"Actually," Beth looked up from her laptop, frowning, "I'm still finding out information about them. From what I can see, Katiedoesn't appear to have any powers or magical ties, so she might be unlikely. It's possible, though."
“Checking the supernatural database?” I asked, lifting a brow.
Beth snorted. “I have my ways.”
"Well, keep digging." I was ready to get to the bottom of this mess. "What about Nick?"
"Same deal," Beth said, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she searched for more information. "No obvious signs of magical ability, but you never know. Some people are just really good at hiding it."
"True." I nodded, thinking back to my own experiences with magic. "So, we've got two seemingly ordinary people with strong motives, but no apparent means to carry out a curse. Then there's Deva's dad, who's got the means and the motive, but also seems like an all-around terrible person. What a tangled web we weave, huh?"
The three of us gathered around our makeshift workspace, a hodgepodge of laptops, books, and artifacts that somehow always seemed to make sense when we were together. The air was thick with the scent of burning sage, a necessary precaution against any negative energies that might be lurking nearby.
As I inhaled deeply, trying to find a SENSE of calm amidst the chaos, the sunlight streamed through the windows, dancing around the room, casting patterns of light and shadow that felt almost…magical. Heh.
"Okay, here's what we need to do," Beth turned the page of her notebook. "First, we need to create a circle of protection…"
As we set about the task of casting our spell, I marveled at how far we'd come since discovering our magical abilities. It wasn't that long ago that I would've scoffed at the idea of spells and curses, dismissing them as nothing more than the stuff of fairy tales and bedtime stories. Here I was, standing shoulder to shoulder with two of my best friends, preparing to conjure up some serious magic in the name of justice…and, well, karma.
"Okay," Beth said, her voice slightly shaky as she read the final incantation. "Here goes nothing."
The moment the words left her lips, the room shifted before our very eyes. The sunbeams that had previously danced so playfully across the walls now froze in place, casting an eerie, otherworldly glow over everything they touched.
"Did it work?" I said, my voice barely audible above the sudden silence that had fallen upon us.
"Only one way to find out," Carol said, her eyes locked on the pair of white leather gloves in the middle of the circle in front of us. "Let's go pay dear old dad a visit."
5
DEVA
The front doorof my restaurant creaked as I pushed it open, a familiar sound that usually brought me comfort. But not today. Today, the noise grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. My heart was heavy, and tears threatened to spill over as I stepped into the dining room, away from the chaos in the kitchen. The air was thick with the scent of sawdust, fresh paint, and smoke, but beneath it all, I swore I could still detect the faint aroma of delicious food that had once filled this space.
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to regain my composure after my run-in with Harry. My ex-husband always knew just how to push my buttons, and he'd done it again, even though we were no longer together. My chest tightened, and anger bubbled up inside me, mingling with the sadness that coated every inch of my soul. Why couldn't he just leave me alone?
"Deva, we need to talk about the dining room layout," one of the warlock contractors called out, waving a blueprint in his hand. I sighed, knowing this conversation was unavoidable but dreading it, nonetheless.
"Fine, let's discuss it." I tried to sound more composed than I felt. I approached the table where they'd spread out various blueprints and sketches, my gaze flicking among them as I struggled to make sense of their plans.
"Look, we understand you want your dining room to be the same as before, but there have been some complications," the contractor said, clearly choosing his words carefully. "We think it would be best to make a few changes, just to ensure everything is up to code and safe for your customers."
"Changes?" I narrowed my eyes, frustration flaring at the suggestion. "I don't want changes. I want it to be exactly as it was. Can't you see that?"
"Of course," he replied, his tone placating. "But sometimes thingscan'tbe exactly as they were. Sometimes we need to let go of the past and embrace something new."
His words hit me like a bolt of lightning, echoing the thoughts that had been swirling through my mind since my confrontation with Harry. But I couldn't let go, not yet. This restaurant was more than just a building; it was a symbol of the life I had built for myself after leaving him. It needed to be perfect.
"Just make it the same. That's all I'm asking."
The warlock glanced at me, his eyes full of far too much wisdom. Blake was a good fifteen years younger than me, so I remembered him quite clearly as a kid. He’d always been the type to say things that were far older than his years. His parents had never specifically said it, but I suspected he had the gift of Sight. A gift he was likely using on me now.
“I’ll do my best,” he promised.
"Deva?" A familiar voice called out from the doorway, and my heart leaped in my chest at the sight of Marquis. He stood there, looking hesitant and uncertain, his glasses perched on the bridge of his nose as he took in the chaos around him. But when his eyes met mine, his smile lit up the room like a thousand suns, and a warmth spread through me despite the turmoil I was in.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see him amidst the destruction.
"I heard about the fire and wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help." He took a tentative step into the dining room. His presence felt like a balm to my soul. How lucky I was to have found someone like him. Someone who truly cared. Then, like a dam breaking, the memories of the curse came flooding back, and I knew I had to tell him everything.
