Page 109 of Shadow Charms

Paige bobbed her head up and down. “Did you want to check the progress on my wound?”

“U-umm,” Dewey stammered, “I could.”

Paige tugged her hair to the side and pulled her hoodie up.

Dewey fluttered over and peeled the bandage back before quickly replacing it. “Looks good.”

“Really? That’s it?”

“The worms look like they’re almost gone.”

“Oh, great! That’s good.” Paige climbed to her feet and stretched again. “I’m just going to head into the bathroom and pull my hair up before we head into the mines.”

“You could do that here,” Dewey suggested.

Paige furrowed her brow, offering a soft chuckle. “Umm.”

“I’ve seen you do it a hundred times. You don’t need a mirror.”

Paige narrowed her eyes as she grabbed her bag. “I’m also going to brush my teeth, thanks.”

“Breath smells fine to me. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

Paige rolled her eyes at Dewey as she wandered toward the door leading to the bedroom and bathroom.

Dewey snaked in front of her and snatched the toiletry bag from her hand. “We should really get going.”

“Dewey! I think I can take two minutes to brush my teeth.” Paige grabbed the bag back from him and pushed past him as he winced.

She shuffled into the bathroom and flicked on the light, yawning again as she set the bag on the edge of the pedestal sink and dug into it for her toothbrush and toothpaste. She smeared a bit of the blue paste on the bristles and stuck the brush in her mouth.

After tossing the toothpaste back inside her bag, she flicked her gaze up to the mirror. Her eyes went wide, and she screamed, transfixed by the horrid sight in the mirror.

CHAPTER 22

“Dewey,” Paige shouted, her face still a mask of fright. “Dewey, get in here right now!”

She leaned forward, staring at her reflection with a grimace and tugging at her hoodie to study her neck and chest.

Dewey’s head slid around the doorjamb, a tentative expression on his teal features. “Something wrong, Paige?”

Paige stuck a hand on her hip and offered him an unimpressed stare. “Seriously?”

Dewey gazed back at her with a blank expression.

Paige raised her eyebrows when he didn’t respond before she flung a hand toward the mirror. “I’m purple.”

“Well, purplish.”

Paige cocked her head, her eyes going wide. “Ish? There is no ish about this! I’m purple. Bright purple and getting purpler by the second.”

“Is purpler a word?” Dewey inquired as he leaned against the doorjamb and tapped his chin.

Paige shot him an angry glance.

“Sorry,” he said with a wince.

“I can’t go out like this!” She glanced down at her hands, her muscles tensing as she noticed the purple color slowly creeping into her fingers. “It’s getting worse! Now my hands are turning purple.”