Page 100 of Christmas Magic

Chapter Seventeen

Vaguely aware of Molly’s conversation with her latest customer, Lucian delved into the middle layers of the spell. His fingers flicked, swayed, and tapped the air.

Unraveling what she’d done was like untangling, one by one, the thorny vines of a rose bush that had been left to grow wild for years.

Snap. A magical thread sparked under his fingers. Wincing, he yanked his right hand back. While the sparks didn’t hurt, they still sent a kind of electrical charge through his body.

He’d experienced more shocks in the past ten minutes than in the past couple of hours, so he must be making progress. He wouldn’t have guessed so, though, from the jumble of glowing threads in front of him.

“I’m hungry again,” Tim mewled.

“So am I,” Galahad said. “We can’t eat now, though. We’re on guard duty.”

“Guard duty’s boring. I can’t even see what Wucian’s doing.”

Lucian smirked.

“Lucian will be trying to break the spell,” the squire said.

Yep.

“What if he gets out?” Tim meowed. “What wiww happen den?”

“I have no idea. Don’t worry. He’s not getting out.”

Snap.

Lucian cursed softly and shook out his right hand. The skein of magic he’d been manipulating, still linked to his fingertips, ribboned through the air…and pulled loose several other threads.

Snap.

He stilled. Took a closer look.

At last.

An opening.

Molly handed the receipt to the elderly woman on the other side of the counter. “Thank you for the purchase. Enjoy your new plate.”

“I will.” The woman smiled, dimples forming in her cheeks. “I’m hosting a Christmas cookie exchange later this week. I’ll use it then, and other times this holiday, I’m sure.”

The woman left, and Molly indulged in a stretch. A steady stream of people had visited the shop in the past couple of hours. Thankfully, Crow hadn’t returned.

She looked to the rear of the store. Being so busy, she hadn’t checked on Lucian in a while. Unease trailed through her, because she’d heard snapping sounds, which meant he was trying to unravel her spell. She’d incorporated a few unexpected elements though; things she’d found in the grimoires she’d flipped through while trying to figure out the enchantment that had him in its thrall.

Hopefully her spell would hold until Julius arrived. If not? Dread formed an icy knot inside her, because she didn’t want to fight Lucian again.

He won’t let me win a second time.

So far, all was going to plan. Tim and Galahad were keeping watch on Lucian, and the female cats were dozing near them. They’d alert her if Lucian tried to escape. Thankfully, there were only a few hours to go until the time Julius had estimated he’d reach Cat’s Paw Cove.

So. She’d keep herself busy. Use the time wisely.

Pen in hand, Molly reviewed her to-do list. Done that. Check. Done that—

Her cell phone trilled. The magic detecting equipment sounded an alert.

“Uh-oh!” Tim meowed.