Page 49 of The Little Shop of Curiosities, The Music Box Part 2

“So happy for you,” Tristan croaks. He and Dusty are struggling to disentangle themselves on the floor; it’s like they’ve been playing a drunken game of Twister. Which, knowing them, they probably have done at some point.

I help Tristan off the floor and the next thing we know Dusty launches herself at her boyfriend Bruce, who has been hovering around the circle I just cast, worriedly awaiting her return.

There’s a lot of kissing and moaning.

I turn to Tristan, my brows rising all the way into my hairline, but he just looks resigned. I guess they’re like this a lot.

“Uh, sorry to interrupt. Guys? Guys!!! HEY!” Tristan sticks his fingers in his mouth and whistles shrilly.

I wince and rub my ear. “Next time you whistle like that, please don’t stand so close to me.”

“You got it, Sting.” He grins and starts talking to Dusty, but I tune them out as I study the centre of the shop floor which, moments ago, held the most powerful circle I’ve ever cast.

I lean down and press my hand to the floor. There’s a strange vibration coming from beneath the floor, I can sense it deep down in the earth itself. I don’t think it’s physical. And it isn’t magic—in fact, if I had to guess I’d say it was metaphysical. Something supernatural.

“How did you find me?” Dusty asks loudly, and I realise she’s talking to me. “And how the hell did you get me out?”

“Tristan,” I reply, standing and dusting off my hands. “I used his connection to you to pull you back from wherever you were being held. For a moment, I didn’t think it was going to work, but this place...” I glance around. “It’s a huge amplifier. I’m not sure if it’s because of the gateway or something else entirely, but the spell we managed to conjure was extremely potent. It snapped you back to the earth plane. To Tristan.”

“Tris, we need to be careful.” Dusty turns to him in all seriousness. “I think we’ve got something a lot bigger and scarier after you than an incompetent detective.”

“But why? I’m no one special,” he declares.

“I think it may tie back to Vivienne and this shop,” I muse, my gaze once again drawn to the remnants of the circle, or more specifically, to what I’m starting to think may be underneath it. “You’re the one she named as caretaker to this place. You specifically, and she said you would need Danny to protect you. But what if it’s not the shop, what if it’s something inside the shop?”

He shakes his head again. “Still don’t understand.”

“I’m not sure I do either, at least not yet, but I can feel it. Beneath the ground. There’s something here, something old and formidable. And whatever it is, I’m willing to bet that whoever hurt Vivienne and tried to get rid of Dusty wants to get their hands on it, but they have to go through you.”

“Hang on a minute.” Tristan’s eyes widen, and he raises his hands. “Whoa, right there! I didn’t sign on for anything like that. I’m a glorified keyholder, that’s it. I don’t do witchcraft, I don’t do magic, or whatever the hell all this is. I do dead people.”

“Ew.” Dusty wrinkles her nose. “That sounds really dodgy. Also illegal...and gross.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” He reaches up and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I help people resolve their unfinished business and cross into the light. This is not my department. Why can’t you do it?” he asks. My heart jolts, then begins to ache.

“Because Vivienne chose you,” I say quietly, feeling a small pang of hurt in my chest, which is ridiculous. We may have shared a bloodline, but I was not a part of her life.

“I don’t want this.” He scowls. “I just want my life to go back to normal.”

“Here.” I loosen my tie and open the first button of my shirt. Reaching in, I withdraw a long gold chain. On the end of it is the delicate gold pentagram my dads gave me. Pulling it over my head, I then loop it over Tristan’s and tuck it beneath the neck of his T-shirt.

“What’s this for?” he murmurs.

“Protection, the strongest I can give you.” The necklace is very important to me, but I think Tristan needs it more right now. “The pentagram has had such a bad rep since the witch hunts of the Middle Ages, but the truth is, it’s a powerful protective talisman. My dads gave me this one when I was born. I’ve worn it my whole life—this is the only time I’ve taken it off. Don’t remove it for any reason.” I press my hand to his chest. “It will keep you safe.”

“Harrison, I can’t.” He stares at me. “You should⁠—”

“I know how to protect myself, but you’re right. This isn’t what you do, so let me keep you safe. You can give it back to me when we’ve figured all this out.”

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“The truth is,” I admit quietly, “I don’t have a lot of friends. I don’t let people close, never have. But I care about you and the others. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“We’ve got your back too, Harrison.” He gives me a warm smile and squeezes my hand, which gives me the strangest feeling in my chest. It’s…nice.

“Okay, then. If we’ve finished the love fest, I need to go,” Dusty announces.

“Where? We’ve only just got you back.”