6. Gemma

6 GEMMA

The drive to the witch’s supply store is about fifteen minutes. We have to drive out of town and toward the surrounding mountains. At the base of the mountains is a small area where paranormal-like stores are located. Humans can’t see them due to a concealment spell cast over the space.

Once we arrive, we park as close as possible, which is close since no one is out and about, probably because of the storm.

“You know, they could put up a spell around this place to protect it from storms.” Aislin pockets her keys and zips up her jacket. “It’d make things way easier.”

“I wonder why they don’t,” I say, zipping up my own jacket.

“Probably because it’s a part of nature, and witches channel their power from it,” Aislin explains as she pushes the driver door open.

I follow, and then we sprint for the entrance.

The store is located in the middle of a row of other shops, ranging from bakeries to one that sells magical artifacts.

The bell dings as she throws the glass door open, and we rush in, breathing heavily as the rain seeps into the fabric of our clothes.

“You know, it wouldn’t suck as bad if it was at least warm outside.” I hug my arms around myself as shivers rack my body. “But it’s freezing.”

“Yeah, it’s way colder this year than in the past.” Aisin lowers her hoodie.

“That’s because the gods are punishing us.” A woman wearing a floor-length, emerald-green dress whisks through a doorway with beads dangling from the top. She has brown hair, and her eyes are the same color as the dress. Her makeup is flawlessly done, and her fingers are covered with rings.

“What gods?” Aislin asks as she approaches the counter that consists of a glass display case that showcases statues, gemstones, herbs, and all sorts of other curiosities.

The woman rests her arms on top of the counter. “Do you not know your own history, witch?”

Aislin wavers. “Not really. I’m a keeper, too, so …” She shrugs.

“Really? I’ve never heard of that happening before,” the woman says. “I’ve heard of fey, wolves, even vampires having witch powers, but never a keeper. That’s interesting.” She studies Aislin closely. “How long have you borne the moon mark, my dear?”

The moon mark is the witch’s mark.

“A few years,” Aislin tells her as she assesses a row of shelves behind the counter. “I actually came here to get supplies for a cause-and-effect spell. Do you have all the supplies for that?”

“A cause-and-effect spell, huh?” For some reason, her gaze drifts to me.

“This is my friend,” Aislin explains. “She’s not a witch.”

The woman continues to stare at me in a way that makes me squirm.

“Your eyes are a unique color,” she tells me as she wanders to one of the shelves. “The goddess of stars has the same color. Or so the legend says. Goddess of stars, eyes like stars, and the power to see the inner eye.”

I swallow hard. “I thought foreseers were the ones who had the inner eye.”

She laughs dryly as she collects a wooden box off a shelf. “Is that what you’ve been taught?”

“Is that not correct?” Do I believe her?

She returns and sets the box down on the counter. It has a golden lock with a star-shaped pattern engraved on it.

“Why does it have stars on the lock?” I inquire as casually as possible. Really, I’m thinking about the star dreams I keep having.

“The stars are a map of our future and our past,” the woman explains as she retrieves a lock from her pocket. “I’m Amelia, by the way.” She slips the key into the lock. “And I’m a witch, if you haven’t already figured that out.”

“We assumed as much.” Aislin watches as Amelia opens the box. Whatever is inside glows and reflects on Amelia’s face.

“This is stardust. It’s the main ingredient in the cause-and-effect spell.”

“It’s pretty.” Aislin extends her hand toward the box, as if she will touch the stardust.

Amelia slams the lid shut. “Whatever you do, don’t touch it. If you do, you’ll get sucked away into the night sky.”

“What?” Aislin and I say simultaneously.

“It’s very powerful,” she explains as she wanders over to another shelf and collects a ceramic bowl from it. “I’ll get the rest of the ingredients and give you more details. Give me a few.” She ducks back through the beaded curtain.

“Are you sure you want to do this spell?” I whisper to Aislin. “It sounds dangerous.”

Aislin tucks a lock of her short brown hair behind her ear as she eyes the box. “It’ll be fine. I’ll be careful, and I’ll wear gloves.”

I want to protest more, but when Aislin makes up her mind about something, it’s hard to talk her out of it.

To distract myself from the restlessness working its way through my body, I roam around the store, looking at all the objects. One in particular snags my attention—a crystal ball filled with lavender ribbons that are dancing in a sparking sea of glass. It almost appears to be glowing, an orb of light illuminating around it.

I’ve seen crystal balls before, but my father hasn’t ever let me touch one—foreseers are weird about that. After what happened at school today, I’m curious what will happen if I touch one. It could be risky if I somehow got pulled into a vision again, but I don’t have the foreseer’s mark.

“I wouldn’t touch that if I were you.”

I startle at the sound of a voice that’s way too close. When I glance to my right with my hand pressed against my chest, I find a guy around my age, with blond hair, looking at me with what can only be described as an impish smirk on his face.

“Where the heck did you come from?” I ask. I didn’t see or hear anyone enter the store, and there’s a bell on the door, so I should have.

“That’s a complicated question, and not the one you should be asking.” His smirk widens. “What you really should be wondering is: where did you come from?”

Okay, this guy is so giving off creepy vibes.

Without saying anything, I turn to leave.

“I’m Nicholas,” he calls out. “Does that name mean anything to you?”

I flick a glance over my shoulder. “No. And can you leave me alone? You’re being weird, and it’s creeping me out.”

His grin seems to darken. “Sure. Just one more thing, though.” He grabs the crystal ball off the stand and tosses it to me.

Out of pure instinct, I catch it. “Why the heck did you?—”

Swoosh.

I’m yanked into the crystal with Nicholas’s laughter echoing around me.

I fall into the light.

And fall.

And fall.

And fall.

I fall for so long that I wonder if I’ll ever stop, or if this is it—the vision that shows me that I end in nothing but light.