Broomsticks and Burials

by Lily Webb

  “No, please, stay. Raina was just tutoring me a little. Maybe I could learn from you too,” I said, and Circe’s smile returned, brighter this time.

  “Is that okay, Raina? I mean, it’s your house.”

  “Of course,” Raina said and stepped aside to let Circe enter.

  She carried Tierney into the living room, scratching the top of her head all the while; the cat’s purring carried even over the noise of the fire. Raina conjured another rocker from thin air beside hers and Circe eased down into it.

  “Zoe, you must be one exceptional witch for my sister to take such a personal interest in you like this,” Circe said.

  “Not exactly. I’m nothing special,” I said as I retook my seat.

  “Nonsense, don’t sell yourself short, Zoe. I’ll have you know, Circe, before you knocked our newest reporter here was busy making mugs travel with her mind,” Raina said, and Circe eyed me.

  “It seems we have a promising young witch with a gift for Kinesis among us,” Raina said, and she and

  Circe exchanged knowing looks as Raina sat.

  “Kinesis? It’s been years since we’ve seen anyone with that kind of specialty in Moon Grove, maybe even decades,” Circe said, still staring me down like she was looking into my soul. Maybe she was. I didn’t have any idea what kind of powers Circe might have.

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Sure, I can read a few thoughts, and I managed to move a mug with my mind, but I’d hardly say that makes me special,” I said. “Raina, you said yourself that all witches can use magic from the five different branches.”

  “As true as that may be, Kinesis is the rarest specialty of them all,” Raina said.

  “The rarest,” Circe echoed. “Maybe Lilith is watching over us, after all,” she said to Raina, who smiled and nodded.

  “I think so,” Raina agreed.

  “Look, I came here from a farm, I’m not anything worth making a fuss about,” I said.

  “Only time will be able to make that determination, dear,” Raina said.

  “Zoe, forgive me the question, but I’m curious,” Circe said, thankfully changing the subject.

  “You work for the Messenger. Have you or anyone at the paper heard anything about my daughter, Harper?” Circe asked, and my heart rate doubled.

  “A bit, yeah,” I admitted. Circe clutched her robes above her heart.

  “Circe, we don’t have to talk about this now—”

  “No, I want to. I need to,” Circe interrupted. “I had a strange yearning to come here tonight, and now I know why. Zoe, dear, what have you heard? Please, tell me anything you can.”

  “I don’t know much,” I said. “From what I’ve gathered, Harper was working on a story of some sort, but no one knew the full picture of what it was, not even the editor-in-chief. That said, I’ve heard she was investigating someone on the Council, but I don’t know if that’s true.”

  “It is,” Circe said. My throat went dry. How did she know that? And had she told Mitch or the police?

  “I spoke with your colleague, Opal Cromwell, after the Council meeting. I don’t have concrete proof, but I’d be willing to bet it was Opal that Harper was investigating,” I said. Circe nodded.

  “You’ve struck the broom on its stick,” she said.

  “Why do you think she would want to look into Opal?” I asked.

  “It’s impossible to say for certain, but I have a hunch,” Circe said. “Since announcing her candidacy for Head Witch, Opal has made a name for herself around town by cozying up to the vampires, publicly and privately, to try to win their votes — much more aggressively than any other candidate before her.”

  “So I’ve noticed,” I said. Circe smirked.

  “The rest of the witches and warlocks in town haven’t taken kindly to that approach, given our shared history. In any case, if I knew Harper half as well as I thought I did, I’d bet my life that’s the story she was after,” Circe said.

  “Why was Opal so intent on winning the vampires’ support?”

  “She’s fighting a losing election, despite what the pundits and polls say. Grace Magnus, her opponent, has far more endorsement among the witches and warlocks, no doubt thanks to her anti-vampire stance,” Circe said.

  “Unfortunately, Harper’s murder has only made everyone more fearful of those who don’t look like them, which has only bolstered Grace’s campaign.”

  “You work with Opal on the Council. Have you ever noticed anything that might suggest she had something to do with Harper’s death?” I asked.

  “As I’m sure you noticed when you spoke with her, Opal is a difficult personality to work with, and quite opinionated. She was never fond of Harper and made no secret of how much she disapproved of Harper choosing to pursue the craft of journalism over magic,” Circe said.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if Opal took Harper investigating her as an affront to all of witchkind. That said, I find it hard to believe Opal would ever want to harm another witch,” Circe said.

  Okay, so Opal didn’t have a strong motive, but it was a motive nonetheless.

  “Forgive me for asking, but I feel like I have to with both of you here. Do you know if Harper might’ve been working with anyone on that story about Opal?” I asked.

  Circe and Raina made brief eye contact but stayed silent.

  “Zoe, I think we should pick this up another time—”

  “She did mention a name once, a name I’d never heard from her prior and never heard again,” Circe interrupted her sister.

  I leaned forward in my chair, desperate not to miss anything. Tierney stirred to life in Circe’s arms and growled at me, but I paid her no mind.

  “What was it?” I asked.

  “Circe, I think the police might be better suited to handle information like this,” Raina said.

  “Oh, please, Chief Mueller and the rest of his pups are about as concerned with Harper’s death as they are with the world outside Moon Grove,” Circe snapped as she whirled on her sister.

  So she hadn’t told the police the name yet — that was a big break for me. Circe turned to me and stroked Tierney’s head to calm her.

  “The name was Deryn,” Circe said.

  Bingo. I finally had something to go on, even if it wasn’t much. Assuming that was actually the source’s name, how many Deryns could there possibly be in a small town like Moon Grove?

  “Did she ever say anything else about Deryn? Anything that might be useful?” I asked. Circe pondered for a moment but shook her head.

  “Other than she was supposed to be meeting Deryn for some reason, I’m afraid not. That one and only time she mentioned the name, Harper looked like she’d committed a grievous sin, so I assumed it wasn’t someone I was supposed to know about. Those sorts of things aren’t uncommon when you have a reporter for a daughter,” Circe said.

  All the hair on the back of my neck rose. If Harper was meeting with Deryn and didn’t want anyone to know about it, not even her mother, it was almost a guarantee that Deryn was the source Mitch told me about — and that Deryn was probably the last person to see Harper alive.

  “Well, I think that’s quite enough excitement for one evening. Circe and I have some family matters to attend to, Zoe, so why don’t we continue our training in a couple of days? Same time, same place?” Raina asked, but it was clear it was a command, not a suggestion.

  “Right, sure. Thank you both so much,” I said, going out of my way to make eye contact with Circe. She smiled at me.

  “No, thank you, Zoe. You gave me something I thought I was incapable of feeling after Harper died. You gave me hope,” Circe said.

  “Likewise,” I said, and Raina walked me to the door.

  “Good night, Zoe,” Raina said as she opened it.

  “Good night, Raina. Thank you again,” I said as I stepped out into the fresh air and walked toward the street.

  “Zoe, wait,” Raina called after me. I paused and turned to her.

  “Yeah?”
>
  “You almost forgot your book,” she said, and The Origins of Witchcraft drifted through the door and into my hands. “Make sure you’ve read the introductory chapters on the five branches before we meet again. Don’t let what my sister shared tonight distract you.”

  “Will do,” I said, smiling.

  “Good luck, Zoe,” Raina said with a smile and closed the door.

  Between learning magic and tracking down Harper’s mysterious source, I had a feeling I was going to need it.

  Chapter Ten

  The morning seemed to drag on forever, and my energy levels never improved. Thanks to all the excitement at Raina’s, I didn’t sleep well. Thankfully, Mitch seemed pre-occupied with other things, so I was left at my desk to daydream and attempt to stay awake for most of the morning.

  It gave me plenty of time to search the Internet for Deryn, but with only a first name there wasn’t much to find. I needed to learn more, but I didn’t know where else to look or who else to ask — and there was a distinct possibility Deryn wasn’t even the source’s name. If I’d wanted to give an anonymous tip, I would’ve used a pseudonym too.

  After lunch, Mitch emerged from his office and motioned for me to join him. I dragged myself over, fearing I was already in trouble. He closed the door behind me and sat down at his desk without saying anything.

  “You looked bored, so I’m giving you an assignment,” Mitch said.

  “Awesome,” I said. I was far from bored, but he didn’t need to know that.

  “There’s an impromptu debate happening between Opal and Grace today at Town Hall. Think you can handle covering it?” Mitch asked.

  I jolted straight up in my chair. How had I not heard about this debate? If both candidates for Head Witch were going to spar with each other, I wanted to see it — though I was surprised Mitch trusted me enough. Maybe it was his way of extending an olive branch.

  “Yeah, definitely,” I said. “When is it?”

  Mitch glanced at his computer for the time.

  “At three, so about half an hour from now,” he said.

  Jeez, he could’ve told me sooner.

  “What are they debating? And why?”

  “Policy and platform, you know, the usual political mumbo jumbo. I dunno why they’re doing it, but my guess is it’s because the Council meeting a couple days ago was such a disaster,” Mitch said.

  “Yikes,” I said. “Are you sure I’m the right reporter for the job?”

  “You’re on the town and government beat, aren’t you?” he asked, smiling.

  “Yup, that’s me,” I said.

  I wasn’t sure if Mitch was trying to smooth things over between us after our back and forth, but I hoped not because if he found out who I’d been talking to, he’d be livid.

  “Good. Try and get something interesting out of it. Debate coverage can be pretty dry, but with everything else going on around here right now, I’m sure you can find something better than a summary of their positions,” Mitch said.

  “Got it.”

  “You better get going, time’s wasting,” he said. “Don’t disappoint me.”

  “Why would I ever want to do that?” I asked.

  Mitch smirked and shook his head at me as I left his office. Back at my desk, I gathered up a pad of paper and a pen. I didn’t know what to expect from the debate, but I assumed the essentials would be enough to cover it.

  Outside, I crossed Luna Street and entered the Town Hall through the massive double doors. There weren’t as many people gathered for the debate, but maybe it wasn’t such a surprise given how last-minute it was.

  The main chamber was laid out the same way it was for the earlier Council meeting, but on the raised dais, nothing but two pedestals stood — presumably one for each of the candidates.

  “Zoe?” a voice called as I made my way to the front row of the chamber where Mitch and I had sat before.

  I turned to find Beau’s toothy grin and warm brown eyes beaming back at me, and a thought struck me like lightning: would Beau know who Deryn was or how I might be able to find out more about them? It might be foolish to trust him with the info, but I didn’t really have anyone else, and Beau was a journalist himself so he wouldn’t have any reason to rat me out.

  “Hey, Beau,” I said.

  “Nice to see you again,” he said, straightening the bright yellow tie he wore over a light-blue collared shirt. He had on far more clothing than the last time I’d seen him, which wasn’t a bad thing — and it fit him well. I cleared my throat and shook my head.

  “Likewise,” I said. “Are you here to cover the debate too?”

  “Sure am,” he said, pointing over his shoulder at the woman standing behind him. She was tall and thin, and the slim, pleated black slacks she wore only made her look thinner. A large contraption that looked vaguely similar to a camera rested on her shoulder.

  “This is Holly, my camerawoman,” Beau said. “Holly, this is Zoe from the Messenger.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Holly said, waving at me. Her blonde hair swayed across her shoulders with the movement.

  “Nice to meet you too,” I said. “Listen, Beau, do you have a minute? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  Beau furrowed his eyebrows at me but shrugged.

  “All right. Be right back,” he told Holly and walked with me toward the back of the chamber. “What’s up?”

  “Remember how you told me to ask you if I ever needed help with a story? I’m asking now,” I said. Beau smiled.

  “Sure, I’d love to help. What do you need?”

  “I’m trying to track someone down, someone important,” I said. Beau looked me directly in the eyes.

  “Does this have something to do with Harper?”

  “Maybe,” I said.

  “That’s what I was afraid of,” he sighed. “Already making a name for yourself, huh?”

  “Well, I’m trying not to, but things don’t always go according to plan,” I said. Beau smirked.

  “Please, Beau, I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t need the help. It’s important. I think I’ve found a lead the police don’t know about,” I said.

  Beau shushed me and pulled me further away from the crowd.

  “What kind of lead?” he whispered.

  “An anonymous source of Harper’s. I think they might’ve been the last person to see Harper alive,” I whispered back. Beau’s eyes went wide.

  “Yeah, exactly. It’s big. The thing is, all I have is a first name that might not be real, and I can’t find anything on them.”

  “Which is where I come in, right?” Beau asked.

  “Yes. You’ve been at this a lot longer than I have, I’m sure you have connections that could help me find this source,” I said.

  Beau looked over both his shoulders and cleared his throat.

  “Fine. What’s the name?”

  “Deryn,” I said, and Beau looked like he’d seen a ghost.

  “What? What is it?”

  “It has to be the same one,” Beau said.

  “What? What are you talking about?”

  “I’ve worked with a Deryn before on another story,” Beau said, and my heart jumped. Yes!

  “You have? On what?”

  “A corruption story at the police department,” he said.

  “Whoa,” I breathed. No wonder Deryn wanted to lay as low as possible. “Do you know who they are?”

  “Yes and no,” Beau said.

  “Okay, do you have any way to reach them?”

  Beau stared at me.

  “Zoe, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to—”

  “I know, I know, everyone says that,” I interrupted. “But I know what I’m doing, Beau. I can handle myself. So please, if you have anything at all, tell me.”

  “Only if you promise to keep me in the loop,” Beau said.

  “That’s the least I can do,” I said.

  “And have dinner with me sometime this week,” he said. I scoffed, but my cheeks
burned anyway. He smiled and shrugged at me.

  “Hey, can’t blame a guy for trying.”

  “All right. It’s a deal,” I said.

  Beaming, Beau re-scanned the area around us before pulling his phone from his pocket. He tapped around on the screen a few times and held it out for me to read.

  The number 08-9943 stared back at me, which I scribbled down as fast as possible and tore the sheet off to tuck it in my pocket. Couldn’t be too careful.

  “We ran that story months ago, so I’m not even sure if that number is still active, but it’s all I’ve got. Be careful with him if you do call, though, he’s prickly and not particularly trustful of journalists,” Beau said.

  So Deryn was a male, after all. Good to know.

  “It’s a start. Thank you so much, Beau,” I said and threw my arms around him. When I stepped back, his face was redder than the sun, and he tripped over his tongue as he tried to speak. I smiled and pat him on the shoulder.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice boomed throughout the chamber, sparing Beau from his awkwardness. Head Warlock Heath Highmore appeared on the dais, his hands clasped over his stomach.

  “We regret to inform you that due to an unforeseen bout of illness, Grace Magnus has had to withdraw from today’s scheduled debate,” Heath said to groans, but the news didn’t bother me in the slightest. The debate being canceled just gave me more time to track down Deryn.

  “Thanks again, Beau. See you later,” I said and made to leave.

  “Zoe, wait!” Beau called after me. “What about this week? When are you free?”

  “How about Saturday night?” I suggested, and Beau smiled.

  “Can’t wait,” he said. “Call me, and we can firm up.”

  “Will do,” I said and left the chamber, my fist clenched around the piece of paper in my pocket like I was afraid it might disappear.

  Now more than ever, I wished my cell phone was functional. Flora and I hadn’t had a chance to go shopping for a phone that would work in Moon Grove, and I didn’t want to risk calling Deryn on the office line, but I couldn’t just skip work either.