Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 70779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 354(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 354(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
“Because Hidden Hollow is inside a magical bubble—a barrier that keeps out the rest of the non-magical world,” she explained. Everyone in town took a vote and we all decided we like Autumn the best. So it’s almost always Autumn here now. Of course, we have a month of Spring weather in May and then a Month of summer in August and all of December is Winter weather with snow and icicles and all that, but other than those three months, it’s always Autumn at the height of leaf season here in Hidden Hollow.”
“That’s amazing,” I murmured, as she led us back through the enormous overgrown house that was The Red Lion Inn. There were strange people moving around the building—most of them seemed to have brown, bark-like skin and long, knobbly noses. Their limbs looked almost like tree-branches. I wondered if they were magical creatures and decided they must be, because they certainly weren’t human. None of them batted an eye at the seven-foot-tall fallen angel trailing along behind me and Goody Albright. They just nodded a silent greeting and went on working.
“Most of my staff are Brownies,” Goody Albright said, as she noticed me noticing them. “They’re such good hard workers and they’re not easily upset. Which is a good thing when you live in a town full of Creatures.”
“Creatures?” I asked, frowning as we finally made our way out the front door and onto the broad wraparound porch.
“What humans call ‘Monsters,’” she explained. “For instance, you wouldn’t see H’rux there walking down the street of a regular human town, would you?”
She pointed and I followed her finger and saw something that made my jaw drop. There was a Minotaur—an honest-to-God Minotaur—strolling down the sidewalk as casually as you please. He had a muscular human body and a bull’s head with a set of broad horns. There was even a gold ring through his flaring nostrils. He saw us looking at him and raised a hand in a friendly gesture.
“Goody Albright.” His voice was extremely deep and had a resonant quality to it. He came to a stop in front of the porch. “How are you this morning?” he asked politely.
“Fine, H’rux. I hope you’re well?” she returned. “This is Willow—she’s new in town,” she added, introducing me before he could answer. “She’s thinking of taking over the old Apothecary shop by The Lost Lamb and turning it into a magical supply shop.”
I started to protest, but the Minotaur was already nodding in a friendly way to me.
“Good to have another practitioner in town,” he snorted. “Nice to meet you, Willow.”
Then he continued on his way, humming in his deep, husky voice.
I turned to Goody Albright.
“I never said I was thinking of taking over any shop!”
“No, but you will be once you see it. But first we need to get you one of those almond croissants. And maybe a hot chocolate or a coffee from Goldie’s Diner to go with it.”
She hooked her arm through mine and practically dragged me down the porch steps and onto the street.
Hidden Hollow looked like the coziest New England town imaginable. Quaint little shops and storefronts lined the street on either side and I saw a lot of other “Creatures” as Goody Albright called them including a centaur, several fairies with wide, iridescent butterfly wings, and a tall blond man that she informed me was a kraken.
“Though he’s in his human form now,” she murmured in my ear. “Watch out—he can be a little grumpy at times. But that’s to be expected—there aren’t any lady krakens left, you know. So of course he’s lonely, poor thing.”
We reached the end of the tree-lined street and she steered me towards an empty storefront with wide front windows.
“Just have a look at that,” she said, gesturing at the empty store we could see through the glass. “There are already shelves set up and a register too! And there’s so much room for merchandise!”
I admitted it was a nice space—even nicer and much roomier than the shop back in New Orleans. But the Emporium back home had been my Pop-pop’s baby—I couldn’t think of letting it go to move to a magical town where I didn’t know anyone.
Goody Albright seemed to be intent on changing my mind on that, though. The next place we went was the bakery next door called The Lost Lamb. Inside, the air was filled with the warm scent of fresh bread and frosting and a crowd was already forming. When we got to the front of the line, a handsome man with reddish skin and horns took our order.
“Hello, Malik—we’ll have three almond croissants—two human sized and one Creatures sized,” she told him and then glanced back at Kael. “Unless you want something else?”
He shook his head.
“Whatever you order will be fine. I haven’t eaten in centuries—anything will taste delicious.”