Wiccan Haus: An Apple Away by Kate Richards

Author:Kate Richards
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Published: 2012-06-08T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Aislinn shook her head, stuffing her stepmother’s picture back into her bag. “So that’s why you asked me if I had anything of hers. I just can’t believe it’s possible.”

“It’s more than possible,” Punda murmured. “Think about it. The problem began right after your father’s death, right?”

“Yes, but—”

“But nothing. You told Cyrus that your father’s will has not yet been settled. That your stepmother has been reluctant to discuss the matter, merely telling you that the attorneys have encountered some difficulties and she would let you know the details when they were finalized, right?”

“True. But I never cared about those things. I had a good job, a nice apartment. Surely Father would have left Mother most of his estate anyway. She is used to living in comfort, and money doesn’t matter to me.” Her cheeks had paled again, what little color had returned lost to the knowledge that her own mother—stepmother, but still the woman who had raised her as her own—might be the cause of her illness.

Punda balled her fists, anger washing over her at the thought.

“So she’s poisoning me? Is that what Cyrus meant by her making me sick? If that’s true, then being away from her, where she can’t put whatever it is in my food, I should feel better, and I do.” Tears streaked down her cheeks. “Oh, Goddess, I do feel better, a little. But my own mother can’t be poisoning me. She loves me.”

They approached the busy dining room, and Punda took her arm and drew her to a sofa. She tugged away. “Hugo will be waiting. We have to go in and have lunch. Although I’m not hungry. I’m more scared and upset.”

“Just sit a minute and let me explain some things, then we’ll go eat.” She pulled Aislinn back, holding her hand, something she seemed to be doing an awful lot. “Cyrus can sense things by touching objects. He doesn’t do it very often, but Sage asked him to do it for you. He could tell right away that the source of your illness is your mo—your stepmother. He didn’t say it was poison, though. He believes it is a spell.”

“A spell? Like black magic?” She shook her head, staring across the room. “My stepmother is shallow and narcissistic.” Punda stifled a laugh at her reluctance to swear. “But to cast a spell to make me ill—to the point of death? I can’t believe she’s capable of such evil.”

“Sometimes you have to look beyond the obvious, Aislinn.” Punda tried to think of a way to make her understand. “Don’t you think the doctors would have found out if it were anything else?”

“Well, maybe, but—”

“They didn’t find it because it isn’t there. You are under the spell of a wicked witch.”

Aislinn snorted. “And you ask me to suspend disbelief and go with the idea that the woman who has raised me as her own child is a fairy-tale villain, maybe cooking children in the oven for snacks while I’m napping?”

“No, more the

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