Southern Magic Christmas by Amy Boyles

Author:Amy Boyles [Boyles, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LADYBUGBOOKS LLC
Published: 2018-12-18T08:00:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

Animals scampered down Bubbling Cauldron. Cats meowed that they were finally free. Puppies barked that they could now sniff all the butts they wanted, and birds screeched that it was now possible to poop on heads.

In short, it was a disaster. I wanted to tug my hair out one strand at a time as I watched kittens tumble, puppies cavort and birds dive through town.

“Stop, y’all! Will all of y’all stop?”

But none of them listened. In fact, I think I heard a few jeers coming from the critters.

I planted my fists on my waist. “When I get my hands on y’all, I’m going to take your treats away for a week. A week!”

Even that didn’t stop them. I gave Axel a look full of panic. “What do we do?”

He grimaced. “I could try a Pied Piper spell, but I’ve never worked one before.”

“You mean like they’ll follow us back to the store? That kind of Pied Piper?”

Axel nodded. “Exactly. You can do it, Pepper. I know you can.”

I started to close my eyes when sharp barking filled the air. The sound was full, as if the dog’s lungs were bellows. The howl the dog released was deep and guttural.

I peered over Axel’s shoulder to see Arsenal zipping down the road. Within no time the dog was snapping at kittens, corralling puppies and barking stinging reprimands to the birds.

The animals dropped their heads as if they’d been scolded something fierce, which was funny since I couldn’t understand a word Arsenal yelped. As if the dog had a magic bullet up his rear end, he herded the gaggle of animals to the front door of Familiar Place.

I raced to it and held it wide. Within seconds each and every creature was back. Axel helped the kittens into the cage while I placed the puppies in the shop window bin.

Even the birds came willingly. They roosted back on their perches without one word of complaint.

Arsenal sat in the doorway, tail sweeping the floor. His tongue lolled to one side.

I patted his head. “How’d you do it, boy?” The dog stared at me blankly. “I wish you could speak. You’ve probably got the mysteries of the universe locked in your head.”

As proud as I was of Arsenal, I was pretty ticked at the other critters. Never, not once had they pulled a stunt like that on me. But the first time I give Mint and Licky a chance to sell them, they up and revolt?

What gave?

I crossed my arms, jutted out a hip and glared eyes of fire at the creatures. They meowed and yipped. I cleared my throat so loud I’m pretty sure it was heard on the other side of town.

“Which one of y’all wants to tell me what happened?”

“We got out,” a kitten mewed.

“I can see that. What happened?”

“The ladies let us,” an African gray parrot squawked.

I slowly rubbed my lips together. I could feel the tension rising in my body and anger pulsing in my veins. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“The witches let us out,” a puppy yelped.

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