Parlor Tricks

  Parlor Tricks

  Mara Lee

  Published 2005

  ISBN 1-59578-116-1

  Published by Liquid Silver Books, imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 10509 Sedgegrass Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana 46235. Copyright © 2005, Mara Lee. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Liquid Silver Books

  http://lsbooks.com

  Email:

  raven@lsbooks.com

  Cover Art

  by Colby Hausmann

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Dedication

  To Colby, who always has me believing in magic.

  Prologue

  Salem, Massachusetts, 1692

  Severance Gooding Riley moaned. She was freezing, her body wracked by uncontrollable shivers. Even her bloody and bruised lips quivered. Severance’s white shift proved little barrier against the cold and the dampness of the grotesque cell in which she lay, waiting for her death sentence to be carried out.

  They had accused, imprisoned and condemned her to death—all for the great sin of practicing the art of herbal healing.

  Her brews were potions—recipes given to her by Satan himself—or so claimed Hawthorne … her doctoring of wounds and her midwifery, a trick to steal innocent souls.

  Severance felt nausea overtake her. Bile rose steadily up her throat—the need to vomit was great, even though she had been cast into this cell and starved for near a fortnight.

  How could he? How could Hawthorne do this to her? She had saved his son’s life. Her mud poultice and elm bark tea had brought down the little boy’s fever when he had been struck with the wasting disease. Hawthorne had needed her then. He had sent his servant to beg her help. Severance had helped, and healed, and saved the boys life. And in return Hawthorne had accused, tortured and condemned her to die.

  Severance had begged him for mercy.

  Hawthorne had had her stoned. Such was his mercy.

  “Please Mother,” Severance whispered. Her pain was a hot poker burning its way down her body. Tears drew a path down her pale, gaunt cheeks. “Please see your daughter. The daughter you have blessed with your bounty.”

  Severance forced her broken body to her knees. She bent her head and clasped her hands together.

  “Please hear me, and if it is your wish that my life end now, take into your all mighty hands my spirit and my ever obedient body.”

  Severance’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open as small, twinkling lights appeared in front of her.

  They were beautiful—bright and multi-faceted.

  “Child mine… “

  It was her.

  Severance gasped and skittered back. She prayed often to her Mother, the being that birthed all creation. She received peace from her prayers … but never a tangible answer. Her Mother had never answered her directly.

  “Child mine, dry your tears.”

  Severance swallowed and rubbed her eyes. She feared this all a dream. “Mother?” She asked hesitantly.

  “Aye child, it is I.”

  Severance broke down then. She doubled over, shaking from the force of her sobs.

  “Shhhhh child mine … shhhhhh…”

  “Mother,” Severance gulped back tears, “they mean to kill me.”

  “They shall not,” the voice hardened, “As I birthed you, so too did I give birth to them. You are all my children, blessed by my hand. They have not the power to judge you.”

  “I … I … do not practice the dark arts as they claim, Mother, I swear it to you. I seek only to use the gifts that you gave me to help.”

  “I know child mine, I know. Fear them not. They will not have you.”

  “Mother?” Severance asked questioningly.

  “Do you give yourself into my care, child?”

  Severance nodded. “Of course, Mother.”

  “Then I ask you child mine, when I free you of this prison, will you accept unto your person the power of my own body?”

  “I fear I do not understand, Mother.”

  “I wish to gift you with the knowledge of the earth, and the secrets of the sky.”

  Severance sucked in a shocked breath.

  “In this, I shall accomplish a great feat … providing a shelter for all those who understand the beauty of creation. But it is your choice, child mine. I shall free you either way. And know this … if you accept the blessings of my body, you will, by those who would condemn you now, be what they so accuse you of.”

  “A witch.” Severance shivered, this time not from the cold.

  “ ‘Tis too simple a term for what I offer you now. But yea, mankind would name you ’ witch’.”

  Severance swallowed back her panic. Her Mother was all that was good and true. And yet … Severance had been raised with the belief that witchcraft was wrong … that it was evil.

  “Oh child mine, do not be deceived. The blessings of my body are not evil. They are good and pure and shall serve only to bring you closer to me. The only evil in what I offer is the temptation that may draw your heart once my essence fills you.”

  “What temptation, Mother?”

  “With all good comes evils, child mine. ‘Tis the nature of creation,’tis the nature I, myself, molded to balance the scales. Whenever I touch one of my children with good, they become susceptible to one who would use my power to alter my domain.”

  “You speak of the devil, Mother?”

  “Evil wears many faces, and has many names, child mine, but all are pestilence and waste. My essence within you would only be good, but you will have to be strong and you will have to fight the temptation of evil’s call. ‘Tis a lot to ask of you, but ask I do. If you accept, child mine, I shall lead you to a place where these chains of mortal man will not harm you. All I ask is that you shelter those I bring to you … those like yourself, who have been persecuted for the blessings I gave them at birth.”

  “Of course, Mother.” Severance’s voice was firm.

  “Then you accept?”

  Did she accept? Severance closed her eyes and let the power, purity and magic of her Mother fill her body completely.

  “I do, I accept.”

  “It will be a burden, child. You will always be considered outcast by the world around.” She grew brighter and her laughter tinkled through the dank and dreary cell. “But within the home I provide, and in believing in the magic, you will never be alone. You will always be accepted and loved.”

  “I understand, Mother, and I thank you for gifting me. I thank you for entrusting me with this duty … this honor.”

  The lights twinkled and floated up to Severance’s face.

  Severance felt heat flood her body and instinctively she opened her mouth. Automatically the lights flew in and filled her to the brim.

  Her body shook and quivered and she closed her eyes tight against the giant tremors that overtook her.

  When she opened her eyes she could feel the change. And she knew their new color … they were solid silver.

  Severance saw the wall of her cell disappear and eyes silver bright, smile glorious, she stood and walked out into the waiting night.

  * * * *

  The grass was tall, the trees even taller. The moon was crystalline and the night sang a distant lullaby.

  She had made it. She was home.

  Severance sank to her knees in the tall grass an
d stretched her hands up to the sky. She opened herself up to the magic and let it soothe her weary soul.

  And her Mother came.

  “You have done well, child mine. But the hardest part is yet to come … you must build and continue to build. You will build the foundation for all those who come after you. You will give hope to the hopeless and provide strength for the weak. This will be your sanctuary. Now, child mine, what name shall you give to your new home?”

  Severance closed her eyes. Wind whipped through her dark hair and her smile was all-consuming.

  “Daring. Our home will be called, Daring.”

  Chapter One

  Daring, Massachusetts, Present Day

  The brew was green. The brew was certainly not supposed to be green. Perhaps it was an excess amount of hemlock? Or perhaps she had just overestimated the amount of salt? Whatever the problem, the result was the same; the brew was a disgusting shade of green.

  Sass Riley stared disgruntled down at her cauldron and shook her head resignedly. She could have sworn she measured correctly this time. God! It was a mess. And it was official; she was the worst witch on the east coast. For that matter, she was probably the worst witch in the whole of the United States. If she couldn’t even produce a rudimentary potion what good was she?

  “Feeling sorry for yourself, Sass? By the by, you’re not the worst witch out there. Have you taken a trip to Salem lately?” Henrietta Dane strode through the door of Sass’s store and planted her hands on her slim hips.

  Sass frowned and narrowed her eyes. “Are you prying again, Henny?”

  Henrietta winced. “I hate that nickname.”

  Sass’s frown turned into a smile. “I know.”

  Henrietta rolled her eyes and made her way over to the cauldron. “Mmmmm … looks like you added too much clover.”

  “I did not add too much clover. I’ll have you know I didn’t use any clover in this potion.”

  Henrietta raised her eyebrows. “Oh? Then maybe you just caught a Leprechaun and threw him in.”

  “That isn’t funny,” Sass ground out.

  Henrietta chuckled. “I think it’s hilarious.” She took the giant wooden spoon from the side of the cauldron and began to stir the bubbling liquid. “You might be able to salvage some of this.”

  “Nah,” Sass sighed, “It’s dead. It’s worse than dead.”

  “Sass,” Henrietta smiled then, “I think the lights you strung up for Mrs. O’Leary’s haunted house were just inspired.”

  Sass plunked herself down on a wooden stool. “Thanks for trying to make me feel better. Those lights were nothing.”

  “Hey,” Henrietta wagged her finger, “lights that remain lit with no batteries, plugs or electrical cord, just the use of magic. Like I said, inspired!”

  Sass sighed deeply. “Parlor tricks, Henny. Nothing but parlor tricks.”

  * * * *

  Sass rang up Henrietta’s supplies and added a small jar of cloves in as an extra. She wished Henny wasn’t so damned nice and cheerful. She wanted to hate the annoying psychic. Henrietta Dane was the perfect candidate for ‘hatedom’; she was smart, beautiful, quick, and the best damned psychic and telepath in the area. It wasn’t fair for one person be so accomplished.

  Sass blew a stray strand of hair out of her face and scrunched up her nose. Stupid hair, it never stayed in place.

  “Sass?” Henrietta called from across the room.

  “Yes?” Sass busied herself with cleaning up the counter.

  “Are you going to put up Mrs. O’Leary’s Christmas decorations?” Henrietta asked, turning a large crystal around in her small hand.

  “If she asks me to.”

  Henrietta snorted. “Of course she’ll ask you. When has she not asked you?”

  “Maybe she wasn’t as pleased with the haunted house as you were,” Sass said. “She didn’t say anything after it was over.”

  “That’s because she was so flabbergasted. She’s still looking for the outlet, I’ll bet.”

  Sass laughed.

  “Oh God!” Henrietta rushed over to the counter. “Just no flying reindeer this year, please Sass.”

  Sass harrumphed. “I loved the flying reindeer. What was wrong with the flying reindeer?”

  Henrietta sighed. “Nothing, if you think giving poor Mrs. O’Leary heart failure is all right. God, Sass, I thought she’d keel over dead the moment she saw those plastic deer jump off of her roof. She isn’t all there.” Henrietta sighed. “Alzheimer’s you know. And come on … how many times did the neighborhood children steal those deer?”

  Sass flushed. “Only three times. And I made sure the spell was connected to Mrs. O’Leary’s roof, so those deer would have been nothing but plastic in those kids hands.”

  Henrietta rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah, that makes it so much better.”

  “Fine. Fine. I’ll think of something else. Maybe a load of elves … or Santa’s workshop?”

  “Just as long as Santa and the elves aren’t drinking whiskey,” Henrietta quipped.

  Sass burst out laughing. “You saw Tabitha’s roof?”

  “Who didn’t?”

  Sass bit her lip. “Tacky wasn’t it.”

  “Horrible.” Henrietta agreed. “She’s still trying to upstage you … even now, even years after the academy.”

  Sass shrugged her shoulders. “Funny, isn’t it? Tabitha was always the better witch.” Sass held up her hand to ward off Henrietta’s argument. “No, really, she always aced her lessons, her potions were—are—perfect. Tabitha’s grandmother … wowza, was she ever powerful. But Tabitha was always lazy. She liked shortcuts in the academy and she likes shortcuts now. I mean an animation spell is a toughie to pull off, and she did a good job at it … but she didn’t think long term. And God, did she really have to have Santa and his elves imbibing spirits? Heck, I think she scarred the neighborhood children for life.”

  “She was just jealous when she saw Mrs. O’Leary’s reindeer flying. That was a good one, Sass.”

  Sass preened a little. “Thanks, Henrietta. I’ll admit … that was one of my better spells. But lately…” Sass pointed toward the now empty cauldron, “Everything seems to be coming out wrong.”

  “You’re just distracted,” Henrietta said.

  “No, I don’t think that’s it.” Sass tapped her fingers on the counter.

  “Tired?”

  “Nope … I’m sleeping fine,” Sass answered.

  “Worried?”

  “Not worried.”

  Henrietta’s eyes lit up and she smiled slightly.

  Sass drew back. “What?”

  Henrietta’s smile widened. “How long since you’ve been laid, Sass?”

  “Henny!” Sass cried out.

  “What? How long? If you tell me Paul was your last, I’m going to fall down and die right now.”

  Sass grinned. “It would almost be worth telling you that then.” Sass laughed at Henrietta’s outraged expression and continued. “No, Paul wasn’t the last.” Sass paused and gulped. “I sort of slept with Tina’s brother…”

  Henrietta’s mouth dropped open. “Griffin? You slept with Griffin?” Henrietta reached over and grabbed Sass’s arm. “OH MY GOD! Details … I want details. How in the world did you sleep with Griffin without me knowing about it?”

  Sass rolled her eyes. “You don’t know everything, Henny.”

  Henrietta snorted. “Are you kidding me?”

  Sass chortled. “Okay, so that was a stupid statement. But you did teach me a trick or two, Henny.”

  Henrietta wrinkled her nose. “Shielding, damn it all, you were shielding.”

  “Bingo.”

  “But why?” Henrietta whined.

  Sass had to laugh at Henrietta’s pouting face. “Did it ever occur to you that I might want a modicum of privacy? And perhaps I don’t want everyone in town knowing I made a totally stupid mistake.”

  “Not everyone in town would know,” Henrietta said with a grin.

  “Oh, oka
y, just the psychics, witches, and the odd assortment of warlocks and sorcerers.”

  Henrietta nodded. “Yeah, so what’s your point?”

  Sass dropped her head to the table.

  “So, details. When did this happen?” Henrietta tugged on Sass’s hair. “When?” Her eyes gleamed, “And better question … was he good?”

  Sass groaned.

  “Is that a yes?” Henrietta asked.

  Sass lifted her head slowly and rubbed her eyes. “He was … there are no words to describe it. But it was so stupid, Henny, so absolutely, ridiculously, stupid. I can’t believe I did it.”

  Henrietta laughed. “I wish I had done it.”

  “Can you be serious for just one minute?”

  Henrietta stuck out her tongue at Sass. “Fine, fine…”

  “I wouldn’t have done it if I weren’t so…”

  “Horny?” Henrietta finished.

  Sass threw her a look.

  “Sorry. Sorry. I’ll be quiet now.”

  “That would be a first,” Sass muttered under her breath.

  “I heard that.”

  Sass grinned and then sobered. “I shouldn’t have done it. He doesn’t even remember the…”

  “WHAT!?” Henrietta shrieked. “What do you mean he doesn’t remember?”

  Sass swallowed. “It’s sort of difficult to explain.”

  “Try,” Henrietta said dryly.

  “Okay. Well. You remember Duane’s potluck dinner?”

  Henrietta nodded. “How could I forget? I’ve never tasted pudding that bad in my entire life.”

  Sass stifled her laughter. “Well, after dinner I wasn’t feeling quite so well…”

  “It was the pudding.”

  Sass rolled her eyes. “Do you want to hear this or not?”

  “Yes. Go on.”

  Sass continued. “I went for a walk on his property. I was about half a mile into the forest when I saw him … Griffin.” Sass swallowed. “He … uh … he was naked.”

  Henrietta’s eyes glowed. “Ooooohhhhwiiiieeee…”

  Sass blushed. “I was pretty shocked.”

  “Oh baby…” Henrietta was fanning herself.

  “Sooooo … being a Good Samaritan and all…”

  Henrietta smiled broadly. “I bet you were.”

  Sass ignored the innuendo. “I thought perhaps he was drunk. But there were never any rumors about the Sampson family having a problem with alcohol. When I got near him I realized that it wasn’t liquor that had gotten to him … but a spell.”