Spell Book & Scandal

Chapter Twenty-Two

"If we leave now, there's still enough daylight for a hike at the falls. Or we can go downtown for a little retail therapy. Whichever you'd like."

Multnomah Falls is one of my favorite spots; it's this series of fairy tale waterfalls with walking trails and a big bridge that goes right in front of the water, and even though it's a tourist spot, it's always peaceful, no matter how busy it is. I answer without thinking about what Christina would say. "The falls."

Mom studies my face, and after a moment, I cringe. Christina never wants to spend more time outdoors than she has to, and I know that she would have jumped at the chance to go into Portland and go shopping, but I don't want to make Mom even more suspicious by changing my mind. Besides, I tell myself, just because I'm stuck in her body for now doesn't mean I'm not allowed to still be me. I hold my breath, waiting for Mom to ask me something that will give me away, but she just smiles.

"Go get changed. I think I have a pair of hiking boots that will fit you."

I nod and turn for the stairs, but before I go up, I glance back at Mom. "Can we not talk about it? Can we just go and be there and forget everything for a while?"

Mom's face softens, and for one hopeless moment, it looks like she's about to cry. Before I can wonder what's wrong, she nods and hurries back into the kitchen, leaving me alone on the stairs.

***

Mom doesn't talk on the drive out to the falls, and she doesn't say anything when I take control of the car radio and blast a classic rock station. I can't worry about whether or not Christina likes the same music as Mom and me; right now, I just need to clear my head.

When we pull off the highway, the big lot by the falls is barely half full, and Mom smiles as she gets out of the car. "Doesn't look too busy," she says offhandedly, and I grin in response.

"I don't care how busy it is. I just needed to get away."

We head toward the meandering trail, and I can feel Mom's eyes on me from behind. What in the world is she thinking? I clear my throat, wondering if I should say something, but then I give up. I'm tired of lying, and even if it means Mom suspects something, I don't have the energy to be anybody but me out here.

The path is covered with fallen leaves, and our feet crunch through the fall foliage, even though there's still a layer of gold on the trees around us. Somewhere in the last month, autumn has come and almost gone, and I inhale deeply, enjoying the earthy smells of the forest and the sharp, clear scent of the falls. The trail twists and turns, and even though I can hear the subtle roar of the falls, I know we won't come out to a view of the water until the trail rounds the bend by the big curved tree up ahead. Sunlight dapples through the leaves, but the air is cold, and with a shiver, it really hits me that Halloween is next week. I have less than five days to get back in my body, or else Christina's going to fail her Threes in the most spectacular way.

I wonder if I can just scribe a spell and reverse this without Christina, I think, my eyes drifting around the woods but not really focusing on anything. Even if Christina doesn't believe it's my fault, I know it is. But I'm not sure what I did when I wrote the spell in the first place, I remind myself, and if I don't know what I did, how can I undo it?

My feet slow at the first overlook, and Mom comes to stand beside me for a moment, watching the steady stream of water crashing straight down, spraying the people on the bridge who've stopped with their cameras.

"Forces of nature," Mom says softly from beside me, "have always reminded me of your girls."

I swivel my head to look at her. "What do you mean?"