Shanna Swendson - Don't Hex with Texas

“My enemy is their leader.”

“Oh, so it’s a magical war that’s brewing.”

“I hope not.”

“You’ll need help.”

“Owen can take care of it, Granny,” I put in. I doubted he’d want the kind of help she could offer, unless she was going to scare off the junior wizards by shaking her cane at them and glaring.

“What kind of help do you think I can find?” Owen asked her. I was so used to people just humoring her that I couldn’t get used to him having a serious conversation with her about the kind of stuff we usually ignored.

“We have the wee folk. I’ll bet they’re not happy to have their power sources drained by that lot.”

“You mean the nature spirits? The naiads and dryads?”

“If that’s what you call them. Yes, they live around the creek, more outside of town these days. But it takes special skill and a number of precautions to summon them safely.”

“I’m familiar with the rituals.”

She patted him on the leg. “I had a feeling you would be. You’re a good boy. I’ve got some things that may be helpful to you. I’ll bring them to you tomorrow.” She braced her cane on the ground and stood up. “Now, I’d better get home before my daughter realizes I’m here. And you’d best get out of Katie’s bedroom, young man. It’s improper for you to be unchaperoned like this.”

“Wait a second,” I said, “you mean you came here in the middle of the night and waited for us to tell us there were strange wizards in town?”

“No, I came here because I noticed earlier today that the bark on that tree by the porch was scraped.

Someone’s been climbing up and down that way, and as you’re the only one living at home these days, I had a feeling you were up to something. The best way to find out what you were up to was to catch you out and wait for you.”

I looked out the window, toward the tree, then back at Granny. “You didn’t…”

“Don’t be silly. I came up the stairs, like a normal person.”

“But how did you not wake up Mom and Dad? Those stairs squeak something awful.”

She shook her head and tut-tutted. “It’s not too difficult a spell to silence those steps. Don’t tell me the great wizard here didn’t think of that.”

I looked over at Owen, and if I’d had night-vision goggles, I was pretty sure I could have seen the glow coming off his face. “But—but that would have been dishonest, deceiving my hosts,” he stammered.

“And climbing in and out of windows in the middle of the night is honest?”

“But it’s not magically dishonest.”

She nodded. “Ah, you’ve been well taught. You know the rules. I’ll see you two in the morning.

Now, get to bed—in separate rooms, please.”

When she’d gone and shut my bedroom door behind her, Owen said, “I honestly never thought of silencing the stairs. I know I can’t make that squeaky spot in our house go quiet, but that’s probably a spell Gloria put on it. I guess I assumed it would be the same way here.”

“Climbing out the window is more fun.”

“Speaking of which, I’d better go.” His gaze lingered on me for a second. “I’m a little afraid of what your grandmother would do to me if she knew I was in here unchaperoned for too long. She’s scarier than all those wizards who are gunning for me.” I moved toward him to say good night, but before I got there, he’d already climbed back out the window.

Owen looked less exhausted and more like himself the following morning, aside from the slightest sense that he might be facing his own execution soon. Granny showed up while we were still eating breakfast, so I went off to work without worrying about how Owen would occupy himself in my absence. He had her eating out of his hand, and when it came to spending hours listening to her stories, it was better him than me. I hoped he had enough background knowledge to allow him to tell the truth from the stuff she made up. She couldn’t describe a family event without getting details mixed up, so I wasn’t sure how he’d get anything useful out of her ramblings about the wee folk.

Work went more or less without incident. On my way home, I drove by the square to see what the wizards were up to. They seemed to be roaming in groups of four or five, looking like they were searching for someone. The wandering groups made the townspeople nervous. People crossed the street to avoid passing them on the sidewalk. As I drove past the pharmacy, Lester was in the process of throwing a group out. I hoped Rainbow’s candles had given them headaches or coughing spells, then I got an idea.

I pulled into a parking space in front of the pharmacy and ran inside. “Hey, Rainbow, do those aromatherapy candles come in votive sizes?”

“The full jar is a better value.”

“That’s okay, I need them for a pretty small space.” I bought a bag of ten of the candles that were designed to balance your energy for a more even mood. I figured that encouraging romance with this bunch would be asking for trouble.

When I got home, Owen was out in the horse pasture, having what looked like a deep conversation with Daisy. “I swear, you’re like something out of a Disney movie with all your animal friends,” I said as I approached them. “When the little birds come sit on your shoulder and bring you news, I’m out of here.”

“She was looking at me over the fence like she was sad and lonely.”

I laughed and patted Daisy on the neck. “Meet the only horse I know of who can make puppy-dog eyes. She’s basically an overgrown dog. I’m not sure she realizes she’s a horse. How’d you learn to be so good with animals? Is that a magic thing?”

“I’ve never been that great with people. Animals are usually easier. As far as I know, it has nothing to do with magic. Well, except for the dragons. That was magic, and I didn’t plan for that spell to have that effect.”

“You also have that crazy Granny–taming ability. Speaking of Granny, did you get what you needed?”

“Oh yeah, a whole notebook full. I’ll spend the afternoon cross-referencing what she told me with some of my materials, and then tonight we can go out on a little diplomatic mission. Is there any news on our magical visitors?”

I told him what I’d seen. “So far, it seems like they’re sticking to downtown, so you should be safe out here. Maybe I could find you a hat and dark glasses as a disguise.”

“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”

“Just making the offer. While you’re doing your research this afternoon, I think I’ll help Nita at the motel.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Well, there’s the spying potential, and then there’s this.” I raised the bag of candles. “Take a whiff and see if they affect you even when they aren’t burning.” I opened the bag and he leaned over it, then recoiled instantly with a shudder. “Now, is that because of the magic, or because they smell nasty?”

He sneezed. “Both.”

“Good,” I said with a grin. “I thought they’d be a nice touch for our guests’ rooms. Anything to throw them off balance. Now, have you had lunch yet?”

We were in the middle of making sandwiches when Mom got back. “Something really odd is going on downtown, and don’t tell me I’m imagining things,” she said as she came into the kitchen.

Oops. Owen and I shared a guilty look. I’d been so distracted by finding out that Dean and Granny were magical and Teddy was immune, that Idris had his geek brigade gathering, and that Owen was here without permission that I’d managed to forget that Mom was still immune and not in on the secret. She’d have seen all the nonsense on the square. “Nita said some really odd people had checked into the motel,” I said. “She thinks it’s a rock band hiding out here to write songs for an album.”