My Boss’s Secret by Taryn Quinn

Sixteen

What was I doing?

There was always a piece of Ryan and Luna that I never could quite reach. Maybe I never wanted to. I liked logic and order and their…faith? I wasn’t sure that was the right word for it, but it was as good as any. I didn’t understand their draw toward divination, herbs, and crystals.

Crystals were one thing. It was mineral and stone—pieces of the earth compressed to make something beautiful. They only had as much power as you gave to them.

At least that was the way Ryan always explained things.

But traveling to Moonstone & Obsidian’s storefront was a whole different thing. I couldn’t even say I knew how I got there. The winding roads between Kensington Square and Luna Falls were like driving in Boston without any street signs.

Streets didn’t make sense and turns chopped off into dead ends or one way signs, rerouting the Jeep so many times I lost count.

Even the crisp fall day had turned foggy the closer we got to the town limits. Not that there were signs—at all. But suddenly, the wisps of silky fog dissipated as quickly as they formed and the sun was bright and bold as it had been when we left my house.

We pulled in the small parking lot beside the whitewashed building with a jet black tin roof and matching shutters. The door was an earthy red with dents and nicks in the wood, as if it had been pushed open by a thousand hands in one thousand years.

I blinked.

Since when had I ever been so fanciful?

We parked and Ryan hustled me across the gravel lot and through the door. A chime announced our arrival. Luna slipped around me and rushed to the crush of bookshelves that made up the vestibule. They weren’t regular shelves.

It was as if each shelf was bolted into another haphazardly in different sizes, thicknesses of woods, and add-ons. Crooked skinny shelves held small satchels and palm sized notebooks, then the next shelf would be taller to hold oversized books. Some were ancient—as in should probably be behind glass, old—and others were as modern as a best seller’s list, and everything in between.

Again, it seemed fanciful to think that way, but this place was otherworldly in a way I couldn’t describe. Even the air felt different.

The deeper we got into the vestibule, the more the books aged. An earthy green cabinet with pristine glass filled one corner. A lock that would probably fit in a Tolkien movie seemed to keep them apart from the rest of us.

Dark leather tomes without names on the spines were tucked in shadows. On the other side of the space, a bean bag chair was stuffed into a corner with a pile of books piled on a tiny end table that seemed barely strong enough for a teacup.

The whole space was alien and yet invited you in and said it would be okay to sit there and read a book without purchasing it. I trailed my fingertips along the spines. Some leather, some fraying paper. Something urged me to pull one free and sink in to see what it was about.

Fiction seemed intertwined with books about botany and metaphysics. A startling amount were about caring for plants, followed by crystals, and finally more esoteric things I didn’t understand.

Ryan urged me forward. The room opened up and light filled the room. The air was suddenly heavy with herbs and dried flowers. It enveloped more than annoyed, which was incredible since I got headaches from strong scents so easily.

Another unique shelving unit framed a perfect circle archway from floor to ceiling drawing us further into the store. Instead of books, this was a forest of clippings in various stages of propagation. Roots floated in crystal clear water. Some small as a thimble, some large as a fishbowl.

More shelves, more plants, and an incredible array of bottles greeted us as we stepped through the…why I wanted to say portal, I have no idea. Maybe it was just the feel of the store, and the lore of the town. I don’t know, but it felt like everything was new and strange to me.

Suddenly a woman with jet black hair came out from behind the counter. “Ryan Moon, I didn’t see you were coming today.”

See?

Ryan rushed forward and clasped hands with the woman for a moment before Luna skipped into the room and launched herself at the woman.

The proprietress—or maybe she was just an employee, but something told me she was more important than that—laughed and enveloped Luna in a warm hug.

“What a delightful surprise.” She drew back from Luna and then skimmed her gaze down her middle before smiling even wider. “Your energy is much different.”

“Is it?” Luna toyed with one of the stacked necklaces she often wore. “I wouldn’t know anything about that.”

“Wouldn’t you though?” She gently patted one of Luna’s wildly curling space buns.

Ryan waved me forward. “Georgia Rose, meet my best friend April. Apes, this is Georgia. She owns this store.”

Georgia cocked her head. Her dark eyes were assessing and completely void of another color. Usually with brown eyes there were facets of other colors, but not here. Just deep, dark, espresso brown. “Hmm.”

I pressed my lips together and swallowed hard. “Maybe I should go. I’m not meant to be in here.”

Georgia gently encircled my wrist and drew me deeper into the workshop. I didn’t know exactly what it was, but there were bottles and small drawers lining the walls. “No, you wouldn’t have been allowed in if that were the case.”

“I don’t…believe in that kind of thing.”

“Doesn’t matter what you believe in, April. I believe enough to ward my spaces. When you came in here you felt nothing but interest and welcoming warmth did you not?”

“I…well, yes.”

“Then you were meant to be here.”

I blew out a slow breath. Be open minded. Be open minded. It won’t hurt you.

She linked her arm with mine. “Nothing in here will hurt you. And obviously your friends knew you were ready to come here.”

Ready? What, like to convert?

Georgia laughed. “I mean be open minded.”

I blinked. “I didn’t—”

“I can read your emotions, not your mind. Now, what seems to be the problem?”

“I don’t…there isn’t…”

“Confidence. Okay. I can work with that.” She drew me over to a large scarred table. Candles in a rainbow of colors were tucked in boxes without tops, bottles in just as many colors were crammed in little nooks. Everything was clean and tidy. There was just a lot of…well, everything.

“I didn’t come here to take anything. Or buy—or whatever.”

“I know.”

I looked over my shoulder for Ryan and Luna but they were gone. “I’m sure you have other...” There was no one in the shop.

“Other customers? No. As you can see, this was a moment meant for you. Just you and me.”

I sighed. “I don’t know what that means.”

She lifted a hand to my cheek. “You’ve been hurt so many times. Not just men either.” Her hand was cool and warm at the same time.

My eyes stung, and I made a valiant effort not to let tears spill over. Such a simple statement, but there was no doubt in her eyes. How could she know?

“A lot of people have pain in their past.”

“Not everyone holds their pain like a trapped bird. The minute you let it free, you’ll feel so much lighter.”

“I—” I didn’t know who I’d be without it. Would I be the April in Fiji? Brave and fearless in the arms of my mystery guy. Not content to sit on the sidelines.

Not so achingly lonely.

The tear escaped before I could blink it away.

“Tell you what. We’ll just start small. A little confidence boost never hurt anyone, right?”

“No. I don’t imagine so.”

Her eyes drifted down to my locket and I automatically fingered it, hiding it in my fist.

“I think we’ll start with your talisman.”

“It’s my grandmother’s locket.”

“Lockets hold much power. Paper and history wrapped in gold with skin on skin contact of generations.”

My heart fluttered. Her words were soft and full of knowledge at the same time. I’d never met anyone like her. “Just me and my grandmother.”

“Ah. Your mother never wore it?”

I shook my head. “A little gold locket wasn’t her kind of jewelry.” My jaws snapped shut. I’d never really told anyone that. But it was true. My mother had been looking for a better life since she was old enough to understand her own power.

At least that’s what my grandmother told me.

“Many things hop a generation. Hair color, twins, powers.” She arched her brow with a sly grin. “May I?” she held her hand out.

I held onto the locket tighter.

“I promise I won’t hurt it. Just enhance it.”

I snuck a peek around the room and still no Ryan or Lu. Something told me to give it to her. I didn’t understand it, but Georgia Rose had a way about her. I wasn’t entirely sure it was about her being a…witch? I didn’t even know.

I reached around and unhooked the locket and held the chain and locket in my hand for a moment longer before I handed it to her.

“Thank you for trusting me with it.” She flipped it and read the back. “Elizabeth.”

“My grandmother’s name.”

She opened the hinge and smiled at the photo. “Your grandfather?”

I nodded. “She said he was the love of her life.”

“As with most things, we outlive the men…” she gave me another secret smile, “or women who mean so much to us. Elizabeth has a strong love for you. But you feel like she’s moving on.”

Did I?

Even on our trip it felt like she was leaving me behind.

Georgia touched my hand. “She’s not. She’s letting you free.”

“I don’t want to be free.”

“Yes you do.” She took the locket over to the table. “You’ve been restless for months. Maybe even years. You can only ignore it for so long, April. I think your grandmother understands that.”

Before I could reply to that far-too-deep statement, she pulled a white candle and a yellow one out of a box. A few bottles, a leaf of some kind, and a book of matches.

“We’re going to just dip our toe in the water with you. As with any magic, it only works if you believe it. I can work up the most powerful spell in the world, but if you don’t believe—it’s pretty useless.”

“Then am I wasting your time?”

“Not at all.” She gestured me to sit next to her at the table. “Take that notebook. Write down something you want to change about yourself.”

I picked up the pen. “I will be brave.”

“I am brave,” she corrected.

I looked at the paper. I nibbled on the inside of my cheek, then wrote down the words and added another.

She glanced over. “See, you’re getting it.”

I tapped the pad with my pen. “I am brave and capable.”

“Now we’re going to make a sigil.”

“That sounds like a lot.”

“It’s easy. Cross out the vowels and duplicate consonants until you get down to a few letters.”

I made neat slashes through the letters, then looked up when she slid a paper in front of me. “What’s that?”

“How we’ll make the sigil.”

She took me through the paces of creating an odd looking line drawing.

“Now add a few of your own flourishes.”

“Won’t that ruin it?”

“Definitely not. It’s your sigil. Whatever makes you happy is correct.”

I made a few little diamonds and a little flourish on the longest line in the drawing. “Okay. I think that’s good.”

“Perfect.” She took the locket and laid it in a gold tray. She sprinkled a few things on it and rubbed an oil inside and out. “This won’t hurt the metal.” She lifted it to me. “What do you smell?”

“Rosemary?”

“To remember who came before you.” She opened the locket and sprinkled a little salt in it and held the skinny white candle up to me. “Take the matches and light the candle and think about fresh starts. About calming your mind.”

I picked up the matches and blew out a slow, calming breath. I lit the candle. She moved it over to the locket and dripped a little bit of the wax over the bits she’d added to the other side. I expected her to blow it out, but she tapped it out with her fingers.

“Wow.”

“Well if I blew it out, I’d blow away your intentions.”

“Oh. I suppose that makes sense.”

“Much of the practice is common sense wrapped in intention.”

We repeated the same thing with a yellow candle, which was for mental blocks and clarity with a side of confidence. Then she helped me draw the sigil on the leaf—which was a bay leaf. Then again we went with fire.

I listened as she explained about the element of fire and how it activated things. As well as burning the sigil to do the same.

Luna and Ryan chose that time to come back to find me.

“Thanks for deserting me.”

Ryan grinned. “I knew you were in good hands. And that you’d do better without us hovering.” She tucked her chin on my shoulder. “And lookie lookie, you sure are.”

I tipped my head against hers. “Have you ever used a sigil?”

“Many times.”

“Georgia is a pretty amazing teacher.”

“That she is.”

Georgia mumbled a few things under her breath that I couldn’t catch. Then she handed me back my locket. It was still warm to the touch.

“Will the wax hurt it?”

“No. Not at all. Eventually it’ll fall away and then you don’t need it anymore.”

I quickly put it back on and was surprised when it was still warm against my skin. Not like it burned or anything, but if I believed in energy I’d almost wonder if that’s what it was.

“Your friend is welcome here anytime.”

Ryan and Luna took turns hugging her and surprisingly, I allowed myself to be drawn in for a hug as well. Georgia smelled of deep, earthy things. It matched her layers of dark clothes and long dark hair. The sun caught it and reddish tones fired in the dark. As she stepped back, the same happened with her eyes.

Was it just a trick of the light?

“You’re welcome at Moonstone & Obsidian anytime. Even if Ryan and Luna aren’t with you.”

“I’d never find it again. I got lost just thinking about all the turns.”

“You’ll find your way here if you need it again.”

With that she nodded to a few people who’d come into the store. It was as she said, when I needed her undivided attention, it happened. Suddenly the store was filling with people. Some obviously into the craft and others I’d never have guessed. A woman in a linen suit, another in hiking clothes, and still another in a poppy colored dress that seemed far too dressed up for a weekend afternoon.

It said so much about my own biases as well as the rest of the world.

I was quiet as we left. I couldn’t stop fingering the locket, nor wondering if such a thing as spells were real. Already I felt a little lighter for the first time in days.

Maybe just believing really was all it took to start moving forward again.