Page 27 of Blue Moon Mistress

The bell above his door chimes as I push inside. Warmth and patchouli greet me. But Anthony doesn’t look up right away. Glaring down at a text, his jaw is set, brows pinched.

“I’ll be with you in a moment.”

I manage not to laugh at how grumpy he sounds. “Not a problem, I know my way around.”

His head jerks up and his face shifts to a smile so wide, it might as well be witchcraft. “Scarlette! I had no idea you were going to visit me today. I hope you had a blessed Samhain.”

“I did,” The memories are going to keep me smiling for a while. “And you?”

“It was quiet and uneventful. Just the way I like them.” He looks at the items I’ve already grabbed down from higher shelves. “Restocking after your ritual?”

“Something like that.” I grab a bundle of purple sage and take it and my other items up to the counter before turning back for the rest. A cute, tiny pot of living cinnamon basil catches my eye.

As soon as I pick it up, I hear Anthony coming around the counter to me. “I knew you’d like those.”

They smell divine. Bright green leaves topped with bursts of deep purplish-brown flowers. It’s not the right season for that display, but that never stopped one witch trying to impress another.

The magic was sloppy, the plant feels a little ill when I stroke one if it’s leaves. I don’t look at him as I set the pot on the counter as well. If nothing else, I won’t let it die because Anthony wanted to show off.

“You got your black tourmaline order in.” I say, going to the rough black stones.

“I did.”

He beams at me, and I imagine he put in the order shortly after our conversation on its protective capabilities.

I don’t have to reach out to feel how muddy their intentions have become. Dozens of hands have held these stones. I won’t touch any of them until they’ve been cleansed.

Instead, I take one of the little canvas bags on the shelf below and when I look back, my gaze catches on a chunky stone that is almost a cube… if it wasn’t so jagged.

Drawing the strings tight, I hand the bag to Anthony. While I look at his new stock.

Nothing else calls to me other than…

“That is a beautiful piece of blue calcite.”

“How did I know it would catch your eye?”

“I’m getting predictable.”

“You?” He shakes his head, but there’s an amused smile on his face. “Never.”

“I’ll take that one too.”

“I’ll be back with the ladder.”

He hurries away, placing the tourmaline with my other things, and I move to the basket that is full of amber. Using another canvas bag, I let their energy guide me until I have four pieces that look… perfect.

By the time Anthony is back with his ladder, I’ve grabbed the last of what I need and am staring at the new lava lamp set at the back of the room with black lights and other novelty items.

“Don’t judge,” he says as he brings the calcite back, handling it with white gloves and gently setting it on a piece of butcher paper. “I have to get the younger ones in or give them something to do while their parents are busy deciding between white pear and pear spice candles.”

“I will continue to judge, but I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

Weighing out the tourmaline and the amber, he rings me up, telling me about the woman who came in the week before with her granddaughter and had no clue that the younger woman was clearly looking to make a love potion.

“Did you give her the warning?” I ask as I hand over my card.

“Yep.” He swipes it with a flourish. “She got one of the warnings you wrote out for me. Let’s just hope she reads it.”

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