Chapter 30
Gunnar had driven past the Ellingham estate, but he’d never been inside. He gazed at it as he parked on the edge of the circular drive. “This is a house and a half. I wonder what the light bill is.”
“Probably a lot.”
It was the first thing Mattie had said since they’d gotten into the truck.
He understood. She was worried. They all were.
He almost reached out to comfort her but then realized he wasn’t quite sure how to do that.
A pat on the hand? What was he, her mother?
The leg? No, too intimate. The shoulder?
That felt like something one guy would do to another.
Instead, he threw the truck into park, turned off the engine, and asked, “You’ve been here before?”
“Just to see Alice. She buys candles and honey from me.” Mattie stared at the house like she wanted to be anywhere else.
“Alice must like you then.”
“I guess we’ll see.”
He was not letting her take the fall for this, regardless of who Alice thought was responsible. “Ready to go in?”
“Yeah, okay.”
Blueberry had fallen asleep on her lap. Gunnar wanted to say something to make her feel better. “Whatever happens … it’s on me.”
“No, it’s not. It’s on me. I should have never left Blueberry behind at Delaney’s. I should have just dealt with the consequences of waking him up and brought him home.”
“Let’s go see what we’re dealing with, huh?”
She nodded.
“I’ll get your door so you don’t have to wake him.” Gunnar got out and came around to her side.
She got out, cradling the imp in her hand, and they headed for the double doors. Gunnar knocked, and the door was soon opened by a butler.
“Gunnar Briggs and Mattie Sharpe for Alice Bishop.”
“Of course.” The butler nodded. “Right this way.”
They followed him in. The place smelled like money. There wasn’t an inch that wasn’t beautifully finished or decorated in a way that gave museum vibes. The butler led them a short way down the hall and opened another door, gesturing for them to enter.
They did. It was a sitting room that could have easily belonged to royalty. Which Elenora Ellingham basically was, so no surprise there.
“Ms. Bishop will be along shortly. Please make yourselves comfortable.” The butler left, closing the door as he went.
Mattie looked around. “I’ve never been in here before.”
Gunnar jerked his chin at the sofa. “You think that thing will hold me? All of this furniture looks a little delicate.”
She sat on the sofa. “I think you’ll be fine.”
He’d been teasing, again trying to lighten the mood, but she hadn’t picked up on that. Blueberry continued to snooze. Gunnar sat next to Mattie. Close but not too close.
The door opened, but it wasn’t Alice who came in. It was the butler again, this time pushing a cart with tea and a three-tiered plate of cookies, little cakes, and tiny tarts.
“Would you care for tea or something else to drink?”
Mattie nodded. “Tea would be nice.”
Gunnar shook his head. “I’m fine.” The cups and saucers looked delicate. The last thing he wanted to do was break something that probably cost more than his work boots.
The butler fixed Mattie’s tea and set it on the coffee table. “Please feel free to help yourself to anything else you’d like.”
He left.
Gunnar assessed the contents of the three-tiered plate. “She wouldn’t offer us snacks if she was planning to kick us out, would she?”
“I have no idea.” She, too, seemed to be evaluating the treats. “Are you going to take one? I will if you do.”
Blueberry sat up. “I smell sugar.”
Gunnar rolled his eyes. Of course he did. “Be on your best behavior.”
“Is that a wish?”
Gunnar almost answered yes, but he wasn’t sure how that would go. “Just a strongly worded suggestion.”
“Blue,” Mattie said. “If I get you a cookie and a napkin, can you sit beside me and not make a mess while eating it?”
The imp leaped into the air and did a slow spin around the cart. “I want a cookie and a tart. And that pink cake.”
“Okay, but you have to be neat and quiet,” Mattie said.
“Yeah, yeah.” He made grabby hands at the confections.
“Sit.” She got up, put the things he wanted on a napkin, and brought it back to the sofa. He’d already sat. She put the napkin in front of him. “Neat and quiet,” she repeated. “We don’t want to upset Alice any more than she already is.”
He nodded with the cookie in his mouth.
She was about to take another of the little cakes when the door opened again.
This time it was Alice.
She smiled weakly at them, the expression lasting barely long enough for it to register. “Please, help yourself. Don’t let me stop you.”
Gunnar’s appetite had disappeared. He stood up. “Ms. Bishop.”
“Ranger Briggs. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Alice glanced at Mattie. “Matilda.”
It had never occurred to him that Mattie was short for Matilda. He tucked that away for future reference.
Alice poured a cup of tea, added honey to it, and took it to one of the chairs with her. She sat, drank a small sip, then set the cup and saucer aside. “I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here.”
“Very much,” Mattie said.
Gunnar cleared his throat. “I have an idea. The magic wasn’t really fixed with the last wish, was it?”
Mattie looked at him. “You knew that?”
“I had a hunch.” He shrugged. “Small incident on the trail earlier. I handled it.”
Alice answered him. “You’re right, Ranger Briggs. The magic wasn’t really fixed.”
“I had a feeling,” Mattie muttered, staring at her cup.
Alice let out a soft sigh. “I don’t blame any of you.”
That got Gunnar’s attention. Mattie looked up. Blueberry stopped eating. Gunnar wasn’t sure if this was a ploy to get them to admit to something or what. “You don’t?”
“No. And this is why I’ve called you here. I need help.” She folded her hands in her lap, unfolded them, and touched a gold ring on her finger, twisting it once before quieting her hands again. “It isn’t easy for me to admit this, but I must.”
She looked at Blueberry. “Jinn magic is strong. Ancient. Older than mine, for certain.” Her expression pinched, like she’d tasted something rotten.
Her gaze lifted to Gunnar. “The wish you made, about tourists’ eyes being opened?
It was formidable. It had to be to counteract the spell I placed on the water years ago. ”
She hesitated, maybe trying to find the right words. “Your wish to make things right worked, but the strength of the first wish caused some damage. Damage that has not yet been undone.”
“I don’t understand,” Mattie said quietly.
Alice took another sip of tea, then replaced her cup. “The jinn magic weakened my spell.”
“Can’t you just … strengthen it?”
“That is my plan,” Alice said. “But a spell of that magnitude requires more than words.”
Seemingly agitated, she got up from her chair and walked to one of the windows. She stood there, gazing out. “No one knows what I’m about to tell you, except for Elenora.”
She turned to face them. “I trust you will all keep my confidence?”
“Of course,” Mattie said. She nudged Blueberry.
He coughed out a crumb of cake. “What?”
“Blue.” Mattie made eyes at him and gestured toward Alice. “Tell Ms. Bishop you’ll keep secret whatever she’s about to tell us.”
“I swear,” he said. “I’m great at keeping secrets.”
Gunnar wasn’t so sure about that. He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good,” Alice said. She returned to her chair.
She looked older than she had just a second ago.
“The spell that guards this town by way of its water isn’t merely comprised of words.
It’s powered by an amulet, built around an ancient coin, perfect for the task.
A silver stater from Crete. It’s exceptionally rare and features a minotaur on one side and a labyrinth on the other. ”
Gunnar nodded, but he wasn’t sure why she was telling them this.
“The minotaur is a powerful guardian. The labyrinth is the ultimate symbol of deception, illusion, and hidden truths.” Her gaze took on a faraway look, as if she was remembering the coin.
“It was the absolutely ideal vehicle for my spell. That coin gave the spell structure in a way nothing else could.”
Gunnar couldn’t help himself. “Why share this with us?”
Alice returned her attention to them. “Because the only way to protect the town is to renew the spell. I need that amulet.”
He shrugged. “No problem. Where is it?”
She sighed so deeply, she seemed to deflate. “At the bottom of the falls.”