Gloom Town by Ronald L. Smith

Author:Ronald L. Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HMH Books

Chapter Seventeen

A Procession of the Most-Curious Sort

Rory and Izzy walked home quietly along the beach that ran parallel to the boardwalk. The sky above threatened rain. Rory reflected on all he had just learned. Foxglove and Malvonius were some sort of dark magicians. All the talk of shadows and magic only created more questions—one in particular, he wanted an answer to immediately.

He stopped walking and turned to Izzy. “I’ve seen you do things, Izzy. I know you have some kind of . . . gift.” He paused. “Are you a witch, like you said that one time? If you are, now’s the time to tell me.”

Izzy curled a strand of hair around her finger, something she always did when being secretive.

“C’mon, Izzy,” Rory urged her.

“My mum told me never to talk about it,” she said in a rush.

“About what?”

She bit her lip.

“Izzy,” Rory pressed her.

It seemed to Rory that she was struggling with how to answer. “It’s true,” she finally said, lowering her voice. “My mum’s a witch, and her mum before her. Mostly just healing and herb lore, but once . . . she told me how to cast a spell.”

“I knew it!” Rory exclaimed.

“Shh!” Izzy hissed. “Not so loud.”

“You’re special, Izzy.”

“Don’t feel special,” she moaned. “Mum says I have something called ‘the sight,’ but I’ve never really tried to use it.”

Rory’s eyes grew larger. “Well, we have to figure it out. Maybe you can use it to stop Foxglove and whatever it is they’re doing. It’s bad, I know that much.”

They started to walk again, the soft sand beneath their feet slowing their pace. The air was cooler now, and Rory wished he’d brought a coat.

“Dark magicians,” Izzy said quietly. “Shadows. What could Foxglove be up to?”

“The answer’s in the words I heard,” Rory said. “Through the red door.”

“More,” Izzy said. “What do they need more of?”

The answer struck Rory like a bell that had just rung. “Shadows,” he said.

They both stopped walking again and faced each other.

Izzy nodded as she began to speak, as if figuring it out right at that moment. “If shadows have some kind of . . . life essence, then maybe Foxglove wants shadows to . . . do what?”

“‘I thirst,’” Rory said. “‘I hunger.’”

“Hunger for shadows?” Izzy ventured.

Rory exhaled a shaky breath. “Shadows for whoever she is.”

A slight rain began to fall, but not hard enough for them to seek shelter. Dark clouds thundered over the water.

“What was that?” Izzy whispered.

Rory snapped his head left, then right. “What?”

“Listen,” Izzy said quietly.

A slight tinkling of bells rose in the air and floated around them, followed by the rat-a-tat-tat of a drum echoing down the beach.

Rory squinted, trying to get a better look. Shadowy figures were heading their way.

“C’mon!” he cried out, grabbing Izzy’s arm and pulling her away, underneath the boardwalk.

“What in the world is it?” she asked.

“I just hope it’s not them,” Rory said, looking out from under the walkway. “You know, Arcan—”

“Don’t even say their name,” Izzy warned.

The mysterious shapes drew closer.

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