Page 14 of Casting Butterflies

“You are truly discomfited by it.”

“There’s something not right about it.” I just couldn’t have said exactly what. Although the fact I would have sworn I heard the papery flutter of wings might have had something to do with it. “How is it you don’t sense the wrongness?”

“I don’t know but will remind that the girl and the auctioneer handled it without issue.”

“Hooray for them. I am not touching it.” I tucked my hands behind my back.

“And they call me a pussy,” Cedric muttered before rubbing his head against the necklace as I suggested. Nothing happened except the pendant swayed—and I cringed, waiting for something bad to happen.

Since touching did nothing, Cedric scooted his head through the loop in the chain and, by rising on his hind legs, tugged it from the banana hook, leaving it draped around his neck, kind of. The long chain left the pendant dragging on the counter when he walked.

He sat and poked at it with a paw. “I sense no change in the magic. Does it appear any different to you?”

“Nope. Still ugly. Still freaking me out.”

“There must be a way of triggering it,” he murmured, tapping the pendant, making me wince.

“How about a magical word like abracadabra?”

Cedric snorted. “That kind of thing only happens in books and movies. Most spells are activated by touch or conditions being met, such as having it keyed to a specific person or place, where mere proximity or contact would meet the prerequisites.”

“Obviously it’s not reacting to this house or you. What else might set it off?”

Cedric crouched and brought his nose close to the jeweled center. “Full moon. No moon. Storm. Eclipse. Alignment of stars. A particular sex or race…”

The more things he listed the more it seemed unlikely we’d figure it out or that it would help Cedric. “In other words, anything and everything.”

“Humans these days… so impatient for answers. We were tasked with finding it for a reason, which means we will figure out this mystery. But it might take time.” The pendant clanked as Cedric shifted position. “Mind helping me remove it?”

“If I must.” I used tongs and winced the entire time as wings slapped, a noise only I could hear. Damn those butterflies haunting me. I dropped the necklace on top of the wrecked box, and Cedric snorted.

“I don’t think that’s going to work.”

“No shit. Guess I’ll have to glue it first.” Although duct tape might be quicker.

I removed the necklace from the remains of the box and hung it back on the banana hook, but that wasn’t enough to suit me and my phobia. I draped a tea towel over it. Still would have sworn I heard the rub of wings and got creative. Okay, make that crazy. I pulled out the tin foil and made a tent over it. Only then did some of my tension ease.

Cedric snorted. “Might have been quicker and easier to build yourself a hat.”

“Good idea.” I twisted myself a crown and perched it atop my head before grabbing the Crazy Glue from the drawer, managing to get more on my fingers than the wrecked box. Realizing it wouldn’t work, I gave up and grabbed a carton of Chapman’s cookie dough ice cream, which I ate while watching the latest episode of Big Brother. I did so alone since Cedric had chosen to leave the house and hunt for his dinner because, apparently, my chicken paprika didn’t have enough meat.

Given he’d exited through the kitty door, and would return via it, I didn’t immediately react when I heard a noise in the kitchen. At the distinctive crinkle of foil, I did get curious and headed for a peek. “Guess you got an idea while you…”

The words trailed off as I saw a figure dressed head to toe in black, obviously male, given the breadth of his shoulders, his features concealed by a balaclava. The six-foot-plus intruder stood by the kitchen island, gloved hand reaching for the amulet he’d uncovered.

I should have let him take it and good riddance. But the thought that crossed my mind instead? How dare the fucker try and steal from me!

Oh hell no. Without thinking—because if I had, I’d have run the opposite way—I screamed and flung the empty carton of ice cream before I charged at the intruder.

Apparently, I startled the big dude, because he recoiled, and before I could think twice, I snatched the necklace.

Barehanded.

Bad idea.

If I’d thought the sound of butterfly wings loud before, imagine a whirling tornado of them and me at the center.

Eep.