Spellbound

Original Edition: Fourteen

Last night's conversation with Soren replayed in my head as I filed old invoices with Larry, handing the older man paper after paper as he placed them in their respective folders. I had to admit that while Soren and Archer appeared to be human, there was absolutely something otherworldly about them, and I wanted to know what it was. There had to be something in that book. But how would I figure it out if Soren didn't even know? And he thinks he knows everything, I thought with a scowl.

Watching Larry's gnarled hands organize the papers gave me an idea: what if he had some answers regarding the twins or the tome? There was no way I could just come out and ask him, but maybe I could hint at it.

"Larry?" I asked as I handed him the last paper and he closed the filing cabinet.

He looked at me before standing up off the stool and stretching his arms in front of him. "Yes, Miss Fox." I glared at him and he said sheepishly, "Gemma."

"I have a question...about the boys."

He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his stomach. "Soren and Archer."

I raised a brow. "You know their names?"

The old man laughed and cleared his throat before saying, "Of course I know their names. They've been here since I started this job. I watched them go from teenagers to adults."

This I did not expect. I thought the twins had only made themselves known to Hazel, leaving everyone else to think they were just spirits that went bump in the night. "What—what are they?"

Cocking his head to the side, Larry regarded me with curiosity. "Why? Have you seen them?"

My face reddened and I chewed the inside of my cheek before saying, "You could say that. I just—I'm just curious, that's all. I mean, they live in my hotel; I feel like I should at least know a little bit about them."

Larry pushed off the counter and pulled on his jacket before taking off his nametag and putting it in the drawer of the front desk. "I'd tell you if I knew, dear. But I don't. Hazel never told me, and while I've known about the boys all along, watched them run around the hotel and then saunter about like they owned the place," a warm, nostalgic smile spread over his face at that, "I've never had a conversation with them. I'm sorry, Gemma, that I can't tell you what you want to know."

My heart sank, but I just gave Larry a smile. "That's okay. Have a good night, Larry, and be careful. It's foggy out there tonight."

He grinned as he stepped toward the front door. "Just the kind of night Hazel would've loved. She'd probably end up over at her spiritual advisor's house before the end of it," he said, and with a tip of his hat, he stepped into the cool autumn night.

I narrowed my eyes as I watched him go, and an idea began to take shape. Spiritual advisor. That sounds like the kind of person that would have some information about enchanted books, or at least what my Aunt Hazel may have written in the pages before the ink somehow disappeared.

I closed out the cash register, propped the "Open again at 8:00 AM" sign on the desk, and bolted to my room. When I burst through the door, I headed straight for the secretary's desk in the corner. There was an old Rolodex inside; I remembered seeing it and having to Google what the hell it was even supposed to be.

I shoved open the desk and pulled the ancient phone number organizer toward me, spinning it around and around, searching for anything that pointed to a spiritual advisor, or psychic, or town witch...anything that might be useful.

I stopped when I saw the name Wanda Willow on a black business card.

"Wanda Willow...that has to be it. What kind of name is that anyway?" I mumbled under my breath as I plucked the card from the Rolodex, noted the address, and shoved it in my pocket.