Marigold Mysteries: Part One, Ashes To Ashes

Chapter 6: Mystery Solved

The kid's name is Henry, and his story turns out quite close to my theory. I can't help but feel a little pride at that.

It turns out that he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was separated from his pack which has stopped in Phantombelle for a break as they migrated. Here, he ran into the blackmailers, who cursed him to be unable to turn back into his wolf form.

I'd bet they'd just figured out how to perform that spell, and had wanted to test it out, but I can't be sure. What matters is that they'd promised to reverse the curse on the boy if he paid them a large sum of money.

Scared about the possibility of not being able to see his family again, Henry had wandered the forest in despair, and fallen into one of the many fairy rings leading to the festival. There, he met Owen. Owen gave him a chance to get the money he needed, by stealing a person's center of magic, and giving him the means to do so; Raising the Dead for Fun and Profit.

Having read of Ashley's recent death, he followed the instructions and took her eye to give to Owen in exchange for the money he needed. Which is where we come in. Ashley and I tracked the remnants of the spell sealing away Henry's transformation, and stopped the blackmail from going on any longer.

Ashley sits through the story with patience, but I can see the exhaustion in the way her shoulders slump, and the slightly glazed look in her eyes. I don't feel too tired myself, but then again, I was being carried around the entire day. Relief is apparent in her face once Henry finishes his story.

Ashley clears her throat, straightening out her shoulders. Probably attempting to not look like the tired college student on her last legs that she most definitely is. "Now... I think I can reverse your curse for you," She says to the boy, "but only if you promise to ask for help next time something goes wrong. We don't want you desecrating any more graves do we?" She teases. I don't know why it surprises me that a future nurse is good with kids. She just doesn't seem like the type.

The boy looks away, embarrassed, and nods. "Y-yeah I think I can do that."

She smiles and holds her hand out to him. "Can I get your hand?" He places his tiny hand delicately in her palm, and her fingers grip it gently. "Now let's get rid of that nasty curse." Her eyes close and her brows furrow in concentration.

Though I'm not very proficient at sensing auras, Ashley's is very distinct. I recognize it even better having borrowed magic from it. It swirls around her, obedient as a loyal dog, and concentrates around her hand. Their connected hands begin to glow bright red. The boy stares in awe.

The awe turns to joy, as Henry himself begins to glow in the white light of the moon. Right before my eyes, he laughs, the end coming out as a joyful yip, as he transforms into a small brown puppy.

When Ashley opens her eyes, more than a little dazed, he jumps on her, tail wagging. She just barely manages to hold off his grateful licks, letting out a little laugh of her own. Grabbing hold of the cheerful puppy, she holds him away from her body. "Now now, don't you have a family to get back to? You can smell them out by now right?"

Henry barks in confirmation, so she places him on the ground with a "Get along now." He runs off quickly, but gives one look back to us. Ashley gives him a mock salute, and I raise my foreleg and wiggle my claws a little. Apparently satisfied, he disappears into the darkened streets.

Once he's out of sight, Ashley slumps dramatically onto the back of the bench. I saunter delicately onto her shoulder. "You fall asleep again?" She groans. "So does this mean we'll have to break into your dorm some other time?"

She cracks a tired eye, "Yes. You happen to know of any good places to sleep?"

"I'm pretty sure the office has a sleeping bag stashed away somewhere. I usually sleep in this form anyway. The sunlight from the window is pretty nice."

She shakes her head, "I suppose it's a..." she yawns, "sleepover then."

Helping Ashley navigate the streets back to the agency is significantly more difficult when she's almost falling asleep on her feet, but we manage somehow.

Once we're back, and the promised sleeping bag is located, she's out like a light behind the desk. She did strike me as the type to be able to sleep anywhere. Looking down frown the windowsill, I can see her sleeping face, her ratty hair spread out on the pillow. She looks so young when she doesn't have that constant scowl on her face. She must have grown up fast, so be such a contradictory combination of mature and naively optimistic. To have put so much trust in a stranger right from the start, it shows more about her character than any amount of scowls and sarcastic quips. Her faith reminds me of my mentor, Ivan, in a way.

But that's enough reminiscing for tonight. I curl up in the corner of the windowsill which I know will get the most sunlight, and I let myself fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.

...

Blood. My brother's face. The cold steel glint of a knife. I wake to a dream I can't remember and a pain in my right eye. Pushing myself off of the hard surface, I remember where I am. The floor of the Marigold mage detective agency. The lingering dread disappears as I push myself up with help of the desk next to me, and spy Juniper curled up on the windowsill, in the center of a patch of sunlight.

I smile, opting to let her sleep for a bit longer. I check the clock on the office wall, finding that it's almost 9:00. A bit earlier than I usually wake up, but nothing a little coffee can't fix. On a small table near the office door sits a well-used coffee machine and a stack of styrofoam cups. Also on the table sits a plate of chocolate cookies, freshly baked. I wonder if Edith drops some off every day? Knowing Juniper, she probably gave her the key. Well, no use looking a gift horse in the mouth. I snatch a cookie and start the process of fixing up a pot of coffee.

The coffee is finished by the time Juniper leaves her spot on the windowsill and crawls up the table leg. She drags a cookie to the side and begins to munch on crumbs she breaks off. I pour myself a cup of coffee, and look over, faintly amused by her struggle. "You want some? Can lizards even drink coffee?" I ask, preparing to grab another cup from the stack.

She finishes her bite, squinting at me in annoyance. "I'll have you know that I can, in fact, drink coffee," she scoffs, "I just don't want to right now." I'm a little relieved, I wouldn't want her to fall into a cup and get boiled to death. After all, we've still got criminal activities to take part in.

"So how about that fake identity?" I start, leaning against the wall, taking a sip of my mediocre coffee. Juniper pauses for a moment, thinking.

"Well, we can't go with my original plan, that's for sure."

"And that was?" I inquire.

"Owen. He's got good connections, for being such a pain in the ass. But that options off the table now." I wince. Yeah, I don't think I'd like to go back and negotiate with him either.

"So do we have any other options?"

"Well, I do know a pretty trustworthy guy, but he lives all the way on the coast." By now June has somehow miraculously managed to eat most of a chocolate cookie half her size. I shrug.

"It's not like I'm in a hurry. It's going to be a hassle getting into college for magical nursing the second time. It'd give me an excuse to put it off."

Juniper stands up, smirking. "Well, first things first, we've got a dorm to break into." She hops onto my shoulder, and the absurdity of the statement has me trying not to spit out my coffee in a fit of laughter. Who knew, that even after death, my life would get this weird.

"Let's get going then."

The office door closes shut, but the smell of freshly baked chocolate cookies lingers.