Rivera’s Bodega crouched on the corner of Halberd and Squire, moody and bright like a surly macaw—or a poison dart frog. The snow that thickly blanketed the borough stopped short at the sidewalk outside—a paltry charm, the owner would say, to ensure for his customers a positive experience. Crisp bag pennants papered the window, a cellophane mosaic broken by intermittent cigarette ads and a handwritten sign reminding passersby that they could get a free hex with every hundred dollars spent. 

But nobody passed by Rivera’s that day. Kieran Quick had come to call. 

“Lair of the Bodega Warlock” was first published in Water Dragon Publishing’s Summer 2024 Dragon Gems anthology. Links to purchase the anthology can be found at the link above.