[Release, Failure]

  “Sparky could Opal be in one of the books, did she jump into a book by mistake or are there any magical books that might have absorbed her?”

  “She’s not a Bibliomancer Rose, so she couldn’t just jump into a book, and I have no books that would swallow a little girl. I’d never keep anything that dangerous in the store. She’s a Fey witch, quite a powerful one. She may have turned invisible. I’ll kill her if she is doing this on purpose and hiding and doesn’t come out this very instant. Well it was worth a shot, she’s a good girl and wouldn’t do this on purpose. Get the step stool and check the tops of the book cases with your hands. I’ll close the store and the door, invisble or not she’s not getting out.”

  Locate:Opal

  Opal is in Enigmatic Parchments.

  I got the step stool and any space that might fit a small body I physically checked, I was getting more frantic as time passed.

  “Should I go get Lu, have her search by scent.”

  “No I just did a locate spell it says she’s right here. Opal’s scent is all over this store, Lu’s not going to have any more luck then we are”

  “What about Lily’s Eyeball Candies aren’t they supposed to see everything even the invisible?”

  “Yes that’s worth a try, portal over don’t let anyone except Lily know, no reason to panic anyone yet. I ‘ll stay by the door, no one is getting out. Get the candy and portal back.”

  I portaled directly into the kitchen, startling poor Salome half to death.

  “Sorry Salome, we have some type of invisible mouse in the store, is Lily here.”

  “No she’s on a date with Lottie, they went hiking.”

  “Right, that’s nice, do you know where Lily stores the Eyeball candy?”

  “Yeah, it’s out front, I’ll get you a couple.”

  “Thanks honey, I really appreciate it.”

  It seemed like she was taking forever getting the candy but I knew it was just my anxiety levels, I’m sure was doing the best she could. But I was getting more and more scared. I should have been at the store watching Opal instead of going out to lunch with new friends. Sparky, he should have kept a better eye on here too. If Salome didn’t get back here soon, I was sure my heart would explode out of my chest. It was beating so fast.

  “Here you go…”

  “Thanks..”

  I grabbed the candy from her hand and sprang back through the portal, eating one of the candies as I went.

  “Sparky, I’m back. I’ve got the candy.”

  “I just did a locate spell, she’s still in the store. Eat one and start looking I’ll stay by the door.”

  “Sparky the books are glowing but I don’t see Opal.”

  “Walk around, look anywhere she could fit. The glowing books are just magical fields each book has its own field within the store's magical field. If you were outside the entire store would be glowing. Check the back room thoroughly then come back out here.”

  I looked in every conceivable space that a child could fit in and even checked the impossible spaces. I was getting more and more frantic as I tore the room apart, Opal was not back here. When I left the back room I closed the door. Now the only area left to search was the store itself. I forced myself to start at the farthest aisle and work quickly and methodically toward the door.

  “Rose, what’s happening?”

  “I’m in the second to last aisle working my way toward you.”

  “Good you’re being smart, you’re not panicking, that’s exactly what Opal needs from you right now. Just keep working your way towards me.”

  Sparky’s calm voice helped to calm me a little and kept me from becoming completely hysterical. I kept moving, not as fast as I’d like but I vowed not to rush past her. I saw parts of the store I’d never seen before, likely never would again.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Where are you now Rose?”

  “The third aisle from the door, she has to be in one of these last aisles, even if she was actively hiding, I couldn’t have missed her, I’m certain of that.”

  “I’m sure you didn’t miss her Rose, I keep doing the locate spell and she’s still in here. Just keep at it Rose.”

  “I will Sparky. I will”

  Then I was in the second to last aisle, my heart started to race again, she had to be in this aisle, if she was in the next aisle, Sparky should be able to see her. But she wasn’t, so I turned into the last aisle and started to cry. I fell to my knees and started sobbing.

  “Apprentice get up this instant, you’re wasting time. Opal needs your help and you’re being self indulgent. Either get up and start the search again or get out and don’t ever darken the doorway of my store or tower again. GET THE HELL UP and search.”

  I hated him, Opal didn’t get lost while I was here, oh no. I’d get out of his store, and his old tower and move back to my cottage where I was happy. I got up and started again in the back room. There was nothing there, just the wreckage of my first pass through.

  I moved from the back room, a quiet fury fueled my movements. I started behind the counter, all around the stool Sparky normally sat on. I moved over to the stool Opal had been using looking under the counter, nothing but empty shelves. There were some small cabinets, I’d looked before but I looked again, still no eleven year old girl.

  I wished I could pray to some wise and merciful old man in the sky for comfort but that just enraged me further. Then I noticed that Opal’s drawing was glowing. I didn’t touch it but I looked at her drawing for the first time, she’d been drawing this for four days now. There was a house with a picket fence and the gate was open invitingly. It was superbly detailed, but the composition is what so many kids draw, their home and family. But there was no family, just a little girl facing the house with a teddy bear dangling from her right hand. It bothered me that the little girl was turned in the wrong direction.

  “Sparky”

  “Yes, Rose”

  “Sparky, Opal’s drawing is glowing like a magical field. Did you teach her to do that?”

  “Rose don’t touch that drawing”

  Then he was next to me gently pushing me away from the drawing.

  “Sparky, is that her, looking at her house? I have to go in there and get her.”

  “I don’t know that you can, I already tried jumping into it. It’s a picture not a book. Go ahead and try, just don’t touch it. Try to jump in but don’t touch it.”

  “Why do you keep telling me not to touch it?”

  “Did you try to jump in?

  “Yes I couldn’t, but why not touch it? Is it dangerous?”

  “Yes it’s dangerous, it might suck you in.”

  “Good then I have an idea.”

  “What could possibly be good about that?

  “I’ll tell you, I’ll take some portal muffins. We can’t jump around Email Ablach with Bibliomancy but we can with portal muffins. Hopefully I’ll touch the picture and it'll suck me in. I’ll locate Opal and portal back here.”

  “And what if portal muffins don’t work.”

  “Then you’ll figure out some other way to get us out, but I won’t let that sweet little girl stay in there by herself. One way or another I’m going in there. Hopefully we’ll just portal back out. The only way to know is to try.”

  “Maybe Doug and Daisy should go with you.”

  “No, they wouldn’t be of any use, why risk stranding someone else. Sparky I trust you, a couple of minutes ago I wanted to kill you, but that just means we're family. I’ll grab a couple of portal muffins.”

  “Here take this light wand, remember solas for low light, lux to blind someone temporarily.”

  “Thanks Sparky. Wait, I just thought of something else, blank paper and pencils and a sharpener. ”

  “Why do you plan on learning to sketch in there? Ah no you’re a genius Rose. Here there's almost a dozen donuts left, you’ll have to ration them. Don’t give them all to Opal. She’s going to need someone as smart as you in there with her. Good luck Rose.”

  I touched the paper and suddenly I was falling, for what seemed to take forever, but I didn’t hit the ground, after a fifteen or twenty second fall I was just standing next to Opal staring at a real house. Opal was crying. I hugged her so tight

  “I drew the house, I remember the house but I don't remember mommies face or daddys face or my baby brother. I just remember the house, but it’s empty.”

  “I’m so sorry this has happened to you. But your sister Ruby loves you so much, she was ready to run away with you to the edge of the world. Lu loves you, and Sparky loves you and McCracken loves you and I love you so so much. So we need to try and get home. So I’m going to use a portal muffin. Alright?”

  “Yes, Rose”

  “Open portal to Enigmatic Parchments”

  Nothing happened, I didn’t really expect it to.

  “Opal honey, I’m afraid your rescuer, me, needs you to rescue me. Will you do that for me honey.”

  “Sure Rose”