After several quiet minutes scanning the table of contents, I came across the chapter on concealment magic that Faith mentioned. Scrolling through the subheadings, I found a spell for creating a “strong barricade spell for doors and other hidden areas to prevent entry.”
Eagerly, I turned the page and read through the spell, but my heart sank as I read the instructions. From what I gathered, I had to create pressure from inside the room and from the outside of the room to make the barrier. It was hard to break because I had to dismantle the protections from both sides.
Taking Theresa’s wand out of my purse, I stared at it as I turned it over in my fingers. I looked over at Jade, only to see that she’d fallen asleep on an easy chair. In moments like that, it was hard to remember she was a human being. The sight was positively cute.
Heading down to the basement, I clutched the wand like a lifeline. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as I approached the carved white door, the bar still securely over the middle.
Closing my eyes and gritting my teeth, I reached out with my senses to the barrier. I was surprised that I could find the position of the opposing columns of pressure covering the door. With a deep breath, I tried to relax into my mind’s eye, and gradually, the forces driving from either side towards the door became more solid.
The book had talked about finding a way to drive back the forces depending on what type of spell was used, but how? I had no idea what kind of spell had been used. It was like trying to contain the ocean or push away air.
Raising my hands, I tried focusing on the forces inside the door. Moving them forward, I raised the wand and pictured pushing the force back and away from the door. Nothing.
Grinding my teeth, I tried throwing my hands down and forcing the pressure away. Nothing.
Are you trying to stab something?
I let out a cry and jumped, badly startled by Jade’s sudden voice in my head. Whirling around, I glared at her.
“You nearly gave me a heart attack! Don’t sneak up on me like that!”
She chuckled. Sorry. I didn’t see you when I woke up, so I figured you were down here.
I held a hand to my rapidly beating heart.
“It’s okay, I guess. While you’re here, do you have any idea how to deal with this spell?”
I explained the basic mechanisms, but Jade just licked her paw in response.
I was never really good at spells. I’m better at potions. But give it one more try.
I stared again at the door, my heart pounding. Maybe if I tried working on the force on the other side of the door, I could undo the one on this side more easily.
Reaching out my hands, wand extended, I drew my hands towards me, trying to absorb the power. In my mind’s eye, I saw the barrier stretch towards me like silly putty. For a few breathless moments, I felt like I had it, but then it sprang back into place.
Chapter Fourteen
Letting out a feral growl of rage, I turned and stalked away from the door. Jade trotted after me.
Give it another shot. I’m sure you’ll get it this time. It started to move.
“No, I’m done. I’m really tired.”
I settled in my bed a little while later, my body exhausted, but my mind going a million miles an hour. What on earth was in that stupid room? Maybe I could just bust through the door with an axe. A picture of a rebounding axe came to mind, though, and I dismissed the idea. I had to open it with magic, but how?
***
The next day, I awoke groggy and grumpy. It was the first time I really wasn’t looking forward to running the shop, but businesses didn’t run themselves.
As I walked to the shop, the cool air revived me a little. Despite my frustration with the random door and the break-ins at the house, I realized I still felt glad to be here. I lived in a paid off house, with a paid off shop and owned my own business. No landlord, no pressure to pay rent. It was pretty ideal.
My mood lifted further when I noticed a tidy pile of packages on the front porch of the shop. It was the supplies I’d ordered from WitchNet.
It took a few trips to get all the goodies inside, and I delayed opening to re-stock the potions items. I found a long, narrow box among the larger packages. Inside it, I found my wand. I caught my breath as I stared at the intricately carved and painted wood, the white swirls of leaves twirling up the handle even more beautiful than the online photo.
When I picked it up, I felt the same rush of heady tingles that Theresa’s wand had induced, but ten thousand times stronger. This wand felt even more natural than hers had, a true extension of my body. It was almost as if it had been designed with me in mind.
When I gave it a little flick, a ripple of glittering sparkles trailed from it.
The first hour or so after opening was quiet, so I played around with the wand, practicing some of the basic spells I’d found in the book of basic spells. I could now blunt or sharpen any needle, knife, or pair of scissors. I could move things across the room with ease, even very heavy items like furniture. My main goal was practicing the stronger shield spell Faith had explained. I could erect the walls now but trying to put them together made beads of sweat break out on my brow.
The bell over the door rang. I thrust my wand into the space under the front counter where customers couldn’t see. An older woman, maybe in her sixties, ambled in.
“Welcome to Woods Crossing Wellness and Herbs!” I greeted her. She gave a small wave and smile, then continued browsing. I paged idly through a catalogue of herbal products while the woman shopped and didn’t look up until I heard her clearing her throat.
She stood before the counter, looking a bit uneasy.
“Can I help you?”
She shifted on her feet.
“Do you um…do you sell all the things that Celeste used to sell?”
I gave her a reassuring smile. “Are you talking about the apothecary?”
A palpable wave of relief broke over her face. “Yes. Oh, thank goodness, I wasn’t sure where I was going to get my ingredients.”
“What do you need?”
