Read Online Open All Hours (Carnival Magic 2) by Eden Royce - Free Book Online Page B

off my concerns.” Ellie blushed and Arthur grinned.
    “Aw come on, you two.”
    Ellie cleared her throat. “All I’m saying is, Vol, don’t be too hard on her. She found out about witches, curses, and shifters -- by becoming one, I might add -- in one twenty-four hour period. I think she deserves credit for not going insane.” She picked up a twig and broke it into pieces. “Her fear got the better of her and she said something she regrets. But she nearly killed herself coming to get us to help you.”
    “Help me? Or was she just making sure I didn’t destroy the forest?”
    Arthur pressed his palms to his temples. “Oh yeah, that’s it. She’s not only a cat shifter; she also changes into a forest ranger. Don’t be dim.”
    “He’s right, you know. Everyone deserves a right to explain and a second chance.” Ellie patted Vol’s hand and helped Arthur to his feet. “Just think about what I said. Let’s go to the diner. Having my life in danger makes me want fries.”
    * * *
    Leesa looked up as the trio walked carefully into the diner. The lunch rush was over and she and Tip had commandeered the largest table in the place. It sat along the back wall of the diner and was partially cut off from the rest of the building by a huge column of brick that used to be a working fireplace. Arthur looked tired, Ellie worried as she held his arm, and Vol… Vol looked… Leesa wasn’t sure.
    There was fatigue and determination on his face, along with something else she couldn’t identify. And he was wearing a new white T-shirt that proclaimed, “Now, this is called a Show!” written in bronze glitter on the front. Obviously one Ellie thought to grab from the back of the carnival truck before they left. The trio came to the booth in the back of the diner and pressed in along the seats, Ellie and Arthur next to Leesa and Tip. Vol pulled a chair from another table and sat at the end.
    “We’re back,” Ellie said, needlessly, but Leesa appreciated her attempt to add some normalcy to the day.
    “How are you?” Leesa asked, to no one in particular, but hoping Vol would say something about his forest-rending outburst.
    “Good, we’re all good,” Arthur said, adjusting his vest and casting an eye at Vol. A server came over and took their orders, then scurried away. Silence ruled the table until their orders arrived and Vol asked the server to make sure they had privacy.
    Arthur took a sip of his latte. “Now might not be the time to mention this, but I think it’s best we’re upfront with you, Leesa.”
    Leesa nodded. “Yes, please. I…I need that right now.”
    “We don’t have any new information for you. I’ve spoken to everyone with any sort of magical, mystical background at the Show and we don’t know any more than we did a few days ago.” He stole one of Ellie’s fries and she glared at him. “What we need is a witch with the knowledge of shifting and control of appearance. There’s no one like that around here.”
    “Then where?” Vol asked. “We can travel to wherever there’s someone who can help. Cars, plane, whatever it takes.”
    Leesa was stunned. Even after her outburst, he was willing to help her find a way to reverse the spell. And she hadn’t even apologized to him… yet. But she would and she’d show him that she wasn’t ungrateful for his help. “You’re still willing to…” She trailed off, not sure how to finish her question. Cure me? Fix me ? They both sounded wrong, like she still felt she had a sickness inside of her.
    “I’ve been willing to help you this whole time, Leesa. That hasn’t changed. I -- I’m only sorry I blew up. That’s not like me.” He took a deep breath. “I’ll be making that up to you, be sure of it.”
    “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I was totally out of line with what I said and I never mean to hurt you, just --”
    “Crikey,” Tip said. She’d been unusually quiet up until now, absorbing all of the information she could, but now