"Okay. The lesson is over. Tune in next time for Simple Elixirs."

Mercy started to respond, but the screen went dark. Practice. I'll practice tomorrow. My head hurts too much now.

She walked purposefully to the mirror and gazed into its depths. At first all she saw was her own reflection, but a mist seemed to form in the background and slowly her grandmother's face appeared. A wave of relief washed over Mercy. She reached out to touch the mirror and placed her hand on the spot where Gran's hand rested on the other side.

"Oh, Gran, I'm so glad you're here."

"I'm always here for you, my dear."

Mercy sighed. "I know, but I wish you were here on this side with me."

Gran hesitated a moment, as though searching for the right words. "Sorry, dear. I wish I could be there with you, but there is something I have to do...something important."

"I...I don't understand," she said.

Her grandmother's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry, but I just can't explain right now."

Mercy felt a tear roll down her cheek and drop from her chin onto her breast.

"You deserve an explanation, but I'm just not sure you could handle it. Not yet. It might confuse you even more, just when you're making such excellent progress in your training. I'm here to undo a spell, but there's more. It's for your own protection. Just trust me."

An icy tingle crept along Mercy's spine. "Of course I trust you."

Her grandmother's face brightened. "And these silly creatures have taken to me and seem to want me to stay. I keep explaining that I'll be going home, but they think they can keep me here. Don't worry, dear. I'll find my way back to you."

"Is there anything I can do to bring you back?" Mercy tried to keep the whine out of her voice. "I need you here."

"I'm trying." Gran gave her a brave little smile. "Be patient a little longer. I have a task to complete here and then I hope to return. Surely I'll find my way back soon." Her face began to fade into the fogginess that was Minah.

Mercy nodded and forced a smile as Gran disappeared completely. A tear ran down the side of her face and she brushed it away with the back of her hand.

She was in her homeroom cla.s.s, when a knock at the door got her attention. The teacher opened the door a crack and then opened it wider. "Mercy, you're wanted in the Princ.i.p.al's office...right now."

Mercy's stomach took a dive to the floor. Princ.i.p.al's office? Me? I never get called to the Princ.i.p.al's office. She stood on shaky knees and gathered her books. She felt the weight of the entire cla.s.s staring at her as she made her way to the door. Her own gaze was cast down, but she glanced up to meet Kelli's concerned expression as she slipped out.

The Office Aide strode ahead of her with an air of importance, as though he was escorting a wanted felon to the gallows.

The Princ.i.p.al's Secretary looked up when she got to the office. Her lips tightened in an *Oh, no!' expression and she quickly looked down at her paperwork.

Mercy unloaded her books on top of the counter and stood for a moment staring at the woman who refused to meet her gaze.

The Office Aide cleared his throat and stepped aside for her to enter the Princ.i.p.al's inner office, but his expression sent the message, *You're as good as dead.'

The Princ.i.p.al looked up when she crossed his threshold. His expression was grim. "Mercy, this is Sheriff Ringold. He has some questions for you."

Mercy turned to the humongous man sitting across from the princ.i.p.al. She knew who he was, of course, but had never had occasion to speak to him. She opened her mouth to speak, but found that she had no voice. Just a timid little squeak came out.

The sheriff's bulgy, frog-like eyes narrowed into slits.

She straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. She tried to collect the remnants of the Orb of Enchantments around her and felt a tiny tingle in response. It must be fading fast. She envisioned the Orb as a cape she could wrap around herself to protect her from his steely gaze. A moment of deep concentration reminded her of blowing onto an ember. She felt the Orb gathering strength as a warm glow ignited in her core.

"Questions? For me?" she said, meeting his steely-eyed gaze. She was surprised that her voice had come out as strong as it sounded. She didn't feel strong. She made a mental clutch at the Orb and wrapped her fingers around the sapphire locket.

"Sit down, young lady." He gestured to the other chair.

She sank onto the hard surface as her knees collapsed under his command.

The sheriff leaned closer to her and the princ.i.p.al also leaned forward on his desk.

"What can you tell me about the disappearance of three of your cla.s.smates?"

She felt the air crush out of her lungs. "What?" she wheezed.

"Your friends, Lindy Boyd, Amy Hoffman and Becca Mandrake. Surely you know they're missing?"

Her gag reflex worked over the phrase, *your friends' a bit before she could answer. "Well, yeah, sort of." She adjusted her books. "I mean I heard, but I thought they were just playing around." She moistened her lips. "You know, like a prank."

The sheriff's gaze bored deeper into her soul.

The princ.i.p.al coughed, as though he had choked on something. He reached for a tissue and wiped his eyes. "Did you say, playing around?"

Mercy nodded. "Um, well,...Lindy's kind of a drama queen and this sounds just like something she would come up with." Shut up! Just shut up now!

The sheriff's voice boomed louder. "Are you trying to tell me you think this is some kind of a hoax?"

Shut up...Shut up...She nodded mutely, not daring to breathe.

"Now why would three nice girls from prominent families disappear after a school dance and be gone for days..." He leaned near her again, his voice dropping lower in pitch. "With no trace of them anywhere?"

"I...I don't know."

"Do you honestly think they would stay away this long if it was a prank?"

Mercy shook her head.

"We found Lindy's car pulled over on the side of Bender Road. Both front doors and the back pa.s.senger door were standing wide open. It was like something just sucked those poor little girls out of that car." He let his gaze float away for a moment and then snapped his head around to stare at Mercy.

She felt like she was shrinking under Sheriff Ringold's unwavering gaze.

"It's looking more and more like an abduction. Their parents are worried sick." He scooted his chair closer to her, making a squeak that raised the hair on the back of her neck. "Why don't you just tell me what happened?"

"Me? You think I did something with them?" She swallowed hard. "How could I do anything with the three of them?"

"Well, Mercy..." the sheriff began. "I've been talking to some of the other youngsters. They told me there was some trouble at the dance last Friday."

She nodded and dropped her gaze. She stared at the pile of papers in the princ.i.p.al's inbox. "Yes, but I didn't start it."

The princ.i.p.al almost leaped across the desk. He stood and leaned toward her, sending papers in every direction. "So, there was a fight?"

She drew back, recoiling from his accusation. "No, not a fight, exactly..."

"Miss Sanders, the Vice Princ.i.p.al, said she broke up a fight in the girl's rest room...And..." He paused for effect. "That you and the three missing girls were about to mix it up."

"Mix it up? You mean fight? No, I'm not a violent person. I never fight." Mercy recalled the moment that Miss Sanders had entered the rest room. Yes, she had thought she was about to be attacked. She swallowed again. Maybe Miss Sanders had saved her.

"Never?" The sheriff drew the word out.

"Well, I don't know what Lindy and her gang had in mind, but I had no intentions of fighting."

"Gang?" The sheriff's big froggy eyes bulged even more. "Are you saying there's gang activity here in Tannersville?"

Mercy felt a strangling sensation. "Nooo-o-o! I didn't say that...Well, yes, I did, but I didn't mean it that way."

The two men exchanged a glance. "And how exactly did you mean it?" the princ.i.p.al asked.

"I mean they were friends. A group of friends. A circle of buddies. A collection of pals. That's what I meant?" She glanced from one man to the other anxiously.

Both men leaned back in their respective chairs and glared at her. "And then what happened after Miss Sanders broke up the fight?"

"There was not a fight!" She was aware that she raised her voice. "I danced with my boyfriend..." She stumbled over the word, but went on. "And when we went to the punch bowl, Lindy and her...friends spilled punch on my dress." A little stir of anger in her chest reminded her of how upset she had been at the time. Having a few days without Lindy to batter her self-worth had been refreshing to say the least. Now she realized that the whole school might be thinking she had something to do with the disappearances. She glanced from one man to the other. "The dress was dripping wet so my boyfriend..." There's that word again. "He took me home."

"And where did you go after that?"

"Nowhere. I stayed home after that."

"And your grandmother? She'll vouch for your whereabouts?"

"Yes...Yes, of course." Her stomach felt like she had taken the express elevator straight to h.e.l.l. How could she tell them that her grandmother was not available?

The sheriff made a strange grunting noise that sounded like *humpf' and rearranged his hugeness in the chair. "That's good enough for me. I've known Miss Lavinia for years. She's a fine lady."

The princ.i.p.al nodded his head in agreement.

Mercy's heart thumped against her ribcage as though she was running a marathon. Please don't call Gran. Please don't call Gran.

The princ.i.p.al and sheriff leaned back in their respective chairs. "That's all, Mercy," the Princ.i.p.al said, gesturing toward the door.

The sheriff stood, adjusting the wide belt that held his weapon. The belt strained to contain his immensity. "I'll get back to you if I have more questions."

CHAPTER EIGHT.

Mercy fled the room, clutching her arms around her like a protective shield. She raced through the outer office and into the hallway, leaving the office staff staring after her, open-mouthed. She wanted to go home. She wanted her grandmother. She wanted to run inside the house and lock the door behind her.

Unfortunately, at that moment she realized her books were still piled on top of the counter in the outer office. Her stomach turned over at least twice and she spun around. A choking sensation cut off her air supply. She would have to return to the princ.i.p.al's office. On rubbery legs she crept back down the hall, taking a deep breath as she peered through the open doorway at her books. If I do an attraction spell, surely someone will notice. She gathered her courage and cautiously stepped inside.

The secretary was typing on her keyboard and didn't see her approach. Mercy sucked in a breath and reached for her books just as the sheriff emerged from the princ.i.p.al's office. The two men shook hands. Sheriff Ringold adjusted his holster and patted his sidearm. "I'll be keeping an eye on that little gal."

Mercy grabbed her books and fled into the hallway just as the bell rang.

Cla.s.sroom doors opened and an army of students poured out, filling the corridors with loud, jostling strangers who edged her out of their way. She found herself moving with them, her head filled with the sounds of locker doors being slammed, loud voices raised in laughter, giggles and guffaws and finally another eardrum piercing bell drilling its way into her skull. Mercy moved to an exit door and pushed her way outside into the fresh air. She inhaled deeply, her heart thudding in her ears. Where can I go? Where can I go?

Her feet carried her to the student parking lot where she found Kelli's car unlocked and climbed inside. She spent the last period sitting inside, staring out, but seeing nothing. She had never, ever cut a cla.s.s before. Her perfect attendance record was blown to h.e.l.l...but that was just a pa.s.sing thought because, in reality, she didn't care.

When the final bell rang and students filled the parking lot, she remained immobile; an inert object staring straight ahead. Kelli opened the driver's side and slid onto the seat.

"What happened? I was so worried about you when you didn't come back to cla.s.s." She stuck the key in the ignition and then stopped, turning to stare at Mercy. She put her hand on Mercy's shoulder gently. "Hey, what happened? You look as white as a piece of very white bread."

Mercy closed her eyes. "They think I did it."

"Who thinks you did what?" Kelli asked.

"Sheriff Ringold and Princ.i.p.al Manley. They think I had something to do with Lindy's disappearance. With all of them disappearing. They think I did it."

"Oh, that's just ridiculous." Kelli pushed her gla.s.ses up on the bridge of her nose. "Do they think you just waved your magic wand and made the three biggest bullies in the entire school evaporate?"

Mercy's throat closed up on her. She gasped for breath. "What?"

"I said---"

"No, I heard you." They know...They know I'm a witch! What will I do? She took a deep breath and tried to think rationally. "Why would I want to get rid of Lindy and her gang?" Oh my G.o.d! There's that word again.

Kelli laughed, just one short, not really funny, syllable. "You are kidding, aren't you? I mean, they are such complete wastes of skin. All they do is prance around trying to be popular and making everyone miserable. I hope they never come back."

"Kelli, that's terrible! Surely you don't mean that."

Kelli snorted. "Well, I suppose not really, but you have to admit, it's been a lot more fun the past few days with them gone. It's like everyone can breathe now."

Mercy nodded. That was just the way she had felt, but that was before the sheriff accused her of causing the disappearance. Abducted, he'd said. Does he think I jumped them, tied them up and...and...then what?

"So hypothetically, say I have this magic wand...and say I wanted to make them disappear. Where would I make them go?

"The planet Ura.n.u.s. That's where I'd send them...if I had a magic wand." Kelli started the car and pulled around to the front to pick up Felicity and her cello.

Felicity lugged her cello case and book bag to the car. She stuffed the cello in the back seat and slid in beside it. "Hey, where were you last cla.s.s? The teacher called your name and looked around like you had disappeared off the planet."

A shiver of gigantic proportions slithered down Mercy's spine. "I...um..."

Kelli giggled. "Miss Perfect Attendance cut cla.s.s. Call the media."