Excerpt: Pinoak (Working Title)

Amandine pondered this, then jumped at the loud commotion that suddenly erupted from behind the doors. She looked back at Olivia, then back at the door. The old door flung open, nearly thrown from it’s hinges.

“There will be none of that being learned in my shop, Mister Temple! We only deal in living, none of that dreary mess of Death!” Master Cherry boomed.

“Fine! I don’t wish to be among Tree Huggers anyway!” Ira spat, storming from the back room and out the front door in fuming, rapid strides. He clung to the books in his arms, grumbling as the door flung open wildly when he turned the door knob, the bells clattering angrily along with him.

Master Cherry stood at the door, his face heavy as if weights pulled at him. He removed his floppy hat and ran his fingers through the puff of white hair at his pate. Taking a deep breath, he returned the hat to his head and shook his head. “There are some waters we dare not tread in magic, for we may drown in the darkness that lies beneath them.”

Olivia felt a shiver down her spine that sent a trembling shock across her skin. There were dark magicks of the legends, but they were not often spoken of. The laws forbid certain dark spells so that the sinister histories would never repeat themselves. She stared at the old man who stood before her, watching as his face transformed from heavy to light, the twinkle returning to his eyes.

“Come, Amandine, perhaps you can sweeten this sour air.” He held out his hand toward the door that Pinoak held open. The young girl nearly skipped on through, beaming, the curls of her head bouncing with her steps. Master Cherry followed after her, grinning his toothy smile again. Pinoak stared ahead at the front door, then cast his blazing green eyes on Olivia. His smooth skinned face remained emotionless, except for a slight strain at his eyes. She looked away uneasily, and he silently closed the other door behind him.

“There’s…something different about that man,” she whispered aloud to herself, then plummeted to her seat again.