Mundane to Magic - On Hiatus

Chapter Twelve

"If my father, the most powerful sociopath in town can't find the West End Witch what makes you think we can find her?" Val breaks the silence as we tread down the sidewalk pass a coffee shop whose windows are wide open blowing the scent of baking pastries. Val looks longingly towards the door. "Damn. That smells good."

The sun was high up in the sky, it was already past noon and we had just left the house after waiting for Grant to show up. He still hasn't. The worry leaves dark circles under our eyes but we needed to get moving. We had little idea where to start and sitting around waiting was driving me crazy.

Rubbing my hand against my jeans as the new little itch prickled at my fingertips, I turn us deeper into town before answering. "Well, the witch seems to make herself known to people who are desperate enough." Like Henry. "And we are desperate enough."

Val was inconspicuous in a too-large white t-shirt and ill-fitting jeans. I wore an almost identical outfit, no one would spare either of us a second glance. The goblins bag was resting on my hip, a small fraction lighter as I had spent most of my night sorting through the goblins trash. It was now littered on the safe houses living room floor. Lucky for me mom doesn't visit that house.

"Do you have any idea where we are going?" Val flops into the last booth in the diner, tossing her bag down no longer clutching onto it for dear life. She didn't really have a reason to anymore; she no longer needed to carry the grimoire.

"That depends; do you have any idea why the grimoire pulled me in and not you?" Narrowing my eyes at her, her body shrinks away from me as she shakes her head for the tenth time. Well, I didn't really expect that to work. I'd already asked her a dozen times and gotten the same response. But I couldn't let go of the feeling that she was still hiding something from me.

Our waitress winks as she picks up the menus and saunters off to give the kitchen our rather large order. The only thing the safe house kitchen was stocked with was dry goods. My mouth was basically salivating just from the smells wafting out of the kitchen.

Val giving me the grimoire was a sign of trust from her, but I can sense the secrets hiding underneath. Right now there's no way I'm getting her to talk so I file it in the back of my mind. Although I'm sure we are on the same side, I won't forget.

Our red-haired waitress slams Val's two plates in front of her before bending across the table gently setting my plates down. She locks her deep hazel eyes on mine before telling me to enjoy.

"Could she be any more obvious?" Val scoffs as she unrolls her silverware and putting her napkin on her lap. "Oh please, don't give me that look. You were checking her out."

I stab a large piece of banana pancake and stuff it in my face, the heat pooling in my cheeks. We ate quickly mostly in silence. A whistle broke the chatter in the diner as the royal seal came across the diner main television screen.

"People of Mystic. We need to unite now more than ever. Our dear Princess, my daughter Valentina has been kidnapped and is in grave danger." The King announces heavily face screwed up with fake concern. The screen changes to a picture of Val, long, straight blonde hair with make-up darkening her eyes and features. Val's short hair is now sporting light messy waves and not a drop of make up on her face, she looks like a distant relative at most but everyone will be paying attention now.

"Please return her and the stolen items to me safely and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams." The King sits in his flashy throne and snaps his fingers and a small ball of fire crackles in his palm. "Return Val unharmed and I will gift you with magic."

Another whistle and the television briefly show the seal before dissolving back into a repeat news cast featuring the riot. Everyone in the diner eyes each other suspiciously while whispering to each other and I see the waitress sauntering back towards us. Val bolts up before disappearing into the women's restroom.

The waitress places the bill on the table and slips a piece of paper into my hand. "Call me." She giggles and clears the plates from the table. Placing a wad of cash on the table I rush out the door and collide with Val. She lurches to the ground but I easily pull her up and get us out the door. I glance at the large window and see the waitress staring at us with a scowl. So much for getting out unnoticed.

A light rain falls from the sky and there's a sudden rush as people race to get inside. It clears the streets for the most part, only the few that had the good sense to carry an umbrella still walking to their original destinations.

"You're lucky I found you." A deep voice from our left sends us both jumping away. He is short and plump, his eyes focused just above us. "I find your Adam and Eve thing sexy."

"Gross. You freak. What's wrong with you?" Val shouts as she smacks the man across the fact.

His eyes glaze over before refocusing on us. "Who are you?" He clutches his stomach and gives us another strange look. What the hell?

"Hey Adam! Eve!" A hoarse voice shouts from down the road from a woman leaning against a store under a ledge puffing on a cigarette. She beckons us with one finger; with a glance towards our confused companion we walk over to the woman.

Her black curls are knotted and dirty, teeth yellow and crooked. Her eyes travel up and down as she takes both of us in. She tilts her head, cigarette dangling from her mouth. "Oh, I know that look."

"What look?" I question as she reaches up placing her hand on my cheek.

"You want me to be your first."

I push her hand away stumbling on the curb in my desperation to leave. Suddenly her eyes glaze over just like the man's.

A deep laughter comes from another man just a few houses down. He's pointing towards us and laughing so hard half bent over with one hand on his knees. "You...haha...should have seen... hahaha... your face."

What the hell is going on? As soon as we get to the man, his eyes glaze over and we get called by another person. Could this be a trap? Val and I look at each other but we both say nothing. Whoever is doing this can hear and see everything we do.

We follow the long chain of weird people until a cat slinks out of an alleyway sliding through my legs. It turns down an empty street leading away from the shops; we wait for the voice to call us again but all we hear is the meow from the black cat.

"Is that it? Why would they bring us here?" Val looks around; we don't see anyone on the streets anymore.

"If this is a setup, it's not a very good one is it?"

"Hey idiots, let's go." The cat screeches as it circles us before taking back off down the street.

"What the..." Val whispers before following the cat.

The cat twists through an alleyway to a building long since destroyed in a past rebellion attack. A large crack runs down the wall and the cat darts through it. With a shrug Val slinks sideways into the dark hole and I follow. The crack is small; I barely manage to squeeze myself through.

We stand on the back porch of a two story white house. Its back yard opens up into a dark forest. The town is nowhere in sight. We must have gone through a portal. The only sound besides our breathing is the faint chirping of birds. The black cat slivers down the porch and dashes towards the tree line.

"We've gone too far to back out now." I shrug.

Hey, hey. Been a week! I would have posted that the Chapter was coming today but I wasn't even sure it was. It was a long week in the writing department but I think we got where we wanted to go.

Do you think Luka will be a natural with magic or do you think that he has too much to learn?

What do you think Val is keeping from Luka?

Last but not least, who is missing Grant? Do you think he's alive or do you think the hollows got him?