Paula Lester - 05 A Witch Too Frozen by Paula Lester

Author:Paula Lester [Lester, Paula]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Paula Lester and M.E. Harmon
Published: 2020-03-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“What are you trying to do—make my place look like some fancy crystal shop in a big city? Take that down!” Minerva Shallow stomped her foot. The bun cinched tight at the back of the woman’s head did nothing to alleviate the deep, craggy lines on her face. Her pancake makeup didn’t help the wrinkles either.

The workman she railed at glanced down from atop the ladder. He shrugged and then said, “Sorry lady. I gotta job to do.” Then he went back to hanging the glowing lantern outside of her occult shop.

For her part, Cas was relieved to see that workers were hanging the lovely Games lanterns on Minerva’s shop’s street. With its dingy, dark alleys and wide store overhangs, the area was dreadful, dim, and creepy. Though it looked like they’d just started hanging them, the colorful lanterns already brightened the street. The shadows eased and transformed the feel to less like a real-life horror movie.

Minerva huffed and stomped her foot again. “You’d do well to obey me, boy. I’m capable of turning your whole family into crickets.”

“Boy? Lady, I’m forty-five.” The workman sighed as he climbed down. “We’re under the special protection of the High Council of Crystal Springs and the Board of Directors of the Winter Solstice Games, ma’am. We’re just doing our job. If you have a problem with it, you can take it up with them, but we’re going to have to finish our work.”

Minerva harrumphed.

As the worker finished hanging the lantern and moved toward the next shop, Minerva cast her sharp gaze on Cas and Echo and sneered. “Oh, I know why you’re here. The Crystal Star.”

Cas’ eyebrows rose. “So, you heard it was stolen?” Shiloh had made it sound like that was privileged information.

Minerva scoffed. “Of course I did.” She waved a hand. “Just that, though, nothing specific other than it was an inside job.”

“You mean someone from the Courthouse is responsible?” Cas glanced at Echo.

Despite his promise, it had taken some cat-wrangling to get Echo in check. But it looked like he wasn’t holding it against her—his feline expression was neutral as he listened to Minerva.

The occult shop owner shrugged, her bony shoulders looking sharp enough to tear the fabric of the gray dress she wore. “All I know is that Corinne Wolf kept the secrets of the Star chamber so close to her vest, no one else knew them.”

Minerva waved a hand at the lantern. The sound of ice shattering filled the air, making Cas jump. She looked up to see a huge crack running the length of the light. The green glow blinked and went out. The shopkeeper nodded once and grinned before turning back to Cas. “Unlike her husband, Corinne was completely incorruptible.”

“Sounds like you’re speaking from personal experience.” Echo’s tail twitched like he was stalking prey. “Did you try to corrupt her, Minerva?”

An evil grin played over the woman’s mouth. “I may know someone who tried to bribe Corinne years ago.” As if she conjured happy memories from the past, a small smile crossed the woman’s face, softening it more than Cas had ever seen.

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