was hard, too. Take a break, Lorraine, we all know you need it.”
She put a hand on each of his arms and stared at him intensely. “I need this,” she murmured, before slipping past him and making her way to the other side of the kitchen to start on meal prep.
That exchange told me everything I needed to know about where my two friends stood on the matter of Fawn and the dark ritual she had planned. They felt the same way I did…
So why were they so afraid to voice their opinions?
And what would that mean for whatever happened next?
seventeen
The next morning I awoke naturally and with no extra help from Lorraine. Why hadn’t she come bursting into my room like each morning before?
We’d all gone off to our respective bedrooms the moment Fawn had arrived last night. Surely, nothing could have happened while I slept…
Unwilling to waste any more time wondering, I popped to my feet and raced down the stairs and into the kitchen, where I found not only Lorraine, but also Joshua and Jasmine already seated around the table with both coffee and breakfast before them.
While I was coming down the stairs, I’d heard murmured conversations, but the moment they caught sight of me, everyone grew silent and still.
“What’s wrong?”
Lorraine and Joshua each exchanged a look that made me roll my eyes.
“I’m not a child. Just tell me.”
Lorraine sighed and raised her eyes to meet mine. “Fawn has requested your presence while getting her ritual ready for her vision quest.”
“I’m not really sure what help I’ll be,” I hedged.
Lorraine stood and moved toward the stove.
At the same time, a frigid breeze rushed into the kitchen, announcing Fawn’s arrival.
“Oh, you’ll be plenty help, indeed,” she said, taking up the seat Lorraine had just vacated.
I studied Fawn as I waited for her to reveal more about her plan and why she needed me to be a part of it. Seeing her close up like this was quite daunting. Her bone structure was perfect, and her skin was totally unblemished despite the clear webbing of her veins. She probably used to be an attractive woman, but now the tinge of evil that clung to her like a second skin would prevent her from ever being called a beauty again.
When she didn't provide any additional clarification, Jasmine spoke up. "My name’s Jasmine. I run the local magic shop. I’d be happy to offer you any provisions you might require for tonight’s ritual."
Fawn looked Jasmine up and down with clear disapproval. "No. I doubt you can provide what I desire."
I had to take a deep breath to hold myself back.
"I'm impressed with your power. You'll be my right hand in the ritual." She looked up at me and smiled, reminding me that I’d been so caught up in the moment I hadn’t even bothered to take a seat yet.
I slumped down into the only available chair. “I don’t do dark magic.”
“All the more reason you’ll be of great use,” Fawn countered
“And what if I refuse?”
