Spell It Out (Book One of The Spellbound Series)

Chapter 14: Unreal Sights

 When the elevator made it to the lobby and the elevator doors open, the cloak appears. The bottom of it is torn, and there were no eyes looking out of the hood. In fact, I couldn't even see a face. I have an urge to scream, but I can't because Harvey has just passed through it as though it isn't visible. I walk around it and hold tightly onto his arm as soon as I catch up to him. Once I look over my shoulder at the entrance of Light Up The Night, it's no longer in front of the elevator. Am I imagining that? 

 He takes me to a booth on the left side of the room, where the paintings are. The painting I sat right next to portrays a blonde elf in moss green short sleeved crop top and cargo pants of the same color standing in the doorway of a petite gray house smiling at a tree sprite. The same gray house I saw in the portal with the same broken windows and trees with yellow leaves. Why does the elf seem familiar? 

 Elfreda arrives at our booth, holding two menus. She flashes us a friendly smile. "Welcome to Light Up The Night. I'm Elfreda and I'll be your server tonight. Here are your menus."

 She hands us the chartreuse menus and lopes off. She is the waitress who Claire almost had to work with. Except that smile was genuinely one of amusement at her expense. The one she flashed for us as anything but artificial. 

 Harvey flips over his menu and rests his hand on top of mine in the center of the table. So you like the art on the wall? Which one do you like best?"

 I purse my lips. His touch makes me feel like I could float away without his hand holding mine. 

 "The 'Elfin Wonder'. It caught my first once we came over here. What's yours?"

He wraps his hand around mine while I flip through the menu. "The Water Sprite Reflection. It reminds me of a story where a man admired his reflection in a lake."

I laugh to myself. The man in the story actually kissed his reflection, because he was super fond of himself. His name was Narcissus. The painting Harvey referred to look less like a portrait of an ego maniac and more like a curious girl discovering her appearance. Although, the story behind the painting might be less tragic. He gazes at the painting and then brings his attention back to me. Elfreda returns to our booth, holding a black pen and a small white notepad. Harvey kisses my hand before letting go of it.

"Sir, what would you and your date like to drink?" She asks, clicking the pen. She cracks a small smile.

 He stares down at his menu. "I'd like a Fae Fusion."

 She writes his order down, and turns her attention to me. The smile on her face is the same one I saw in Vince's office. 

 "I'll have a Belladonna."

 She writes my order down, and looks up from her notepad. "I'll be back with your drinks shortly. " She lopes off again, humming the tune of a song I couldn't remember the name of. 

 My phone vibrates in my pocket. I slip it out halfway, unlocking the screen. A text from Blaine and another from Christina appear at the top of my notifications. I check out Blaine's first. 

I need your help. I can't find the key to lair. Mom and dad aren't home.

 That's strange. Blaine always knows where the key is, and it was close to 3 in the morning when I left the house. Why would mom and dad leave the house at 3 a.m. on a Saturday? He would have to be desperate to find the key if he's showing 'weakness' by asking for my help. 

 I furrow my brow and type out a response. 

 Isn't there an extra key in the kitchen? Where could mom and dad have gone?