Blair pats my shoulder. “I’ll leave you two to catch up. But Addie?—”
“Yes?”
“You’re not doing this.”
I wink. “Don’t be so bossy.”
She rolls her eyes and pivots on one heel. “Bye, Elmore.”
“Goodbye, Blair.”
As soon as she’s gone, I hop onto the velvet stool in front of the antique wooden vanity. “Tell me everything.”
“First, I’m so sorry about Rebecca. She was a wonderful witch and a good person.”
Somehow I manage to keep my voice from trembling. “Thank you.”
“Now, as for what I know, I can only tell you what I can see through my mirrors.”
Elmore, for lack of a better explanation, is a wizard trapped behind glass. I don’t know the exact circumstance that caused him to be imprisoned (as he’s very secretive), only that his choice was either to die or live in a mirror for pretty much eternity. So he chose the mirror.
I bring my knees to my chin, stretching the plum dress over them, and beam. “Well, tell me what you’ve seen, then.”
He puckers his lips in thought. “I’ll tell you that we need your talent. Your ability to find books is perfect.”
“No.”
“Why such a tone?”
“The person who inherits the bookshop has to have magic.”
“Maybe you should tell your mother that.”
My heart stutters. “What? Is she giving it to me?”
“I don’t think there’s a choice,” he tells me in a snobby voice. “You’re the eldest and you have the ability to find books for people.”
“But I can’t put theminsidethe book.”
“A minor detail.”
I drop my knees and lean my cheek against one fist. “A detail thatcan’tbe overlooked.”
“You know”—he leans back and studies me—“I never did believe that you don’t have power.”
“Stop it. We’re not doing this again.”
He sighs dramatically. “Have it your way. But I will say this—if you’d been around when the tragedy occurred, my guess is that it never would’ve happened to begin with.”
My brow lifts. “Tragedy?”
“Didn’t you hear?”
“No one tells me anything about the shop.”
He nibbles one side of his mouth. “Hmm. Perhaps it’s a secret.”
“As if that’s ever stopped you from spilling tea.”
