“I’m tired. Is mac and cheese okay?”
Jade gave a delighted meow as she hunkered down by her food bowl. I laughed as I filled a saucepan with water.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
When we finished the meal, a sudden wave of exhaustion swept over me. I couldn’t understand why I felt so tired, until I remembered that I’d been working spells all day. The practice must have slowly worn me down without my realizing it.
I really wanted to try the spell, but what if I pushed myself too hard? The last thing I needed was to pass out in the basement with only a cat for help.
I batted around the idea of going to bed now and getting up early to practice the spell. The shop opened at nine, so if I got out of bed at six, I’d have a decent amount of time.
After a hot shower, it felt nice to sink into my cool sheets. I dropped off to sleep almost immediately but woke a few hours later, my witch senses tingling. Something wasn’t right.
The invisible barrier I’d put around the house shuddered slightly, as if it had been hit with a wrecking ball.
Jade streaked into my room, her hair standing on end.
You felt that?
“Yes.”
Using every last ounce of my willpower, I got up and threw a robe on over my pajamas. Snatching up my wand from beneath my pillow, I hurried towards the door.
“Come on, Jade. Let’s catch this idiot.”
She stuck close to me as we hurried down the stairs. Another shuddering boom reverberated against the magical barrier. I sensed a part of it crumbling.
“Hold on a second.”
Jade halted, and I closed my eyes. Bringing up the familiar picture of the barrier in my mind, I saw that a magical hole had been punched just over the cellar doors.
“Damn it! How many times am I going to have to fix this thing?”
My anger overcame my fear as I charged down the basement steps. I stopped in my tracks halfway down. The basement had been shrouded in a heavy, debilitating darkness.
“Hey! Whoever you are, I’m going to flay you alive as soon as I find you!”
The darkness didn’t seem to prevent sound from carrying, judging by the running footsteps I heard. Gripping the banister, I hobbled down the stairs, trying to feel my way.
Use your wand!
I jutted my wand hand above my head, picturing the basement filled with light. I heard the creak and clatter of the cellar doors as a blinding flash emanated from the tip of the wand, throwing back the darkness.
Whoever had broken in was gone. They’d left a trail of toppled boxes and crates in their wake but no other clues.
Letting out a furious combination of a growl and a scream, I moved to the wooden door and began pounding on it, determined to get inside and figure out what that stupid person was so desperate to find.
Stop! You’re going to hurt yourself. We need help. Who can you call?
I stepped away from the door, breathing hard. “I don’t have any help except you. I can’t call Faith. I don’t want to bring whatever is happening to me to her doorstep.”
I know all that. I wasn’t thinking about Faith. What about Maria?
I pushed back the tears rising behind my eyes. “She’s not good at magic.”
I could feel myself giving in to panic, though I tried desperately to push it down. Taking out my phone, I scrolled through my contacts, wondering idly if I should try calling Theresa. I knew she wouldn’t pick up, but what else could I do? I needed a strong witch.
Jo’s name came up on my contacts. I’d completely forgotten that I’d saved his number.
“I’m calling Jo,” I said, glaring a challenge at Jade.
He’ll make it worse!
“I haven’t got anyone else, Jade. We need help.”
It was past eleven, but the twinge of guilt I felt wasn’t enough to make me stop. He answered after two rings, sounding sleepy.
“Jo? It’s Sage. I’m sorry to call so late, but someone just broke into my house and…”
“I’ll be right there. Celeste Black’s old house, right?”
“Yeah.”
He showed up less than ten minutes later, wearing flannel pajama pants and a faded t-shirt, his sandy hair rumpled.
“I’m sorry…”
He waved away the apology. “Where did they break in?”
I led him down to the basement and showed him the cellar doors. Jo frowned as he examined them.
“Why aren’t these chained?”
“I…I tied it with rope, but someone must have gotten it loose.”
I pointed to a coil of rope on the floor beneath the doors. He picked it up, his eyes going wide.
“This wasn’t shaken loose. It was burned.”
He held out the ends of the rope to show me the charred fibers on either end. I swallowed hard. Since I didn’t know if he knew about witches, I just shrugged.
“That’s weird.”
Jo let the rope drop and turned his attention to the floor.
“You’re right. Someone has been down here. Those are definitely not your footprints.”
He pointed to a few muddy boot prints the culprit had left behind. I moved my foot over to the print, which was at least three sizes bigger than my size five and a half.
