Moonshine & Mischief: Moonshine Hollow #4

by Kathleen Brooks

  “Yes!” Slade said, flopping back in his chair in relief. “Finally. You get it.”

  “You think as soon as I find my true love, who you all think is Jane, that the two of us will take over as stone keepers on Orkney to help usher in a new age of witches by offering advice and providing a safe place for them to come and recharge?”

  Slade nodded. “And commune with the Goddess.”

  “And the Goddess is who invented witches to help humans as they started to populate Earth?”

  Slade nodded again. “You could say the stone keepers are witch doctors. They look after witches’ magical wellbeing.”

  Galen was quiet as he looked at the pictures on the tablet for the tenth time. This just couldn’t be. “Yeah, I don’t believe it. Sorry. I don’t know what parlor trick you did to make me think I was floating—” Slade grabbed his hand and the next thing Galen knew they were in the middle of the Standing Stones of Stenness. “Oh my God.”

  “Goddess,” Slade corrected automatically. “Believe me now?”

  Slade looked around the place he’d spent visiting every summer. His Nan had taught him old traditional songs along with the history of the stones. “Nan told me stories about how she thought the stones were a gift from the Goddess. She said one night right after my umpteen great-grandfather was born a beautiful woman named Celesta visited. She brought them out here and showed them the stones that hadn’t been there just an hour before. She told them they were to be the protectors of the stones and all the secrets that came with it. I’m guessing you all are the secrets and that those weren’t my ancestors, but my actual Nan and Grandfather.”

  Slade nodded. “That’s right. Celesta was the first Grand Mistress appointed by the Goddess herself.”

  “Can I go into the cottage?” Galen asked after a moment. He needed to be inside. He needed to feel Nan’s presence.

  “If you can. So far no other keeper has been able to enter it,” Slade told him as they walked through the cold, clear Scottish night and down the hill to Sinclair Cottage. It might have been a cottage five thousand years before . . . well, probably a hut, but then it had become a cottage and now it resembled a large stone manor house.

  Galen bent down and counted out the rocks. He lifted the one he was looking for and picked up the key. He slid it into the lock and then he walked inside. He flipped on the lights, grateful that they turned on. The house still smelled of his Nan even after two years. He turned back around and looked out the front door just as his Nan had done. There, up in the middle of the stones, he saw himself with Jane. Tears pressed against his eyes as he watched a golden vision of himself place a hand on Jane’s swollen abdomen.

  “How did you know Jane’s my true love?” Galen asked as the vision faded.

  “You love her, right?”

  Galen nodded. “I shouldn’t so soon. It’s not rational.” He paused and then laughed. “Then again, none of this is rational.”

  “Did you ever find it strange that Zoey and I have the exact same color of eyes? Lavender of all colors. It’s not exactly common, yet we both have it.”

  “I had noticed that. I figured it was contacts.”

  Slade shook his head. “Our powers recognize our true loves. When our hearts and our minds accept that we love that person, and if they love you as well, you bond. Your eyes show it so all can see that you’re bonded. After all, your eyes are the windows to your soul. A true love means two souls have become one. With witches, our eye color becomes the manifestation of the combination of powers. If you have water power, you have deep blue eyes. If your true love has earth powers, or green eyes, then you both end up with teal eyes. A fire witch will have reddish eyes and so on.”

  “But I’m not a witch,” Galen pointed out.

  “No, but your family has been blessed by the Goddess. Go look at your eyes.”

  Galen walked over to the mirror in the formal sitting room as he remembered telling Jane about the beautiful gold flecks in her eyes. He looked and at first glance saw nothing. Then he leaned closer and froze. “I have gold flecks in my eyes. They look like sparks. I’ve never had those before. What happened to my eyes?”

  “You bonded with Jane. She has the same gold flecks.”

  “The vision I saw of Jane and me up at the stones were comprised of gold dust.” Galen couldn’t look away from his eyes. “If this is all true, what happens now?”

  “I call everyone here. You tell Jane how you feel. Then you’ll read this letter from your Nan,” Slade said, walking over to the thick envelope lying in the middle of the kitchen table.

  “By doing all this, I will be protecting Jane?”

  “I don’t know for sure. You have an overwhelming desire to protect each other and you have a bond that makes you unbreakable. It seems it will have an effect on the threat Ian poses. But Galen, as the stone keeper you will no longer be the doctor in Moonshine. You and Jane will be here. Witches will flock here as soon as it’s known there’s a new stone keeper. Especially since Alexander is dead. They’ve needed the healing powers of the stones that have been denied to them for far too long.”

  Galen wanted to argue, but took a deep breath to settle himself and the most amazing feeling of rightness enveloped him. “Call everyone here.”

  15

  Jane’s heart pounded as every witch in Moonshine Hollow and what seemed like the whole world poofed into the middle of the standing stones. Zoey held her hand as they traveled together after receiving the text from Slade.

  Witches from all over the world were arriving every second. There were gasps of pleasure, surprise, and hope. Jane could feel it in the air as the entire hilltop filled with witches. There were witches who had been in hiding for centuries just as Jane herself had been. She felt an instant connection to them as witches embraced and tears were shed.

  “Jane!”

  Jane looked down toward a beautiful manor house. With a wiggle of her fingers, the night was lit up by hundreds of brightly colored lanterns floating above them. Galen ran toward her and she was instantly running toward him. Galen opened his arms and then she was in them.

  “I can’t believe this is all real. Slade has told me about so much, but one thing he didn’t need to tell me was that I love you. I already knew that.”

  “Oh, Galen! I love you too.” Jane looked into his eyes, and the gold flecks in them seemed to move to show her their future.

  “I know this is crazy, Jane, but I have never felt so sure about anything in my entire life. This is where I’m supposed to be and nothing would make me happier than if you are here with me.”

  Jane laughed as she held his hands in hers. “On one condition.”

  “Anything.”

  “Marry me right now,” she said with the biggest smile. She’d seen a vision in his eyes. A marriage, a battle, and then happiness. Jane glanced behind her and saw Zoey nod at her. It was the vision she’d seen as well.

  “I wouldn’t have been able to wait.” Galen lowered his lips to hers and then it was if they were all alone. Jane’s whole world was centered on where their lips met.

  “We’ve never had a stone keeper’s wedding before,” Jane finally heard Linus mutter.

  “It’s nothing we can’t handle,” Lauren answered and Jane was pretty sure the Grand Mistress was wiping a tear from her eye. “Slade, you and Samuel get Galen ready. Zoey and Polly, you get Jane ready. Leave everything else up to us.”

  It took five hundred witches less than five minutes to put a dream wedding into motion. From her spot inside the master bedroom of the Sinclair Cottage, Jane heard the sound of harps playing up at the stones.

  Jane wore a long-sleeved white velvet dress that she’d used her powers to create. “What do I do now?”

  “You marry the man you love,” Zoey said before hugging her tightly. “I knew you’d have happiness.”

  “There’s a battle yet to come,” Jane warned.

  “I know. We aren’t to worry about it today. Today we have hope.”

/>   “It’s time. The sun is about to rise,” Polly said gently.

  The three walked from the bedroom and out the open front door. Jane gasped as she saw all the women lining the path from the door to the stones.

  “For the stone keeper,” an older woman who looked very much like Jane’s mother stood with two younger women behind her and Fern alongside her spoke to Jane. “And for my niece,” she said with a sniffle as she handed a bloom to Jane. “The flower of our Langley family for your bouquet.”

  Her aunt! And she had more cousins. Jane reached for her and pulled them into an embrace. “I can’t wait to spend time together.”

  “For the stone keeper. The flower of our family.” The next woman in line said as her family bowed and handed another beautiful bloom to the bride.

  And on and on it went as Jane walked behind Zoey and Polly toward the stones. Galen stood next to the grand master and grand mistress with Slade and Samuel standing slightly behind him. Their eyes were glued to Zoey and Polly. Jane smiled at the thought of more witch weddings. This was hope. This was their future beginning to unfold.

  Galen watched as a vision in white velvet seemed to float toward him, leaving behind a path of golden dust that glowed in the sunlight. They were all winging the ceremony, but a love unlike anything he’d felt filled him from the large group in attendance.

  “Son.” Galen spun around and there stood Niles and Neferu with his parents.

  “Dad! Mom!”

  His father wrapped him tightly in a hug. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t strong enough to sacrifice myself to fulfill our family’s duty.”

  “I don’t think you were meant to. I think it was always supposed to be me. I don’t know how I know that, but I know it.”

  His mother hugged him first as she dabbed at the tears. “This is all so new to me, but it makes sense. I knew you were special the moment you were born.”

  Then his father hugged him one last time before turning to Linus. “I remember you, Grand Master. You often came here to meditate when I was younger.”

  “I remember you too. It’s good to see you again. You must be very proud of your son.”

  “I am and I always have been. I’m also here to join you in the ceremony. My mother left me with instructions.”

  “Oh thank Goddess, because we don’t know what we’re doing,” Grand Mistress Lauren whispered and everyone laughed. But then the laughter faded as Jane approached them. Magnus, Zoey’s father, handed Zoey a flower, then Jane accepted a flower from Polly and finally the last flower from Zoey.

  Jane held an explosion of color in her hands as flowers in all shapes, sizes, and colors seemed to cascade naturally, forming the bridal bouquet.

  Galen was at her side, and the ceremony started as the sun rose. From the center of the standing stones, they pledged their love to each other. The grand mistress and the grand master blessed them, then his father stepped forward.

  “As the eldest Sinclair, I hereby renounce any claim to the stones or powers given to me by the Goddess and ask that all the Sinclair powers be vested into the couple before us now. True love and destiny have given us two new keepers. One with witch’s blood and one with the keeper’s blood. Together their guidance, love, and strength will be a beacon for all witches to unite once again. With the powers imbued in my family by the Goddess herself and from Grand Mistress Celesta, I now pronounce Galen and Jane Sinclair husband and wife and the Stone Keepers of Stenness. My son, you may kiss your bride.”

  Galen looked down at his bride’s face awash in the golden glow of the rising sun and pledged his life to her while thanking the Goddess for such a gift. He lowered his lips, and when they brushed against Jane’s, a golden burst of light shot out like a halo, rising above the stones to surround all in attendance. Galen would have sworn in that moment he felt their souls become one.

  Zoey watched the ceremony with her heart full of hope. She knew what was ahead of them. The visions of what was to come were becoming stronger. Ian would make his move soon. But this morning . . . this morning there was happiness and hope for a future that hadn’t been there for centuries.

  “That will be us soon, sweetness,” Slade whispered to her as he placed his hand at her hip and pulled her tightly against his side.

  “Something bad is going to happen soon,” Zoey told him as she leaned against him for strength.

  “I’ve been talking to your father about it. What if we make it on our terms?”

  “What do you mean?” Zoey asked as she pulled away from him to look up at Slade.

  “Ian wants Jane, so let’s set a trap.”

  Zoey looked out at the crowd gathered around the ancient standing stones. A whole generation of centuries-old men and women looked as if they were at a middle school dance. Single men were huddled on one side scoping out the single women on the other side, and the single women were staring at the single men in both awe and a little bit of trepidation. Before a new generation of witches could be born, Zoey and Slade had to show the way with the first Claritase and Tenebris wedding. And before she could enjoy her wedding, she needed Ian taken care of.

  “Did you tell her about our plan?” Zoey’s father asked Slade as he, Linus, and Lauren joined them.

  “I was just about to.” Slade didn’t let go of her as he looked down at her. His eyes conveyed everything about this plan. It was dangerous, but he’d protect her with his life. But he knew that promise went both ways.

  “What’s the plan?”

  “Ian wants Jane, but he won’t come into town to get her. I say we set it up so he thinks he has her all to himself when in reality we’ll have him surrounded,” Slade told the group.

  “How do you plan on doing that?” Lauren asked.

  “We take a page from Ian’s book and spell some humans into tipping him off.”

  “I’ve been working on my powers. I can do that. I can also create a thunderstorm to provide us with cover. The rain and the electricity in the air will help hide us.”

  Zoey turned to her dad with surprise. “You can do that?”

  Grand Master Linus nodded. “You two are the most powerful witches we’ve had in millennia. Magnus has far exceeded our expectations and is developing powers and abilities that were only theoretical until now. And he’s mastering them. Your father will do great things for the people of this world, both witches and humans.”

  Zoey wrapped her arms around her father and hugged him tight. “I’m so proud of you.”

  “I’m proud of you too, Jellybean. I love nothing more than spending time with you. I’m thankful everyday that you forgave me for leaving when you were younger.”

  “And you’ll love nothing more than holding your grandchild, isn’t that right?” Lauren asked with a wink.

  “You’re worse than my mother.” Zoey laughed but Lauren seemed to take that as a compliment.

  “Just imagine, Linus. A baby witchling,” Lauren happily sighed.

  Zoey reached out and grabbed Lauren and Linus by their hands as they teared up. She froze. Images flashed in front of her. Pain. Defeat. Death.

  She yanked her hands away as if scorched and tried to put on a smile. Tonight would be the last happy night they’d all have together.

  16

  The celebration of Jane and Galen’s marriage lasted all day. Every family came to introduce themselves to the happy couple. Stone keepers from other sites around the world all offered assistance should they need it. The witches started poofing home as the party wound down with excited promises to all gather again soon for the first Claritase and Tenebris marriage. Eventually it was just Jane, Galen, and their Moonshine Hollow friends who were left.

  “Goodnight, my dears,” Lauren said, kissing them on their cheeks. “Tonight is yours but tomorrow we must put an end to this threat once and for all. May the Goddess bless you both.”

  Jane and Galen said their goodbyes and then it was just the two of them. Galen picked her up and carried her over the threshold and into their new life together
as husband and wife.

  Back in Moonshine Hollow, the wedding seemed like a lifetime ago as they all crammed into Zoey and Slade’s house. “No way,” Galen practically shouted when Slade finished telling them his plan to use Jane for bait.

  “I think it’s a good idea. Why live in fear waiting for him to make his move when we can do it on our terms with our entire team present?” Jane told him. She placed her hand on his and squeezed it. “I’ve waited over four hundred years to be rid of Ian and I’m tired of waiting. I’m tired of not living my life. I’m tired of living in fear. I’m done putting my life on hold for Ian. I’ve found love and a new purpose in my life and I can’t wait to get started.”

  “Then I’m coming with you,” Galen demanded.

  “You can come with me. We’ll be very close to her so you can get to her immediately if you need to,” Slade said in such a way it left Galen very little room to argue.

  “How are you going to get me alone and have Ian know about it?” Jane asked after Galen nodded his head in agreement to Slade’s plan.

  “The walking bridge over Earnest Creek. You can look down on it from the lookout you created on the mountain. Plus, there’s enough forest cover on both sides of the creek for plenty of us to hide,” Slade told her. “Magnus will start a storm at nightfall. You will need to close the bridge. During the day Magnus will spell humans to walk around the woods talking about you closing the bridge all by yourself and how dangerous it is. Ian will come. He won’t be able to stop himself, thinking that he has you trapped.”

  “When?” Jane asked after taking a deep breath.

  “Tonight,” Magnus answered. “If you agree, I’ll put everything into motion while you are at work. It’s going to be a nice day today and the forest will be packed with hikers. I want you warning everyone that while the bridge is open now, you will be closing it tonight for the foreseeable future due to the anticipated thunderstorms. Can you do that?”