Ghost Light

My shoulders slumped as the last rush of adrenaline bled away.  I’d put my body through too many fight or flight situations for one day.  I wanted to be sleeping in my bed, not rousing a powerful witch from hers.

Chapter 6

The door snicked shut behind me, closing out the night and sealing me in.  I paused and waited for my eyes to adjust to the dark.  The Emporium was black as the inside of a closed coffin, but I was able to make out the clutter of obstacles in my path.  My fae heritage had recently endowed me with exceptional night vision.

It was a good thing, since Kaye’s shop was nearly impossible to navigate even in daylight.  Without night vision I’d likely end up tripped by a witch’s broom, tangled in imitation spider’s web, and my head wedged inside a cauldron filled with plastic vampire teeth.  Not my idea of a fun way to spend the night.  And make no mistake; Kaye would leave me there until Arachne rescued me in the morning.  She’d think it was a hoot.

I scowled at the tangle of foam reaper scythes, plastic skeletons, monster masks, and herb displays crowding my path.  The Burning Times had left its mark on those with magical talent.  Some witches hid their home high upon a cliff or within a tunnel of thick briars.  Kaye chose to live in the back of her shop, a location just as insurmountable especially to anyone, or anything, she wanted to keep away.

And to those of us she deemed welcome visitors?  We had to be careful where we stepped or risk breaking our necks.  Even the welcome mat was unwelcoming with its message, “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”

I wiped my boots on the mat and stomped deeper into the shop.

* * *

I found Kaye in her spell kitchen, alone.  She stood, fully dressed, eyes bright, holding a book under her arm and a mug of something steaming in her hands.  She looked completely awake, which didn’t seem quite fair.  I felt like something the cat sidhe dragged in, half dead and nibbled around the edges.

“Where’s Hob?” I asked.

I glanced around the kitchen, eyes searching for the small brownie, but he was nowhere to be seen.  Of course, the little imp was adept at hiding.  Hob loved ambushing unwary visitors.  I hoped he wasn’t offended by the late hour of my visit.  Hob’s pranks were legendary.

“Asleep, below the hearth,” she said softly.  “Let’s leave him be, for now.”

I nodded, pulling a small gift for Hob from my pocket.  I tiptoed to the hearth and set the shiny package on the mantel where he would see it later.  Brownies expected an offering for entry into their territory.  I wouldn’t risk Hob’s ire by visiting without leaving a gift.

The hearth area was quiet.  Hob may be sleeping quietly below the hearthstone, but where were Marvin’s snores?  I searched the floor, but we seemed to be missing one large bridge troll.

“And Marvin?” I asked.

Hob, and Kaye, had been letting the orphaned troll crash here until he’d recovered from his injuries.  Though Marvin’s face seemed to have healed, I suspected the kid had emotional scars that ran deeper.  Those wounds would take longer to heal.

“Trying out a newly vacated bridge,” she said.

She said the news as if it was nothing, but an unoccupied bridge meant Marvin could be getting new digs.  I pressed a hand to my stomach where a pang of pain gnawed deep in my gut.  I knew the kid needed his own place eventually, but hoped he wasn’t rushing into things too soon.  The streets were a hard place to live on your own, and…I wasn’t ready to see him go.

I felt my mouth go dry and cleared my throat.

“In Harborsmouth?” I asked.

“Yes, dear,” she said.  “Don’t worry about the lad.  He’s just around the corner along Myrtle Street where a footpath crosses the old stream bed.  He’ll be fine.”

I shrugged, looking away.

“Who said I was worried?” I said.

“Nobody, dear,” she said.

I glanced up to see her eyes twinkling.  Caught in her gaze, I shifted from foot to foot wondering where to begin.

“Jinx went shopping today,” I said.  I let out a heavy sigh.  “Which means I had to go shopping too.”

“Why would you…?” she asked.

“She went shopping on Joysen Hill,” I said.

“Oh, well then,” she said.  Kaye harrumphed and shook her head.  “I don’t see why you like the foolish, clumsy girl so much anyway.  She’s likely to get you into trouble.”

“Is that prescience or just your dislike for her?” I asked.

“It doesn’t take a toss of the bones to know the girl’s trouble,” she said.  “But I’m guessing you didn’t come knocking at my door, rousing me from my bed, to talk about roommate troubles.”

Kaye didn’t look like she’d tumbled from her bed, but I grit my teeth and kept the thought to myself.  Starting things off with an argument wouldn’t get me answers.  In fact, it wouldn’t be good for my health.  Whether or not Kaye had been asleep, I was calling on her at an inconsiderate hour.  Her wry amusement could easily turn to annoyance if I didn’t pick my words carefully.

“I have questions,” I said.