Shadow Witch (30 page)

“I hope not. Just to be on the safe side, we should go ahead and put a lock on that door in the basement if you’re going to put the portal inside of it.”

“How long will that take? Sammi’s birthday party starts at one o’clock.”

Carl turned to John Paul. “You got your tools handy?”

“I put them in the garage. My cordless drill’s charged.”

Carl turned back to Jamie. “Maybe an hour. There’s a hardware store less than a mile from here. We’ll be done in plenty of time.”

* * *

Shouts. Squeals. Shrieks.

Jamie’s backyard was alive with the sounds of children having fun. Most of Sammi’s friends from the Rivershire School were jumping inside the bouncy castle, a huge, plastic blow-up structure with a pair of fake turrets and an inflatable chute extending from the wide opening. Some of the other kids were on the swings or were climbing in and out of the clubhouse, and two boys — Aiven and Blane — were playing catch with Rollie and Bryce.

A pair of long folding tables, littered with paper plates and cups and remnants of food, were set up in the gazebo. Fred and Melanie sat with Nova on the side closest to the house. At the other table were both of Jamie’s grandmothers and Aunt Connie, talking with Mrs. Tully, who seemed as relaxed as Jamie had ever seen her.
She looks like she’s enjoying herself for a change
, he thought as he made his way toward them from the deck, carrying a plate full of food.

Carl, Larry, Garrett, and Granddaddy Pete stood around the hot, smoking grill by the back door, holding bottles of beer and laughing at a joke Garrett had just told. In the corner of the deck, Rachel, Lisa, and Adele sat under the big umbrella at the picnic table, long-stemmed glasses full of some kind of citrus drink were in their hands. Jamie took a look over his shoulder at them and smiled.
Just like old times
.

In the shade at the front of the gazebo stood Leora’s mother, Mrs. Hale, arms wrapped around her chest, hands gripping her elbows. Her face was as tight as the highest string on a piano while she watched her daughter play in the bouncy castle with Sammi and the other Rivershire kids. Jamie walked past her and said, “Aren’t you going to eat, Mrs. Hale? There’s plenty left.”

She barely glanced at him before turning back to face the soft inflated fortress at the end of the lawn. “Perhaps later.”

Mrs. Tully eyed the tense woman and frowned. “Mrs. Hale, Leora is not going to vanish, you know. She’s as safe as she can be, she is. She’s surrounded by good wizards and witches and an officer of the law.”

Mrs. Hale turned to her and said, “I know, it’s just...I worry so.”

“Why? Because we are on another world?” Mrs. Tully grinned, an unusual occurrence for the normally stern-faced housekeeper.

Mrs. Hale glanced skyward, and then gazed around the yard for a moment. “Are we truly on another, for certain? It seems so...so....”

“Normal?” Mrs. Tully winked at Jamie, and he had to stifle a laugh. “I’ve been here several times, I have, and no misery has befallen me yet. I’ve seen nary a monster or a villain, so relax. Have fun. You are at a party.”

Jamie put his plate on the table and sat next to Fred, who squeezed his knee briefly with one hand and rejoined her conversation with Nova and Melanie. Jamie heard more squeals, and saw Sammi and Leora slide down the chute from the bouncy castle and race across the yard toward the gazebo.

Sammi was the first to reach the tables. “Which cup is mine?”

Evelyn picked one up and checked the bottom, then another and said, “This one has an S written on it.”

“That’s it.” Sammi took it, put it to her lips and drained it while Leora searched for hers. Sammi lowered her empty cup and panted with a bright grin on her face, deep dimples showing in both cheeks. “I was thirsty.”

“Ma?” Leora said, her eyebrows drawn low in a look of concern. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I have no appetite at the moment,” Mrs. Hale said.

Sammi put her hand on the anxious woman’s arm. “You should eat, Mrs. Hale. The food is really good.” Sammi nodded her head earnestly. “You should try a hot dog. I bet you never had one of those before. Mr. Sikes cooked them and they’re the best in the whole world.”

Mrs. Hale’s face softened and she said, “Well, if you put it that way, perhaps I shall.”

“We’ll go with you,” Sammi said. “We need more punch, anyway.” Sammi and Leora, one on either side of her, led her to the deck, holding her hands and chattering like sparrows.

“Hmm,” Nova said, her eyes narrowed to studious slits as she watched them walk away. “There’s something about that kid.”

“Which one?” Melanie said.

“You know which one.” Nova rubbed her chin and slowly turned her head from side to side. “Did you see that?” She glanced at Fred and then looked back across the yard at Sammi, who was already on the deck, watching Rachel scoop punch from a large plastic bowl into Sammi’s white paper cup. “She took that lady’s hand and all the tension just seemed to drain away from her.” Nova snapped her fingers on one hand. “Like
that
. I know Sammi’s a Shadow Witch and all, but are you sure she doesn’t have another witchin’ power? I don’t know what you’d call it...Don’t Worry Be Happy magic or something.”

“Could be,” Fred said, “but I think it’s a natural, non-magical thing with her. We can ask Momma Sue when we go see her tomorrow.”

Nova frowned and grunted. “Still don’t know about that. Haven’t decided if I’m going or not.”

“Don’t be a baby. You’re going, and you’re gonna like it.”

“What if I say no?”

“You don’t have a choice,” Melanie said with a faint smile. “Fred has already decided for you.” She poked Fred in the shoulder and grinned. “She can be kinda bossy, in case you haven’t noticed.”

It was Fred’s turn to frown. “Hey! I’m getting better about that, aren’t I?”

“You have your moments.”

Nova swept one hand in front of her and said, “All these people here, they did the oath, too, the one you made me say?”

“Not the people from Eddan’s world,” Jamie said.

“Why not?”

“They’re cool about the magic anyway, and who are they gonna tell that could affect us?”

Nova scratched her cheek with one black-lacquered fingernail and looked at the kids swarming around the playset. “You said those folks grow up around magic? It’s like, normal to them?”

“They take it for granted. I can fly on their world as much as I want and not worry about it,” Jamie said.

“Cool. Flying. I’d love to do that.”

“You can ride on my back if you want, but we can’t do it here. My neighbors might see.”

“I might take you up on that sometime.” Nova pointed at the fairy pendant that hung from a thin chain around Fred’s neck. “Is Momma Sue gonna teach me how to make that Stupefyin’ Spell?”

“I can teach you that,” Fred said. “It’s not hard.”

“Can Sammi do it?”

“She’s not old enough. Momma Sue said she has to wait until she’s a teenager. Said it’s related to hormones.”

“I have a theory about that,” Jamie said.

Fred patted him on the knee and gave her head a tight shake. “Some other time, okay? This is a party, not a geek-fest.” She turned to Nova and said, “He has lots of theories.”

Jamie shrugged. “Can’t help it. I think I got that from Eddan.”

“So,” Nova said, “this old geezer wizard from that other world...you really got all of his memories? Can you like, remember everything he ever did?”

“Not everything, just the significant stuff. But can you remember everything you ever did? Do you remember what you had for dinner last Monday?”

“I can’t remember what I had for dinner last night.” Nova turned back to Fred. “If I learn that Stupefyin’ Spell, I have to learn the counter charm, too, right? Do I have to wear one of those cheesy things?” She pointed at the cheap bracelet that Fred had on her left wrist.

“You can put the counter charm in anything you want, but it should be something that you wear all the time. I just recently learned how to put it in wedding rings and stuff. That’s what I did for our moms. They all have necklaces with the Stupefyin’ Spell in it, too.”

“Is Hendersonville that dangerous of a place?”

“Nah, but you never know.”

“What if you need more than one counter charm? Isn’t there a different one for different hexes?”

“Momma Sue taught me how to combine them into one object.” Fred raised her forearm and gestured at her wrist. “For instance, I can put the counter charm for a repulsion spell in here, and it won’t mess up the charm that’s already in it.”

“Speaking of repulsion spells,” Jamie said, “you need to put one on the magic portal I made at John Paul’s house today.”

Melanie’s eyebrows drew down sharply. “You made a magic doorway and left it unprotected? What if some stranger finds it?”

“Relax. It’s inside of a locked closet in the basement. My dad and John Paul put a dead bolt on it, so it’s okay for now. But just to be safe, Fred needs to put a hex on it.”

“But not this weekend,” Fred said. “Too much going on.”

“Well, soon as you can.”

Nova picked up her paper cup, looked inside it and twisted one side of her mouth. “I’m dry. Is there any punch left?”

“Plenty.” Jamie scooted his chair back and stood. “I need some, too. I’ll go with you.”

As they walked across the grass toward the deck, Nova held up her cup and said, “So this is all you ever drink at parties?”

“We have sodas.”

“Oh, wow,” she said flatly. “Wild and crazy, aren’t you?”

Jamie shrugged. “We have some great parties at Bryce’s house. He’s got a big pool and a game room and stuff.”

“Oh yeah. Richie Rich. Heard about that.”

“Please don’t call him that. He hates it.”

They walked up the wooden steps and she nodded. “He can give his money to me if he doesn’t want it.” She looked at Carl and the other fathers, who were still standing around the grill even though there was no food cooking on it. “Excuse me, Mr. Sikes,” she said. “Where can I get something to drink?”

Carl gestured with his beer bottle toward the picnic table. “There’s still some punch left.”

“Uh, you wouldn’t want to share one of those Budweisers, would you?”

“How old are?”

“I turned eighteen back in January.”

“Ummm...is it okay with you mom?”

“You can ask her, if you want.” Nova pulled her phone from her back pocket and offered it to him.

“Nova,” Lisa called from the picnic table, where she was sitting with Rachel, Adele, and Mrs. Hale. “How about one of these?” She tapped a tall glass pitcher in front of her that was half-filled with a colorful beverage and lemon slices. “We’re having sangrias. Ever had one before? They’re yummy, and they don’t have that much wine in them.” She nodded toward Leora’s mother. “We even got Mrs. Hale to try one.”

“That looks good.” Nova said and licked her top lip.

“Carl,” Rachel said, “I think it would be okay if she had just one.”

Nova watched with an eager smile as Adele poured some from the pitcher into a long-stemmed glass like the ones they had.

“Thanks, Mrs. Wilkins.” Nova took the drink and raised it to her lips, and Jamie turned away and saw Sammi at the far end of the yard, standing at the top of the slide, watching, her dark eyebrows drawn low and her mouth forming a silent
oh
.

Nova looked up and saw Sammi, too, and hesitated, frozen in place for a long moment. Then she closed her eyes briefly and sighed. She handed the glass back to Adele and said, “Uh...maybe later, Mrs. Wilkins. Thanks, though. Anything else to drink around here besides punch?”

“There are some sodas in the ice chest.” Rachel pointed toward the back door.

While Nova rummaged through the big plastic cooler, Jamie looked back across the yard at Sammi, whose face had broken into a grin. She turned and went down the slide and Jamie shook his head.
Nova’s right. There’s something about that kid
.

The sun had dropped below the tops of the trees lining the back of Jamie’s yard by the time the party started to wind down. Rollie and Bryce had returned to the gazebo to sit with Jamie and the rest of their friends.

“Nice party,” Rollie said with a nod. “Kinda like the ones we used to have back in the old days.”

“Who’s ready to shoot some hoops?” Nova asked.

“I always am,” Rollie said.

“Not me,” Jamie said. “I gotta make a doorway soon for the kids from Rivershire so they can go home.”

Melanie shook her head. “I gotta go to work in a little while.”

“How about you, Fred?” Rollie asked.

“I promised Sammi I’d watch
Little Mermaid
with her. Mrs. Wilkins gave her the DVD for her birthday.”

“I feel bad that I didn’t get her anything,” Nova said.

“You weren’t supposed to.”

“I know, but...oh, well. I hardly know her, anyway.”

“None of us do, really, if you think about it.”

“But she knows you, right? Because of her power.”

“She knows you, too. That’s why you’re here.”

“Strange.” Nova squeezed her eyelids shut and gave her head a quick shake, then blinked rapidly and sucked in her breath. “I want you to know that this is the absolute oddest,
weirdest
situation I’ve ever been in,
ever
.”

“Not me,” Rollie said. “We’ve all been in weirder ones.”

“Things were pretty weird back in December,” Melanie said, “when Fred was kidnapped.”

Bryce sat up straight in his chair and jabbed the air with one finger. “No, April, when we were on Eddan’s world trying to deal with the demon and everything.
That
was weird.”

“Killing Renn was weird for me,” Jamie said. “Not something you do every day.”

Nova held up both hands in surrender. “Okay, you win. You out-weirded me.” She turned to Rollie. “Are we gonna shoot some hoops or not?”

He glanced at his watch and frowned. “If we don’t get going soon, it’ll be too late. Bryce, you playin’?”

Bryce yawned. “Nah. I need a nap.”

Nova gave Rollie a challenging look. “Then it’s just you and me, one-on-one. Can you handle that?”

Rollie chuckled. “Yeah, I think so.”

“I’m gonna kick your ass. I’m gonna school you so bad, you’ll be cryin’ for your momma.”