Broken Bonds (Valerian's Cove Book 2)

by H. C. de Cossy

  Laura had them sign the guest book, then handed them the keys to their room.

  “It’s on the first floor, as you requested,” she told them. “Two double beds. There are towels laid out-if you need more, just let me know. Breakfast is served from seven to ten every morning. There are several places to eat in town-Thai Star, a wonderful Thai restaurant, The Baker’s Delight for coffees and baked goods, Cooke’s market has a wonderful deli and the Sweet Delight Ice Cream Shoppe is perfect for desserts. There is also a new seafood restaurant down by the harbor, and a pizza place and a taqueria out closer to the highway on the way out of town. A Slice of Pleasure and The Blue Moon Café. They use all local organic ingredients in their food, as most of the eating places around here do.”

  “Thank you, that’s lovely,” the daughter, who had introduced herself as Clara Helstadt, said. “I think that we will have a brief rest, then walk around town for a bit. Is there anywhere that you would suggest we visit?”

  “Well, it’s always beautiful down by the harbor. If you walk up around the outside edge of the Cove, there’s a lovely area for a picnic. Otherwise, if you go back out Mane Street towards the highway, you’ll see the sign for Casey’s Nursery and Garden Center. The Caseys are powerful Witches and are world-renowned for their flowers and plants. I love visiting there. Everything is so alive, so fresh. I could spend hours wandering around there.”

  “Thank you. I’m sure we’ll have a lovely day.”

  “I lock the front door by ten in the evenings,” Laura said. “Please make sure you are in by then, unless we have made alternative arrangements beforehand. Have a lovely day, and I hope you enjoy your stay.”

  Clara smiled faintly as she turned and let her mother down the hall towards their room. Once inside, she closed the door and spun to face the older woman.

  “Mother, the Thorndikes are here. I saw their name in the guest book. They must have found Theo.”

  “Settle down, Clarice. You look nothing like you did as their daughter-in-law. They have no reason to suspect you. We’ll avoid them as much as possible, just to make sure. This is hardly a set back. This could, in fact, work to our advantage. If they are here, then someone else is guarding the vault.”

  “But we still need Thorndike blood to open the vault,” Clarice said.

  “But other Guardians will not have quite so much to lose when we arrive with Theo. They may not fight as hard to protect him. I think this will work to our advantage. We will proceed as planned, with perhaps an extra dose of caution.”

  Laura watched the two women enter their room and close the door. She walked swiftly into the kitchen and picked up the phone. She tapped her fingers impatiently against the table top as the phone rang on the other end.

  “Casey Nursery, this is Amanda, how may I help you?”

  “May I speak with Celine, please? It’s urgent.”

  “One moment, please.” There was a pause before the line was picked up again.

  “Good morning, this is Celine. How may I help you?”

  “Celine, it’s Laura at the B & B. I think she’s here. I had two women, mother and daughter, check in this morning. Both appear to be human. The daughter has an appointment at the clinic tomorrow, and they came down early on a little holiday to look around. The daughter doesn’t look well, though that could be a glamour, I suppose.”

  “Thank you, Laura. I appreciate your letting us know. What are their plans for the day, do you know?”

  “They are resting now and then are planning to explore the town. I told them where the best places to get food are and mentioned the Garden Center as a place of interest.”

  “Thank you. We will watch out for them. Have the Thorndikes come down for breakfast yet?”

  “Yes, they and Mrs. Montoya and her friend ate around eight, then headed out for the day. They didn’t say where they were going.”

  “Ok. Thank you. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  Celine hung up the phone, then looked at the young lady manning the cash register for the morning.

  “Amanda, I am going to be busy for a bit. Call me if you need me.”

  Amanda nodded. “Don’t worry, Boss. I got this.”

  Celine headed straight for the greenhouse towards the back of the garden center. Brendan, Siofra and Nathaniel were working in the back. Celine filled them in, then went around the back of the house. She found the Thorndikes, Susan, Frank, Luc, Ciaran and the Dragons sitting around talking. They were discussing the plans for the new training program, as well as battle plans for the next day. All heads turned towards her as she came around the corner of the house.

  “She’s here, I think. Possibly both of them. Laura called. They just checked into the B & B. They are posing as a human mother and daughter. Laura says they are taking a rest, and then they are going to spend the day exploring the town.”

  Luc stood. “I will go to the Academy.”

  “Brendan is waiting for you out front.” Luc took off around the side of the house.

  “I am going to call Tony, and Ralph,” Celine said. “Laura will have started working her way down the phone tree by now. The entire town will be on alert soon.”

  “I hope they manage to be pleasant enough to not tip off Clarice and Faith to the fact that something isn’t right, that we are suspicious of them,” Aldona said.

  Celine smiled wickedly. “Don’t worry. We are extremely adept at protecting ourselves around here. We know how to be subtle.”

  Aldona nodded. “Devra, you and the boys go to the clinic. Protect Marissa and Theo.”

  Devra and the boys stood and left at once.

  “I am going to check in with the teams at the Thorndike estate,” Susan said. She followed Celine into the house.

  The Thorndikes stood as well.

  “We will also go to the Academy. Unless you think we should go home to protect the Vault?”

  “The children should be safe. I do not think Faith will be expecting the school to be on alert, let alone protected by Guardians and Wolves. I think you should go to the Vault. The more layers of protection it has, the better,” Aldona said. They nodded and disappeared.

  Aldona looked at the Fae. “Well, this is turning out to be more fun than I thought. I haven’t been on an adventure in ages. They tend to stop letting you do things like that once you are married with children, especially if you are a member of the Royal Family. I am thrilled to be here. I do hope Faith tries something. I will enjoy taking her down.” She looked at the Fae, her head tilted to one side. “Would you mind very much if my dragon ate her? She hasn’t had the opportunity to come out and fight for quite a while. Though, I suppose that someone as evil as Faith might give me indigestion.” She paused. “Well, maybe not if I roasted her good and crispy first?”

  Ciaran and Nathaniel smiled at her, sharp, pointed teeth showing. They had let their glamours go completely.

  “I don’t think we would be too upset if Faith happened to get eaten by a Dragon,” Ciaran agreed. “Blight on the family tree and all that. It would solve all sorts of paperwork problems, and we wouldn’t have to worry about her escaping whatever hell we dropped her into for safe keeping and coming back later. It might be the easiest solution all around. And if she is eaten by a Royal Dragon, there would be even less paperwork. Everyone knows the Royals are the strongest Dragons. I doubt very much that anyone will say anything against you.”

  Aldona grinned and licked her lips.

  Celine hung up the phone, having alerted Tony and Chief Kenny. Tony had said that he would alert the Wolves. Ralph would take a contingent to the Academy as an extra layer of protection, in case Faith and Clarice turned up there.

  Next, she called Headmistress Hemenway.

  “Maria, I wanted to warn you that Brendan, my grandfather Luc Benoit and a contingent of Wolves are about to descend on the school. They will stay there for the Academy’s, and my grandchildrens’, protection.”

  “Clarice has been spotted, then?”

  “Yes, sh
e and another woman, who may be the Fae Mage behind all of this, checked into the B & B this morning. We are alerting everyone.”

  “Don’t worry, Celine. We have everything under control, here. We have been running drills so the students know what to do in case of attack. I will make sure that the staff is on high alert and ready to move. Thank you for letting me know.”

  Maria hung up and touched a charm made of a piece of green jade on her charm bracelet. All of the teachers and staff members wore one. Each charm had a different spell contained within it to be called upon in times of need. The jade was a communication spell, to be used in times of danger to the school. At her touch, the jade warmed and began to glow. The corresponding charms on all the other bracelets would do the same.

  Maria thought about announcing to the entire school that they were on high alert. The students would surely notice the glowing stones, and figure it out for themselves. She touched her throat, using a spell to amplify her voice throughout the school.

  “Attention, students, faculty and staff. The Valerian’s Cove Academy is now on High Alert. Professor Casey and Guardian Luc Benoit will be patrolling the halls, as well as faculty and staff members who are not in class. Please show them the respect they deserve and do what they tell you immediately. They are here for your protection. The Valerian’s Cove Wolf Pack will be patrolling the borders of the school, along with representatives from the Bear Clans. Remember that they are there to protect and are on high alert themselves. Do not engage with them unless absolutely necessary. I will keep you informed as the day progresses. That is all for now. Please do your best to focus on your schoolwork. I know it will be a challenge. Thank you.”

  Shari-Beth and her friend Emma, the Swan Maiden, were in math class together in the Shifter wing. They immediately held up their hands. Their teacher, Ms. Connolly, raised her eyebrow at them.

  “Please, Miss, permission to check on my nieces and nephews?” Shari-Beth asked.

  “Permission granted, Shari-Beth, but come right back here afterwards, please.”

  “Thank You.”

  Shari-Beth and Emma leapt from their seats and ran out into the hall. They met Josh and his friend Micah, a Bear Shifter, coming the other way. Together they headed for Mikey’s Herbalism class. Shari-Beth knocked on the door. She didn’t wait for the professor to open it.

  “Excuse me, Professor Smith. Permission to check on my nephew Mikey Casey?”

  Professor Smith nodded, and Mikey hurried over to the teens.

  “Are they coming?” Mikey demanded.

  “We don’t know. I am going to find Dad as soon as he gets here,” Shari-Beth said. “I wanted to make sure that you were ok. We are going to check on Ian and the girls too.”

  “Can I come with you?”

  Professor Smith broke in. “I think it would be wiser for you to stay here, Mikey. If all of you are together in one place, you will be easier to take out. Let’s make it as difficult for them as possible, okay?” Mikey glared at his teacher, then nodded. He hugged Shari-Beth and Josh and went back to his place in class.

  The teens headed for the Milena and Ian’s potions class next. The teacher there, Professor Fedorova, looked up as they came in. She nodded to where the cousins were sitting. Milena rushed to Shari-Beth.

  “Are they coming?” she asked. She was very pale.

  “We’re not sure, Sweetheart. But we are very well protected here. Stay here in class, so you are harder for them to find if they come looking. Ok?” Milena nodded.

  Ian had come up behind his cousin.

  “Shari, is there anything else that we can do?”

  “Ian, how are you coming with your Empathy training? I know it’s only been a few days. Do you think you could tell of anyone nearby was coming to hurt you both and hide?”

  “I can try.”

  “Milena, can you cast a glamour yet?”

  “Only small ones. But I can make us look a little different.”

  “I think you only need to hide yourself- Ciaran thinks that Faith and Clarice didn’t take Malia, Ian and Allie into account in their plans. Ian can alert you, maybe, and you can hide?”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Great, thank you. Sorry for disturbing your class, Professor.”

  Next they ran to Allie’s art class. When they entered the class, they found the teacher trying to talk Allie down from protective mode. Allie’s hands were encased in fire, and she was arguing with the teacher about being allowed to go protect her cousins.

  “Allie!” Shari-Beth called. Allie turned. She ran to Shari-Beth and Josh.

  “I need to help protect them! Make her let me!” she demanded.

  Josh looked down at the furious younger girl. He was surprised at how fierce she looked.

  “Chill, Allie,” he said. “Look, it’s better if you are all separated. It makes it harder for anyone to find you all. Stay here and protect your class and your teacher, ok? That’s how you can help the most right now.”

  Allie glared at him for a moment. “Ian can’t protect himself. It’s my job to protect my twin. I want to protect Mikey and Milena too.”

  “Everyone is on alert, and they have their teachers to help protect them. Mr. Casey and Guardian Benoit are coming, and my Dad is outside with the Pack. We all have our assignments. You stay here and protect your class. That’s yours. Got it?”

  Allie growled at him, sounding uncannily wolf like. Josh was impressed. Allie stomped back over to her desk. Her flames were out and her arms crossed over her chest. She glared around the room. Everyone looked away at the fierce anger they saw in her eyes.

  The teacher looked at the teens.

  “Thank you, Joshua. I will take it from here.”

  Shari-Beth, Josh, Emma and Micah nodded and left the class. They ran into Brendan and Luc outside.

  “How is she?” Luc asked.

  “We had to talk her down, and told her she had to protect her class,” Shari-Beth reported.

  Luc chuckled. “That’s my girl,” he said. “I think I had better patrol this part of the school myself. That way I can catch her when she tries to sneak out and help.”

  Brendan turned to Shari-Beth. “Have you checked on the others?”

  “Yes, we checked them all first. They’re all fine. Milena is scared, but we gave them all jobs and told them to stay in their classes, so they are harder to find.”

  “Thank you. That’s perfect. I would like you all to go back to your classes now. Stay on alert. Josh, if you want to check in with Ralph, I will make sure that you don’t get in trouble for leaving during class time. Ralph was out front giving patrol orders just a minute ago.”

  Josh nodded, and he and Micah headed for the front of the school. Shari-Beth hugged her dad, then she and Emma headed back to class. Brendan watched them go. He was extremely proud of Shari-Beth. After what she had suffered at the beginning of the summer, she could have been crying in a corner at the idea of more violence. Yet here she was, stepping up and taking charge, making sure her younger relatives were protected. Shari-Beth was stronger than she knew. She was going to be quite formidable some day.

  26

  The rest of Tuesday was anti-climactic. Nothing happened. At all. It was a normal, boring day. After the rush of adrenaline in the morning, the kids were cranky at home in the afternoon. Declan took an almost sadistic pleasure in being extra hard on them during physical training so he wouldn’t have to listen to them bitch and complain. Then Luc worked Allie extra hard with her fire magic. By the end of the evening’s training session, the kids were toast.

  Marissa was feeling itchy and on edge. It felt like all her energy was bubbling right underneath her skin, trying to get out. She couldn’t focus worth a shiitake mushroom. Aldona finally gave up on their Empath training for the evening.

  “I must confess to being somewhat on edge myself,” the Dragon Royal said. “Pity we have no clairvoyants among our motley crew. Or oracles.” She thought about that one for a minute. “Never mind. Or
acles are more confusing than their messages are worth. Forget I mentioned it.”

  Dinner was a much more quiet affair than usual that evening. Only those living in the house were there. Everyone else was doing their best to go about business as usual, so as not to spook Clarice and Faith.

  “We will continue the extra protections at the Academy tomorrow,” Brendan said. “I have a feeling that something is coming, and it’s almost here.” He turned to Tony. “I really appreciate your Wolves offering to guard the school. Thank you.”

  “Of course.”

  Brendan looked around the table. They were eating inside, in the dining room. An extension charm had been used on the table to make it long enough to hold everyone, and Granny Niamh had provided extra chairs.

  “Thank you, everyone, for all your help in this situation. We had no idea how deep it went, how far-reaching the implications could be, when we began looking into this. The way that everyone has stepped forward to help our family means a great deal to me. We owe you all a great deal more than we can ever repay.”

  “Be careful speaking about owing the Fae,” Ciaran joked. He shook his head. “Seriously, though, this has turned out to be more about the Fae than anything else. If anything, it is we who owe you a debt for figuring this all out and helping us to resolve it in the best way for all. The devastation to both our realms that could occur if someone like Faith got their hands on Oberon’s Crown doesn’t bear thinking about. And we would never have known that the Crown still existed, or that it was in danger, if it wasn’t for your family putting it all together in your efforts to help Marissa and Theo reclaim their Bond.”

  “Well, since it means that Siofra and Brendan are going into business together, and we get another, not-secret training academy out of it, which your family will attend, I’d say that everyone’s debts are pretty much cancelled out. I think we all work pretty well together, don’t you?” Devra said, stuffing a roll into her mouth and looking around at everyone gathered there.