The Opal Witch: Prophecy (Book Two)

Chapter Thirteen

Lux hid her shock. She supposed she shouldn't be too surprised that someone had documented their kind, but to have the truth lumped in among all the rest... Of course, anyone who believed or practiced the other branches might think the same about the bit about angelic ancestors. And who was to say the others couldn't access magic?

"Did you hear a word I said?"

She snapped her head up and winced. Now was not the time to be philosophical. She was trying to find a murderer.

"I am so sorry. I was just taking it all in. I didn't know there were so many kinds of magic."

"Oh, yes," Jessie said on a sigh. "I myself believe magic is all around us. It's why I stock up on crystals and oils. Even gemstones. They each have magical properties if you can clear your mind enough to channel them."

"That's so cool," Lux said, going on high alert. Why had Jessie felt it necessary to point out angelic magic? And then to talk about channeling through gemstones.

"How old are you?"

"Why is there an age limit for this place?" Lux asked, doing her best to sound like a surly teenager.

"Oh, nothing like that. I was about your age when I started to follow this path. I just think we're kindred spirits."

I seriously doubt that.

"Oh. I turned seventeen last week."

Behind her, something crashed to the floor, and Lux spun around to see the top of a blonde head bent over a stack of fallen books. The girl hunched beneath their scrutiny and didn't look up as she started to re-shelve the items.

"Why that's the perfect age to start," Jessie exclaimed and tugged Lux back around. She clapped her hands before pulling books from the shelf. One by one, she dropped them in Lux's arms, only stopping when she saw Lux's earrings. "Those are very pretty. A birthday gift?"

"My mother took me to a shop to pick them out. Amulets, I think. It's a lot like this place. Maybe a little more... creepy."

Jessie tittered. "I would stay away from that place if I were you. I've heard rumors they're into the dark stuff."

Ruby would lose her mind if she heard the woman say that. She'd worked hard to distance the shop's reputation from Daphne's misdeeds.

"That's terrible. You think I should return these? That maybe they're tainted somehow?"

They were at the checkout counter, and Jessie rang up every book without double checking that Lux wanted to purchase them.

"Oh, no. I wouldn't go that far. Obsidian, right?"

"Yes. Good eye."

"I know my jewelry. You might just be an earth witch. Obsidian helps you connect to the earth."

Lux tried not to groan at the three digit total. It was a good thing she still lived at home or this would have wiped her out. Coffee shop tips didn't allow for a lot of luxuries. With a quick spell to change the name on the card, she handed the bit of plastic over with a fake smile of her own.

"Natasha Wilkins. Very nice to meet you. Please come back and see me after you've had a chance to go through these books. It's really important to have a mentor during this journey."

"Absolutely. Thanks so much, Jessie."

She hoisted the heavy bag of books and walked out of the store, heart hammering as she tried to look somewhat natural. Hanish's eyes were locked on her as he ran his finger over the rim of a Styrofoam coffee cup. Dropping into the seat beside him, she reached across the table and drew his hand into hers.

"Did she watch me come over here?"

"Yes. For a few seconds, and then she turned around and marched to the back of the store. Toward another girl."

"I think one of the employees in there knocked some things over. Jessie seems like the type to chew out someone for a little mistake."

"Jessie, huh? Did you pick up anything else? The shop wasn't very busy."

"I thought I would just drop the info that I was newly seventeen and looking into magic, see if it would get around, but Jessie was way too interested. Not to mention, she made several references to our particular type of magic."

The Sylph rolled his shoulders and tightened his grip on Lux's hand. "You think she could be the one we're looking for?"

"It feels way too easy, but it's the perfect set up. I mean, Daphne was running the same scam out of Amulets. This place probably gets way more traffic, and because it has a more mainstream appeal, people aren't going to be as scared to wander in."

"All good points."

"Let's get out of here. I don't think we'll accomplish much more if we wander around, and I'd actually like to look through some of these books. If they really mention angelic witches, they might have other grains of truth in them."

Hanish held up a book and rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure The Psychic Phases of the Moon is going to be a riveting read."

"Shut up. Watch the books for a minute. I'm going to run to the bathroom. It's a long drive home, and I don't want to stop."

He waved her away, already deep into the pages of the book he'd just scorned. She chuckled, wishing she could read the Fae's mind. He had to find humans to be odd creatures, though, he did seem to love Travis. And that was enough for her.

"Excuse me," Lux said, sliding past a woman rushing out of the bathroom.

She flipped the lock on the door at the same time she reached for the light switch. There was a bright flash as light flooded the room, but it lasted only a moment as pain shot through the back of her head. It was dark again before she hit the floor.