“I think so?” This sweet man doesn’t know what’s about to happen.
“So, I met Irina during the Hollow Hearts Festival, and she put a spell on me, and now I have a tattoo.”
“I’m sorry. What the fuck did you just say?” Howie’s tires squeal as he slams on the brakes and slowly pulls to the side of the road.
“You heard her, Howard.” Ari nods, as if to put him at ease. “She met the real Irina, the one from all the legends, and she cast a spell on her.”
“I thought I was the only one.”
“Excuse me, what?” I shout, unbuckling and clambering forward onto the center console to look at him.
“I met her once. I thought I was crazy for years,” he explains, putting his hands over his face in what I think is shock.
“You’ve met her? Why? What did she say?” Ari asks, pushing me back so she can also see his expression.
“Look, it was a long time ago. Remember Brian Danfield?” He shifts in his seat, turning fully toward Ari.
“Yes, I remember him, the only kid in tenth grade that could grow a full beard. What does he have to do with this?” Ari asks, unbuckling her seat belt and tucking her leg up under her.
“You never thought it was weird? The beard, I mean?” he asks, a slight wrinkle in his brow.
“I guess, but that beard paid off for him big time. We went to senior prom together.” Ari’s face turns a fluorescent shade of red at the reminder of that particular facial hair. There’s a story I’ve never heard. Howie’s face twists in pain for a split second before returning to normal.
“Brian and I saw her at Hollow Hearts that year. She took us to this creepy room, I guess it was her shop. I had a bad feeling about it, so I bolted, but Brian stayed. A week later he had a full beard. I never asked, but I always thought something weird had happened there. I mean, there was no way that guy was just suddenly able to grow a beard like that. Or at least that’s what I told myself,” he mumbles the last bit as Ari and I exchange glances.
“Okay, Howie. I’ve been there, in the shop I mean. That’s where she took me, but I can’t find it to get her to undo this.” I pull at the neckline of my shirt, revealing my shoulder and the top of the tattoo.
“The shop is not there. It’s nowhere.” Howie’s eyes glisten. He’s resigned himself already, I can tell, that we aren’t going to find Irina.
“Did Brian ever find her again?” Ari asks, reaching out to pat my knee.
“Not that I know of, but once he had the beard and the popularity, we didn’t talk much.” He sinks back into his seat, closing his eyes.
“It’s okay, Howie. Thank you for telling me. I just need to find answers, and you have to promise not to tell anyone.” I pat his shoulder, reassuring him that I’m not upset.
“I won’t tell anyone, but I do want to help you. You won’t find anything in Salem. They all but banished every trace of her and her sisters when they escaped. But I know a few people in townwho might know something about the old legend. I could ask around if you’re okay with it.” Her sisters? How have I not come across anything about her siblings? Is it one of them that spoke to her—the mystery voice?
Ari and I nod simultaneously. “Please help me, Howie. But don’t give anything away.”
“Yeah, she doesn’t want lover boy to know,” Ari chirps.
“Sam? I won’t tell anyone, I promise.”
“Yeah, Sam. It’s new and a magical tattoo is really unexplainable.” I shudder thinking about what he would say if he knew. Not only is it embarrassing that I even needed her help opening up in the first place, but he would think I’d completely lost my mind.
Howie nods in understanding, puts the car back into gear, and pulls away from the curb. “You ladies up for lunch at Union instead of a road trip? I want to get there before old Mr. Weiss gets in. He might know something.”
“That would be great,” I say. I’ll have to sneak in the back so Beau doesn’t catch me, but if there’s a chance someone knows something, I’m not missing it.
fourteen
Sam
A Few Questions and a Dare
I didn’t expect my first kiss with Olive to be on her porch the morning after our firstofficialdate, but I’m glad it happened. I knew from the minute I saw her there was something special between us. An uncanny attraction, a pull like nothing I’d ever felt before. Even my mother sees it, and she has never once liked anyone I’ve dated. Mabel O’Reilly is hard to please, but a few hours with Olive and she’s practically placing an announcement in theMage Hollow Heraldthat her eldest child has a girlfriend.
Is it just that it’s finally my turn to find my person? Or is there something unique about her that I might actually get overmy fear of not having what my parents have? It’s too early to know, and we’ve gone from zero to a hundred quickly. My normal response would be to pull back, rein it in, break it off. But with Olive, it’s different. I feel a sense of responsibility for her happiness. Almost like if I take care of her everything else will fall into place as it should. Not to mention, I miss her and it’s only been less than a week. That alone makes this whole thing different.
