7
The SUV rattled and shook as Jacob drove over the uneven gravel road that likely hadn’t been graded in years. He swerved, trying to miss one hole, but promptly landed in another one, sending them both bouncing high enough that Jacob’s head hit the roof of the SUV. He let out a groan and leaned forward, trying his best to see any hazards in the shade from the redwoods.
“I think we’re almost there,” Yvette said. She was squinting at her mapping software, but it had already failed them twice and they’d ended up at two dead ends before turning around to try again.
“If we don’t get there soon, I’m afraid we might lose the suspension,” Jacob muttered as he gritted his teeth and jerked to avoid yet another pothole.
“Good thing you’re an air witch,” Yvette said. “You’d be able to repair it at least long enough to get us home.”
He glanced at her, took in her smug expression, and then went back to concentrating on the road. She was right, of course. If a tire blew or the suspension was shot, his magic would be enough for at least a temporary fix. The realization eased some of his tension, making it easier to navigate.
The road suddenly came to a dead end, and Jacob let out a curse. “Dammit. We’re never going to find this place.”
“We have to,” Yvette said calmly and then got out of the vehicle.
Jacob ran his hands through his hair and then joined her.
“Do you feel that?” she asked as she raised her hand.
“All I feel is a slight breeze,” he said, frustrated and more than a little impatient.
“Exactly. It’s just enough to cast a finding spell.” She smiled up at him. “I can help you if you want.”
A finding spell. Why hadn’t he thought of that? Jacob was an air witch. If he cast a finding spell, the air would guide him to help him find Marylin, and it certainly would be more accurate than Yvette’s phone app had been. “Let’s do it.”
“I need a piece of paper,” Yvette said as she yanked the SUV’s door open again. “And a pen.”
“Check the console.” Jacob stood facing the mountain, just knowing that they were close to Marylin’s house. He could feel it. He just couldn’t see it.
“Got them both.” Yvette returned and held out a tiny slip of paper to him. “Take this. Put it in the palm of your hand and make a fist. Hold on until I tell you to let go.”
Jacob did as he was told. While he had air magic, he wasn’t exactly an expert at casting spells. It just wasn’t something he ran around doing all the time.
Yvette took his free hand and said, “Now imagine the written address in your hand floating on the wind. Imagine it floating right toward Marylin’s house.”
“I don’t know what it looks like,” he said.
“Just imagine any old house. Or a cabin if you prefer. The details don’t matter here. It’s the intention.”
“Okay. I’ve got it.” He imagined a gorgeous log cabin with smoke wafting from the chimney. There was a horse right outside, along with two goats.
“Good. Now repeat after me,” Yvette said. “Goddess of light, use my knowledge and my air magic to help me track down Ms. Marylin Woodsenhoff.”
He repeated it. The wind picked up instantly.
“Release the paper now,” Yvette ordered.
Jacob did as he was told, and immediately the paper turned into what look like a ball of fairy light.
“Perfect.” Yvette ran back to the SUV. “Get in. We have to follow it!”
“On it.” Jacob jumped back into the vehicle and was grateful when the fairy light didn’t take off like a rocket. It wasn’t exactly slow, but it wasn’t a speed demon either, and that alone probably saved him from blowing all four tires.
They wove back through the gravel road, following the light until it came to a stop in the middle of a pretty lavender-covered meadow.
Jacob glanced around and frowned. “It doesn’t look like our spell worked.”
Yvette grinned. “Yes it did. Look.”
He followed her gaze and spotted a pale stream of smoke that seemed to appear out of nowhere in the exact place where a chimney might be. Jacob killed the motor and climbed out of the SUV. The second his feet hit the ground, the lavender field faded away and was replaced with a patchy grass field that looked like it hadn’t been mowed or maintained anytime recently.
“Look,” Yvette whispered as she pointed off to the left. “The house is over there.”
He followed her gaze. When he didn’t see anything, he blinked, and suddenly a large two-story Victorian house appeared out of nowhere. It had a large wraparound porch and gingerbread trim. In its heyday, it must have been gorgeous. But now it suffered from peeling paint and rotted siding. Weeds grew up against the porch, and at least two of the windows were broken.
The front door swung open with a loud screech, and a gorgeous woman with long strawberry-blond hair walked out onto the porch. She wore a white peasant blouse, rolled up jeans, and a straw hat. She fixed her gaze on them and said, “You’re trespassing.”
“Marylin Woodsenhoff?” Yvette called. “Are you Maeve Woods?”
The woman on the porch jerked back as if someone had slapped her, but she quickly recovered and again said, “You’re trespassing. Get in that giant vehicle and go home. Now.”
“We can’t,” Yvette said, holding up her hands as if she were being threatened and she wanted to surrender. “We have to ask you about your book, The Witch of Redwood Grove .”
“I’m warning you now,” the woman spat out. “Leave now or else suffer the consequences.”
“But—” Yvette was suddenly silenced, and with a flick of her finger, the witch standing on the porch forced Jacob’s wife to march herself into an enclosed overgrown garden. The latch closed with a loud clicking noise that rang in Jacob’s ears.
“What did you do to her?” he demanded, racing for the garden. But he’d barely taken a few steps when he was stopped by sticky magic, and before he knew what was happening, his feet were carrying him toward the woman on the porch. He tried to slow down or command his feet to stop moving, but it was no use. He was under her spell and there was nothing he could do.
“You should have left when you had the chance,” she said when he came to a stop in front of her. At this range, Jacob could see that the witch wasn’t that gorgeous after all. From afar, she looked soft and rosy and full of life. But up close, he couldn’t help but notice the crow’s-feet affecting both eyes and her sun-spotted skin.
The woman, while still pretty, was showing her age. If he had to guess, he’d say mid to late sixties. But honestly, these days, how could anyone know?
“Release my wife,” Jacob ordered her.
“When I’m ready,” she said. “Until then, you and I are going to have a talk.” She crooked her finger, and once again Jacob seemed to be under her spell. He followed her into the dust-filled home and tried not to wheeze.
“This way.”
The floors creaked under their feet, and Jacob started to wonder if he was going to fall right through the wooden slats.
Another door flew open. There was no light, and quickly he realized that there was a stairwell that likely led to a basement. “Is this where you throw me into the basement and then chop up my limbs for your freezer?” he asked.
Her gaze ran up and down the length of his body as if she were contemplating that very thing. But then she gave him an evil smile and said, “There will be no cutting of limbs. I have other uses for you.” Then she shoved him, sending him flying down the stairs into a dark pit of the unknown.
He let out a cry of alarm as his shoulder hit what he assumed to be the stairs. His body bounced painfully as he slid the rest of the way until he landed with a soft thud on what felt like some sort of area rug. Jacob carefully tested his limbs to make sure nothing was broken. When he was certain he was going to live, he rolled over onto his back and let out a groan as he felt every one of his aches and pains.
An overhead light came on and Marylin was standing over him, evaluating the situation. “Do you like your accommodations?”
Jacob blinked at her and then looked around, finding a large bed that was made up with over a dozen pillows and a fluffy down comforter that he guessed would feel like sleeping on a cloud. There were ornate antique floor lamps, a grandfather clock, and a vintage settee that was set up in the sitting area. This room had been meticulously decorated and cared for, unlike the outside of the house. “This is… nice,” he said. “It would be nicer if my wife were here instead of locked up outside in an overgrown garden.”
Marylin walked up to him, ran her fingernail over his lips, and then let it trail down his chin to the opening of his shirt. She leaned in close and whispered, “But I don’t share.”
He ground his teeth together. “I’m a married man who isn’t interested in cheating on his wife.”
“I didn’t ask what you were interested in, did I, Mr.…”
“Burton,” he supplied. He saw no reason to withhold information. All he wanted was to make sure that Yvette was okay.
“Nice.” Marylin licked her lips and said, “Now, you and me, we’re going to get to know each other really well. Then we’ll talk about your wife.”
“No,” he said again and moved away from her. It was strange that he didn’t seem to be under her spell anymore. Ever since she’d shoved him into the room, he’d had free will. And he’d definitely use it if she kept up her advances. But instead of playing her game, he blurted out, “We’re here about your children’s book. Two days ago, a curse was unleashed from it, and we need your help to reverse it.”
Her eyes went from a vibrant green to almost pure black when she said, “That’s impossible. I destroyed every copy of that book after I learned it was cursed.”
“Well, one seems to have escaped you,” Jacob said. “In fact, it’s in the SUV right now.”
Marylin froze for a long moment, and then without another word, she flew up the stairs. The door slammed and the echo reverberated through the entire house.
Jacob raced up the stairs and yanked on the door. The force sent him flying back to the floor, but the door didn’t move.
He tried again. While the knob turned, the door wouldn’t budge, and Jacob felt a slight trace of magic. It was spelled shut.
He scanned the room for windows, and when he didn’t see any, that’s when he started to panic. With his air magic, windows were always a surefire way to escape any room. But now? He needed to figure out how to reverse her spell or put some holes in the walls.
Reversing a spell he didn’t know anything about was a reach. And holes were going to be impossible considering the walls appeared to be made of concrete.
Frustrated, he tugged at the ends of his hair and started to pace the room, ignoring the backache and the twinge in his left knee. There had to be a way out. Something he hadn’t thought of yet. He passed a large armoire, and that’s when he saw it. Black curtains hung over a small opening.
He ran to the wall, ripped the curtains open, and pumped his fist when he saw the small access window.
Jacob wasted no time gathering his magic. Hold on, Yvette , he thought. I’m coming .