“None of the dogs you rescue celebrate good crimes.” He thought about that. “Hairball probably did once, but he’s changed, too.”
I got to my feet and grabbed Bixby. Marli was staring up at me, befuddled. “What just happened?”
“You adopted a dog, that’s what. I can’t even tell you how happy you’re going to be.”
“A dog? What dog?” She looked over at Skye, as if she didn’t see her. The dog was very much alive. So much so that my ribcage hurt. “Who is that lady?”
“It’s this lady you’ve got to worry about.” The voice approaching was loud but also familiar. “Janelle, clear out immediately. Leave this mess to me. Go straight to Whimsy and stay there.”
“Marli’s my responsibility, Liberty. The border collie, too.” My voice trailed off. “Also… Gildena.”
“Oh, I know. I got here just in time to see what happened. And nearly a minute too late to stop it.”
“Gildena’s not dead,” I said, getting to my feet. “Bixby says so. It’ll be fine.”
She waved a hand that was furious rather than imperious. “Does this scene look fine to you? Does your jabbering friend sound fine to you? Someone needs to deal with this and you don’t have the skills to keep yourself out of real jail, let alone magical jail.”
I opened my mouth again and she directed her next comment to Bixby. “Can you get her out or do I need to send Harold with you? Needless to say, he’s occupied.”
The book stacks rose one by one and the collection blew onto the shelves haphazardly. I pitied the librarian.
“Pity yourself because the lecture will hit like a tornado,” Bixby said. “Start moving. Fast.”
“But—”
“You’re high on your own fumes or you’d know better. Trust Liberty. And trust me.”
Of course I trusted him. He was my anchor in the maelstrom. So, I started moving. Fast.
So fast, I barely remembered the short ride back to Whimsy and just stood in the middle of the dark store without touching the light switch.
“Leave the blinds closed and lie down on the window seat,” he ordered. “You’ll be drained for a day or two, at least. That took everything you’ve got. I can feel it.”
It was true. I was utterly spent. Worse, I was nauseated. “That felt awful.”
I stretched out on the window seat with my head on a cushion and the dog on my legs.
“It’s supposed to feel awful. That was dark magic.” Raising his muzzle, he drew in a long snort and then gagged. “Smells like magical flatulence and it’s coming from you.”
“Me? No! That’s terrible. You mean I’m… bad? Corrupt? No better than Oscar?”
He stretched out on my thighs. “It will fade. People like Oscar smell bad all the time because it’s baked into the bone. And even Oscar has his moments of tolerability, where Octavia is concerned.”
I tried to sit up. “I don’t want to—”
“Lie down.” His voice was a growl. “You did what you had to do to protect the ones you love.” He waited a beat. “And Marli Seagrave. But if Skye chose her, I guess she can’t be too bad.”
“Was there another way, Bixby? There must have been another way that didn’t make me reek of roadkill.”
“Don’t forget sulfur and fermented yard waste. It’s quite a heady mix.” I tried to get up again and he growled louder. “If there was another way, I would have told you. Gildena was one of the most powerful witches I’ve ever met, and I’ve met plenty. She deserves what she got.”
“Which is what? Will she recover?”
“In due course, yes. Probably better than if you’d just stunned her, if it makes you feel any better. There’s no cure for fried wiring but plenty can be done to reverse curses. She’ll get appropriate care by the authorities.” He stretched out to his full length and relaxed. “Maybe they’ll call in Dr. Featherburn. Wouldn’t that be interesting?”
I couldn’t help smiling. “It would be.”
“There. Doesn’t that feel better?”
“Yeah. Liberty will be okay, right? She’ll clear Marli’s memory? Deal with Gildena? Make sure the books aren’t tainted?”
“Sure. She’s cleaned up worse.” He licked his paw nonchalantly. “She’s done worse. I’ve taken a tour of her memory bank and there are some doozies in there.”
“Glad she’s changed, then. Because something like this takes a toll on your soul.”
“When she gets here, she may have tips to speed up your recovery.”
I sat up a little too quickly and my stomach spasmed. “Ow ow ow.”
“Now you sound like Bijou. Save your breath. Please. It’s about to make me pass out.”
Swinging my legs down, I said, “Let’s go.”
“Liberty told you to stay here.”
My phone rang. Mom. “Bixby, they’re going to do an intervention. I can’t take it. Not tonight.”
He got off my lap. “Newsflash. It’s already morning. The sun has risen on your first official and undeniable day as a witch. Once you’ve thrown a curse, there’s no sidestepping that label.”
