Twisted Fate

Chapter 51

Astrid

"Good morning, darling. Could you do me a favor and put these back in their placements?" Ms. Hattie says, giving Nicolas a pointed look, "Someone here does not know how to return borrowed things." She slides the stack of books over to me and discusses paperwork with Nicolas.

Is she really going to play that game with me? I place both palms down firmly on her desk and look straight into her big brown eyes. "I want the keys to the red door," I say adamantly.

Ms. Hattie continues to avoid my demand and opens her filing cabinet. She slides the papers into a folder, turning her nose up at my hands on her desk as if they're filth. "No," she dismisses.

Meanwhile, Nicolas is gaping between the two of us like we'd just told him about the most fascinating thing in the world. "You have found the devil's door?"

"I have. And I know I am the only one here that can see it."

"Who gave you that information?" Ms. Hattie snaps, her gaze burning into my soul. I've never seen her so angry before, and I'm not about to make Evelyn deal with her wrath. She's already grounded for the rest of the year after her parents found out about the last few stunts.

"A friend." I shrug.

Her eyes harden, and she knowingly throws her red pen down. "I'm going to have a long talk with that girl. As of now, she is officially banned from my gift shop. I'll give Mr. and Mrs. Winston a call." Shit!

Before I can think of a lie to save Evelyn, Nicolas finally comes out of shock and diverts the topic, "Wait a sec," He stands up abruptly and looks down at Ms. Hattie, gritting through clenched teeth "You mean to tell me that this she-wolf has been chosen by the further ones. I have been alive for 120 years. Half of that time I spent here, working in the shop. I have taught our future snot witches and warlocks, put up with ghost tantrums, and cleaned this place like a slave. My knowledge of dark magic is endless. I've searched and searched for that blasted door and this she-wolf finds it on her first visit." He blows out a long breath and rubs his chin with years' worth of frustration.

I smile sweetly at him and then it occurs to me... "What exactly is inside the room?"

"It's not a room," Nicolas sounds shocked by my ignorance, "There is an unimaginable power that lies behind that door. People have traveled to different times. Different realms. The further ones were once four great sorcerers of dark magic. They are the creators of the devil's door."

Different realms? My mind is already running with possibilities when Ms. Hattie barks, "Enough!"

"This is unreal. No one has been summoned in years!"

"That doesn't matter to me because..." Ms. Hattie taps on her chest, "I am the keeper of this shop and what I say goes. And I say that no one is going through that door!" Her heels nearly crack the floor as she stomps out of her office.

"No," Nicolas muses. We both exchange a look, the correspondent light of agreement passing between us before we're fast on our feet, following a seething Ms. Hattie. "Astrid has to go inside. If the further ones have chosen her, then it is for a good reason. I'm afraid that you'd be doing more harm with your restrictions."

"Do neither of you speak English? I can say the word No in fifty different languages. Which one would you prefer?"

I raise my hand, interjecting at her sixth foreign example. "I've been harassed by freaking ghosts for the past week and last time I checked, I'm not an Empath. They're trying to tell me something important and I'm going to find out what that importance is."