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

Thor happily chewing on a slice of double pepperoni.
    Lolly said, “I don’t feel tired, but I do feel calm.” She looked at Birdie. “There’s no chatter. No one’s intentions or emotions are filtering through.”
    At that moment, I knew two things. The first was that the reversal spell had worked and all my power had been restored. The second—and most frightening—was that I had taken theirs.
    I sucked in some air and launched into the events of the past few hours the way I knew them. Of course I couldn’t fill in blanks like when the imposter had first appeared, but perhaps I could jog their memories. Somewhere, a trace of her must have existed in their minds. I walked over to the large mirror and beckoned to my mother for help. She stepped forward and together we turned it around to reveal a whiteboard. There was a marker in a compartment on the board and I took that out and began a timeline.
    We started with the morning’s events and rushed straight through the afternoon. That’s when I explained about the woman on my porch who looked just like my mother.
    “No,” Mom said. “That’s impossible. It can’t be done.” She looked at Birdie. “Shifters don’t exist. Right?”
    Birdie, for probably the first time in her long life, was stunned silent.
    Fiona said, “There are legends about shifters, to be sure, but none who can fully take on the form of another human. Animals, maybe, but even that gift has been long outlawed by the Council.”
    “Well then someone is breaking the law, because she had all of us fooled. Even you, Birdie.”
    “And bespelled, it would appear, since we don’t remember,” Lolly added.
    Birdie was looking at a far off corner of the room when she spoke. “There was one I knew. A classmate. But even she could only change hair color. And eye color on her better days. I’ve never known anyone to take on an entirely different form.”
    We all stared at Birdie. I walked over to where she sat and said, “Well maybe she’s honed her talent. Who was it?”
    Birdie met my eyes. “Tallulah.”
    I stiffened at the name. Tallulah was a high council member alongside Birdie. The rivalry between them spanned decades, and there was a point in time—when I competed against her grandson, Ethan, for the Seeker’s crown—that she would have done almost anything to destroy the Geraghtys. But that was all behind us now.
    Wasn’t it?
    We discussed the possibility of Tallulah as a shifter, but it didn’t add up. What reason would she have? Unless...did she want revenge? Did she want Ethan to replace me?
    “There’s more,” I said.
    I explained all about the suggestion to dismantle the Seeker’s Den and the collecting spell. “She had all of you convinced that it was your idea. You really don’t remember?”
    They didn’t.
    My mother shifted uncomfortably in her seat, avoiding my eyes. “Mom? Is there something you want to share with the class?”
    She shook her head. “I’m just sorry I wasn’t here to stop it.” Her voice faltered.
    Fiona said, “But how would she even get in? The house is surrounded by several protection spells. It’s like a fortress.”
    “A fortress that also sits on a ley line. She could have gotten through that way,” I said.
    Ley lines were magical pathways built by the fey who inhabited the otherworld. A sorceress could travel via a ley line, but she would need the permission of the Tuatha Dé Danann.
    Birdie said, “There is another way.”
    I was scribbling on the white board, collecting notes on everything that was discussed. I stopped and faced Birdie. “How?”
    She hesitated and I felt the guilt run off her in waves. “She could have been invited.”
    “The dinner you mentioned,” said Lolly.
    That’s right. It was as if Birdie had no intention of ever hosting it. I made a note to scour the guest list.
    My mother said, “So this collection spell they cast, it didn’t work?”
    “Nope.” I silently pleaded with her not to ask the next