The eyes of the townspeople weighed heavily on me.
“It’s a bookstore.” Exasperation filled Mama’s voice. “I hardly think a few books are going to bankrupt us or bring the magistrates down upon us.”
Just the name sent shivers down my spine. Magistrates. Powerful witches who worked for Witch Superior and hunted individuals accused of breaking the sacred witch laws. Some of them were even spies, disguised as herbalists or teachers or bakers so they could better infiltratetowns, learn everyone’s secrets, and take those secrets back to Witch Superior. It had created a culture of fear, one where people didn’t trust each other.
I rubbed my temples. Maybe Mama was right. Besides, I hadn’t seen Prue so animated in a long time. If a few books would bring her happiness, then I shouldn’t stand in the way of that.
“Well, I have good news and bad news.” The woodsmith approached, his gray hair peppered with specks of black, his hands stained with black as well. He rubbed his clean-shaven jaw, staining his chin with more of the black substance. I wasn’t sure what it was, maybe some kind of magic he used when doing his woodwork.
I stiffened. “What’s the bad news?”
“Your cart has a deep crack in the bottom, straight down the middle. It’s a wonder the whole thing hasn’t collapsed. As you know, with the cart broken, so is whatever magic it was spelled with.”
My chest tightened. This was the worst-case scenario. Adelaide, Elm, and Auggie drifted over, walking under the thatched roof to hear what the woodsmith had to say.
“So what’s the good news?” Adelaide asked.
“What’s that?” The woodsmith put a finger behind his ear, leaning forward.
“The good news?” Adelaide said more loudly.
“Ah.” He clapped his hands together, glittery black magic poofing up into the air from the force. “Well, you’re going to have an extended stay in the lovely town of Thistlegrove.”
My heart dropped straight to the ground. “Define extended.”
He scratched the back of his head. “It’s going to take at least a month to fix this, if not longer. I’ve got a lot of spells but none quite like what’s needed to fix that deep crack.” He pointed to his grimoire perched on a wooden table, his wand lying next to it. “It’s going to take some trial and error. Then, of course, there’s re-spelling the cart to move on its own. That’s quite complicated magic.”
I squeezed my eyes shut as my heart beat harder. A month. An entire month.
“I have two rooms at the inn reserved,” Elm said. “I come so often that I have rooms booked for myself and my father. I can stay at myfriend’s place. He has plenty of space. And my father won’t be visiting this month. It’s really no trouble.”
His voice was distant, his words burrowing into my anxiety, making it fester like an open wound. Suddenly it was hard to breathe.
“No,” I heard myself say. “We can camp. We’ll camp outside of town.”
“Don’t be silly,” Mama said.
“Elspeth, are you okay?” I felt Adelaide’s hand on my arm.
“She looks wretched,” Auggie said.
My lungs squeezed tight, trapping any air. I clutched my chest as my gaze focused on all the witches staring at us. They were suspicious. They knew our secret. It would only be a matter of time before someone called the magistrates. Just like before.
“Elspeth,” Adelaide said again.
I stumbled away from everyone. “I need a drink.”
“I think you need more than a drink. You need to be sedated. And you also need a bath.” Auggie wrinkled her nose, looking at my mud-speckled dress.
“I know just the place,” Elm said. “It’s called The Brewhouse. It’s right down the road. I can take you.” He looked at Adelaide. “And if you’re interested, you could join us?”
“Perfect!” Mama clapped her hands together. “You three go, and Auggie and I will stay with the woodsmith and talk more about the repairs needed.”
Auggie crossed her arms, scowling. “But I want to go,” she whined.
Mama put her arm around Auggie, drawing her in. “I need you here with me, dear. Go on now. You three have fun.”
I didn’t move, so Adelaide took my arm, gently pulling me forward onto the dirt road, my heart still racing.
