“Not at all,” Sinda said. “I’m actually delighted the mayor thinks I’m worthy of training. I’ve never had more than a twinkle of magic.”
“Nonsense,” Liberty said, moving toward her. “You couldn’t have brought Janelle and her rat dog together if you didn’t have more than a twinkle. Mind you, I would have ordered something larger. What use is a familiar you need to carry everywhere?”
Bixby leaned over the counter to catch Liberty’s sleeve as she passed and got a mouthful of fox tail instead. He spit it out quickly and gagged. “Charmed. Just as you thought, Janelle.”
Liberty laughed. “I need all the protection I can conjure up around here. I’m not a young woman.” Turning to Sinda she added, “That underscores my point. You need to turn that twinkle into something that can keep you warm on a cold night. Why haven’t you found your own familiar?”
Sinda shook her head. “Figured I was too old to have a pet, I guess.”
Taking her fox stole off, Liberty flung it back on and this time it actually did writhe to adjust its position, causing the rest of us to shudder. “In the regular world, senior women are often sidelined, sadly, but that’s not the case for magicals. Being a crone has advantages. You’ll notice that despite many ambitious warlocks, Ruthann has been running the show in Wyldwood for decades.”
“It feels like those ambitious warlocks are trying to unseat her,” I said.
“They can try.” Liberty’s laugh had a mischievous edge and the bell over the door echoed her. “But we’re banding together.” Her eyes dropped to Bixby and she said, “He was right about my not having friends before but I’m seeing some value now. I daresay I gained some social skills from Janelle in our family bond.”
“You’re welcome,” I said. “Now, if you’d just reclaim your hiccups, we’d be square.”
Liberty’s smile turned to frustration. “I told you I outgrew that problem as I gained confidence and proficiency. This training program might help.”
“Maybe. The timing can’t be a coincidence. She’s starting today because Angus is on the streets. Literally.”
“For your own protection, perhaps,” Liberty said. “Although I’m here to do the heavy lifting. Is there anything more you want to ask before I go? Thanks to Angus’s arrival, I have appointments today.”
I nodded. “Do you know anything more about this training program? Like who’s teaching us?”
She shook her head. “It will be someone well and thoroughly vetted.”
“But you and Mom have both told me never to show my full hand to anyone. If they know what I can do, they can use it against me.” I paced around the store. “I worry that’s one of the reasons the mayor’s doing this. To put the new girl under the microscope.”
Liberty ran her hand over the fox, causing it to undulate creepily. “You make a good point. It’s a fine line between being a team player and keeping your own counsel. A line I trampled thoroughly, as you know. But you’re well equipped for that, Janelle. Just now you hid something from me even though I can normally read your mind quite well.”
Bixby chortled. “Keep your defenses high and your dachshund higher.”
She looked down at him. “Quite. I suppose you’re of some use, but I wanted more for my niece. The same could be said of a partner. That police chief you fancy is handsome but if you want a relationship that lasts, you’ll need to find someone with magic.”
I raised my mental shields without Bixby’s reminder. When it came to general threats, he was completely reliable but romance wasn’t something he endorsed.
“You got that right,” he said, using our inside line. “Big Red will distract you and leave you vulnerable.”
I feared I could leave Drew even more vulnerable. He had recently revealed what Sinda called a twinkle of magic and it sounded as if his mother had abilities. In the current environment, where I was frequently attacked, a twinkle might not be enough to keep him safe, however.
Walking over to the door, I opened it and said, “Thanks, Harold. I appreciated your help with Angus.”
“Pleased to serve.” He spoke aloud for the first time and his voice sounded rusty from disuse. “Always.”
Liberty flung her fox again and strutted out. It annoyed her greatly when her devoted familiar showed loyalty to me, as well. All the dogs I’d brought back were grateful for a second chance to help, and they had more than enough energy to go around.
“Enjoy my social skills today,” I called after her.
“And you have fun in school, girls,” she called back. “May the classroom treat you better than it did me.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Afew minutes later, I put a sign on the door that said closed for the day and walked down Main Street with my friends. Our class didn’t start for a few hours but we had something to do first.
“Where are these retailers you mentioned, Ren?” I said, adjusting my heavy bag. Inside was the beginner spell book Liberty had left for me in trust before she was spellbound herself. I’d dipped into Everyday Spells for Everyday Magic a few times with mixed results but I was glad to have it. Meanwhile, neither Sinda nor Ren had found books of their own. Now I wished I had asked Liberty for a reliable source.
“There’s a lady who sells crystals from a backyard workshop a few blocks from here,” Renata said. “I think I saw a row of books but couldn’t get near it.”
“Couldn’t get near it? Were they in a secure case?”
She shook her head. “It’s more like every time I started to walk over, I was redirected back to crystals. I didn’t realize at the time the shelf was probably secured by a spell.”
“Let’s give it a try. Otherwise, we’ll need help from the instructor. I guess that’s what school is for: to equip us properly for life in Wyldwood.”
Bixby was on foot for a change. He liked jostling with Bijou at the end of his leash. She was fast and graceful but he was steady and surprisingly powerful. It was a challenge to keep up in heels.
Despite the pace, I managed to look around and appreciate the beauty of our town. Most stores were lit up all day long with Christmas lights now. They would look even better after a snowfall. Our committee had recommended a color scheme this year but most people ignored it. That was probably the way with everything in Wyldwood. Why would someone follow the rules about lights when even attempted murder went unpunished?
“You don’t know that,” Mr. Bixby said in my head. “Did Angus seem happy to you?”
I thought back. In truth, he’d looked angry and determined.
“Dig deeper,” the dog prompted.
“Haunted,” I replied, also silently. “Desperate. I guess his heart was broken over losing his daughter.”
“Remains to be seen but I’m guessing it’s more than that.” Even mentally, Bixby sounded out of breath from the exertion of besting Bijou. “You would be too if you had legs this short,” he added.
