Read Online Smoke on the Water by Lori Handeland - Free Book Online

safe,” Peggy said. “I did a spell of protection around this place the first day I started working here.”
    Mary’s gaze flicked back. “You did?”
    â€œOf course.”
    I was beginning to worry about Peggy. Did she think her spell actually worked?
    â€œWhy’d you chant in English?” Mary asked.
    Peggy appeared confused. “What other language would I chant in?”
    â€œLatin.”
    â€œWe chant in the language we speak. And no one speaks Latin anymore.”
    â€œDid they ever?” I wondered.
    Peggy shrugged.
    â€œShow us a spell that’s worth something,” Mary ordered.
    â€œWorth?” Peggy echoed. “Like money, fame, fortune?”
    â€œDo you know any?”
    â€œI can’t cast a spell for personal gain.”
    â€œWhy not?” Mary demanded.
    â€œSpells created for selfish reasons are considered black magic. A true Wiccan does not dabble in the dark side.”
    â€œWho does?”
    â€œI won’t speak of them.” Peggy’s gaze touched on the shadowy corners as if someone might materialize there.
    â€œIf you speak of them will they come?”
    Peggy just shook her head.
    â€œRoland?” Mary said. “Roland!”
    â€œShh.” I tightened my fingers around hers. Shouting usually brought someone along to see what the shouting was about. That never ended well. At least for Mary.
    â€œWhy would you want to bring the voice that told you to hurt your son into existence?” Peggy asked.
    The voice that had told Mary to hurt her son and the voice of Roland were the same one. As Roland was a murderous voice, I should have added that up before now.
    â€œHe’s more than a voice,” Mary whispered. “Or he will be soon. He’s almost here.”
    â€œWe should probably move on,” I said. Talking about voices … Rarely a good idea. And Peggy should know it.
    â€œUsing a spell for selfish or trivial reasons can cause the Foster Effect,” Peggy continued. “That’s dangerous. Spells can multiply out of control.”
    â€œAnd then what?” I couldn’t help but ask.
    â€œNatural disasters.”
    I blinked, remembering the storm that had come out of nowhere, the lightning that had hit closer than ever before. Had someone been performing black magic?
    I couldn’t believe I was thinking that, almost believing it. Except my caseworker was thinking and almost believing it too.
    Peggy glanced at her watch. “I have to go.”
    She withdrew a final item from her bag of tricks—a Book of Shadows —and handed it to me. One glimpse of the cover and I understood it was the Book of Shadows that I’d seen in my vision.
    I dropped the thing, and it hit the floor with a muffled thunk. Mary snatched it up as Peggy returned the candle, bell, and toy dog to the now empty bag.
    â€œBe careful with that,” Peggy said. “It’s my only copy.”
    Which made me wonder why she was giving it to us. Though from the way Mary was handling the book—as if it were gold—she wasn’t going to be ripping it to shreds or dropping it in the bathtub, which were the only two ways she might have to destroy it in here as fire and sharp implements were frowned upon.
    â€œI’ll keep it safe.” Mary held it against her chest with both arms.
    â€œNext lesson I’ll teach you a protection spell.” Peggy headed for the door.
    â€œIf spells cast for selfish reasons cause problems, then wouldn’t a spell to protect ourselves do the same?” I asked.
    Peggy paused. “A protection spell protects anyone and anything in the charmed circle. Which makes it about others as well as oneself. You see?”
    Not really but I nodded anyway and Peggy departed.
    â€œThought she’d never leave.” Mary opened the book.
    â€œYou’re the one who wanted to learn the spells.” I leaned in so I could see what she was looking