Read Online Phantom Quartz: A Stacy Justice Witch Mystery Book 6 (Stacy Justice Magical Mysteries) by Barbra Annino - Free Book Online
Authors: Barbra Annino
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my mother met my father. He was on his way to a job interview with a newspaper in Chicago, having just graduated college and stopped off to rest for the night in Amethyst.
Dad took one look at mom and decided there was nowhere else he wanted to be.
He had received a hefty inheritance when his parents died, so he opted to turn down the columnist job in the city and set his sights on the town’s quiet, failing newspaper—and my mother. From what I was told, it was a whirlwind romance. A year later, I came into the world. It was all picture perfect. Until he died.
I regarded my mother now, wondering how often she thought of him. I couldn’t imagine losing the love of my life, especially in such a tragic manner. How painful it must have been for her. At the time, she wasn’t much older than I was now. To be ripped away from your child not long after losing your husband must have been utterly heart-wrenching. The emptiness she must have felt. I wondered how she had gotten through any of it at all.
“Stop staring at me, Stacy. It’s creeping me out,” she said.
Then again, the women in my family weren’t known for their sentimentality.
“Sorry,” I said.
We were upstairs in Birdie’s hidden magical chamber, and all the Geraghty Girls were present. The room was papered in flocked velvet and always smelled of white sage. An enormous, intricately carved round table stood in the center surrounded by lion-footed chairs with red velvet seats. Cabinets lined the walls filled with potions and herbs, spellcasting tools, and a wardrobe where an assortment of ritual capes hung. It looked like the inside of Merlin’s castle.
Lolly had shrugged a green cape over her festive outfit. Fiona, the middle sister, stood next to Lolly, make-up expertly applied, a blue cape dusting her dainty shoulders. Birdie reached into the large, ornately carved wardrobe for her own cape—black velvet with a huge silver triquetra embroidered on the back—and slipped into it. Even my mother wore a shimmery turquoise number with the moon phases etched into the fabric.
It was then that I noticed it was just me seated on this side of the table and that I was the only one without a cape. Not because I was completely oblivious, but because I had hung back to invite Chance to dinner.
I felt an ambush lurking around the corner. I hated when they did that. I stood, kicking the lion footed chair back. “All right, what’s going on?”
Fiona was the only one smiling. Everyone else had a stoic look plastered to her face—even Lolly, who had graduated from Bailey’s and coffee to Jameson on the rocks.
“Well, you see dear, your mother and Birdie are quite worried about you,” Fiona smiled in that way that could charm the pants off a sailor. Fortunately, it had little effect on me.
I crossed my arms. “Really? How so?” I set my gaze first on my mother, then Birdie.
Birdie said, “Go on, Sloane. She’s your daughter, you talk to her.” Birdie nudged my mother forward.
Mom tucked an auburn lock behind her ear and cleared her throat. “The Geraghty Girls and I feel as if you rely too much on technology for your missions as the Seeker of Justice. Your tactics in battle, while impressive, have overshadowed your ability as a witch. The magic should always come first and foremost in your quests.”
I looked from one to the other of them, searching for a crack, a twitch of the cheek, a wide-eyed stare that would reveal an open mind among them. There was none. So it was four against one. Not good odds. I swallowed hard, took stock of the floor for a moment, choosing my words carefully.
“Okay, sure. I’ll reduce my use of technology. Is there anything else?” I knew how to pick my battles. And this was one I didn’t want to discuss at the moment, so why not humor them all and be done with it.
Birdie narrowed her eyes. She exchanged a look with Lolly and Fiona. The three of them huddled behind my mother who shot me a curious glance.
“Yeah,
Dad took one look at mom and decided there was nowhere else he wanted to be.
He had received a hefty inheritance when his parents died, so he opted to turn down the columnist job in the city and set his sights on the town’s quiet, failing newspaper—and my mother. From what I was told, it was a whirlwind romance. A year later, I came into the world. It was all picture perfect. Until he died.
I regarded my mother now, wondering how often she thought of him. I couldn’t imagine losing the love of my life, especially in such a tragic manner. How painful it must have been for her. At the time, she wasn’t much older than I was now. To be ripped away from your child not long after losing your husband must have been utterly heart-wrenching. The emptiness she must have felt. I wondered how she had gotten through any of it at all.
“Stop staring at me, Stacy. It’s creeping me out,” she said.
Then again, the women in my family weren’t known for their sentimentality.
“Sorry,” I said.
We were upstairs in Birdie’s hidden magical chamber, and all the Geraghty Girls were present. The room was papered in flocked velvet and always smelled of white sage. An enormous, intricately carved round table stood in the center surrounded by lion-footed chairs with red velvet seats. Cabinets lined the walls filled with potions and herbs, spellcasting tools, and a wardrobe where an assortment of ritual capes hung. It looked like the inside of Merlin’s castle.
Lolly had shrugged a green cape over her festive outfit. Fiona, the middle sister, stood next to Lolly, make-up expertly applied, a blue cape dusting her dainty shoulders. Birdie reached into the large, ornately carved wardrobe for her own cape—black velvet with a huge silver triquetra embroidered on the back—and slipped into it. Even my mother wore a shimmery turquoise number with the moon phases etched into the fabric.
It was then that I noticed it was just me seated on this side of the table and that I was the only one without a cape. Not because I was completely oblivious, but because I had hung back to invite Chance to dinner.
I felt an ambush lurking around the corner. I hated when they did that. I stood, kicking the lion footed chair back. “All right, what’s going on?”
Fiona was the only one smiling. Everyone else had a stoic look plastered to her face—even Lolly, who had graduated from Bailey’s and coffee to Jameson on the rocks.
“Well, you see dear, your mother and Birdie are quite worried about you,” Fiona smiled in that way that could charm the pants off a sailor. Fortunately, it had little effect on me.
I crossed my arms. “Really? How so?” I set my gaze first on my mother, then Birdie.
Birdie said, “Go on, Sloane. She’s your daughter, you talk to her.” Birdie nudged my mother forward.
Mom tucked an auburn lock behind her ear and cleared her throat. “The Geraghty Girls and I feel as if you rely too much on technology for your missions as the Seeker of Justice. Your tactics in battle, while impressive, have overshadowed your ability as a witch. The magic should always come first and foremost in your quests.”
I looked from one to the other of them, searching for a crack, a twitch of the cheek, a wide-eyed stare that would reveal an open mind among them. There was none. So it was four against one. Not good odds. I swallowed hard, took stock of the floor for a moment, choosing my words carefully.
“Okay, sure. I’ll reduce my use of technology. Is there anything else?” I knew how to pick my battles. And this was one I didn’t want to discuss at the moment, so why not humor them all and be done with it.
Birdie narrowed her eyes. She exchanged a look with Lolly and Fiona. The three of them huddled behind my mother who shot me a curious glance.
“Yeah,
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