Interrupted Magic Read online

  “So I was. Now I’m back. Do you want me to go?”

  “Absolutely not. I’m so glad you’re here.” I filled her in on the current state of my relationship, the misuse of one of my products that produced unexpected results for the customer, and the continuing stress of owning the boutique.

  “You did have doubts about Kyle before. Sometimes when we’re young, our lack of experience deceives us into believing we only have one chance at happiness, and we’re afraid to let it go. I know you love Kyle, but you’re the only one who can know if that love will carry you through the hard times.” Nora wrapped me in a hug. “As for the other things, all I can say is, that’s life. I’d thought you’d learned to roll with the punches. Which isn’t to say those bruises don’t still hurt.”

  I forced a smile. “In good news, Jeannine seems to be working harder to build family ties. I wish I could believe she cares for me and she isn’t looking for someone to blame if things go badly again.”

  “Uh-oh. What now?”

  “She’s dating a new man who she’s quite taken with. She brought him here to meet me. A very nice man, but Aunt Theresa won’t approve.”

  Nora stepped back, her head cocked. “What do you mean?”

  “You know first-hand Aunt Theresa lives in a very small bubble, where people who aren’t like her are dismissed out of hand.”

  “Jeannine’s new boyfriend is indigenous?” Nora guessed.

  “No, he’s black.”

  “Just as bad to Theresa’s way of thinking. Do you believe Jeannine cares for the man? It isn’t an act of defiance against her mother?”

  “No. I think moving to Milwaukee was her act of defiance. Her feelings for Travis seem genuine.”

  Nora nodded. “Well, then, good for her. I know how difficult it can be loving someone from a different cultural background, but again, true love has a resilient quality that can carry you through. What does Jason say?”

  I picked up the pan of wax and swirled it before it hardened, then poured what was left into the votive molds Nora had put out. “She hasn’t told him yet, but I have to believe he’ll be more accepting. He’s had to deal with a lot over the past year, and he seems to have adapted.”

  “Which doesn’t help with your problems. How can I help?”

  I smiled. “It helps that you’re here, but you probably knew that. I’m guessing that’s why you showed up today. You always seem to know.” I set the pan down and reached for a paper towel to wipe away the residual wax.

  “I knew you were unhappy when I left yesterday, but I thought you and Kyle wanted time alone to talk. Have you found a solution to your transferred spell? I thought we could look into that together, if you want.”

  I tapped the votive molds against the tabletop to dislodge any bubbles in the wax. “I reached out to the woman who cast the spell. Kyle is looking for Daria. I’m not sure how he thinks she’ll cooperate, but we do need to find her to send the spell back to her, unless there’s another option.”

  “I wouldn’t expect much help from the woman who cast the spell, either.”

  I rested my hands on the worktable and huffed. “How can she cast a spell that brings harm to someone else? Won’t that reflect to her?”

  “Technically, I don’t suppose it is harm. It’s setting a wrong to rights in her mind.”

  “That’s playing fast and loose with the concept of hurting someone,” I replied. “If the spell is realized while Kyle is carrying it, he’ll never be able to work in law enforcement again. That’s the definition of harmful to his career.”

  “He’ll find other work.”

  “He doesn’t want other work,” I told her. “That’s part of our problem.”

  “No, that’s part of his problem. I suppose we all create our own safe space, don’t we?”

  I dropped onto the stool, considering her words. Hillendale had become my safe space. Had it become my bubble? I shook off the idea. I’d gone to college, left Hillendale for three years.

  I’d come back. I’d chosen my bubble.

  Nora’s dark blue eyes glowed with hidden knowledge. She nodded, acknowledging she knew I’d gotten her message. “Now,” she went on. “You said you’d reached out to the woman who’d cast the spell. What did she have to offer?”

  “I’m still waiting to hear from her.” I left the workshop and opened my laptop on the dining table. I checked email and saw a reply from Madeleine Stephens.

  Chapter 11

  Someone knocked on my door, someone who called to me a moment later—Kyle. “Brynn?”

  More interested in what Madeleine had to say, I opened the email first.

  “Well, are you going to let him in?” Nora asked, her voice low.

  I scowled and walked to the door.

  Kyle slouched beneath an umbrella, sheltered by the overhang above the door. “I saw you come home. I didn’t want to impose on your time with Nora, but I wanted to let you know I talked to Jude.”

  Jude, who had hired him to rehab vacation cottages in Door County. Of course, he’d called to tell him he needed to take some time off to heal. “Was Jude unhappy about the delay in his schedule?” I asked.

  “He’s been great, but I think you know that. I also talked to him about that kid who got railroaded, Perry Stephens. Jude’s a lawyer, you know.”

  “Railroaded might be a harsh term. He did steal that car.”

  Kyle’s expression tightened. “Sentence doesn’t fit the crime. There were extenuating circumstances. I’m not saying he should get off. I’m saying there was more to it, and the drug conviction seems sketchy. Jude said he’d look into it.”

  “That’s good of you to mention it to him,” I said.

  “His conviction might have been warranted, mind you, but if sloppy police work is the cause, seems I can fix this.”

  On his own. Without magic.

  I didn’t disagree with his logic, but once cast, the spell had a goal which had to be met. He was trying to take control of a situation he had no control over. “Kyle...”

  “Let me try it my way,” he insisted.

  “Your solution will only go so far. You might help Perry, but it won’t solve your problem.”

  “What do you mean?” Kyle asked.

  “You can’t reason with magic,” I breathed. “The course has been set.”

  He scoffed. “You’re saying I’m doomed? I think I can avoid taking possession of any illicit drugs.”

  “You don’t know that,” I said. “You can’t do this without my involvement.”

  “I have to agree with Brynn,” Nora said over my shoulder.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t see how what you say is going to happen can happen,” he replied.

  I set my hands on my hips. “Can you put your ego aside long enough to let me help you?”

  He raised his eyebrows, turned and marched across the street.

  “Well, that went well,” Nora said.

  I slammed the door and went to my computer. “I have an email from Madeleine.”

  I read the message.

  I’m sorry to hear you’ve transferred the spell, however well-intentioned your motives. My brother is out on appeal and his case is looking good, but that might be because the spell is nearly satisfied. While I would prefer Daria to suffer the consequences of her actions, I’m afraid I’m unwilling to change the course of events.

  No. I had to find a way to reason with her—or find Daria and return the spell. Even if Kyle was being difficult, I couldn’t let him suffer because of my poor judgment.

  “Bad news?” Nora asked.

  “She won’t help.”

  Nora inclined toward me. “I have a strong sense of change in the air.”

  I felt it, too. “Nothing is so certain in this life but change. I can’t control what’s meant to happen.”

  “Sweet Brynn.” Nora smoothed my hair. “You’ve gone through some difficult trials. I can’t tell you how proud I am of the way you’ve grown because of them. Whatever comes next, I
know you’ll handle it with grace and intelligence.”

  I chuckled. “Don’t be too proud of me. When this is over, I might hole myself away in this house and never come out again. All these trials take a toll, you know.”

  “Each one makes you stronger.” She looked over her shoulder. “Day’s a’wasting. I came to help you get caught up with your products. We’d better get back to work.”

  For the rest of the day, I enjoyed the comfort of working side by side with Nora the way we had so often. She started a playlist on her phone and we sang along. We poured new trays of soap, molded more candles, and bottled essential oils.

  When the rain had stopped, Nora retreated to the garden to harvest herbs and flowers. I sat at the worktable and summoned the hidden grimoire. As pleasant as it had been to put my predicament out of mind for a few hours, I needed a solution, and Madeleine had been clear she wasn’t inclined to help.

  When the book appeared before me, I stared at it with the same tightness in the pit of my stomach that always came with opening it.

  “Okay, book. How do I transfer the spell to Daria?”

  It remained closed.

  “Come on.” There had to be a way.

  Nora walked in with a basket of herbs. “No luck?”

  I shook my head.

  “Why don’t you go to the last thing it showed you, about making sure it’s a spell and not a run of bad luck?” She set the basket down and took out a batch of thyme. She cleaned it and tied a string around it.

  The book opened to the last page I’d read. Proceed with caution. Right. It had already been too late by the time I’d read what I’d missed the first time. For a book that was supposed to know what I needed, it was being particularly stubborn.

  “What about the potion to break the spell?” I asked the grimoire. “Show me that.”

  One of the other grimoires, one that called out my day-to-day special orders, landed on the table and flipped open.

  I glanced at Nora, who busily tied bundles of herbs to hang from the ceiling. “At what point does this become intentional magic?” I asked her.

  “Do what you will, but do no harm,” she quoted.

  I ran a finger down the page of the grimoire with the potion.

  “I just thought of something,” Nora said. She set down the herb bundles and went to the cabinet with the recipe grimoires. She touched each spine before taking the one she wanted. “Most people are happy with a given result, but every now and then they change their minds. For instance, there’s a potion to reduce the impact of negative influences. For example, Alice is driving Rhoda Christenson right up a wall, so Rhoda asks for something so Alice doesn’t notice her or doesn’t think to contact her. Then, maybe they’re both asked to serve on a committee, so she wants to reverse the effects. The same principle could apply here. Daria drank your potion, but there’s an ingredient you add to the basic recipe to reverse the effect.” She thumbed through the book and stopped on a page, tapping it with her finger for emphasis. “Here it is. It’s worth a try, don’t you think?” She handed the book to me.

  I read the recipe she’d referenced, one to dispel negative influences and the canceling potion. Then I looked up the herb that was added to the potion to change the energy.

  “Wait. Are we talking about this fenugreek stuff? The book says fenugreek is used for virility,” I said.

  “There are other uses for it, obviously. I’ve seen the same ingredient referenced in other recipes. Recipe, and recipe antidote, in a manner of speaking.”

  “Fenugreek doesn’t grow around here, does it?”

  The magic shone in Nora’s eyes, sending a shiver along my spine. “No, it doesn’t,” she whispered, staring off into space. “But I think it’s exactly what you need.”

  I didn’t question her intuition, but that didn’t mean I was comfortable with it. “Where do I find it?”

  “I’ve only ever used it once. There’s an Indian market in Woodrow. They used to carry it in both leaf and seed form.” She picked up a bundle of rosemary and stretched to hang it from the ceiling. “You might pick up some extra. You never know when you might need it.”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “Is that your way of asking if I’m still hoping to get pregnant?”

  “I think I told you I wasn’t sure that was an option for you. If it hasn’t happened yet, there must be a reason. Maybe it’s a matter of timing.” Her voice lowered. “Or partner.”

  I’d as much as told her Kyle and I were finished. “Something you’d like to say?” I asked.

  “It’s not my life to live, sweet Brynn. I can’t see into the future any better than you can.”

  “But you sense a change in the air.”

  She waved a dismissive hand. “That could be any number of things.”

  Yes, and things between me and Kyle had changed already. What had triggered her intuition?

  Chapter 12

  After Nora left, I crossed the street to Kyle’s house. We had a conversation to finish. He opened the door, but didn’t invite me in.

  A gust of wind blew my hair across my face and I tucked it behind my ear. “I know it’s still early, but I was wondering if you’d like me to make dinner for you tonight, say in a couple of hours? Since you’re working with one arm. We are still friends, aren’t we?”

  “I’m going out with Dylan.”

  I frowned. “Any word from Daria?”

  “Not yet.” He lowered his eyes. “Look, I’m sorry...”

  He didn’t finish his thought, and I was impatient with his moodiness. “Let me know if you can arrange a meeting with her and we’ll fix this.” I turned to walk away.

  “Brynn,” he called after me.

  I faced him. “I have to fix this thing with Daria.”

  He nodded.

  I returned to my house. The recipe I’d mixed for Daria was still in the bean pot. I poured what remained into a bottle. The only thing missing for the ‘antidote’ was the fenugreek. No time like the present to find the missing ingredient so I’d be ready if or when Daria materialized.

  After checking the location for the Indian market in Woodrow, I headed out. Twenty minutes later, I turned into the parking lot of a strip mall and parked near the shop with Gupta’s Market stenciled in the window.

  Haunting Bollywood music greeted me—a woman’s clear voice slipping over lovely notes, accompanied by a tambourine and rhythmic drums. I worked my way to what appeared to be a produce section, where I found packages of cardamom, cumin seeds and turmeric.

  An older gentleman with a long gray beard wearing traditional Indian attire approached. “Please, I can help you find something?”

  “Yes,” I replied. “Do you sell fenugreek?”

  He gave me a disapproving look and crossed his arms. “You may find supplements at Walmart.”

  “I’m not looking for supplements, I’m looking for leaves.”

  He cocked his head, as if assessing me, and then stroked his beard.

  A deep male voice spoke from behind me. “Trouble with the husband?”

  “I’m not married,” I said as I turned.

  My jaw dropped, gazing at the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. I guessed him to be six-foot-two. His dark brown hair hung in tousled waves to his shoulders. He had a trace of a beard—more like he hadn’t shaved in a day or two—a wide nose and beautiful eyes. He took my hand and kissed my knuckles, sending a rush of lust through me.

  “How very fortunate for me,” he said. “What are you planning to make with your fenugreek?”

  My brain seemed to have short-circuited. “I-I-I.” I swallowed hard to regroup. “I needed it for a recipe.”

  The man’s eyes shone, the same way Nora’s did and, I suspected, the same way people told me mine did. He shared the gift of hidden magic. A man? Then again, there had been men at the summer solstice celebration, just not as many as there were women.

  “You do know fenugreek is said to be used for virility,” he said.

  I cocked a
n eyebrow. “Do I look like I want to be virile?”

  The shopkeeper walked away with a snort. “Ian will help you find what you need,” he said over his shoulder.

  “Ian? You work here?” I asked the man before me. He looked more European than Indian, although that shouldn’t make a difference to his employment at an Indian market.

  He laughed. “No, but I might as well, considering how often I shop here. Where do you normally buy your herbs?”

  A sure indication he’d seen the magic in me, as well. “I grow most of my own.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Lucky you. I’d love to see your garden sometime.” Why did that sound like a pick-up line? Or did I want it to be? He reached across me for a package on the refrigerated shelf and I caught a whiff of wintergreen. “This is what you’re looking for, but I’m curious. What are you using it for?”

  “I was told this would counter the effects of another recipe.”

  Our hands touched as he handed me the package. His pupils dilated and I found myself short of breath.

  “It smells pretty strong,” I said. “Like wintergreen?”

  He grinned, reached into his pocket and held out a wrapped LifeSaver. “No, the herb smells like maple. I just popped a mint, an addiction of mine, I’m afraid. Would you like one?”

  “No, thank you.”

  He lowered his voice. “This is a powerful herb, especially in leaf format.”

  My own voice came out breathy. “You’ve used it?”

  He shook his head, his gaze locked with mine. “What effects do you need to counter?”

  All coherent thought left my head. In fact, I was overcome with the desire to kiss this beautiful man—and more than kiss him. I didn’t have to think long. Ian bent down and touched his lips to mine, tenuous at first and then he took a step closer, wrapped an arm around me as he deepened the kiss. He tasted of the wintergreen I’d detected, and smelled like the woods after a rainfall.

  “You will buy the leaves and leave my store now,” the shopkeeper called from the cash register. “This is not the place for such things.”

  “I know a place,” Ian whispered against my lips.