Free Phantom Quartz: A Stacy Justice Witch Mystery Book 6 (Stacy Justice Magical Mysteries) by Barbra Annino

held it there, steady for a moment, until all the magic collided together in one wave of shocking bright light. I closed my eyes, imagined reclaiming my power, and held the open-faced locket to my heart. Pain exploded through me as the energy burst into my soul and flooded back into my body.
    The last image I saw before I collapsed was my mother’s smile.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 13
     
    I woke up in total darkness to the faint scent of brimstone, wondering what had happened. Then I remembered. My family tried to kill me.
    Well, not exactly, but that was what it felt like.
    All these years Birdie had wanted nothing more for me than to gain power, so to rip it from me didn’t make any sense.
    Could this have all been my mother’s idea? But why?
    I lay there for a few beats wondering if the reversal spell had worked. I tried to reach into my core, feel my inner senses to see if the magic had been returned to me. l could still envision things in my mind’s eye. Colors, recipes, crystals, charms. Could still hear the tiny hum of the magic chamber, although it was softer now. Like music playing from a passing car.
    I could not see in the dark however, so I climbed to my feet and stumbled over to where I guessed the door was, tripping over a chair in the process. My head hit the wall, so I was at least making progress. I reached up the wall, feeling around for a light switch until I hit paydirt. The room brightened, and I could see Birdie, Fiona, and Lolly curled up and over each other like a pile of kittens.
    My mother was nowhere in sight.
    I rushed over and gently shook each of them, but none of the Geraghty Girls moved. I said their names one by one without getting a response. They were breathing, that was clear. Perhaps the spell had knocked them unconscious as it had me. I was about to search the cabinet for something to wake them when the doorbell clanged through the room. There were bells strategically placed throughout the house so that they would never miss a guest arrival.
    Damn. Dinner guests.
    Or maybe it was Gramps.
    I quickly untangled the pile of arms and legs, growing more incensed by the minute for what they had done to me. And more suspicious than ever of my mother’s motives. Was Uncle Deck still alive? Was that why she had concocted this scheme? To keep me from meddling? All good questions to be sure, but the biggest one was—why?
    The bell rang again, extinguishing my concerns for the moment. One problem at a time, Stacy. I exited the room, dashed through the passageway, and hurried downstairs to the front door where I found Thor standing. He was dressed as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and was none too happy about it. He grumbled at me.
    I shook my head. “I realize that’s an undignified look for you, buddy, but I’ve got my own problems right now. It seems my entire clan has gone batshit bonkers.”
    Thor cocked his head and rolled his eyes as if to say, what else is new? An image of a cuckoo clock flashed in my brain as I brushed past him. I halted, turned slowly back towards the dog, my eyes trained on him.
    “Did you do that?” I asked. “Did you just send me a picture?”
    Another ring.
    Thor sat, harrumphed, and a pissy look crossed over his big muzzle.
    I decided to shelve that thought for the moment and opened the door to find Gramps and my mother standing on the front porch.
    Gramps charged at me with a bear hug. “Hiya, sweetheart!” He kissed my cheek and I glared at my mother over his shoulder.
    Her brows rose, knitted together, then fell back in place, unsure of which stance to take.
    Gramps shifted and pulled mom into the happy reunion with his other arm. She tried to curl her arm around my waist, but I stiffened and wiggled away.
    I planted my fists on my hips and said, “So you’re just going to stand there and act like nothing happened?” My temper was getting away from me, but I didn’t care. She had a lot of explaining to do.
    My mother looked at me, then