by Lucia Ashta
“Hey!” I called out, though it wasn’t easy to be heard above the din. “Does anyone see Maguire?”
The call was taken up and repeated until a confirmed response returned.
No one knew where Maguire was.
Tessa leaned into Delise, who was finally back on her feet, clutched on both sides by a large brawny and very hairy man I didn’t recognize and a tiny, petite man who looked like a hard stare would break him in two. Even so, I had no doubt there was a very good reason why the petite man was on guard duty. There was one thing quickly learned in this community: outward appearances had little to do with one’s power. If Tessa was entrusting Toothpick to guard one of the most important threats to Gales Haven since it was founded, then he packed a powerful punch behind his XS clothing.
Delise tried to pull her face back from Tessa, but the long-limbed blonde only pressed forward, further crowding her. “Where is Maguire?” Tessa barked.
“How should I know?” Delise snapped. “I’ve been dealing with wild beasts jumping on me, foaming at their big, fat mouths. So uncouth.”
My three aunts, within hearing range, whirled on Delise and growled at the same time. My mouth dropped in surprise. It wasn’t as much Aunt Shawna’s reaction or Aunt Luanne’s. Those women were passionate in everything they did. It was Aunt Jowelle who shocked me, and the fact that Nan appeared to be holding her back from Delise with a gnarled hand to her daughter’s arm. Aunt Jowelle would never defy Nan, and especially not in public.
“Wait,” Harlow said. “Where’s my dad?”
“He probably helped my cowardly husband escape, leaving me behind,” Delise said.
Aunt Jowelle feinted toward Delise, making her flinch. I didn’t blame her this time. Aunt Jowelle looked ready to do some bitch slapping.
Harlow told her grandmother, “My dad would never do anything against this town, so that’s not it.”
“Then you don’t really know your dad,” Delise said, making me seethe inside. She was so incredibly unfit to be a mother, even of a grown man.
“Actually,” Harlow said, “I do. I also know you.”
Though Quade’s sixteen-year-old daughter didn’t say anything more, her meaning was implied. Standing there, surrounded by my children, her long chestnut hair framing her face, Harlow was a rock star, brimming with inner strength and integrity.
Delise had been outplayed. I saw the realization whisk across her face. She cringed before hurrying to erase the evidence of how she had been schooled by her granddaughter who was nothing like her.
“Does anyone see Quade?” Tessa called out.
When the consensus came back negative, my gut churned. I’d only just now found him again, I wasn’t about to lose him.
My heart rate accelerated as I prepared to bash some heads in or scour the town, whatever it took to find him. No way was I going to do without him now that we were together again, our love quickly rekindling.
Clenching and unclenching my fists at my sides, I announced to no one in particular, “I’m going to find him,” then marched up the aisle toward the double-door entrance.
“I’m coming with you.” Harlow was right on my heels, my kids running up behind her.
I could see Nan up front, coordinating a search group when one of the side doors opened and in walked Quade and Maguire.
Relief rushed over me. I pivoted on my heel, swerved around my kids and his, and ran up the aisle.
Surprised, he turned just in time to catch me as I launched myself into his arms. Maguire hastily stepped away as I embraced his son.
“What’s wrong?” Quade asked.
“I thought you were missing. We all did.”
He shook his head with a smile softening his eyes. “I just wanted to have some time with my dad before he had to leave.” He lowered his voice so only I could hear. “I needed some closure with him, to tell him how I felt about him.”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. I pitied Maguire, not exactly a nice feeling, but one he’d been sparking in me since I first started dating his son and witnessed his parents’ relationship.
Harlow drew up at our side, and Quade extended an arm to hug her without letting me go. Feeling like we were in an awkward, very public three-way hug with a family feel to it, I hastily beckoned my kids forward, pulling them into the huddle. There, that was better. I wasn’t ready to think of what it would mean for our kids when Quade and I became an item again. At least they appeared to have become fast friends.
“Okay,” Nan hollered, but her voice wasn’t as strong as it’d been earlier, fueled by her ire.
Tessa took up the call. “Okay,” she repeated. “Let’s get Delise and Maguire packed and on their way.”
Delise flinched as if she’d been struck. No one cared.
Maguire sagged all over.
“We’re doing this without magic,” Tessa said. “No zip-tripping. We don’t want to risk any trouble. We’re walking over to the Contonns’ house.”
When a team of bodyguards of all makes and sizes surrounded Tessa, they marched all together up the aisle, circling Delise and Maguire at their center. It wasn’t lost on me that the wife and husband walked as far apart as they could within the confined space. It seemed Maguire had finally decided to take a stand against her now that it was too late. He’d have to wait for karma to run her over to return to the town.
“Should we go too?” I asked Nan once the group swept up the aisle and banged through the double doors into twilight.
“No,” Nan answered. “They’ve got it handled. We have to figure out how we’re going to keep Delise from trying to reenter the town, because she’s right. The barrier spell is programmed to let her back in. So long as she still has magic, she’ll be allowed inside the town.”
“Why not block her the same way we added an exception for Macy?” I asked her. The rest of the council—minus Tessa—my aunts, Quade, and our kids surrounded us.
“Let’s face it. We got lucky things worked out last time. If we can find another way, we have to do that first. We can’t keep messing with the barrier spell and expect it to keep working. Humpty Dumpty can only be put back together so many times.”
I didn’t bother elucidating to my nan about Humpty Dumpty’s true fate. Stories and facts became altered as they trickled from the outside world into our isolated town. The distortion wasn’t unusual, it was the way of life here.
“I have an idea,” a small voice announced. I waited for everyone to react to it—until I noticed no one else did.
I started. “Oh, right. Only I can hear her.”
All curious faces turned to me.
“Mindy. She said she has an idea.” I bobbed my head this way and that. “But I don’t see her.”
“Do your eyes even work?” Mindy said, deprecating as usual. Fantastic. “Here I am. Walking along the pew in the very first row. Right up front. I don’t see how you could miss me.”
“Jeez. Back off with the smack, would you?” I snapped. “I couldn’t see you. You’re basically the size of a jellybean and a bunch of people are standing in front of you.”
That’s when I noticed everyone was watching me verbally spar with a hedgehog—and they could only hear what I said.
“Right,” I mumbled. “Uh, so what’s your idea?” I asked Mindy.
“Oh,” she said. “So now you’re finally paying attention to me, are you? Willing to hear what I have to say when you have no better ideas?”
“Yeah, that’s right.” My forced smile spread thin with impatience.
She waddled to the end of the front pew, opposite the aisle from where my aunts had been sitting, jumped to the floor, lost her balance, rolled into a tight ball, then popped open onto her feet again, almost without missing a beat. I had to admit, that was suave. In her place, I would’ve landed flat on my face, no doubt.
Like she was hundreds of times her size, she walked casually toward the middle of our haphazard gathering and stood still for a few moments before tilting her head
upward and clearing her throat.
“Did she just … clear her throat at us?” Darnell Adams asked.
I frowned. “She sure did. She has some attitude issues.”
“So do you,” Mindy said without giving up her regal posturing.
By then, most of the crowd had followed Delise and Maguire out, looking for more action. The hall had emptied except for a few stragglers, and those stragglers now walked toward us, scenting some more drama.
“Just get to the point,” I told her, before once more remembering everyone was hearing me and not her. I didn’t want to sound like a big bully when they couldn’t tell my reactions were reasonable given how snarky the one-pound critter was.
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll organize the magical creatures of Gales Haven to form a guard to protect the barrier and keep Delise out until you can figure something better out.”
Of course she’d been in the hall listening to everything that was said. She’d warned me before that there was no place the magical creatures couldn’t go. They had ears and eyes everywhere.
“Okay,” I said. “I guess that would be good.”
“You guess? Seriously? Like you have a better plan…”
Shit. We didn’t. So instead of admitting to it, I relayed what she’d said.
“But,” Mindy announced before anyone had a chance to respond, “I have three conditions.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “And what are those?”
“It will be your responsibility to deal with that leprechaun.”
“Why is it mine?” I whined.
“Because you are the official detective of Gales Haven—”
“I am not.”
She turned, rose onto her hind legs, and brought both front paws to what would be her waist in a human. Her meaning was oddly anthropomorphic, and also loud and clear.
Clyde chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand, and whispering out of the corner of his mouth at me in a sing-songy melody, “Oooh, you’re in trouble.”
“Knock it off,” I told him, mostly because apparently I was in trouble. I didn’t even know why.
“You are so the detective of Gales Haven,” Mindy said. “Your grandmother, the head of the council, said so.”
Damn. Nan really had.
“Fine,” I barked. “What are the other two conditions?”
“Hold up,” she said, plopping back down onto all fours. “I wasn’t finished. That leprechaun likes to cause all sorts of trouble.”
“I know.”
“It’s entirely on you to keep him from causing problems for any of us creatures. We’ll have enough on our plate protecting the town without watching out for that jackass.”
“Oh-kay,” I drew out.
“Wait,” Darnell said. “Relay.”
I sighed loudly. “She says she has three conditions for her and the other anima—I mean, creatures—defending the border until we figure out a better way to keep out Delise.”
When I didn’t continue—on purpose—Darnell prompted me.
“She basically says I have to continue being the detective of Gales Haven and deal with the leprechaun, whom she calls a jackass.”
“That works,” Nan said right away. “It’s your job anyway.”
“When exactly did it become my job?” I asked. “And don’t I have a say in this?”
“Not really,” Nan said with finality, not even answering all of my questions. “Keep going. Find out the other conditions. We could use their help. We’ll post our guard too, but they can keep watch in a way we can’t.”
“Since when do we have a guard?” I asked.
“Since now.”
“Oh, okay.” Obviously. I pointed an impatient stare at the hedgehog, urging her to continue.
“Have you never heard the saying that you catch more bees with sugar than piss?”
“I’m pretty sure the saying doesn’t go that way.”
She shook her head, tsking. “I was just telling George how impossible you are to deal with.”
“Excuse me?” My eyes bugged. “You’re the one who’s impossible!”
Quade touched my arm, and I sheepishly looked up at everyone observing my behavior.
I cleared my throat. “Will you please tell me your other two conditions?”
“Since you asked so nicely, of course.” She smiled, the expression looking strangely at home on her little face amid a ring of quills. “Condition two is that you make some of your witches and wizards available to help any of us creatures if we need the assistance.”
“What kind of help?”
“All sorts. Like right now Bob has a pricker stuck in his butt and he won’t stop whining about it.” She held up her fingerless paws, waggling them. “None of us can get it out for him without putting our teeth on it, and no way are any of us putting our faces that close to the danger zone.”
Grimacing, I asked, “Is it actually inside his butt?” Awkwardly, I looked around at the many watching faces. I lowered my voice, though it was useless. “Is it actually inside his … butt hole?”
“What on earth are you talking about?” Aunt Jowelle asked, sounding alarmed and back to her usual disapproving self.
After relaying Mindy’s request, the council agreed to this condition right away, thankfully making Bob’s butthole no longer my business. I was apparently a detective, not an animal doctor.
“And the last condition?” I asked, steeling myself for what it might be.
Though Mindy spoke only to me, she turned and faced the council, tilting her head all the way back to mostly look up at them.
“I want to become the sixth member of the council. My kind needs representation, and I’m obviously the best suited for it. Besides, we creatures have been in Gales Haven as long as you all have been.”
After I told the council members what Mindy wanted, they agreed to this final condition quickly.
“Really?” Mindy asked, breathless. “That’s wonderful news. I have to go share it with the creatures right now and start organizing us to defend our town from that ugly pink witch.”
Then she waddled as quickly as she could back across the assembly hall before taking a sharp turn along the wall and disappearing. I had no idea how she was getting in and out since she obviously wasn’t opening doors, but clearly she had her ways.
“What was that all about?” Stella asked.
I couldn’t help a genuine smile. Mindy was a sparkplug, but her joy at this recognition she’d been wanting for so long for her and her people was cute. “She was really excited and wanted to go share the good news with the other critters.”
“Ah,” Stella said. “That’s nice.”
I nodded wistfully. It really was. Especially now that Mindy was gone and unable to give me crap.
Nan clapped her hands softly, reaching out for her daughters. Aunt Jowelle and Aunt Luanne scrambled to offer her the support she sought.
“That worked out well,” Nan said. “We’d already decided to offer Mindy a seat on the council.” Then she winked at me and allowed her daughters to lead her up the aisle like the queen she was.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Delise and Maguire Contonn were escorted out of town late that night, when the moon was nearly full, looming large overhead, illuminating the sad scene. Much of the town turned out to see them off, and from what I hear, there was no gloating or goading of any kind. Everyone there was somber and respectful, realizing the full impact of what exile would mean to the couple who’d led a life of magic since their births. Like every resident of Gales Haven now living, Delise and Maguire Contonn had been born and raised in this village, though Maguire had had a different surname until Delise ensnared him in her web. Neither one of them were equipped for a non-magical life. They’d have to learn how to do so many things all over again—without magic—and at their age I was sure it wasn’t something they were looking forward to. Even a car loaded to the brim with their most precious belongings wouldn’t be much help. They’d have to l
earn a new way of life.
It wasn’t even the lack of magic that would be the worst part. They’d given up the support of a tight-knit community. Despite personal preferences and the odd assortment of discordant personalities, Haveners had each other’s backs—no matter what. When times got tough, you could count on having thousands of people behind you, helping you get through whatever the challenge was.
I’d never been more grateful that I finally decided to return home. I could kick my earlier self in the behind for being so foolish and not properly valuing this kind of support.
At least I was here now. At least my kids would experience Gales Haven while there was still time for them to adjust and become a part of this world. With how accepting of magic they were, I had no doubt they’d adapt in no time.
I’d offered Quade my company in seeing his parents off, but he must have noticed my exhaustion. It had been a very long last few days, during which far too much had gone wrong—and so much had ended up right. Like a gentleman, he’d declined, assuring me he’d be fine and had all the support he needed. Harlow was at his side, and Clyde and Macy were going too, with Nan and my aunts. I was the only one who didn’t want to go see the show, or to make sure the Contonns actually made it across the border and didn’t immediately try to turn back.
The council didn’t even trust them to drive their own car across the barrier, though I’m not sure what they feared. That Delise would point the vehicle at the crowd and try to take down as many people with her as she could, like a sick game of bowling, where the people were the pins? Maybe. I wouldn’t put it past her. Somewhere along the way, Delise had allowed herself to become a dark, spiteful person. The town would be better off without her.
So would Quade.
One of the guards had driven their car across the barrier, pointed it away from here, and left it idling. The Contonns’ exile was official and final.
Once I was convinced that Quade genuinely didn’t need me there at his side, I remained home all on my own, indulging in the moments of quiet and his guilt-free pass. I craved stillness like I craved Bab’s pastries, and I relished in its unexpected arrival. Even when I’d been married to Devin, I’d been largely alone. I hadn’t had a true partner, someone to lean on. And kids didn’t count. I loved mine to pieces, but they always needed something or other, and the need to constantly be present for them—even when they weren’t physically with me—was real and draining.