“Yes, just an hour ago. No luck.”
Catrina gave a knowing nod, seeming older than her years. “Smart to go for the curse revealer, then.”
“Thanks.” I grinned, liking her already. “That’s what I thought.”
Cecelia walked toward me, handing over a vial of sparkling powder. “You’ll need this for the spell. And let me get you the words and instructions.” She hustled to the desk and scratched out some words on a paper, then returned to me. “It’s a tricky one. If you need help, I can come by after work.”
“Thank you.” I appreciated the offer, but I didn’t have the time to wait. And anyway, Step Two of reinventing myself was to master my magic. I’d already made a good start on Step One, my makeover, but Step Two was arguably more important. “I’m going to try it myself, but if I mess it up, do you have more ingredients?”
“Certainly. Just come back to get them, and I’ll help you do the spell.”
“Thanks.” I couldn’t believe how amazingly nice everyone was in Charming Cove. “What do I owe you?”
“Let me see.” She went back to the desk and looked through a book, then glanced up sat me. “Forty-five quid with the newcomer discount.”
“Thank you.” I handed over the money, then waved goodbye to Catrina and Cecelia before turning to leave the shop.
“Can I go with her?” I heard Catrina ask as I made my way to the door. “I want to see the house.”
“Once we know if it’s cursed, dear. Then you can go and help her get it cleaned up. It’s sure to be a big job.”
“It’s true,” I said over my shoulder before I stepped out the door. “I can use all the help I can get.”
“Count me in.” Catrina saluted.
I smiled back at her. “With your broom skills, you’ll be more than welcome.”
“I can also provide security.”
I looked at her black eye and thought of her story about being banned from giving the local boys tails. “I bet you’re even better at that than sweeping.”
“I am.” Catrina shot her gran a look that said See? She thinks so, too.
“I’ll see you later,” I said. “And thank you again.”
Chapter
Ten
Isobel
Later that afternoon, I walked up to the house, my chest humming with anticipation. This was the first big spell I was going to try in ages. I couldn’t believe I’d let myself drift so far away from my craft. Tommy had nudged me in that direction for years, and I hated that I’d let him. I knew I’d allowed it because I’d been so desperate for affection that I’d have put up with just about anything, but that no longer seemed like a worthy reason.
I sucked in a deep breath—I was on the path to Becoming Not a Doormat. I would become the door, or whatever. That actually made no sense, but at least I was planning to be in charge of my destiny, and that was all that mattered.
As I neared the house, Poa appeared from beneath the bushes at the side. She wobbled slightly but had a pleased expression on her face.
“Did you have fun with your new friend?”
Penelope is one cool chick.
“I’m glad.” My familiar was making friends, and I had a girls’ night out tomorrow. We were both on the right track to making Charming Cove our home. “Do you think you could come help me inside?”
She grimaced. I don’t have to clean anything, do I?
“I would never ask you to.” Mostly because I knew she would do a terrible job. “I just need you to lend me some of your power.”
That, I can do. She turned and sauntered toward the front door. I was grateful I’d found her here. I hadn’t wanted to delay using the spell, and having my familiar’s help would increase my power and the odds of success.
As usual, the door creaked loudly as I pushed it open, and the house groaned.
“Do you hear that?” I asked Poa. “The groaning noise?”
I do. It’s different than the door creaking, right?
“Yes. Emma couldn’t hear it.”
Well, she’s not as powerful as we are.
“That’s patently untrue.” But it was interesting that she couldn’t hear the house groaning. “We have a connection with it, I think.”
Fantastic. Poa’s tone was dry.
I smiled at her. “Hang in there, pal. This place will be amazing when we’re finished with it.”
The house began to stink, and I couldn’t help but think it was a response to my words. When the floorboards popped up and made the carpet move, I was certain it was the house responding. “Don’t worry,” I told it. “If someone cursed you, I’m going to figure it out and break the curse. You’ll feel better in no time.”
The house didn’t respond, and I took that to be a good sign. I reached into my pocket and withdrew the vial of powder, which I uncorked and sprinkled sparingly on the floor, making sure to cover as much of the carpet as I could. That accomplished, I went to stand by Poa. She leaned her warm body against my leg, and I smiled.
“Here goes nothing,” I said, and began to say the words that Cecelia had taught me. “Powder thee, reveal to me a curse that lingers beneath these eaves.” I repeated the words, reaching deep for the magic in my soul, and released it into the room, feeling it sparkle around me as I chanted. Poa’s magic added to mine, and the powder began to glow.
It’s working! she crowed.
“It’s not, though.” I frowned at the glow, which was blue. “Cecelia was very clear on the instructions that the powder would glow green if the house was cursed.”
Dang. That’s not green. You boffed it.
“Did not!” Or maybe I had. “I’ll call Cecelia and see what she has to say. There was a phone number on the little paper tag tied to the bottle.”
Put it on speaker. I want to hear her confirm that I’m right.
I glared at the cat, then dialed the number on the tag. It rang only twice before Cecelia picked up, her voice still familiar from this morning. “Seaside Spells, how may I help you?”
Poa nudged me with her head and glared up at me. I put the phone on speaker. “Hi, Cecelia. This is Isobel. I stopped by your shop earlier this afternoon—”
“Oh, I know who you are, Isobel. How did the spell work?”
“It glowed blue.”
“Blue?” Surprise sounded in Cecelia’s voice. “I’ve never heard of that happening.”
“I was afraid you might say that. Did I screw it up?”
“No. If it glowed at all, then you definitely did it correctly. But there’s not a curse on that house. It’s something else.”
“Any idea how I might figure it out?”
“No, I’m sorry. The fact that the powder glowed blue has more to do with you than the spell. You’re the only one who can figure out what’s going on, since I think it has to do with your power. What’s your gift?”
“I, ah, don’t know.” Embarrassment flushed through me. I was too old a witch to not know what my particular gift was. “I haven’t used my magic as much as I maybe should have.”
“That’s all right, dear. We all have our reasons. But I think that if you learn more about your magic, you’ll be able to determine what’s wrong with your house.”