Sparkle Witch: A Novella (The Lazy Girl's Guide To Magic Book 4)(10)

It was just as well that Iqbal’s new workplace was close to the station because I wouldn’t have made it otherwise. There was still a distinct wobbly feeling in my legs but that might have been the sugar hit. All the same, I told myself to stop playing around and start acting like the witch I was supposed to be, not the witch I was.

I found my old friend in a small windowless office, buried under what seemed to be a mountain of paper. I wasn’t the only one whose life had changed dramatically in recent months. With his thesis finally finished, Iqbal had found gainful employment with the Arcane Historical Society. None of us were certain what he did – I didn’t think that even he knew – but he’d landed on his feet. While it might be annoying that the society members maintained arcane standards and avoided technology as if they were witches themselves – which was why I’d had to travel here rather than simply telephoning – Iqbal’s office was deep in the bowels of the building so he was rarely disturbed. He managed to spend most of his days reading. In fact, he was so intent on whatever ancient document he was attempting to decipher that he didn’t notice me until I called out a chirpy hello. Then he leapt up out of his chair in shock, almost tripping over the nearest pile of dusty books.

Clasping his hand to his heart, he stared at me. ‘Flipping hell, Ivy! You scared the life out of me. Don’t you knock?’

I shrugged. ‘The door was open.’

He peered at me more closely. ‘Are you alright? You don’t look well.’

‘I had to perform an elaborate spell to get a tree off the railway lines. Essentially I re-rooted it.’ Boom boom.

Iqbal blinked. ‘Seriously? A tree fell down and you bespelled it alive?’

‘I think so.’ I was keen to get off this subject. I reached over, narrowly avoiding his wastepaper basket which didn’t look as if it had been emptied since the Victorians opened this society, and gave him a hug. ‘It’s good to see you. I don’t have long though. I’m on a mission.’

He grinned at me. ‘Sounds fun.’

More fun than Santa’s grotto. Death by a thousand cuts would be more fun that that. I held up my hands. ‘Look.’

He leaned forward. ‘What?’

‘My fingers are being worked to the bone.’

Iqbal snorted. ‘You need to get Winter to take you away for a holiday. Somewhere warm and exotic.’

‘I think he’s booked one for some time around the year 2050.’ I smirked. ‘Don’t worry though. I’m working on it.’

He punched me lightly on the arm. ‘That’s my girl. Anyway, what can I do for you? I assume you’re here because you need my help yet again.’

‘I need to know everything I can about an object called the Angel of the Order.’

He bowed with a dramatic flourish. ‘Then, my darling, follow me. You can fill me in along the way.’

‘Thanks, Iqqy.’ I reached into my pocket and pulled out some biscuits. ‘And I even brought snacks.’

***

We ended up in a long room filled with row upon row of filing cabinets. Instead of opening the first one marked with the letter A, however, Iqbal made a beeline for the Ts.

‘Is this right?’ I asked.

‘Yes,’ he replied easily. ‘The Society’s filing system is, um, unusual. It takes a while to figure it out.’

I squinted. ‘So why T?’

‘You’re looking for information on an object that belongs to the Order. All Order files are kept under T.’

‘T for…’

‘Twats,’ Iqbal said, without looking up.

‘Hey!’ I protested. ‘That’s not fair!’

He pulled out a slim manila folder and smirked. ‘My, you really have drunk the Kool Aid, haven’t you?’

‘I…’ Damn it. ‘Yes. Yes, I have.’

He patted me on the shoulder. ‘It happens to the best of us.’ He flipped open the folder and we scanned the first sheet. ‘Well, it’s valuable, alright,’ Iqbal commented. ‘And old.’

‘Ancient. It’s been around for even longer than Grenville has, and that’s saying something.’ I tapped a paragraph towards the bottom. ‘I don’t read Latin. What does this say?’

Iqbal frowned and bit his lip as he translated. I could tell the moment he’d worked it out because he paled dramatically and snapped the folder shut. ‘Maybe you should get Winter to take you on that holiday now, Ivy.’

‘Iq…’ I wagged my finger in warning.

He sighed. ‘Fine. But you’re not going to like it.’ He cleared his throat. ‘If the Angel is removed from the Hallowed Order of Magical Enlightenment, then the earth shall be rent open, fire shall spew forth, the witches shall be afflicted with disease and magic itself will be forever cursed.’

I absorbed this. ‘So,’ I said slowly, ‘fiery volcanoes and green pustules.’

Iqbal nodded. ‘Effectively.’

‘Maybe it’s talking about a different angel. Maybe there are lots of valuable silver angels hanging around the Order.’

‘Sure. I’m sure there are hundreds. Thousands. There’s no chance that this angel is the same as the one that’s gone missing.’

I ran a hand through my hair and slumped. ‘We’re all doomed, aren’t we?’