Witch in Exile (A Mackenzie Coven Mystery Book 7) Page 3
“Cat!” Lexie called out.
Yes?
Lexie looked around the bedroom but she didn’t see any sign of Cat’s orb. “Open the door, Cat. It’s stuck.”
“Oh, is it? I’m sure I oiled it.”
Lexie pressed her ear to the door and tried again. “It’s still stuck.”
Luna sniffed the door. “At this point, you might want to acknowledge the fact it might be locked.”
Lexie hammered her fist against the door. “She wouldn’t dare lock us in here.”
“It’s for your own safety,” Cat called out, which meant she was now standing on the other side of the door.
Lexie grumbled and leaned her forehead against the door. “Thank you for your concern, but I can look after myself. Now, open up.”
“You know I can go through doors,” Luna reminded her. “Would you like me to? I can bite Cat for you.”
“No biting, Luna.”
Luna licked her paw. “Despite what Dr. Mercedes Looney Bin thinks—”
“You mean, Dr. Shrink.”
“Shrink, Looney Bin. Same thing. Anyhow, despite her firm stand on the no biting rule, I can’t turn my back on my natural instincts.”
Lexie frowned. “I always assumed scratching would be your weapon of choice.”
“I can do that too, but biting is far more effective.”
Lexie had only recently discovered that she too could go through doors but it took too much effort to think about being as light as air. She huffed out a breath and banged on the door again. “Cat, open this door at once, or I’ll let Luna loose and then I won’t be responsible for what she does to you.”
A roar that could have sent the king of the jungle scurrying for cover erupted.
Both Luna and Lexie sprung back from the door.
“I guess Smidgen is rather protective of Cat,” Luna murmured and looked up at Lexie. “I hope your threat doesn’t turn her against me.” Luna looked over at the window. “And I bet escaping through the window doesn’t sound like such a bad idea now.”
No, it didn’t. “She leaves me no choice.”
Luna took another step back. “What do you mean? What are you going to do?”
The old Lexie would have said she had no idea. But the new and improved bring it on version knew that she only had to call on the elements. Clearly, Cat had forgotten.
Lexie sighed and closed her eyes.
Earth. Wind. Fire. Water.
Which one could she call upon to help her out?
Lexie stretched out her hand. Within seconds she felt something warm hovering above the palm of her hand. When she took a peek, she saw a small fireball there.
“Wow. I didn’t know I could do that.”
Seeing it, Luna went into a frenzied sprint around the room. “Fireball. Fireball. This is magnificent.”
“Actually, now that I think about it, it feels familiar,” Lexie mused.
“What’s going on in there?” Cat asked.
“We’re armed and dangerous, Cat.” Lexie bounced the fireball in her hand. “This is your first and final warning.”
“What are you talking about?” Cat asked in a small voice. “I rescued you. I offered you a safe haven and brought you to my home. I have gone out on a limb for you.”
Lexie’s eyebrow quirked up. “And then you locked me up. Are you going to unlock this door?”
“What if I don’t?”
Lexie looked down at Luna who gave her a firm nod of encouragement. “I’ll... I’ll burn the door down.”
Cat chortled. “You can’t... I mean, surely you can’t. You wouldn’t.”
Lexie pressed her lips together and smiled.
“I guess this is a standoff,” Luna murmured. “My money’s on you.”
Lexie held up her hand. She wasn’t entirely sure how this would work. Taking aim, she drew her arm back and—
“No, wait,” Cat said. The door unlocked.
“You were saying?” Lexie smiled and bounced the ball of fire in the palm of her hand.
Looking at the fireball, Cat’s eyes widened. “Please don’t burn down my cottage.”
Lexie smiled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She gave the fireball another couple of bounces and then wondered, “Any idea how I can put this out?”
Chapter Three
Lexie held her hand under the tap and moaned with relief at the soothing effect of cold water. Luna sat on the counter watching her while Cat wrung her hands.
“Please tell me you weren’t serious about burning down my cottage.”
“Would I do that to you after you offered me asylum?”
Cat gave her a nervous smile. “Is that your sarcastic tone? I can’t tell.”
Lexie inspected her hand. “I think I’m going to be scarred for life.”
“Don’t be such a crybaby,” Luna purred. “There’s only a tinge of redness. Would you like me to lick it?”
“No, thank you.”
“Are you sure? It’s quite beneficial. When I get a boo-boo I lick and lick to ensure no nasty viruses or bacteria move in. Also, licking encourages blood flow to speed healing. There’s a veritable medicine cabinet inside my mouth.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Thanks, but I’ll manage.”
“Put some of this lotion on,” Cat suggested as she handed her a little glass pot. “It’ll sooth you. It’s one of my big sellers. I call it, Allow Vera, as in let Aloe Vera do the trick.”
“That’s cute.” Lexie dabbed some of the lotion on and felt a rush of instant relief. “Does it have magic?”
“Of course. Do I look like a chemist to you? How would I know how much Aloe Vera to use?”
Lexie inspected the little pot. “You actually sell this?”
Cat nodded. “By mail order but I’m thinking of setting up a store in town. I just have to figure out how to mingle with the locals as myself. Whenever I go into town, I disguise myself as an elderly lady.”
“Why?”
Cat spread her arms out. “Because in my true form, I sparkle. It might freak people out.”
She did sparkle. “Is that normal?”
“It’s a family thing. We’re blessed with joy. But when I disguise myself as a granny, I embrace a disapproving nature. It’s like playing a role.”
Luna gave her a knowing look. “I told you. She loves acting.”
“So you’ve never been to town as yourself?”
Cat shook her head. “No. I’d attract too much attention.”
“So how are you going to set up a store?”
Cat tilted her head in thought. “Inside the store I’d be able to make up a story about special lighting.” Cat shrugged. “I could play at being a witch. It could be an effective drawing card.”
“I like that idea. You should totally go for it.” Lexie inspected her hand. “I think it’s already working.”
“Were you really going to burn the door?” Cat asked.
“Are you kidding? I know I can connect with the elements, but I didn’t know I could create a fireball.” Although, she had a vague memory of having done it before…
“You know your connection to the elements allows you to summon them,” Cat said.
“Yes, but I thought I could only do that inside my head.” Although, she’d recently engaged the assistance of a breeze.
Cat studied her.
“You look surprised.”
Cat shrugged. “Only because you managed to accomplish it so early. Also, you’ve been dragging your feet.”
“Well, as you can see, I’m all for tapping into whatever I can get. Luna and I were talking. We think someone tried to play her against me and that’s why she can’t remember what we got up to these last few days.”
Luna leaped up onto her shoulder and curled her tail around Lexie’s neck. “You should call Octavia. She always provides practical solutions.”
Lexie shook her head. What if her personal assistant led the Coven Disciplinary Board right to them? “I can’t risk it.”
Luna purred. “I guess my communication channels are still clogged up. You gave me quite a fright this morning.”
Cat smiled. “Oh, I heard that.”
Lexie strode out of the en-suite bathroom and only then remembered she’d left her apartment without having breakfast. “How are you managing?” she asked Luna. “You must be famished.”
“Smidgen took care of me,” Luna said. “I can’t remember the last time I shared a bowl of food with another feline companion.”
“That would have been one of your siblings.”
“Yes, they allowed me to eat only after they’d had their fill. I sometimes wonder how I made it through to adulthood.”
Lexie gave her a scratch under the chin. Another thought struck her. She looked at Cat. “If you don’t go into town, does that mean you always eat in?”
Cat nodded. “I rather enjoy cooking.”
Yes, but... “At the risk of sounding ungrateful, are you any good at it?”
* * *
“Is something wrong with the eggs?” Cat asked.
Lexie shook her head. “I’ve never seen eggs looking so happy and orange. Did you… maybe do something to them?”
Cat grinned. “I have happy chickens.”
Lexie looked over her shoulder. Jonathan stood by the window, his shoulders nearly up to his ears. “Aren’t you hungry?”
He swung around. “How can you think about eating at a time like this?”
Lexie broke off a piece of toast and dunked it in the egg. “I’ve been thinking. I’ve never actually seen anyone from the Coven Disciplinary Board.” She shrugged. “I think they’re a furphy.”
Jonathan harrumphed. “Would you like to test the theory?”
No, she didn’t. Lexie took a moment to enjoy the aroma of coffee. “Smells good.”
Pretty sparks flew out of Cat. “Thank you. I hope you don’t mind. I grabbed some from your stash. I’m more of a tea drinker myself and all this happened so quickly, I didn’t have time to stock up on your favorite foods.”
Jonathan drew out a chair and slumped down on it. “Can we please focus on how we’re going to get ourselves out of this?”
Lexie buttered some toast. “Relax, we’ll figure something out.” She took a bite of her toast and hummed with appreciation. “Let me guess, happy cows?”
Cat nodded.
“You don’t seem to be taking this seriously,” Jonathan growled.
Taking her time to appreciate her coffee and buttered toast seemed to be the wisest move. On the outside, she might appear to be calm, but on the inside…
Lexie tilted her head in thought. Exactly how could she describe the rebellious uprising she felt? Interesting choice of words, Lexie thought. A part of her wanted to take action, while another appeared to be calmly pondering all her options, as if she even had any.
“Perhaps we should set up a crime board,” Cat suggested.
Luna sauntered around the table, her tail flicking in the air. “I like the sound of that. It might help cast some light on the matter.”
“What’s the last clear memory you have?” Jonathan asked.
Lexie nibbled the edge of her toast. “Being wrenched from my sleep this morning.”
“And before that?”
She looked at Jonathan and blinked. Scratching around her mind, she drew a blank.
“Think, Lexie,” Jonathan urged her.
“When is the last time you remember seeing me?” Lexie asked him.
“Oh, that’s a good question and tactic,” Cat chirped. “It might help trigger Lexie’s memories.”
Jonathan surged to his feet, strode around the table and slumped down on his chair again. “You came to the pub last Monday.”
Cat clapped her hands. “That’s a start. Today is Friday.”
Friday? Lexie shook her head. “I’m sure it’s Thursday.”
“You’re on the other side of the world, down under, Lexie. It’s Friday here. We’re several hours ahead of everyone.”
Great. So she had an entire week to account for and a missed day. Lexie sat up. “I’ve just had a light bulb moment. I wonder if I can travel back in time?”
Hearing her, Luna took off on a sprint and landed on her lap. “I like your thinking.”
“Thank you but that doesn’t answer my question.”
“You’re an incoming High Chair,” Luna purred. “You can do anything you set your mind to.”
“Yes, but how?”
“You control the elements.”
Lexie made a point of ticking them off on her fingers. Fire. Water. Air and earth. “There’s no mention of time manipulation.” Even if she could come up with the basics, with her track record she could end up in the Renaissance period or worse.
Luna made herself comfortable on her lap. “Perhaps you could get Cat to cast a spell.”
Lexie looked at Luna as if she’d grown another head. “What if she sends us back to the Salem witch hunts, or to a ship that’s about to sink?”
“Where’s your spirit of adventure?” Luna asked.
“It’s all right for you to laugh. You have nine lives.”
Luna tilted her head from side to side. “And I’m magical. That means it would take a lot to kill me.”
Lexie thought about it for a moment and then shook her head. “I just remembered. We have to wait for the lunar cycle to end before Cat can send us anywhere.”
Jonathan cleared his throat. “You seem to forget we can’t hear the conversations between you and Luna. Would you like to share with us?”
Finishing her coffee Lexie rose to her feet and strode around the room.
Monday. Yes, they’d gone to Jonathan’s bar. She clicked her fingers and swung toward him. “I remember now. I snuck into your inner sanctum.” She grabbed hold of the memory and tossed it around her mind, checking the facts and making sure she hadn’t just made it all up.
Oh, yes.
She remembered her heart thumping and Luna urging her on to go through the door. “Call on the elements,” Luna had said and had then gone through the door herself to show Lexie how easy it could be if only she trusted her connection to the elements.
Jonathan shot to his feet. “You did what? Is nothing sacred?”
“Calm down. It’s not as if you keep anything secret in there.” Just a chronicle of all her comings and goings. The large tome sat on a lectern and was stored in a room beyond the cellar. Lexie had read an entry but had been more intrigued by the images he’d drawn. “You’re quite good.” She’d looked like a version of Wonder Woman in a girly coven outfit. “I guess the next entry will show the new and improved version of me wearing the chain mail dress.”
Lexie patted her new dress. It shifted slightly as she moved around but she barely felt it. As for seeing it… If she walked down the street, everyone would see her wearing her regular jeans and t-shirt. “I wonder where—” she stopped herself before she blurted out her mom’s name. As the current High Chair of the Mackenzie Coven, Lexie assumed Morgana had resources beyond her imagination.
“Hey. We need access to the chronicle. You would have written everything down.” Lexie had no idea how Jonathan did it, but he seemed to know everything she got up to. “It’ll show us everything I’ve been up to.”
Jonathan nudged his head toward Cat. “She won’t let us.”
“It’s not that I won’t allow you to leave,” Cat said. “I’ve simply taken certain precautions. Surely you remember what you wrote down.”
Jonathan raked his fingers through his hair and growled.
“I know, how about you try to write it down? Your memory might come back.” Cat suggested. “I’ll get you some paper.”
Jonathan scowled at Lexie. “How did you get past the locked door?”
Lexie shrugged. “It’s a new trick I picked up. You know, hocus pocus, one with the elements.”
“So why didn’t you go through the bedroom door when you thought Cat
had locked you in?”
“I called on the elements and got a ball of fire. I guess the elements have a sense of urgency and practicality. They must have figured I could burn the door down and make a point at the same time.” Lexie quirked an eyebrow. “Do not mess with me. I am the almighty incoming High Chair in training wheels.”
Jonathan stared at her for a minute and then burst out laughing. “Sorry. I shouldn’t laugh.”
Lexie bounced an imaginary ball of fire on her hand. “That’s right. You shouldn’t. I have the power to reduce you to cinders. Hey, who needs a dragon when I have this?”
“Here we go.” Cat strode back in. “Paper and crayons. Sorry, that’s the best I could do.”
“You’re a witch. Can’t you conjure some proper pens?” Jonathan asked.
Cat bit the edge of her lip. “Bringing Lexie here took a lot out of me and I… I just tried to get some…”
“And?”
Cat held up a crayon. “This is what I got.”
Lexie threw her arms around Cat and hugged her. “Thank you for rescuing me. I don’t know what I would have done without you. Why don’t you put your feet up and try to recover your powers?”
“I’d hate to interrupt the love fest,” Jonathan said, “I need to know if you went through the other door.”
“The one that looks like something out of a fairy tale?” Had she gone through it? Lexie knew Jonathan had placed a ward on it. In fact, she’d found out about it only recently and, yes, she had managed to go through it. “I can’t remember if I did or didn’t.” Tapping her chin, she gazed out the window. “I’m sure it has no bearing on what happened.”
Jonathan’s eyebrow shot up. “Did those words just come out of your mouth?”
Lexie couldn’t answer because she was still gaping. It had been the sort of remark Mirabelle would make. Lexie had even sounded like her.
“Cat? When did you last speak with Mirabelle?” Jonathan asked.
Cat set her teacup down and smiled. “We had a lengthy conversation just the other day about… and then we had a chat about… oh, and she also said…”
“Cat.”
“Yes?”