Enchantment Emporium

“No. Well, yes, but…” Her grandmother had always been able to direct the conversation. Not this time. “You saw all of this. Everything that happened. The challenge, if you will.” Steel-gray brows rose at the emphasis. Allie ignored them. “You knew about Jonathon Samuel and the Dragon Lords and Jack—probably through Adam. He’s been here before and he as much as told me he’s been interacting with a Gale. You kept the museum from getting that grant so I’d be fired and have no reason not to come west. You made sure the cousins I called for help were busy to keep the number of variables down. You kept Charlie from getting here to make sure that Graham and I would connect with no distractions. The rest of them knew about the seventh son thing as soon as we touched. Charlie worked it out from what happened at the bar, so you must have spotted it the moment you met him. You knew I wouldn’t call the aunties in if I thought they’d take him out with his boss, and you knew that David would come running if he thought I was in over my head. You set this whole thing up.”

“Did I?”

It took Allie a minute to unclench her teeth. “Don’t bullshit me, Gran.”

“All right, then, I did. I saw the Dragon Queen rising, and I put the pieces in play to save the world.” She rolled her eyes and adjusted her shawl. “How dreadful of me.”

“You let me think you were dead.”

“I’m sure that didn’t last very long, Kitten.”

“Not the point,” Allie growled. “And not the worst of it either. Michael was one of your pieces.”

Catherine Gale spread her hands, bracelets chiming. “You needed the extra push there at the end.”

“I don’t care about the rest.”

“About saving the city, and probably half the world if Jack’s mother had managed to get into the sky? Very cold, Kitten.”

“I don’t care that you manipulated the rest,” Allie amended. “But you used Brian to break Michael’s heart and then you used him to put Michael in danger, and that I cannot and will not forgive. Michael isn’t family, and there are things you can do for the sake of family that you do not do to those outside the blood.”

“Alysha.”

She shook her head. “Take the car. Or go through the Wood if you prefer, but get out. This city is closed to you.”

She’d never actually seen her grandmother look quite so astounded. Or astounded at all. “You can’t…”

“Yes. I can. Don’t make me prove it, Gran. It won’t be pleasant for either of us.”

They stared at each other for a long moment until Allie forced the older woman’s gaze to the floor.

After a long moment, she sighed and looked up, her expression carefully neutral. “I’ll take the car.”

“I thought you might.” Allie took a step back and released the yoyo. “I packed up your clothes and some personal things. They’re in the trunk.”

“Personal things?” Her grandmother frowned thoughtfully as she rolled the string onto the spool, then she snickered. “Oh, I see. And the rest?”

“You left it to me.”

“So I did.” Suddenly finding herself able to move, she started toward the store, then changed direction as Allie made a cautioning noise. “The garage. Of course.” Back door open, she paused. “Take care of things, Allie-cat.”

Allie didn’t much like the smile that accompanied the words. “I will.”

“Call me if you need me. And don’t say you won’t,” her grandmother cautioned, raising her hand. Allie wondered when she’d lost the tip of her second finger. It looked like it had been bitten off just below the nail. “Charlie’s not as much of a wild card as she thinks she is. Not yet.”

“We’ll be fine.”

“Still, the offer’s open.” The bushes perked up as she approached, slumped a little as she passed.

They’d get over it.

Allie waited until she heard the distinctive sound of the Beetle pulling away, waited until she could feel Gran turning onto Deerwood, then she went into the store. She’d know when Gran passed the family’s boundary. Or if she didn’t.

“How’d you know she’d take the car?” Joe asked.

“She left the registration in her name.”

“Oh.” He pulled a jar of small seashells out of the latest box he’d brought up from the cellar. “If she saw everything else that happened, do you think she saw you telling her to go?”

Maybe. Probably. “It doesn’t change what she did.” One of the shells gleamed unnaturally in the light. Allie sighed and made a mental note to pour them out onto the counter and check. Later. “If you’re good here, I’ll go next door and grab us some coffee.”

“I’m good here.”

Allie grinned at the way the points of his ears had turned scarlet, yet again, and noted that her charm had been definitely overwritten.

Kenny had both cups of coffee ready when she reached the counter. That sort of thing had been happening a lot lately, the city and everyone in it anticipating her needs. Rough life, she supposed, but someone had to live it.

Back in the store, Joe looked up and smiled.

“I sold a yoyo while you were gone.”