CHAPTERFIVE
Clam Acres wasa small café tucked along the pier on the waterfront.It had an outdoor seating area, but the umbrellas and chairs had all been taken in for the season, and the tables were covered with condensation.They were made of metal and bolted to the cement, so if anybody had been thinking of stealing one, they would have their work cut out for them.
The building itself was the size of a large fast-food joint, and the outer walls were made of slate-blue siding.All the trim was decked out in both navy blue and white.
Immediately, I thought of sailors out on the ocean.The place was jumping, but as I pushed through the door and wove through the line of customers, I heard someone calling my name.I peeked around the man standing in front of me and saw Freda at a corner table.She waved as I threaded my way through the crowd to join her.
I seldom came downtown during the day.My store was in the Belles-Faire district, which was off the main thoroughfare that was downtown Seattle.I slid into the chair opposite Frieda and placed my purse next to my foot closest to the wall.It didn’t pay to keep your valuables in plain sight.This way I could press my foot against it and tell instantly if someone tried to steal it.I shrugged out of my jacket, letting it drape over the back of the chair.
Freda Shazar was human and in her mid-fifties.She had been a witch since birth, trained by her mother and her grandmother, and she had managed to develop her powers to a greater degree than most any human I had met.She was petite, like Menolly, except she wore her hair short, and dressed in midi skirts and short-sleeve sweaters most of the time.A cameo—white on pink—hung around her neck on a silver chain.At one time Freda told me it had belonged to her mother, and her grandmother before that.I could tell she missed them.
“It gets busy here, doesn’t it?”I asked.
“Yeah, for a long time this little gem went unnoticed by most people, but then there was a write-up of it in the Seattle Times lifestyle section, and that ended its anonymity.Now it’s hard to get a seat, much less make a reservation.I mean, it’s good for the owners, but it kind of sucks for those of us who’ve been coming here a long time.”
She handed me one of the menus that had been placed between the saltshaker and the dish of sweetener packets.I knew some people needed artificial sweeteners, but I didn’t like them, and since the Fae very seldom had problems like diabetes, we preferred sweeteners in their more natural element.
I glanced over the choices.Everything sounded good, and the restaurant was filled with appetizing aromas.The waitress showed up at that moment.
Freda ordered first.“I’ll have the three-piece cod and chips, a cup of clam chowder, and a cup of coffee.”
“I think I’ll have a bowl of clam chowder, cheese biscuits, and a double mocha.”I smiled at the waitress, who gave me a nod and turned to go.
After she left, Freda cleared her throat.“Okay, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?And don’t feel you have to make small talk and pretend like this was just a spur-of-the-moment invitation.”
“I have something and I want to know if you can figure out the energy.It’s called a tenzar, and it carries curses.Sort of like an amulet, or talisman.A friend of mine found one, and he didn’t know what it was.When he picked it up, it triggered a curse, but we can’t figure out what kind.And we can’t do anything about the curse unless we know what we’re dealing with.”I placed the disk on the table.
Freida stared at it for a moment, then cautiously picked it up.She examined the front and back, staring at the runes engraved on the metal.
“I’ve seen one of these before.A long time ago.My mother neutralized it.But I remember when she found it.Luckily, she knew what it was before she picked it up, and so she avoided setting off the curse.I assume it’s safe to touch since you handed it to me?”
I nodded.“One thing I do know is that, once it’s triggered, the curse won’t affect anybody else.Unless they happen to become collateral damage by getting in the way of whatever is thrown at the person who was hexed.I don’t know if this has anything to do with it, but last night a kappa appeared in his apartment.”
Freda tapped her neck.“Is that what caused the ring around the throat?”
I nodded.“It’s tongue caught hold of me.But it wasn’tjusta kappa — do you know what they are?”
Freda nodded.“I specialize in cryptos and Supes, remember?What was different about it?”
“Well, the back of the kappa split open, and a centipede-like creature was trying to crawl out of it.”I shuddered, remembering the grisly scene.
Freda arched her eyebrows.“I’ve never heard of that.Well, so you’re saying the kappa just appeared in his home?”
“Yeah, it was there waiting for him.He doesn’t work with magic, so it seems odd that it would be there.And he’s human.He’s never had anything like this happen before.”
Freda picked up the tenzar and clasped it in her hand, closing her eyes.At that moment, the waitress brought our drinks, but Freda didn’t look up.She just sat there, eyes closed, focusing on the tenzar.The waitress gave her an odd look, then turned and left.
A moment later, Freda shuddered.“Okay, I know this sounds strange but I think this turns the person who triggers it into a demon magnet.”
I groaned.“Demon magnet?You got to be kidding.”
“That’s a common spell, actually.It’s an easy way to do away with an enemy without having to do the dirty work yourself.You say this wasn’t aimed at him?”
“No, it wasn’t,” I said.“He accidentally stumbled into a portal and found it there.As to why he picked it up, I don’t know.But then again, we are all curious beings, and he might have thought someone lost something valuable.So, is there a name for the spell?”
Freda chuckled.“Yeah.It’s called ademon magnetspell.It’s exactly the way it sounds.Most human-based spells — and I think this is one of them — don’t have exotic names.At least not the ones I was brought up learning.And yes, there is a way to break the spell, but I don’t know what it is off the top of my head.I’ll have to do some research and call you.And you can start looking around on your own.Until then, your friend is just going to attract bigger and badder demons, until there’s one he can’t get away from.I wonder who this was intended for,” she said, musing.
“I don’t know, and I have no idea who lives in that portal dimension.Whoever they are, they’d better give a thousand thanks that they didn’t end up finding it first.I wish they had,” I added.“My friend can’t do much against demons.At least anything bigger than imps or the like.And I’m not sure what good human weapons do against them.”