Page 47 of Dark Moon Secrets

Why had a wolf been trying to hurt me?

I rubbed my eyes, sore and dry as if filled with sand, and it took a while for me to focus. I could do with more sleep, but that wasn’t going to happen.

Not now. I was awake, the pain throbbing in my arm. I rubbed the muscles, and it did nothing against the ache that had settled in deep. Stretching out my legs and arms, I attempted to wake up and settle my mind back in my body.

Was this what I was to expect now that I knew I was a witch?

Weird-ass dreams that felt real even when I was awake.

The room was gray, and light bursts of bright sunlight around the blind’s edges suggested it was well and truly morning. Scenes from the dream cycled through my mind as if I were thinking backward. Then I remembered.

I had actually seen something outside the window. What was it? My thoughts were so blurred between reality and fantasy that I wasn’t sure.

I slipped out of bed, still wearing the clothes from yesterday, went to the window, and pulled up the blind. I automatically shielded my eyes with my arm, the pain from the light blinding me. It took a moment to adjust to the brightness of the day. Then I peered out the window.

My breath caught in my throat as I looked down through the glass. That’s right, I had seen a big dog, but something about it was unnatural.

Now, cars were parked on the sides of the road, a refrigerated truck was unloading meat, and people were walking along the street. A regular Thursday morning, I supposed, here in Katoomba.

If I were back in Sydney, I would be at work already, but here, I’d slept in without meaning to. I had planned to get down to the shop and snoop around for books that might help me learn more valuable spells and information about whether the shop was making a profit.

More importantly, I wanted to know if I could do the basic spells Luna had taught me yesterday. I snapped my fingers, and flames flickered, strong and controlled. I grinned. This time, it had been easy. I let the magic die out and tried another spell, and this time, blue swirls came from my fingers. Even though I hadn’t slept much, and it wasn’t a good sleep, the connection to my magic was stronger this morning. I wanted to see what else I could do since I had this power in me, and it was time it came out to be used.

My phone on the nightstand buzzed loudly. I went to answer it, and Mia’s name was on the screen.

“Thank God you are alive,” said Mia.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I asked, putting the phone to my ear.

With my free hand, I cycled through the few spells I had been taught. I’d never wanted to study so much in my life before. Surely, if my parents had told me this was why I needed to study, I would have.

“Well, like because you were ghosting me.”

“Wasn’t.” I admired the pinkish light wrapping around my fingers.

“You’re not even listening to me.”

I let the magic go.

“I am so.” It was time to do more significant spells if Luna would let me.

“So…”

“So what?”

Mia harrumphed down the phone loudly. “What’s the shop? You said it wasn’t a bookstore, then you hung up on me.”

So much had happened that I couldn’t tell her, my best friend who had been by my side when I lost my parents. Now, I had to keep secrets from her.

“It’s a gift shop. I can’t see how it’s going to make any money.”

“So you’ll be back this weekend?”

“Um… well, Mr. Parker crashed into Maria’s car.”

“What? Who is Mr. Parker, and… are you all right? You must pick up the phone to tell me these things as they happen, not all simultaneously.”

I sensed Mia was beginning to get dramatic, and she would be difficult to say anything to if that was the case.

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