Enchanted Secrets by Kristen Middleton Page A

I watched the wind blow the leaves around on the trees, everything seems so much more ominous.
    “The birds, usually ravens or crows. She’s been known to manipulate them to do her bidding.”
    I swallowed the lump in my throat and grabbed his hand. “I’m scared. I mean really freaking scared. Are you?”
    He shrugged. “ Nah. Whenever I encounter imminent danger, I try to concentrate on the solution, not the source.”
    “Well, have you found a solution for this problem yet?” I mumbled.
    He stared at the sky. “Yes,” he answered sucking in his breath. “Run!”
     
    ~~~
     
    I’m not sure why he told me to run at that particular moment, but I wasn’t about to argue with him. We both took off running down the alley.
    “Hurry!” he barked when I stumbled over a break in the pavement.
    “Trying!” I yelled back.
    Just then hund reds of sharp “kraking” noises filled the air and I glanced behind us. “Oh, my God!” I shrieked in horror.
    The sky was a blur of black, with thousands of birds screaming towards us, the sound of their wings flapping in the wind entwined with the roaring in my ears was deafening.
    “Come on!” yelled Tyler , pulling me towards one of the neighbor’s garages.
    We crashed through the side door and I threw my arms around him. “Teleport us or whatever it is you do, right now!” I cried.
    He nodded and began to chant.
    “Going somewhere?”
    I opened my eyes to find Michelle smiling coldly at us in the darkness of the garage, her blond hair now a vibrant red, her facial features totally changed. It was unnerving to see my mother’s familiar, loving features twisted into a look of pure hatred.
    “Please, don’t hurt us,” I whispered in horror.
    She held up a wand and pointed it towards us, chanting some type of spell. Fortunately, however, Tyler had remained diligent in his incantations so we disappeared before she could finish.

Chapter Nineteen
     
     
     
     
     
     
    We landed in the bathroom of “Secrets.”
    “ That was close,” I gasped, trying to stand up. My legs were trembling so much I thought they’d give out any minute.
    He closed his eyes and released a ragged sigh. “You have no idea.”
    “So, did you recognize that spell she tried to use?”
    He nodded. “ Oh yeah, she almost annihilated us, both.”
    My eyes widened. “Wow. It’s that easy , to kill someone?”
    “ With the right spell and sorceress, anything is possible.”
    The door opened suddenly and old Mrs. Buchaard stood staring at us curiously.
    “Oh, I’m sorry, do you need to get in here?” asked Tyler.
    She shook her head. “No, but you’d better get your butts moving if you’re planning on helping Adrianne.”
    I stared at her in surprise. “What?”
    She wagged her finger at us to follow her and said. “ Let me introduce myself, I’m your mother’s cousin, Clarice.”
    “What?” I repeated, this time in total shock. I glanced at Tyler who was smiling in amusement.
    She grinned . “Oh, I know you weren’t aware of it. We kept it from you and your sister for a reason. It was much too dangerous.”
    I stared at her and recognized some of my mother’s traits. Cat-like eyes and high cheekbone s. Otherwise Clarice’s hair was completely white.
    She patted her hair. “I know. I messed up a spell many years ago and it turned my hair white. I kind of liked it so … I kept it.”
    “Tyler!” called his mother, who was now rushing to close the shop. “What’s happened? I’ve received some messages that there’s been trouble.”
    “Trouble? ” he snorted. “I’d say. Vivian showed up at Kendra’s and we barely made it out of there.”
    She rushed over and threw her arms around Tyler. “ Thank the stars above you’re both safe. That woman is so unpredictable.”
    “ The opposite of my mom, usually,” I mumbled.
    Rebecca turned to me. “ I take it you didn’t find her?”
    I shook my head sadly. “No, we have no idea where she is.”
    “What about your