Griff
sat at a kitchen table in Darcy’s bare-bones apartment across from a half-drank cup of coffee.
“Werewolf?” Darcy laughed as he brought a warm cup of his own. “Who, me?”
blushed, but he knew he had to go on. “Look, I just think that there’s a possibility that maybe you could?—”
“Where are you getting this all from, anyway?” Darcy asked, sitting back in his chair. “Oh, let me guess. Your little wolf boyfriend with an agenda.”
“Darce,” pleaded. “Were you hurt that day at the homecoming ceremony? Did Pruitt scratch you, even unintentionally?”
“ Hurt? Are you kidding me?” Darcy chuckled dryly. “I’ve had a magical hangover since Odessa possessed me. My whole body has been in pain. I didn’t even make it to my first week of classes. But I’m recovering. Like I said, I feel like I have a second lease on life now.”
“If Pruitt’s DNA mixed with yours, you’re going to become a werewolf. It’s not an agenda; it’s just the facts,” said . “If you don’t know what you’re doing, people will get hurt. Lots of people. ”
Darcy stood up, pacing across the room as he cuffed his chin. “Didn’t you say a new werewolf can turn on the night of their first full moon? There was a full moon on homecoming night. Wouldn’t I know by now?”
“Pruitt told me that not all werewolves turn right away. I-if you missed your window, then?—”
“I think I would know, ,” Darcy replied sternly. “But it’s more than that, huh? You still don’t trust me. That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”
“Darcy, no!”
Darcy sighed, looking from down to the table before taking a seat. He swallowed hard, a pained look in his eyes. Finally, he rested his elbows on the edge of it, revealing his forearms. “You said one of you thought you saw some kind of wolf claw marks on my arm yesterday? Well, have a look.”
His muscular forearms were scratch- and scar-free.
began again. “I think that?—”
“Do you think I would hide something from you, ?” asked Darcy. “ I mean, really? Because of my actions when Odessa jumped inside my body—without consent, by the way—you’re not gonna trust me?”
bit his lip, unsure of what to say next. “So, can you say without a doubt that you weren’t bitten or scratched by a werewolf?”
“No, I can’t,” said Darcy. “I was cut up after the battle. It’s true.”
“W-well, what about recently?”
“Do you want me to get completely naked for you so you can have a look?” Darcy seemed serious.
Well... thought to himself, looking Darcy up and down. “So, you’re going to turn on the full moon?”
“I’m— I can’t say,” said Darcy, his lip quivering. “I don’t think so, but I don’t know for sure.”
“Sounds a little like hiding something from me,” replied, crossing his arms. The look in Darcy’s eyes, however, suggested he had no ill intent. “Fine. Will you let me keep an eye on you, Darcy? At least until after the full moon?”
“Does that mean I have to go to another one of your boyfriend’s football games? I mean, geez. Who scheduled this next game on a Sunday, anyway?” Darcy sighed, then nodded. “Sure, of course I will.”
“Thank you. How has your magic been since—you know, since everything happened?” asked.
jumped as the blinds to the kitchen opened.
“Pretty darn good, I’d say,” Darcy replied, a smirk on his face.
“Appetite?”
Darcy held up his own cup of coffee. “Not much of an appetite for raw deer flesh, or humans, or whatever werewolves want to eat, if that’s what you mean.”
“Okay.” tapped his foot nervously. “Well, uh, I like the new place.”
“I figured we might need some space after I was, you know, possessed by an evil witch hellbent on killing you.”
“Well—”
“And let’s not forget the fact that if you weren’t my roommate in the first place, none of this would’ve ever even happened,” Darcy continued. “Did you know that I didn’t even know I was a witch before this? Had a completely normal life.”
“You still can,” interjected.
“No,” Darcy said with a somber look. “I can’t.”
“Darcy, come on. Witch, werewolf—whatever you are—none of that means you can’t live the life you want to. You have a support system here.”
“Who?” Darcy asked, taking a sip from his cup. “You?”
“Me,” nodded. “And Pruitt. And Uriah.”
“You think it’s smart to trust a werewolf and a vampire? Odessa was after you because you were getting sweet on her paranormal ex-boyfriends. What makes you think staying with them is a good idea? Some prophecy?”
“It’s nothing to do with a prophecy,” defended . “They’re my familiars; they’re not evil. Odessa was.”
“Well, that’s your ancestor,” huffed Darcy. “Not mine.”
“Are you so sure?” asked.
Darcy looked away, his forehead wrinkling. “I still remember her inside of me, you know. A voice repeating in my head over and over again. Telling me to kill her last remaining family member: you. So, yes. I am sure.”
Okay, that makes a lot of sense, thought to himself.
“Besides,” continued Darcy, a coy look on his face. “I would’ve felt so weird about the crush I had on you if we were like cousins.”
was completely taken aback. “Crush?”
“Oh, um,” Darcy audibly swallowed, his face panicked. “Did I just say crush ?”
“Yes,” said with a smile.
Darcy looked down, then finally back up with a shy smile of his own. “I don’t mean to be out of line.”
Damn, were Pruitt and Uriah right? thought to himself.
“Don’t sweat it, Darce,” said, leaning forward and giving his friend’s arm a squeeze. “Look, I came here because you’re a witch, too, and I need your help. Old Mother Madge tells me all true witches descend from the line of the Original Witches. That means you might be able to help me find something I’m missing. Something important.”
Hesitant at first, Darcy’s hand met ’s on his arm. “Sure thing.”
A clap of thunder in the distance caught them both off guard. dropped his satchel, which sent its contents tumbling.
“Some storm, huh?” Darcy said. “Let me help.”
“Oh, I got it,” said, quickly grabbing up the spilled items, which included Pruitt’s car keys, a tube of chapstick, and a small empty vial. “Think you’re up for stopping by the magic shop with me? I can explain more on our way.”
“Think Pruitt would ever let me drive this thing?” Darcy asked from the passenger seat as the car came to a stop.
“No,” giggled. “But I think the real question is, what’s your beef with Pruitt, anyway?”
Darcy shrugged. “I guess I don’t have one, honestly. I might have been a little jealous of him—just because he was the cool guy on campus. Maybe a bit of a player or a ladies’ man, I guess, but clearly I was off on at least that last part. And then when he came and picked you up at our dorm? I know I was possessed, but I still remember feeling some kind of way.” He paused before speaking again. “In the end, though, he helped save me from Odessa. It feels like there’s something else about him that’s slipping my mind, though— almost like it’s something I can’t say.”
“ Can’t say, huh?” thought to himself as he rummaged through his bag, his eyes settling on the empty vial from earlier. “Wonder if it’s got something to do with— hm .”
“Huh?” Darcy asked.
“Nothing,” quickly covered. “I’m excited to show you this place. Come on.”
The two witches exited the car and entered the magic shop they were now parked in front of.
“Wasn’t expecting to see you so soon,” a familiar voice greeted . “And with another blossoming witch, no doubt.”
The smells of sage and incense filled ’s nostrils, a calming feeling coming over him as he made eye contact with his mentor.
Old Mother Madge was positioned in a cozy reading nook at the very front of the shop, her rocking chair moving back and forth as she cradled an oversized book in her arms. She motioned for and Darcy to join her in the space—a triangular spot near the shop’s book section that also boasted a large rug, two couches, a coffee table, and several lamps.
“Loving the new shop set-up,” said with a smile, placing his bag on the closest couch as he took a seat. Another familiar face, Prospero the cat, leapt into the seat next to him, purring and playfully pawing at the freshman witch. “It’s good to see you both.”
“The sentiment is shared.” The elder witch smiled warmly, then turned her attention to Darcy. “Not still possessed by an evil witch, are you, young man?”
“Ah, I see what you mean about the whole no-filter thing,” Darcy said to as he took a seat on the opposite couch. “And no, ma’am. Only one controlling me is—well, me, I think. ”
“Hmph.” Old Mother Madge examined Darcy with a keen eye. “Very well, then. I assume you two are here about ’s magic cloaking spell?”
“We are,” replied . “Thought adding an extra witch to the mix could help us out.”
“It appears your friend here is already cloaked,” Old Mother Madge said as she nodded to Darcy. “Do you have possession of your family’s grimoire?”
Darcy shook his head. “No, I don’t. I’m guessing it’s something Odessa did to me to prevent ’s boyfriends from finding out her plan. Didn’t even know I was a witch until her hold on me broke.”
Old Mother Madge nodded. “Interesting.”
Darcy seemed preoccupied by a large purple crystal sitting on the table before them. He grabbed it up, tossing it from one hand to another. “Cool. What is this?”
“ Mine ,” Old Mother Madge replied, telekinetically retrieving it from his hands in a matter of seconds.
shot Darcy a look. Darcy held up his hands, a look of surprised defeat on his face.
“Now, why don’t you two join hands with me for a minute?” continued Old Mother Madge.
“Huh?” Darcy asked.
“Just do what she says,” said under his breath.
The shopkeeper set her large book down on the coffee table between them before reaching out and joining their handfasting. “May magic map the way,” she whispered. “Now, you say it.”
Darcy hesitated. “May magic map— uh, what was it?”
“May magic map the way,” chanted. Darcy blushed, then repeated the same lines. That’s when the two young witches noticed that the book placed in the middle of their magic circle was turned to a page with a large map of Mystic Hollow.
The three chanted in unison until Old Mother Madge’s eyes glazed over white. “Ah, yes,” she finally interrupted them. “As suspected.”
“W-what is it?” asked.
“Hum,” Old Mother Madge chanted, an electronic credit card reader floating above her head. Her sing-songy tune became louder and more pronounced. “Hum, hum!”
“What’s she doing?” Darcy whispered.
realized what was happening. “Ah, of course,” he sighed. He reached for his bag, pulled out a credit card, and stuck it in the card reader.
“The book which you seek is?—”
Beep! The sound of the card reader interrupted Old Mother Madge’s revelation.
The elder witch’s eyes returned to normal as she grabbed the small machine and read the error message. “Oh, sorry, honey,” she said in a hushed voice to . “We don’t accept American Express. Too high of a fee for a small business owner such as myself.”
“My bad,” blushed as he fumbled through his bag. He pulled out the card and slid in another one. “Here you go.”
With the chime of a successful transaction, Old Mother Madge’s eyes once again lost their pupils. “The book which you seek is located in the crypt from which Odessa arose. You can find it?—”
“ At the bottom of Lovers' Lane Lake ,” finished her sentence, just as the purple crystal the elder witch had grabbed up landed at the same spot on the map before them.
Old Mother Madge’s eyes returned to normal. She caught the card reader just as it dropped.
looked over to Darcy. “How do you feel about doing some crypt exploration?”
“I’m up for anything,” Darcy said with a wink.
Old Mother Madge looked from one witch to the other, a suspicious grin on her face. “I like this one,” she said, motioning to Darcy as she handed back his card.
“What about the ingredients for the spell?” asked.
“Oh, yes, of course,” said Old Mother Madge. “Prospero?”
The cat reappeared next to Darcy, a stapled paper bag in his mouth. The witch grabbed it up before rubbing the feline’s chin affectionately. “Good kitty.”
Prospero batted at Darcy’s hand and hissed before disappearing.
“He’s hit or miss with strangers, I guess,” Old Mother Madge said, although it appeared to like she was holding something back.
“Uh, before we go, do you mind if I use your restroom?” Darcy asked, standing up and handing the bag to .
“Well, since you’re with a paying customer, it’s just down this row to the right,” Old Mother Madge gestured.
“Always the stickler,” teased.
“Give me two minutes,” Darcy said with a smile as he disappeared down the next aisle.
“Hmph,” Old Mother Madge said as she looked up and down. “He’s cute when he’s not possessed.”
’s cheeks turned rosy. “Don’t even say what you’re thinking.”
“Oh, fine,” said Old Mother Madge before lowering her voice. “By the way, how did that truth serum work?”
“Good, I think. At least more stable than when I do a truth spell. But I’ve only used some of it.” hesitated. “It feels—I don’t know—dirty.”
“I understand.”
The young witch bit his lip as he recalled his earlier interaction with Darcy. “Old Mother Madge, is there something that could stop him—I mean, uh, the subject—from telling me the full truth, even with the serum?”
“Hm,” began the elder witch as she rose from her seat, “it is possible. My guess is it wouldn’t work a hundred percent of the time if he were still possessed—or, perhaps, controlled by something else.”
raised a brow as Old Mother Madge shuffled through a stack of nearby books. Finally, she handed one over to him. “This might be relevant to what you told me on your drive back to town.”
He traced his fingers across the title of the book, Magical Parasites & Other Possession Tricks . “Thank you,” he whispered.
“Don’t worry,” the shopkeeper chuckled. “I already included it in your total from earlier.”
“Of course you did,” said with a smile.
“As for the spell, find your grimoire, follow the instructions in that bag, and you’ll be cloaked in no time. If you’re walking into what you think you’re walking into tonight, you’ll need it.”
Darcy popped his head out from behind a shelf, his face lit up like a kid’s might be in a toy store. “Whoa, do you think I can buy one of these sweet wands before we go, ?”
let out a long sigh. “How about we come back later?”
“But !” Darcy whined.
rolled his eyes.
ignored the posted sign that read Lovers’ Lane Lake - Temporarily Closed as he weaved through a dozen roadblocks. At the edge of the main road to enter the lake’s parking lot, an impassable barrier blocked both sides of the path, preventing any car from passing.
“What are we going to do about that?” Darcy asked from the passenger seat.
“Watch and learn,” said as he revved the engine. “Or, should I say, witch and learn .”
Taking off at a high speed, lifted one hand up and flung the barrier out of the way, sending it crashing into a nearby ditch.
“Whoa! Looks like your telekinesis is getting better and better,” Darcy said with a smile. “Very cool.”
“I’m trying. You about ready for our first spell together?”
“Not really, if I’m being honest,” admitted Darcy. “But something about casting with you by my side has me feeling more confident than I ever have been.”
“Good,” said with a half-smile. Let’s hope that’s enough.
The car reached the edge of the empty crater once known as Lovers' Lane Lake before put it into park. The two witches gathered the necessary supplies in two backpacks and made their way to the shallowest end of the basin.
As they surveyed the drained lake, Darcy couldn’t help but chuckle. “I told you back on move-in day that I’d take you on a tour of the city’s best sights to see one day—and here we are. I didn’t expect to see fossilized panties down there, though.”
“Trust me,” began , “you’re about to see more than just ancient underwear.”
“So, you said there’s some kind of crypt that Odessa came out of?”
“Look right there,” pointed at a small, dark cave directly across the crater.
“And how do you propose we make it down there?”
“Telekinesis,” said without a beat. “Take my hand.”
Darcy gave his friend a once-over before looking back at himself. “Wait, you really think you can carry me, too? I’ve got at least three inches and twenty pounds on you.”
“Twenty?” scoffed. “ Please. ”
“What? I’ve been hitting the gym,” Darcy purposefully broadened his shoulders, giving a slight flex.
“Sure,” teased, grabbing Darcy’s hand. His face lit up as Darcy quickly squeezed back tighter, wrapping his thumb around ’s as though to suggest he was the dominant hand-holder. Cute, he thought to himself. “Here goes nothing.”
The rocks near their feet shook and lifted into the air. His lips pursed, concentrated on his powers. With the blink of an eye, their shoes lifted off the ground and they floated towards the opening.
“Th-this is where you stopped her, isn’t it?” Darcy asked, his voice quiet as though they might wake something.
nodded, lavender sparks dancing along his feet as they moved closer. “It is.”
Remnants of the shattered boulder that once sealed Odessa’s underground prison could be seen strewn across the ground as and Darcy landed in the lake bed.
“You think her tomb was here before or after the meteor that made this hole?” asked Darcy.
“Why?” countered. “You think we’re descendants of magic aliens?”
“Makes you wonder about the other craters is all,” continued the taller witch.
“Well, you might be in luck,” said . “That’s where we’ll be headed next if we can’t find what we’re looking for here.”
activated the flashlight on his smartphone as he neared the entrance of the crypt.
“So, all this fuss about a book, huh?” Darcy asked, clearly trying to make small talk. “D-do you like reading?”
“I do, actually,” replied , taking the first step into darkness. “Checking out an old used book fair or maybe an independent bookstore is much more my vibe than, you know, perusing the catalog of some ancestral tomb, but yes. How about you?”
“Definitely, but I’m more of an ebook guy myself,” Darcy said with a wink before following into the cavern.
“Well, something tells me we can’t get this grimoire for your Kindle.”