The Price Guide to the Occult by Leslye Walton

Author:Leslye Walton [Walton, Leslye]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780763693909
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Published: 2018-03-12T18:30:00+00:00

Nor sat in a rickety wicker chair in front of Apothia’s little dance studio. A chilly March breeze came up off the water. Nor wrapped her sweater more tightly around herself. Across from her, Wintersweet set down a cup of tea. Her hand trembled as she passed another to Nor, the teacup rattling in its saucer. Nor leaped up to take it from her to avoid adding this one to the shards of broken porcelain she’d already had to sweep up. Wintersweet looked at Nor expectantly. Nor raised the teacup to her lips and took a polite sip of the air inside.

Judd had done all she could for Wintersweet. Any physical ailments Wintersweet had suffered that night two months ago were healed. But there were some types of pain that Judd couldn’t heal. Nor knew all too well that some pain would not be erased. Some pain demanded to be felt.

Wintersweet had never been particularly chatty to begin with, but now it was difficult to get her to say much of anything. There were gaps in her memory, too, as if someone had carved parts of her away. She’d often remember that to make a fried egg, she had to use a pan, but she would forget that the egg must also be cracked. Or — like today — she’d remember the ritual of serving tea but forget the part about making it first. A few days earlier, she’d remembered how to turn on the kitchen faucet but not how to turn it off.

Wintersweet seemed to prefer hanging around the Tower rather than at the Witching Hour. Nor didn’t blame her; the last time Nor had visited the shop, it had felt almost sinister. The gargoyles hanging from the walls had seemed cold and menacing. And something was wrong with Madge. Her tattoos looked infected. Her cheeks were sagged and droopy, as if her skin were suddenly too big for her. She’d shrugged off Nor’s concerns. Nor hadn’t spoken with her since.

As for Fern, her rising success and popularity continued to seem unstoppable. She was doing seminars now, offering her fans new ways in which to behold her benevolent talents. A renowned publication had named Fern Blackburn Person of the Year. Soon, her face would be adorning every checkout counter and newspaper stand in the country. There were even rumors that she’d been invited to meet with several foreign diplomats, and the Chinese ambassador had been spotted sporting his own green fern tattoo.

But lately, there’d also been reports of people going missing after attending one of Fern Blackburn’s events. People had been disappearing around Anathema Island as well. No one had seen Catriona in weeks, and just yesterday, the Sweet and Savory Bakery had been uncharacteristically closed. Vega was also gone, but at least that vanishing act had an explanation. The last Nor had heard, he’d reconnected with his old flame Lake somewhere in rural Texas. Wherever he was, Nor hoped he was in a place Fern would never think to look.

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