The Death Curse

Chapter 6: Wrapped Up Like a Burrito

Over the next three days, Julia and I got into the bad habit of hanging around Pembroke's Broom and Book after work. I tried to convince her that it was a bad idea on Monday and that we should keep our distance from Rhys and his store. But she pouted and made the logical argument that since I failed yet again to get his contact information, we needed to go by the store anyway to see if he found a lead on Silas Thorn. He hadn't. And once Julia was in the shop, stuffed with spellbooks, crystals, and incenses, it was nearly impossible to make her leave.

Rhys didn't help by picking out books with basic Wicca history and spells for us. By the end of the visit, I was just as enthralled as Julia. On Tuesday she found it even easier to drag me back to buy some supplies so she could do a spell to fix dry skin. Then we went again yesterday because we both had blown through the books we bought on Monday.

And now today was Thursday and here I was again. This time I came alone. Julia was working late on a design that was due in the morning. I planned on going home after work but somehow my feet had taken me to the small shop.

"Welcome back, Layla," Rhys called from behind the counter. He leaned on his elbows as he grinned at me, making my pulse race, not that I was admitting that to myself. "How was your death today?"

"Pretty good. Scarf strangulation. I was only a half hour late to work." When I left my apartment this morning the ends of my scarf got caught in the door, cutting off the air to my lungs and almost jerking me off my feet. Unfortunately, my doorknob was the kind that you could lock while open and still shut. I tried for my keys but immediately dropped them once they were out of my pocket. Luckily, it didn't take me too long to pass out. And when I woke up I was slumped on my door, the scarf still dangling from where it was stuck in the jam but no longer around my neck. Needless to say, I went for the bare neck look for the rest of the day.

"Hmm, still not better than the potted plant. But better than the bee," Rhys decided.

I rolled my eyes. He and Julia found it fun to rank my deaths. The bee he was talking about was from my Tuesday death. It landed on my sandwich at lunch and managed to get in my mouth and sting my tongue, which promptly swelled to gargantuan size. God, I was tired of dying.

"Speaking of deaths, your shop is dead like always. Seems like Julia and I are the only ones supporting the poor PB and B."

His dropped his jaw in mock hurt. "Is that how you talk to someone who is helping you out of the kindness of his heart?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean you've figured out where Silas is?"

"No, but I'm trying really hard," he groaned dramatically.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "For some reason, I don't believe you."

"Well, you should. Are you hungry?"

"What?" I said, taken aback by his quick change of direction.

"Do you want to go get something to eat?"

"Now?"

He nodded.

"Aren't you supposed to be open for another hour?"

He pointedly looked around the empty shop. "I know it will be a huge disappointment to the greater Portland community but I think I can close an hour early."

I laughed. "Alright, let's go."

"I'm glad my failings amuse you," he said dryly but returned my grin.

Rhys grabbed his coat from the back room, turned out the lights, and locked the door behind us.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I followed him down the street.