Chapter 13
Chapter thirteen
Irewarded myself with a nap, to make up for the lost sleep. For once, Cosmo agreed with me. Magical powers or not, he followed a sensible feline routine. Or training me exhausted him too.
I woke up an hour later, without so much as the flicker of a nightmare to freak me out.
Beside me, Cosmo yawned. At a quick calculation, he occupied two thirds of my bed.
Considering that he had more cushy sleeping spots than most kings, I wondered if he wanted to gently remind me who was boss or if he was trying to guard me.
My joints creaked as I rolled my shoulders. It reminded me that I needed to put self-care in my priority list. Not the reiki guy who came so highly commended, though. My preference went more towards Pilates or aqua aerobics. Unless Cosmo taught me a spell to magic away minor ailments.
He gave me a blank stare when I asked him about it after a late lunch. “What’s wrong with humans? Always wanting the easy option.”
That stung. “I don’t. And neither did my aunt.”
“That’s true. Violet accepted the laws of nature. Pills for her heart, speaking louder when she went a little deaf.”
“And I don’t? I’m only asking, which for the record, I wouldn’t have to do, if you’d stop acting all secretive. If I had more information, I’d be able to adjust a lot faster.”
He flexed his paw and cleaned the space between his toes. I harbored the suspicion he used these dramatic pauses to decide how much to tell me. “Stop treating me like a child,” I said.
“Sure?”
“Cosmo. I’m close to hitting the big five-oh, menopause makes me hot and cranky, and if you want me to learn anything before I develop brain fog, you better hurry.”
“How can you be sure it’s the menopause?”
“Because I’m having symptoms?” Now I was really having a mood swing. Before, I’d thrown in the bit about being cranky for good measure, so he could admire my restraint.
“It could also be the magic.”
“What?”
“It happens a lot. You can feel a temperature surge when you practice magic, or when someone else does. It’s also possible that a person with powers is close to you, whether they use their gifts or not.”
I tried to digest that information. “I’m not going through the change?”
“Trust me, you’re still going through a lot of changes. I’m simply saying, hot flashes can have many causes.”
“Perfect. Now I not only have to worry about getting through them without dissolving into a puddle, I also have to worry about the causes?”
“It’ll be fine. It takes a bit of practice to control them, but under my guidance you’ll get there.”
“So, I can use magic?” I perked up.
“If we can undo the blockage and you’re willing to pay the price.”
“That sounds – not great.”
He ran around in circles. “That’s why I need to teach you the right way, once you’re ready for the lessons.
A good witch only ever interferes to help others.
No personal gain, that’s the main rule. If you step over that line even only once, there’s hardly any witch makes it back from the dark side.
” His speed increased. So did his agitation.
“You might tell yourself, it’s only one spell, I need to pay my bills, or I want to get rid of my wrinkles, or she deserves to win the lottery, or to get that promotion.
But then it becomes harder and harder to stop, and suddenly you’re drunk with power and greed. ”
An icy lump formed in the pit of my stomach. “Do you think that could happen to me?”
“I hope not. But you might come up against evil, if you haven’t already.”
“Are you trying to tell me Jake was killed by another witch? Who are they? Wouldn’t Aunt Violet have noticed?” My pitch rose to a level that must hurt Cosmo’s sensitive ears. I pressed one nostril shut and forced myself to take yogic breaths, alternating nostrils.
“No, and maybe. You don’t have to be one of us to be evil. And the more powerful you are, the easier it is to hide.”
“How many ‘of us’ are we talking about in Willowmere, or Cannon Hill?”
“A handful, probably. Some aren’t aware of their gifts, while others practice, to achieve certain powers.”
“Like Ange?” He stopped circling, and his fur smoothed down which I took for a yes. “I can trust her, right? And Harper and Reina?”
He smoothed his whiskers.“I think so.”
Why, oh why did he hesitate before he answered? “What about you? Can you sniff them out? Preferably both good witches and bad witches?”
“To a certain degree.”
“Oh.” I’d expected his vanity to get the better of him, so he’d elaborate.
“It’s not that simple.” His head drooped.
I scooped him up and kissed him. “Sorry,” I said immediately after. “You have to tell me when I’m acting inappropriately.”
“It’s fine. I am a cat, and we are irresistible.”
“Good, but I interrupted you.”
“I can sniff them out, as you put it, but to do that I have to drop my, well, I guess you’d call it cloaking. Both Violet and I would have had to expose ourselves.”
“And then you’d be on the bad guy’s radar?”
“Yeah. And even nine lives can run out.”
The room spun. I steadied myself on the table, congratulating myself that I’d kept on sitting. If a witch cat had to fear for his life, what chance did I stand if I revealed myself? I was as good as toast.