Witch in Exile
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Chapter One
I’m going to get you Mirabelle. So help me, I will get you, if it’s the last thing I do. This time, you’ve gone too far.
Luna’s sharp screech wrenched Lexie out of her restless sleep. She sprung upright. “What? What’s going on?” Raking her hair out of her eyes, Lexie searched for Luna. “Luna?” No response. “Have you been talking to me in my sleep again? I swear, if you don’t quit your mind games, I am going to put a pink bow on you.”
Every other day, Lexie seemed to wake up with the idea that she needed to go shopping for more of Luna’s favorite food, Gourmet Delight, because there was bound to be a new flavor. Never mind that her kitchen cupboards were filled to capacity with the expensive cat food.
Life had been so much simpler before Mirabelle—
Lexie rubbed her still sleepy eyes. Mirabelle had given her a box of Gourmet Delight, but that had been a while ago. Why had she been dreaming about her? Actually, it had been more of a nightmare than a dream, and now that she thought about it, she’d dreamed she’d been dreaming about telling Mirabelle off. Lexie frowned. Even the thought didn’t make sense.
The sudden pounding on her front door had her scrambling to get out of bed. Responding to the urgency of the knocking, she burst out into the sitting room and saw Luna sprinting toward the front door ahead of her.
For once, Luna beat her to the door. If she didn’t know better, she’d think the little scamp wanted to make a quick getaway.
Let me out. Let me out. She’s after me. She’s going to kill me too.
“What are you talking about?”
Stay away from me. You… You murderer.
“Lexie. Open up.”
Jonathan? Pounding on her front door? He usually let himself in.
When Lexie reached for the door to unlock it, Luna cowered, her bright eyes wide with horror. “What is going on with you? Are you having a neurotic episode?”
“Oh, good. Jonathan has arrived.”
Lexie spun around. “Cat. What are you doing here?” She looked around for Mirabelle’s orb but the High Chair of the British Isles and all Circumferential Domains Pertaining to the Mackenzie Coven was nowhere in sight while her down under cousin’s orb danced around her sitting room leaving a trail of bright orange sparkles. “I thought I told you guys, no more surprise visits.” She turned to Jonathan. “And what are you doing here so early?” Her guardian and chronicler of all her deeds… and or misdeeds looked as if he’d been shoved out of bed. He’d buttoned up his shirt all wrong so it looked askew, his boots didn’t match and his unshaven… well, he usually sported a day’s growth so there was nothing unusual about his unshaven face.
“How long do we have?” Jonathan asked Catherine.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Lexie looked from Jonathan to Cat’s orb. A witch in her own right, her Australian cousin hated to travel so she always appeared as an orb. Although, according to what she’d heard, after announcing her intention to join the circus and become a trapeze artist, her parents had put a binding spell on her instilling the fear of heights…
“Come on,” Cat said, “You don’t have a moment to waste. You have to pack. They’ll be coming for you soon.”
“Who?”
Before Cat could answer, Jonathan demanded, “Where’s the cat?”
Luna peered at them from the safety of the hallway. She looked undecided, her eyes dancing between Lexie and the stairwell.
“Get in here, Luna,” Jonathan ordered.
Luna gave a vigorous shake of her head.
She’s a lunatic. Keep her away from me.
Jonathan rushed out to the hallway and scooped Luna up. “If they catch you, they’ll bind you. This is the only way.”
Lexie raked her fingers through her hair. “What are you all talking about?” And why could she only hear Luna in her head? She usually came through loud and clear and, when she wanted to, she could communicate with anyone.
I’m not going anywhere with her. Let go of me. Put me down. This is rather awkward, but I need you to tell Jonathan I’m not going anywhere with you. Tell him. Tell him. I’m in shock and I can’t open my mind to tune into him.
“Huh?”
Luna tried to free herself from Jonathan’s hold. “Tell your cat to put her claws away. They’re digging into me.”
“Hurry,” Cat urged.
Lexie flapped her arms and spun around. “Why? Will someone please tell me what’s going on?”
Cat’s orb danced around her. “I’m offering you asylum.”
“Huh?”
“You’ll be safe with me for a little while, but you must hurry.”
Lexie jumped back and put her hands up. “I need everyone to start making sense.”
Jonathan huffed out a breath. “What do you remember about the last twenty-four hours?”
Lexie stabbed her fingers through her hair. “I went to… and then… oh, and I also… but then we had to… and then…”
Catherine’s orb swooped around the room leaving a trail of sparkles behind her. “You’re speaking with gaps.” She turned to Jonathan. “She’s speaking with gaps. Can you fill them in?”
“Me?” Jonathan looked perplexed.
“Yes, you. You’re her chronicler. You should know everything she’s been doing. It’s your job. Your raison d’être.”
Jonathan groaned. “Did you have to put it in quite those terms? I prefer to fool myself into thinking there’s more to my life than shadowing Lexie’s every step.”
Cat’s orb spun around Jonathan. “You alone bear witness to all her deeds and or misdeeds. You’re her one and only hope. What do you remember?”
Jonathan shifted. “Well, she…. and then she… oh, and she also, but that came after… or before… hang on…”
Sparkles flew out of Cat’s orb like a cranky mini fireworks display. “You too?”
Jonathan staggered back. “Me what?”
“You’re speaking with gaps.”
Luna screeched and again tried to scramble out of Jonathan’s hold.
“This is bad. Very bad.” Cat’s orb hovered in the middle of the sitting room. “We don’t have time to figure it out now. Grab your emergency bag and let’s go.”
Lexie looked around her. “Emergency bag?”
“Yes, you know, the bag you have prepared with some clothes and other essentials just in case you have to go to the hospital or skip the country at a moment’s notice.”
“I don’t have one of those.” Lexie turned to Jonathan. “Do you have one?”
Jonathan shrugged. “Everyone has one.”
“Well, I don’t.”
“It doesn’t matter now,” Cat said. “Just grab some clothes and let’s go.”
“Where?”
Cat’s orb bobbed from side to side almost as if looking to see if anyone could hear them. “To my cottage,” she whispered. “You should be safe there. It’s warded against all intruders.”
“Your cottage? But that’s down under, somewhere in an Australian forest.”
“And you have a problem with that?” Cat sounded miffed. She swooped down and stopped right in front of Lexie’s face. “You don’t seem to understand the severity of your situation. Now, either pack some clothes or come as you are.”
“Is there a door number three I can pick?” Lexie asked.
Cat’s orb expanded and little sparks flew out of it. “Yes and guess what’s behind that one. Suffer the wrath of the Coven Disciplinary Board.”
* * *
Lexie thought two pairs of everything would be enough to see her through whatever this was. She threw her clothes inside a carry bag and wondered if she should contact her mom.
As the current High Chair of the American Continent and all Circumferential Domains Pertaining to the Mackenzie Coven, she should be able to help or, at least, throw some light on the matter.
“And I can help. Albeit in a limited capacity.”
“Mom?” Lexie swung around but she didn’t see Morgana. “Where are you?”
“There’s no time to waste, Lexie. You must go. Don’t tell me where. The less I know, the better. I’ve given you a new dress to wear. Be safe.”
“Mom?” Lexie called out her mom’s name again but was met with silence. A dress? She’d given her a dress? Trust her mom to think of fashion at a time like this…
Cat flew into her bedroom. “What’s taking you so long? Hurry. Hurry.”
Lexie couldn’t help laughing. “You sound like the Wizard from The Lord of the Rings.” Her heart gave an alarming thud. Oh, that had better not be a sign. She loved her small East Village apartment. If she had to leave it forever…
This had better be a prank. She’d settle for a false alarm.
Grabbing her carry bag, she strode out to the sitting room. Lexie looked from Jonathan to Cat. “So what’s my approval rating?”
Jonathan gave her a head to toe sweep of his dark blue eyes and, brushing his hand across his chin, he nodded. “Yeah, that’ll do. In fact, that’s better than I expected.”
“What?”
“Chainmail,” he said.
Lexie patted herself. Something felt odd… different. Her cousins had given her a Mackenzie Coven outfit for her birthday which she apparently wore all the time… even if she didn’t wear it. The black skirt flared out to mid thigh and the bodice… well, she preferred not to think about how revealing it looked. The striped stockings she could live with and she rather liked the Mary Jane pumps. Lexie rushed back into the bedroom and looked at her reflection.
“Huh? What is this?”
“It’s a chainmail dress. Where did it come from?” Cat asked.
Lexie swung around and smiled. It actually felt quite light and her strappy shoes had been replaced with practical lace up boots.
She turned just in time to see Jonathan throw a shoe at her. It bounced right off her.
“Hey.” Lexie frowned and then she smiled. She hadn’t actually felt the shoe. “Hey, this is super cool.”
Jonathan poked her with a finger. “Hard as steel. Yeah, that’ll do.”
“Now what?” Lexie asked and hoped Cat didn’t press her for more information about the dress because then she’d have to own up to having contacted her mom. “I can’t transport myself to your cottage because I’ve never even seen a picture of it. Do you have a closet for me to land in?” While she could blink herself anywhere, she needed to have a mental picture of her destination, although that never seemed to stop her from always landing in a closet.
“Never mind that. We don’t have time. I’ll cast a spell and transport you.”
“Um… hang on.” The last time Cat had cast a spell on her it had gone horribly wrong and Lexie had broken into rhymes and tongue twisters every hour on the hour.
“Don’t worry,” Cat assured her. “I’ve cast this one many times and I’ve never had any complaints.”
Luna found her voice and screeched, “My tail. My tail. Tell her to remember my tail.”
Cat’s orb glowed orange and expanded to twice its size.
Travel through space with no time to spare, this trio leaves now…
“Did she say trio?” Jonathan’s voice echoed right along with Luna’s screech and demand to be released because she’d changed her mind.
A swirling wind sparkling with bright lights enveloped them, lifted them off the floor and swept them off.
* * *
“Well… that was weird.” Lexie turned and tried to see if she’d made it through in one piece. She patted her shoulders and her head. “Yes. I’m all accounted for.” Including her new chainmail dress.
When Jonathan patted his head, Luna saw her chance and took it, leaping out of his hold and rushing to the front door.
Jonathan growled. “Where is she? She wasn’t supposed to bring me along. Just you and the cat.”
Luna hissed at him. “I am not a cat. I am the in-coming High Chair’s loyal feline companion.”
“I see you’ve found your voice,” Lexie said.
“The shock must have done it for me. Do not come any closer,” Luna warned. “That’s right. Keep a safe distance, or I swear I will bite you.”
Lexie snorted. “What happened to being a loyal feline companion?”
Luna licked her paw. “Habit. It slipped.”
Lexie looked around. They’d landed in someone’s sitting room, a nice change to landing in a closet… on her butt. But where exactly were they?
A door at the end of the spacious room opened and a lithe woman with a mop of Titian red hair strode in and greeted them with a sparkly hello.
“Who are you?” Lexie asked.
“I’m Cat.”
“No, you’re not. Cat’s an orb.”
Cat laughed. “Only when I have to travel. It’s a sort of astral projection. I’m there, but not really there because I’m actually still here. In fact, I’ve always been here. Hey… did you think I was an orb in real life?”
Lexie looked askance. “Well… I’ve never met you in person. Sorry. You look fabulous in real life. Not that you don’t look great as an orb. In fact, you’re quite sparkly.” Lexie turned to Luna. “Don’t I always say that about Cat? Tell her.”
Luna hissed. “Don’t come any closer.”
Rolling her eyes, Lexie strode over to Cat and threw her arms around her. “Hello, cousin. Lovely to meet you at last.”
“Are you checking to see if I’m really real?”
Lexie released her. “Do you blame me?”
“Fine. In your place, I guess I would have done the same. Anyway, welcome to my cottage.”
She called this a cottage? It was palatial. Lexie slanted her gaze at Luna who lifted her nose in the air.
Luna purred. “See what I mean? Everyone has a far better setup than you.”
Jonathan cleared his throat. “Would you mind telling me what I’m doing here?”
Cat’s neat eyebrows drew together. “What are you doing here?” She smacked her hand against her mouth. “Oops. Did I say trio instead of duo? Sorry, I was under a lot of pressure to get Lexie to safety.”
“Can you get me back?” Jonathan asked.
Cat’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Well, as to that. I’m afraid not.”
“What do you mean? You got me here, you can send me back.”
“I could. Ordinarily, but I’ve closed the gateway and warded it.”
“Undo it,” Jonathan demanded.
“I can’t do that. It’s a safety measure for emergency situations such as this one. I set it on automatic to lock until the moon has completed its full cycle. If I’m still alive and well, it will automatically open again.”
Jonathan took a step toward Cat. “If? What if something happens to you?”
This time, Cat’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson.
“Hey!” Lexie exclaimed. “Are you suggesting I’ll… and then… because…”
“She’s doing it again.” Cat shook her head.
“Doing what?” Lexie asked.
“You know, talking with gaps.” Cat brushed her hand across her chin. “I suspect you might have experienced something traumatic and it’s affected the way you react. Specifically, the way you react to the suggestion that you might be capable of a violent act. What do you remember about the last twenty-four hours?”
So much had happened. Why couldn’t she remember any of it? Lexie looked around her as if searching for something to anchor her. “Wow. That is the largest fireplace I’ve ever seen.”
“Oh, you haven’t seen Mirabelle’s. Or have you?”
Swinging around, Lexie slammed her eyebrows together. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Cat looked away. “Never mind.” Lowering her voice, she said, “Innocent until proven guilty.”
Lexie looked up. The ceiling seemed to go on forever. It reminded her of the ceilings in fantasy films with carved beams curving across. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s a vaulted ceiling,” Cat said. “I went through a medieval phase and rather liked it.”
“Well, it’s high. Just how big is this place?”
“It’s as large as I need it to be. It looks larger from the inside, but from the outside, it actually looks like a cottage. You’ll be safe here. No one comes out this way. I’ve made sure of that.”
“Where exactly is here?” Lexie asked. She only knew her Australian cousin lived in a cottage but had never asked about its whereabouts.
Cat’s eyes sparkled. “It’s in what we call the high country with tall mountains and forests. My cottage is deep inside the forest.”
Lexie chortled. “Is your cottage made of gingerbread?”
“It depends on what’s inside a person’s heart. If they’re evil, it’s supposed to look like a derelict ruin with fierce gargoyles guarding it.”
“Thank you for offering me asylum. Umm… I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but how long am I going to be stuck here for?”
Cat gave a firm nod. “Until we get to the bottom of this. It would be too dangerous for you to return home before then.”
Jonathan groaned, Luna hissed and Lexie sunk down on an upholstered chair.
“Well, humph to you all,” Cat exclaimed. “Here I am, putting my neck on the line and offering you a safe haven and what thanks do I get?”
“Sorry, and I did thank you. I only wish I’d come for a visit under different circumstances.” Lexie sighed and looked around her but she couldn’t focus on anything. “So… why exactly am I here?”
“Let’s get you all settled in first and then we’ll talk about it.” Cat turned to Luna. “I would like to introduce you to my feline companion, Smidgen.”
Lexie saw a ginger cat appear beside Cat.
“She’s shy and only talks when it’s absolutely necessary. If she likes you well enough, she’ll allow you to hear her.”
Smidgen took a tentative step toward Luna who responded with a shy step of her own. What followed could only be understood by cats as they danced around each other, both appearing to express a mixture of indifference, disdain and interest. After five minutes of rising tension, they scampered toward each other, and took off together to another room.
“Well, that was rather suspenseful. I guess Smidgen is going to show Luna all her hidey-holes. I’ll show you to the guestrooms.”
Lexie followed with Jonathan beside her, his hands shoved inside his pockets, his mouth set in a hard line. “Umm, I don’t mean to sound overly eager, but would you mind telling me why I had to make such an impromptu exodus?”
“Are you saying you don’t remember anything at all?” Cat asked.
Lexie searched her mind and tried to remember what she’d done the day before. When nothing came to mind, she thought about the preceding days. Scenes raced through her mind. Breakfast at the Kitty Café. Lunch and dinner at Jonathan’s bar, O’Connor’s. Conversations with Luna. Luna’s chatter. Luna’s silence. Luna’s grumbling. Luna sprinting around the apartment. Luna staring at a wall. The entire week had been uneventful and then the day before, Luna had suggested going out for a walk. And then… and after that… and…
Lexie’s lips parted. Even her thoughts had gaps.
She shook her head. “Nope. Nothing.”
“Rumor has it, you killed Mirabelle.”
Copyright ©2018 Sonia Parin/All Rights Reserved
