The Memory Keeper

Chapter 4

In a carriage pulled by two mares, one black, the other spotted, Piper took the folded leaf of paper from Coldton palace and eyed Natalie. "I cannot tell if I am about to read great or terrible news."

With an goofy shrug and laughter, the mind weaver said, "Perhaps both!"

Piper pressed her lips together while she read. Slowly, her expression went from taut as a bow string, to drooping wonder, and then shot upward in smiles. Not only her lips, but crinkled eyes and brows. "Do you know what this means, Natalie?!" She handed the letter back and pushed the bottom of her palms to her eyes as though to make sure they had not deceived her.

"I know exactly what it means!"

"Did you send back a letter of acceptance?"

Now Natalie's face fell. "Not yet."

"Bother. Do I need to write one for you? I am your witch, but not your secretary."

"Look, I have been preoccupied with current clients in desperate need for my attention."

"Like--," Piper stopped short as though she were about to sneeze. "You are taking on the client we talked about the other day, aren't you?"

The mind weaver turned her head and pretended to look out the window, suddenly fascinated with the willow trees as the carriage rocked and clonked on past the exit to Stagwood, where Piper was from.

Most witches, though their best herbs, plants, and crushed stones came from Winter Wells, actually lived in Stagwood. They enjoyed the quiet nature for their practices. Witches like Piper did not live that far out, but rented spaces in Coldton to be closer to their mind weaver.

"I take that as a yes."

Natalie did not pull her gaze from the window. Willow trees bounced by, their leafy arms fluttering low to the uneven dirt path. "Say I mess up," she said. "You would not be at fault."

The witch made a throaty sound of disbelief. "They would lock me up, think it was my idea. Anything for a few silvers, right? That's all we care about." She shook her head. "All I am saying is that I think you should stop, Natalie. You will hurt yourself. It is too much work, and I know how you are. You will take this as a challenge, overdo it until it's too late to undo it."

The carriage hit a pot hole in the packed dirt path, and both young women smacked their heads on the carriage's hard leather top. Without an apology from the driver, who did not get paid enough anyway, Piper and Natalie just rubbed the tops of their heads silently.

"He wants to forget the woman he loved, you know."

Piper turned in her seat and raised one brow at Natalie. "Are you saying you want him to forget her so you have nobody to compete with?"

The mind weaver's mouth fell open, trying to disguise the smile that threatened to claim it.

"That is what I thought. You mentioned he was handsome, do not forget that. You say a lot of things after a bit of that mint tea."

"I could say the same about you and whiskey."

Piper bit back a grin. "Like the day I practically begged to be your witch?" With a little shake of the head, she mumbled, "Maybe I wouldn't have if you didn't spill all of your secrets the second I took that seat beside you."

***

By the time the carriage rattled over the little stone bridge above a small, crystal pond full of archer fish, and onto the sparkling brick road of Winter Wells, Piper pushed the door open, black hair caught in the breeze off the ocean, plummeting over Pemawick Cove's rocky cliffs, shaking the evergreens that found their way in loose clutters from Stagwood.