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Thirty
Two and a half hours later, piles of paper now littered the table, sectioned into stacks of what I deemed relevant or not—the relevant stack being the smallest of them all.
I’d read about the history of the colonies and the witch hunts that occurred up and down the East Coast, but none of the articles mentioned Agitha by name. The only clues I found mentioned a string of nightmares terrorizing the local children in 1602 until one day they miraculously stopped.
I wasn’t sure if that tied into the Weaver’s magic or if Agitha and her curse were somehow involved. But it was the only thing I found that sounded faintly familiar, so I pulled the thread, taking notes and reading as much as I could before my time here was up.
The strange outbreak ended up being labeled a mass delusion brought on by bad water gathered from a tainted creek. The officials at the time deemed it illegal to gather anything else from the local source, their warning and imposed rules saving the town.
I shook my head, imagining how easily this could have been manipulated by a witch. My thoughts drifted to Isabelle and my recurring nightmares, and I wondered if that, too, was her intent. To force me to go crazy, my mind and body completely shutting down.
The door to the meeting room opened, and Ms. Dutton walked inside. “Did you find what you were looking for, dear?”
I stared back at the pitiful piles and shook my head. “Not conclusively, but thank you for all your hard work and help. I never would have gotten this far if you hadn’t pulled all these articles in advance. I truly appreciate it.”
The old librarian smiled. “It was no problem in the slightest. All part of my job.”
Part of my job, I thought.
It was the Queen of Nightmares’ job to bring balance to the Weaver’s magic, not overshadow it. I was more desperate than ever to reach Roarke and see if he was okay.
Thanking Ms. Dutton again, I gathered my things and raced downstairs, fleeing the library when I spotted Keelyn’s car waiting out front.
I slammed into the passenger seat, chilled from the cold but also in a rush to get home. “Let’s go.”
Keelyn chuckled. “Gee, okay. Nice to see you’ve woken up and are functioning again in the land of the living.”
“Sorry, yeah. I think my catnap on the way here was just what I needed.”
“Well, good.” Keelyn veered onto the main road that would lead us back out of town. “So how did your meeting go? Did you find what you came looking for?”
“Not exactly, but I have an idea of what I need to do next.”
“Does this have anything to do with the book you bought from me?”
I hadn’t mentioned the book, so I wasn’t sure why she was asking. But I didn’t think it would hurt to discuss my dilemma in a vague sort of way.
“Partly, I guess. There was a person referenced in the book that I’m trying to track down, but I haven’t found any other text or articles that explain who she was or where her family originated from.”
“What’s her name? Maybe I can do another search for you and see what I can find.”
I hesitated, my nerves twisting in my gut. “It’s okay. I’ve actually exhausted all the library’s material and didn’t find anything of use. But like I said, I think I know what to do next.”
“And what’s that?”
I looked out the window, not sure how to explain or even that I could. “There’s one person who may be able to help, but I’ve been having trouble reaching them. I should know tonight, though, whether my plan will work or not.”
“Well, keep me posted. If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”
“Thanks, Keelyn. I will.”
Actually, I wouldn’t, but she didn’t need to know that.
“Sweetie, we’re here.” Keelyn’s voice and the light pressure of her hand against my shoulder pulled me back from the edge of sleep.
I looked out the window, grateful to see we’d returned home. “Thank you for the ride. I’m sorry my exhaustion caused you to close the library.”
Keelyn smiled. “I should be thanking you. Today was like a mini vacation.” She laughed. “But are you sure you’re okay? You don’t look so good, and I’ve never seen you so… drained.”
