The Curious Cat: A Petunia's Peculiar Particulars Prequel

Race Against Time

"So, it was your owner," Tabitha said as they all piled back into the family's SUV.

"Yes," Bathsheba said in a quiet voice. "I am sorry. I had no idea she was dabbling in the black arts. It must be why she left as she did. She knew I would never support it, and I would seal her powers if she refused to walk away."

"You can do that?" Rhiannon asked. "You can seal a witch's powers?"

Bathsheba nodded.

"It's one of the duties of a familiar. Not all witches have familiars. Those that do tend to have great power, so the guild teaches all known familiars the spells and rituals necessary to seal their owner's magic away, if they go crazy, or do something like this." Her dad said as he started the engine.

"If that's the case, why didn't the Enforcers tell Bathsheba to do that while they were still with us? Why did they send us home?" Rhiannon asked as she offered Bathsheba a blanket to curl up under, which the cat gratefully accepted.

"They expect Bathsheba to do her job without needing to be told," her father explained. "Bathsheba will need to be taken to her owner's home to gather some things to perform the ritual."

"No," Bathsheba mumbled from beneath the blanket. "Take me to Lakeside Park. I have everything I need hiding there."

"Does she know about your cache?" John asked.

Bathsheba yawned. Suddenly she was tired. "I can't be sure. I've been cautious and only took what I needed when I knew she was at coven meetings and unable to follow me. I had help from another familiar, a dog strangely enough."

"Beauregard," Tabitha said with a smile. "He's always hanging out outside the meetings. Doesn't he belong to the store owner?"

Bathsheba poked her head out from beneath the blanket, "It's more like the store owner belongs to him. Beauregard is brilliant for a dog. He kept an eye on things while I did what I had to do, and I returned the favor when he needed to create his cache."

"I'm guessing this is also something the guild teaches you?" Rhiannon asked.

"It's common sense, but if you are a familiar and the guild teaches you the rules, it's one of the first things you learn."

"So, she knows you have a cache and is probably looking for it if she hasn't already found it." Rhiannon pointed out.

The car pulled to a stop at a red light. The family all looked at one another in silence until the car behind them honked when the light turned green. John made a sudden left turn. "We'd better get to that park."

"Yes, I think we should, dear." Tabitha looked back at Bathsheba. "Should we send John to get it?"

Bathsheba shook her head, "I'm not sure he could get to it easily, but I could use his help."

"Do you have it hidden in the lake or something?" Rhiannon asked?

"I felt it wise to hide the items I needed in several places. The ritual can work with only one or two of the spell's necessary components, so even if Emilia finds some of them, she would need to find all of them to prevent me from sealing her powers." Bathsheba explained.

"So, even if she does know where you've hidden them, you have backups," Rhiannon said, then she looked out the car window and let herself get lost in thought while her father broke several traffic laws. Her mother didn't complain at him for doing it, and Rhiannon realized that they all felt the urgency of shutting down whatever it was that Emilia was up to. She was about to pull out her phone and check her texts when a thought occurred to her that blurted right out of her mouth. "What's stopping her from killing you to keep you from performing the ritual?" Rhiannon looked down at the cat, who was looking out the window with narrowed eyes.