“Cool name.” I’d never met anyone else who had it. “I’m Evan. Is Lupin like a fortune teller or something?”
“Oh, he’s much more than that. Those who enter Lupin’s domain always leave changed in some way. But one must have an open mind and open heart, or the magic will pass them by.”
“Seriously though… what is this? A magic shop?”
He waved a hand toward the entrance. “Step through the doorway and find out.”
I looked at the shop again. No way to see inside. “No offense, but this is the part in a horror movie where I start yelling at the character to stop being stupid and run away.”
“Could it not also be one of those movies where the main character nearly turns down the chance of a lifetime? Where they nearly miss out on a great adventure?”
“Adventure… in a magic shop.”
“Come inside or don’t,” he said. “The choice is yours.”
Damn curiosity. It would be the death of me one day. If I turned away now, I’d spend the rest of the night—and probably periodically for the rest of my life—wondering what would’ve happened.
“Fine,” I said. “But I’m taking my popcorn with me. Even if it is super salty.”
Saint chuckled under his breath as I walked past him.
The bell above the door gave a musical little jingle as I stepped inside the shop. Incense burned on a nearby table, smelling woodsy with sweet notes. Crystals and colorful stones were arranged on a round display with decorative bags you could buy to keep them in. Books and leather journals lined a shelf. Wooden figurines sat along another shelf, one of a tree with a face in the center—not creepy at all—and another of a woman with flowers in her long, flowing curls and a peaceful expression.
Stepping farther inside, I scanned a collection of astrology books, rings, and bracelets with symbols etched along the bands. Someone then bumped into me.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” a woman said, taking a step backward. Her mousy brown hair was pulled back in a low bun, and dark circles rested under her eyes, as if she hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in weeks.
“No worries,” I told her. “It’s easy to get turned around in here. So much to see.”
“Yes.” She flitted a wary gaze throughout the room.
“Are you worried about your kidneys too?”
“What?” Her eyes flashed to me, a bit of alarm in them now.
“Sorry. Poor attempt at a joke.” My cheeks heated.And this is why I don’t talk to people.“You just seem nervous, so I was tryin’ to lighten the mood. Our organs being sold on the black market probably wasn’t the direction to go. I see that now.”
“Oh.” She smiled, but the skin at the edge of her eyes remained tight. “Mystic shops aren’t really my thing. I don’t know why I came here. I just got off work and was on my way home when I stopped on a whim.”
“And then you were drawn in by the pretty face outside? Yeah, he suckered me in too.”
That time when she smiled, it was less tense. “I’m Victoria.”
“Evan. Nice to meet you.” I held my bag toward her. “Want some popcorn? It’s saltier than a little old lady gossiping about her husband-stealing friend Janice, but it’s oddly addicting.”
“No, thank you,” she said with a laugh.
A jingle came from the entrance as someone else walked inside. His expression hovered between curiosity and nervousness. Moments later, another person came in. I swept another look around, noting the handful of customers browsing the items. Something strange? Every person had come alone. Like only the loners of the festival were drawn to the little shop of (possible) horrors.
I should leave.
“Good evening,” a smooth voice said from behind me, and I turned. The man’s medium-length hair had various shades of blond, both light and dark, and he wore a white suit that hugged him in all the right places, emphasizing his slender frame while also complementing the strong set of his shoulders. A dark purple shirt was beneath his jacket. “My name is Lupin. Welcome to my shop.”
***
Charismatic, friendly, and certainly easy on the eyes, Lupin drew in those around him. He moved around the shop, chatting with customers. Some bought gemstones; others browsed the selection of books before choosing one to purchase.
Victoria found a necklace with a moon charm and clutched it in her hand like it was the answer to all her problems. Lupin chatted with her as they walked toward the counter to check out. As she left, she seemed so much lighter than when I’d first seen her.
