Mathilda, SuperWitch (Mathilda's Book of Shadows #1)(42)

“Matty.” Josie sounded scared.

I stopped and looked at her.

“It’s okay, it’s Aidan’s car, he’ll understand.” I hoped. “We’re going to search The Gables first, see if someone’s there to help us. Don’t worry, Josie, I promise, we’ll find Rory.”

I was talking smack but she didn’t know that.

I had to make up a plan and I needed to get her to The Gables.

After a couple of mistaken incantations and missed bits of the spell (I forgot to rub the “belly of the beast” which meant patting the dashboard) the car roared to life and jumped the curb.

“Whoa, Nelly,” I said to the car, jammed her into reverse and rocketed to The Gables.

The car drove like a dream, it made Ole Purple seem like a go-cart.

We skidded to a halt on the gravel outside The Gables and Josie was out the door before I fully stopped.

She ran in shouting Rory’s name.

I ran in too, straight to my Tower Room.

I’d been experimenting with some things and I hoped to the goddess that they worked.

Fumbling through the bottles and vials, the mortars and pestles, cauldrons, candles and messes of incense I grabbed an amulet that was a vial filled with pulverized carnation and lilac petals, spiked shards of rosemary and a bit of the power of the Glamour Girl.

Muttering to myself and calling to my tree, I ran out of my Tower Room and right into Josie.

“He’s not here!” I could hear the panic in her voice.

“I feel him here,” I lied as I slipped the vial around her neck. “Keep looking.”

She didn’t even notice what I’d done, she simply raced away.

I kept up my invocations and I thought it was working; the air was thick with magical energy. I could feel it pressing against my skin and down my throat as I breathed it in.

I raced to the door and found Mom standing there, just outside.

She had her eyes closed, her lips were moving, her arms were raised to the sky, her wand in her right hand, dust dripping from it.

The breeze was blowing her dress and her hair.

She looked scary.

She looked powerful.

She looked kick… f*cking… ass.

Two burning sage sticks were stuck in the candelabrum on either side of the door, smoking hugely. There was a line of lilac scattered across the doorframe.

As I raced out the door, Mom’s eyes popped open and she stared at me. Her eyes were fevered and she was totally freaking me out (in a good way).

“The backdoor –” I started.

“Covered,” Mom said.

“The garden door –”

“Done,” Mom said.

“The door to the cliff from The Dungeons?”

“Don’t worry about it, Matty,” Mom said.

She had it covered.

She’d read my mind.

(Moms are very cool sometimes.)

She grabbed my hand, patted it, looked in my eyes and winked.

We were still holding hands when Josie came tearing toward the front door.

“Josie, don’t!” I shouted and Mom squeezed my hand as Josie rushed toward the door at full speed and slammed into the space in the frame like there was a sheet of clear super-powered glass there.

Butter yellow and gold sparks exploded out from where she hit and more sparks and pixie dust blasted her back several feet where Josie fell on her ass.

Holy Mom Power, Batman!

“Oops,” Mom muttered, “maybe a little OTT on that.”

“Ya think?” I asked.

The look on Josie’s face, oh goddess, it made me want to cry.

Instead, I walked into the entryway and looked down at her, trying to stay cool.

“Sorry, Jo Girl, it’s for your own good. I need to keep you safe.”

She was still on the floor, shaking her head, not understanding that the spell was on the door to keep her in and safe.

“I promise I’ll bring Rory back.”

Big words.

Man, I hoped I could deliver.

Then I walked quickly out of the house, Josie followed and slammed into the invisible door again.

She was shouting at me, the pain and betrayal in her voice were drifting out like angry, hissing snakes.

I tried to ignore her (didn’t work).

I walked to Mom and said, “I want Su and Viv with me… and Ash –”

“Yes, I know. I’ll find them, go.” And she started toward the shouting Josie who was pounding at the invisible barrier, her face red, her eyes full of tears and yellow and gold sparks flying everywhere.

I started toward the car and saw Aidan leaning against it.

Crap!

“You know, all you had to do was ask,” he said.

I pulled out my wand.

I didn’t have time for banter. “Get out of the way, Aidan.”

He shook his head.

“Out of my way!” I shouted.

“First, I know where Rory is and second, I’m driving.”

“Don’t play with me, Aidan, Agatha Darling has Rory somewhere –”

The premonition was clear and not very attractive and it was all I could think about.

Aidan is cute and all (and a doctor) but Rory was out there with Darling, an unknown entity, and I had to get him back.

Now (I was going to say it) was no time for flirting.