Pet Psychic Mysteries Boxset Books 5-8 (Magic Market Mysteries Book 2) by Erin Johnson (reading diary .TXT) 📗

crimes, from petty stuff to huge conspiracies. He’s told me he owns judges, the cops, politicians.” I glanced at Madeline. “Additionally, because he hates his own kind so much, he’s been looking for a cure for ‘shifterism,’ as he puts it.”

Madeline glanced at me, then the others. “Jolene’s been incredibly brave to come forward. Ludolf controls shifters the way Roch used to control this island. Because of his connections to Roch’s old cronies, he’s been able to avoid any repercussions for his many, many crimes. Which is why we need your help.”

I nodded. “Ludolf just attacked Sam. He can’t have shifters being seen as equal, otherwise he loses his stronghold on us.” I blew out a breath. “Last week, I uncovered an animal sanctuary filled with dozens of shifters that had been trapped in animal form by Ludolf’s ‘cures.’ Many of them were the original activist leaders Ludolf sold out to the old King Roch. If we can find a way to undo Ludolf’s curses, which trapped them in animal form, they’re willing to testify against Ludolf, and we can finally put him away for good.” I looked at each of them. “But we need your help, otherwise his cronies will just let him off.”

13

Cat

The princess huffed. “I just don’t get everyone’s issues with shifters.” She lifted a palm and turned to me. “I grew up in human lands, not knowing I was magical until recently. All of this is new to me and seems completely ludicrous!”

I nodded. “Oh, it is.”

Prince Harry cleared his throat. “Excuse me if this is an ignorant question, but… how do you know that these animals are trapped shifters?”

Kenta stroked his goatee. “Good point. When Sam’s in snake form, he can’t speak to me.” He shrugged. “He just seems like a little green snake.”

Amelia gasped and turned to him. “Maybe Sam shifted up there on the podium and got stuck in snake form.”

Kenta paled. “He does have difficulty controlling it when he’s stressed. He tends to revert to his first form.”

Kenta and Amelia seemed to be lost in thought over Sam, but the rest of the group turned their eyes to me, waiting for my answer to the prince’s question.

I was getting more used to talking about what had happened to me, but for so many years, my friends Heidi and Will had been the only ones who knew. It still felt difficult to share.

I sucked on my lips for a moment, then turned to Prince Harry. “I mentioned that Ludolf Caterwaul sees being a shifter as sort of an illness that needs to be cured? Well, he’s been testing ‘cures’ on hundreds of shifters over the years… including me.”

Maple gasped.

The older woman, Annie, shook her head. She gave off a real grandmotherly vibe that I found comforting. “I’m sorry, dear. That sounds terrible.”

I nodded, a lump in my throat. “The ‘cure’ was really a curse. It stole my ability to shift and—” I debated a moment but decided to be totally open with them. “—and my ability to do magic.”

The prince cursed under his breath, and Madeline slid an arm around my shoulders.

I shrugged, trying to keep it light. “On the plus side, there was a side effect, and now I can talk to animals.”

The little flame narrowed his eyes. “Prove it.”

“Iggy!” the princess and a few of the group chided.

Rhonda, the famous psychic, spoke, her voice sounding as though her nose was plugged. “Well, I wouldn’t mind seeing it.”

“Ooh! She can talk to Cat.” Maple beamed at Wiley, who seemed equally excited.

I glanced around. “I, uh—don’t see a cat.”

The flame burst into cackles, and the blond shot him a stern look. She then turned back to me and held the little black creature out, her hands under his armpits. He squirmed and scrambled at the air, his tail thrashing and bat wings beating. “No, his name is Cat.”

“Ohhh…. riiiigghhtt.” I nodded slowly. “Cute.”

The flame laughed harder. “I like her.”

I licked my lips and concentrated on the strange little creature. Alright, time to talk to Cat. His back legs kicked as Maple held him out toward me. I frowned, feeling the sound a moment before I heard it—was Cat making that low, humming noise? I looked into the creature’s shiny, round eyes—strange lights and flashes floated across them.

I curled my lip and cringed back. This was beyond odd. Whispering sounded, as though it were coming from all around me and also inside my own head—dozens of voices. Goose bumps rose on my arms, and as hard as I concentrated, I couldn’t make out any individual words. The hushed whispers grew louder and louder—I jerked my hands up to my ears, but it didn’t seem to dampen the noise.

“Alright, wittle guy, that’s enough.” Maple spoke to the creature in the singsong voice I’d use to coo over a newborn.

The whispers stopped, suddenly, and I warily lowered my hands from my ears. The royal gang and Madeline watched me expectantly.

“So, what’d he say?” Wiley stood with his arm around Maple and grinned at me.

I blew out a shaky breath. “To be honest, this has never happened to me. I couldn’t understand him.”

Maple’s face fell.

Iggy shot me a sympathetic look. “Performance anxiety?”

The princess flashed her eyes at her flame as he snickered.

I winced. “Sorry.” They probably thought I was lying about my abilities now. Great.

Cat scrambled back up onto Wiley’s shoulder and nibbled on his ear. I tried not to look horrified. With those teeth, he could take it clean off.

I scratched my cheek. “Your pet is so…” How to put this? “Unique.”

Maple’s face brightened a little. “Aw—thank you.”

Iggy burned suddenly brighter in his lantern on the table, his expression fierce. “It’s not a pet! It’s a mind control demon!”

The princess nodded her agreement.

Come again? “Well… I guess the creepy whispers make sense, then.”

The flame’s eyes widened. “Creepy whispers?”

I nodded. “That’s all I got. Like a thousand voices, whispering.” I wiggled my fingers next to my head, and the flame burst into laughter.

“Okay,