Page 5 of A Highland Gargoyle's Lucky Star
Chapter two
Noah
Mama Delilah’s Daily Horoscope Reading
Feeling sad, Sagittarius? This won’t last. Pitch out the pity party and get ready to move on. New prospects await you but you’ll have to make some tough decisions and be brave if you want to change anything. Going out on a limb and risking it all might seem like a bad choice, but if you miss out on this moment, you’ll regret it. Don’t let fear dictate your future. Take hold of it with your own two hands and hold on tight!
Full of intrigue, Ienter the shop and hear a bell above it tinkle to announce me.
I step inside, eyes wide as I take in the place.
And then I promptly trip over the door runner, falling flat on my face.
Yeah, that’s about right.
My only consolation is that I didn’t break anything in the damn shop in the process of being a clumsy twit.
With my cheek and forehead smarting, I groan as I slowly—and carefully—drag myself to my feet.
A mirror on the wall shows me my reflection and I wince.
Not gonna lie, I kinda look like I could be a zombie extra in a George Romero film. My face is pale and banged up since I just tried to dive headfirst into the floor. I’ve got dark circles under my bloodshot eyes, courtesy of my recent insomnia, and I look only half alive.
I’m pretty sure I’ve even got the undead moan down pat.
Strike number four in the bad luck department this evening. Surely I’ve hit my maximum allotment for the day.
Please, universe, give me a break. I can’t take much more right now.
With cautious movements, I start to head deeper into the store as I explore it.
The interior is larger than it seemed outside and the space immediately calms the churning worry that’s been a constant in my gut all day.
I breathe in the familiar smoky scent of incense that wafts in the air and I look around at abnormally high walls lined with bookshelves, some of which must be accessed by the rolling ladder I spy at one end. Was this building always so tall? Maybe the outside is just an optical illusion.
Mystified but deciding to roll with it, I scan the shelves displaying a wide array of fiction and nonfiction books. Some appear to be brand new while others look dusty and ancient. Sections of the store also contain crystals, aromatherapy essential oils, clothing, herbs, and tea.
I inhale deeply and smile. It’s like coming home.
My mother, Delilah Price, used to run a store rather similar to this—but quite a bit smaller in scale—that she called Delilah’s Amethyst Moon, and I’d help out after school and on weekends when I was a teenager. Although I never entirely found myself believing in all the stuff she does, I’ve always felt very comfortable in places like this. I do believe there’s more to the universe than we can ever know, that’s for damn sure.
I smile to myself, my thoughts turning toward my mom. She’s always embraced a more bohemian outlook on life and studied astrology to help her make sense of the world. I’ll be the first to admit she seems to be naturally attuned to things I don’t understand and gives sage advice to those who seek her out.
Perhaps this is a sign I should call her? It’s been a while since our last phone conversation. Maybe she can help me figure out what to do next now that I’m at a bit of a crossroads with my life.
As I continue to wander through the shop, trailing my fingers lightly across some crystals on a shelf, I hear a beaded curtain rustle and turn toward the front counter to see a strange man emerging from the back. He’s tall and thin with dark hair and even darker eyes that are just a tad bit spooky. Even more remarkable, he’s elaborately dressed in a black suit and top hat ensemble that screams steampunk or historical cosplay.
“Good evening,” he says in a refined voice with an accent that I can’t quite trace. European, maybe?
I beam at him. “Hi. Did you just open up shop here? I’ve never seen your store before and I walk past here almost every day.”
He bows his head gracefully to me. “That is correct. It’s our grand opening. Welcome to The Magic Shop. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”
“An answer to my problems?” I joke.
But the man cocks his head at me, considering. “You’re in need of guidance. You’ve been experiencing some misfortune of late, have you not?”
Wow. Is it that obvious? I must look more pathetic than I realized.
