Page 63 of Dream Weaver

“Got it,” I said as neutrally as possible, still sketching away.

I squatted for a better look, though my mind spun. Someone had recently disturbed the vortex at Airport Mesa. Someone who’d started a fireandused the lucky ax — an ax with magic woven into it.

Liselle?

I glanced at her from the corner of my eye, then at the tool shed across the yard.

On the other hand, third-rate witches were a dime a dozen in Sedona, and the town occasionally attracted powerful supernaturals too. Dangerous ones, even. Liselle was just one possible suspect in a fairly large pool, and I doubted her magic was strong enough to cause any real trouble.

But if her magic combined with whatever I’d inadvertently woven into Kevin’s ax…

I made a mental note to talk to Ingo — and soon. Meanwhile, I sketched the design that ran along the body of the brazier.

“VeryLord of the Rings,” I joked, though my mind was thinking,Runes.Magic runes?

Liselle laughed. “Lots of people say that. They’re actually Norse.”

I did my best to sound dumb. “Oh wow. Is it a good-luck rhyme or something?”

Something like that,her scheming eyes said. Or was I imagining that?

“I’m not sure, actually.” She chuckled. “Maybe I should check in case it’s a curse.”

We both laughed. Ha-ha. Such a hoot.

Ash smeared my finger as I traced the pattern cut along the brazier’s upper lip. Liselle tensed.

Me too, because, yikes. A warm current ran through the metal, as if it was wired to a live battery. Very faint, but definitely there.

Someone had been using this brazier for more than just fire.

I forced myself to drag my finger nonchalantly along the design. Then I started a second sketch to detail the runes on the other side.

“So hard to get this just right…” I muttered for show. “Do you have a copy of the design I can work from?”

“Let me check…” She wandered into the house, then returned, flicking through a tablet. “Maybe I still have it…”

She took forever, and my eyes strayed to the clock on the wall. Two thirty-five. Still enough time before school let out, even allowing for the longer drive from this location.

“Here’s one…” She showed me the tablet. “Oh, wait. That was just the draft. Let me see…”

She flicked through her files. Lots and lots of files. The clock ticked.

“I liked this one too, but it didn’t fit…” she murmured, going off on a tangent.

I inched toward the door. “You know, just take your time. You can email Walt when you find the design.”

“Well, I’d love to get this settled right now,” she murmured, still flicking away. “It should just take a moment…”

Another minute dragged by. Then another, punctuated by exclamations now and then.

“Oh! Here it is.” She would smile, then frown. “Oh, wait. Not that one…”

One dead end after another ensued. I scratched my head and checked the clock.

Then I froze, sensing an itch in my mind — just like that day Liselle had visited the shop.

Beep! Beep! Beep!My watch alarm sounded. I stared at it, then the wall clock.

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