Bruce stared ahead, seemingly lost in thought. “Yeah, and the last time too.”
“Any idea what the name of the family is?” I asked.
“Why would you need that?” His expression relaxed. “Oh, they’re probably in the background of some of the footage. I’ll need their permission to include them.” He wagged a finger at me. “Good thinking. I’m pretty sure the wife called the husband something weird, like Colgate.”
Bentley reached over and smacked my arm. “Colgate Bannon. He’s got a wife and two kids.”
Bruce gave us an impatient look. “Any chance you’d be willing to point me in the direction of the sheriff’s office?”
“Sure.” I gave him walking directions and made a mental note to text the sheriff as soon as he left. “Sheriff Nash is an agreeable guy as long as you don’t aggravate him.”
“Thanks for the tip.” As he turned to leave, the owl turned its head another 180 degrees. Freaky.
Once he was gone, I turned to Bentley. “Now I know what kind of tattoo I want.”
“You want a tattoo?”
I patted my bicep. “Linda Blair’s face right here. Turns evil and spits out pea soup down my arm.”
Bentley appeared horrified. “Is that a New Jersey thing?”
I maintained a neutral expression. “Yes, Bentley. It’s the symbol on the state flag.”
He inched his chair away. “Remind me never to go there.”
“How well do you know Colgate and his family?”
“Shouldn’t it be up to Bruce to get the releases signed?”
“Oh, sure. I was just thinking they might be good to talk to for my article since they were among the last paranormals to see York alive.”
“Their house isn’t far from the beach. They’ve got a cool swing in their yard. It goes right over the water.”
“That sounds dangerous.” The thought of Marley falling off a swing and plunging into the ocean filled me with icy dread.
“Not for them. They’re merfolk.”
“But they live on land?”
“His wife and kids are only half.”
I made a note of their address in my phone and reclaimed my hat and sunglasses.
“You can’t call them?” he queried.
“I was planning to,” I lied, “but now I really want to see that swing.”
Chapter Sixteen
The swing was every bit as impressive as Bentley claimed. The house was partially built into the cliff and the swing was positioned to dangle over the water. The seat was large enough for four adult-sized paranormals. In fact, the entire property seemed designed for fun and games. There was a pool, a huge fire pit, and an area that resembled a volleyball court, although I’d never seen volleyball played in Starry Hollow.
An attractive man appeared on the brick patio on the side of the house. He reminded me of a surfer with his tousled hair and casual beachwear. As he opened the top of the grill, I waved to catch his attention. He looked over and smiled.
“You lost?” he called.
I jogged over. “No, sorry to interrupt. I’m Ember Rose, a reporter for the local paper. I’m writing a story about Winston York.”
His expression crumpled. “Can you believe it? We were gutted when we heard the news. We’d just seen him the day before.” He glanced over his shoulder toward the house. “I think my kids are still stunned.”
“You’re Colgate Bannon, right?”
“That’s right.” His brow furrowed. “Why do you want to ask us about Winston? We didn’t know him.”
“No, but you were among the last paranormals to see him alive. I was wondering if you could tell me about your interactions that day.”
“Not much in the way of interactions. He asked us to keep a respectful distance, so we did. The kids were obsessed with watching him work though. They didn’t want to leave.”
“I understand you were there when his mentee came to see him—an elf named Bruce Magill. Brown shaggy hair and an owl tattoo.”
Colgate nodded. “Yeah, the tattoo was awesome. I’m thinking about getting one myself. A nice octopus across my back where the tentacles wrap around me.” He patted the sides of his chest.
“Dad, is the grill ready yet?” A boy with golden hair ran onto the patio. He skidded to a stop when he noticed me. “We have company.”
“We do,” Colgate said. “She’s a reporter.”
“Cool,” the boy said, his eyes were like saucers.
Colgate patted the boy on the head. “Here, Shep. You take over the grill while I talk to the nice lady.”
I balked. “Isn’t he a little young to handle an open flame?”
Shep grinned at his dad. “You’d better not tell her you let me drive.”
I laughed until I realized that the boy wasn’t joking. “How old are you?”
“Age is just a number,” Colgate said. “Our parenting philosophy is—if they’re ready to do something, they do it.”
Okay then.
“Want to watch me jump off the swing into the ocean?” Shep asked with a wisp of hopefulness.
“Not right now, thanks.” I wasn’t in the mood for a heart attack.
“Kid’s a natural,” Colgate said.
“A natural what?”
“You name it. That’s why we were so excited to see Winston that day. He was a real inspiration for our boys. I can see Shep or Bryce going the explorer route. They’re both fearless and inquisitive kids.”
I watched with a pang of envy as Shep expertly placed meat patties on the grill. I had no doubt that little kid was a better cook than I was.
A second boy emerged from the house carrying a glass pitcher filled with blue liquid. It was so big that it blocked my view of his head and chest.
I rushed forward. “Here. Let me help.”
The boy craned his neck to scoff at me. “I don’t need help.”
“Bryce can handle it, Ms. Rose. He’s stronger than he looks.”
The boy set the pitcher on the table without spilling a drop. I didn’t even use glasses made of actual glass when Marley was younger. I’d been too paranoid that we’d drop one and she’d step on a shard that we missed during cleanup and she’d end up needing stitches in her foot. Hmm. I was beginning to understand where some of her anxiety had originated.
“I want cheese on mine,” Bryce called to his brother.
“So, they’re not in school?” I asked.
“We homeschool,” Colgate said. “I know that’s not the popular choice in Starry Hollow where the schools are so good, but our boys march to their own beat. My wife and I didn’t want to stifle that.”
“That’s a huge commitment on your part,” I said. I would have been terrible at homeschooling Marley. She was much better off with actual teachers.
Colgate gave Bryce’s shoulder a playful squeeze. “We love it. We have the luxury of working from home and flexible schedules, so it makes sense for us.”
“You don’t get overwhelmed by it all?” I asked. I got overwhelmed watching Marley do her homework in the evenings.
Shep flipped the patties and handed his father the spatula. “Race you, Bryce!” He bolted for the swing, scrambling over the edge of the brick patio and leaping onto the oversized seat. His momentum propelled him forward, out and over the water, where he proceeded to dive headfirst into the ocean below.
Colgate didn’t even flinch. “Are you hungry for lunch? We have plenty of food.”
I was too distracted to respond. What if Shep hit his head on a boulder? What if a shark happened to be passing by as he plunged into the water? It took me a moment to regain my composure. “You’re not going to check on him?”
“He’s fine,” Colgate said.
“Do I have time to swing?” Bryce asked.
Colgate examined one of the patties. “One jump, but hurry back up.”
“Are there steps in the cliff?” I asked. “How do they get back up?”
“They climb.”
My mouth dropped o
pen. “They…climb like little Spiderboys?”
He grinned. “Like I said, they’re fearless and very agile.”
I shook my head in an effort to refocus. “Did you notice Winston accept anything from the man you saw? A drink? A vial? Anything at all?”
“No, but you can check Bryce’s recording. He never stopped filming the poor guy. I wasn’t about to tell him to stop though.” He gave me a sheepish grin. “Don’t want to be responsible for quashing their talents. The world will do enough of that.”
Colgate’s wife stepped onto the patio with a stack of empty plates. “Oh, hello. I didn’t realize we had company.”
I gave her an awkward wave. “Sorry to intrude.”
“Marsali, this is Ember,” he said and frowned. “Apologies but I’ve forgotten your last name already.”
“Rose,” I said.
Marsali’s lashes fluttered in surprise. “Rose? Not the Rose.”
“Afraid so. Hyacinth is my aunt.”
She set the plates on the table, her eyes still trained on me. “That makes you a descendant of the One True Witch.”
I shrugged nonchalantly. “So I’ve been told.”
“Marsali, would you mind grabbing Bryce’s recording? Ms. Rose would like to look at it for an article she’s writing.”
“Sure thing. I’ll be right back.”
“Your place is really nice,” I said.
“Yeah, it’s a great location. Convenient to town but still private. The beach is only a short walk.”
Marsali returned with the camera and handed it to me. “It’s all teed up.”
I hit play and watched the footage of Bruce and York. Like the tepen, they never touched or exchanged items of any kind. There was nothing that indicated Bruce had poisoned his former mentor.
“Thank you. That’s helpful.” I returned the camera as the boys emerged from the side of the cliff soaking wet and wearing matching smiles. It occurred to me that Aspen and Ackley might benefit from some playtime with the Bannon boys. I’d have to mention it to Aster.
“Do you want to try?” Shep asked.
I laughed. “I don’t think so. My will hasn’t been updated…or written.”
“Go on, Ember,” Marsali urged gently. “You’re a Rose. You can do anything.”
I blinked at her. It felt odd that this woman—this stranger—believed in me. Not because she had expectations or an air of superiority that needed to be supported but simply because she looked at me and didn’t find me wanting. It was such a foreign concept that I had a hard time accepting it.
“Jump! Jump!” The boys chanted and clapped their hands in sync.
“I do love flying on my broomstick,” I said, which was true. That was about as far as the daredevil inside me was willing to go.
“You must have such incredible magic,” Marsali said. “I bet you could slide down on a rainbow if you wanted to.”
I laughed at the image of me gliding down the arch of a rainbow into the sea. “I don’t know about that. I’ve made it rain, but no rainbows.”
“Just one time, please?” Shep asked, folding his hands together in mock prayer.
Darn, those boys were too cute for their own good.
“Get on the swing, and if it’s too intimidating, then stay on and don’t jump,” Colgate suggested.
“I’ve never rappelled,” I said. “How will I get back up?”
“I bet you know a levitation spell or something,” Bryce said. “I can record you too. That way you can show your friends.”
I could show Marley. It would be a great example of taking a leap of faith. “Fine, you’ve convinced me. I’ll do it.”
The boys cheered and Colgate pulled the lid over the grill. “These’ll keep a few minutes more.”
I strolled across the yard to the swing, ignoring the intense beating of my heart. A leap into the unknown. I’d done it before when I’d accepted my cousins’ hand to escape to Starry Hollow. I could do this.
I kicked off my shoes and settled on the swing, getting comfortable. I began to rock back and forth, building momentum. As I pitched forward, I looked down at the water below and stifled a gasp. What was I thinking?
“Jump!” the boys shouted.
I swung out over the water and let go.
The fall was both terrifying and exhilarating. I hit the water feet first and plunged a few feet before returning to the surface. I glanced up to see four heads peering over the side. I gave an exaggerated wave and they cheered.
Bobbing in the water, I felt more alive than I had in ages. I hadn’t even realized I’d been sticking to the confines of my comfort zone until now. Not straying from my daily routine, no matter how crazy it made me. Resisting the urge to use the full extent of my powers as well as Ivy’s. I realized now that I’d been afraid. Afraid of what would happen if I opened those floodgates. Afraid of my aunt’s wrath and of acceptance. Afraid of change.
I gazed at the seemingly insurmountable cliffside.
“One that would have the fruit must first climb the tree…or cliff,” I said, echoing Raoul’s fortune cookie coaching.
As I began the slippery climb back up to the Bannon house, I knew that I wasn’t afraid anymore. Whatever awaited me when I opened a new door, I could handle it.
I focused on my magic and drew it to me. “Levo,” I said with an air of confidence. Energy boosted me higher so that I was halfway up the cliffside when I spotted a trail of seaweed spilling out of a deep crevice. I poked my head as far as it would go and peered inside. A gasp escaped me.
“You clever girl.”
It was a nest unlike any other, where no nest should be. It was made of seaweed and barnacles and nestled safely inside was a single egg.
There was no sign of the tepen. I surveyed the area, searching for evidence that the adult tepen had passed this way. There was no obvious route, only the seaweed and the nest itself. No wonder no one had discovered it yet. Poor Deputy Bolan. The leprechaun never stood a chance.
“Good to see you, little fella,” I whispered and continued my way up to the top. I didn’t tell the Bannons what I found. Instead, I used a drying spell on my clothes and gave Bryce my number so he could send me the video. I couldn’t wait to share it with Marley, but first, there was something far more important I had to do.
An hour later, I returned to the cliffside with Jarek Heidelberg and Bruce Magill. I’d made a deal with both of them that I would show them the location of the nest if they promised to leave town afterward so that the others would follow. The business owners took their cue from trackers like Bruce. If they thought there was no point in remaining in Starry Hollow, they’d pack up and go.
Bruce and I sat on my broomstick and I lowered us to the crevice. An expert climber, Jarek opted to scale down the cliffside.
“You can’t reveal you have footage until everyone has left town,” I reminded Bruce as he recorded our descent.
“I can’t thank you enough,” he said. “This one piece might inspire a whole new generation of explorers.”
“Not too bad for your career either,” I said.
The tree nymph shushed us as he peered inside the fissure.
“The egg looks good. The first crack is visible, which means it’s healthy enough to hatch soon.” He shifted aside so that I could steer Bruce closer to capture the moment—but not the egg.
“As long as no one else finds this place, there will be a new tepen in the world soon,” Jarek said.
“Except that means we lose the adult tepen,” I said. It hardly seemed fair—this one in and one out policy. No wonder they were so rare. They needed to lay multiple eggs if they were going to survive as a species.
Jarek looked at me. “You sound sad about that.”
“Of course. It’s sad, right?”
“Yes,” he agreed. “It is.”
“Will the baby tepen stay here?” I asked.
“No, once it hatches and the adult tepen leaves, the baby will return to the ocean to feed and grow
,” Bruce said.
I watched as Bruce reviewed the recording on his screen. “There’s so much in this world that’s still a mystery,” I said.
“That’s what keeps it interesting,” Bruce said. “If we know everything, we stop learning. If we stop learning, we cease to grow.”
I shifted the broomstick so that I could get one last glimpse of the fragile egg. “Welcome to the world, little buddy. Enjoy the ride.”
Chapter Seventeen
I was so elated by my personal and professional breakthroughs that I rode that high straight to York’s house to deliver the exciting news to his wife. I thought it might offer her some kind of closure to know that Bruce Magill would finally be taking the torch lit by his mentor.
Mabel opened the door and a cat shot past my feet.
“Oh, crap.” In my defense, that cat was much faster than PP3.
“Don’t worry. He won’t go far. They’re just excited now that they can roam freely.” She ushered me inside. “What brings you back?”
“I’m sorry to interrupt. I thought you’d be happy to know that we found the tepen’s nest. I also wanted to fact check a few notes I gathered on your husband before I finish my article. Would you mind?”
“I’d love to help. Why don’t you come in and have a cup of tea?”
“Oh, sure. If you don’t mind the company.”
“It would be nice, to be honest. Winston was such a hermit that we didn’t often receive visitors. Now that he’s gone, it’s a bit lonely.”
“I can imagine.” When Karl died, I’d had to focus on Marley. There’d been no time to feel lonely.
I trailed after her to the kitchen and lingered at the other end of the counter while Mabel put the kettle on. A book peeked out from beneath a pile of unopened mail. I could just make out the first part of the title—Rare and.
I slid the book out from beneath the mail. Sure enough, it was the copy of Rare and Dangerous that Delphine had dropped off.
“Oh, hey. The librarian mentioned that she’d dropped this off. If you want, I can return it for you. Save you a trip.”
The kettle came to a boil and she switched off the burner. “I didn’t know it was there. Winston always had his books scattered everywhere. They became part of the furniture.”
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