by J L Collins
All of the details felt like they were being flung at me. Who knew which girl Cosmo had been with at the party? Then there was the pool stick—that was another thing that I’d noticed about Cosmo in his room yesterday. The guy must really like pool. As far as Helio went, if his own best friend thought he spilled the drink on purpose, then he must have. Which led me to the next thing.
“Do you think Helio had anything to do with what’s happened with the sick fairies in the comas?”
His brows shot up. “The sick fairies? What would that have to do with him?” He was clearly following the logic and moved to the next step. “Are you saying you think Helio might have somehow done that to them?”
“I’m sure you’re familiar with the concept of correlation not implying causation. I don’t suspect that he’s the one that drugged the other fairies—”
“Drugged them? The fairies were drugged? Amortencia told the community that it was magic.” He shook his head. “I suppose that makes more sense. I have to admit, I was suspicious that some kind of sleep magic could have affected them that way…” he trailed off.
This was way trickier than I thought. Obviously I'd just let slip that someone drugged the fairies after Amortencia had already said otherwise, and while I was hopeful Quicksilver wouldn’t bring it up with his aunt, I wasn’t absolutely certain.
I drew in a deep breath. “I don’t think Amortencia wanted everyone to know that. Just in case, you know? So I’d appreciate if you kept that knowledge to yourself, okay?”
His face softened. “I will.”
Good. “What happened after Cosmo broke the pool stick?”
“I guess you could say they started pacing around one another. Helio had been playing pretty sloppily, so I knew it was best if I got him out of there. Even on a good day, Cosmo is bigger than him. I told him he needed to get some fresh air and walked him outside.”
I nodded, writing in the missing parts on Helio’s timeline.
But Quicksilver stopped and turned away. “I shouldn’t have left him there like that,” he mumbled barely loud enough for me to hear.
“Left him where?”
“Outside. I took him out the front, thinking he could sit outside on the porch and relax. I left my coat upstairs and had to fight my way up and back to get it, but when I came back, he was gone. I thought maybe he just went back inside so I went looking for him. No one had seen him. It was like no one even cared.” A bitterness hooked on the last of his words.
Frowning, I waited until he looked up at me. “I’m so sorry. But this wasn’t your fault, okay? He was responsible for himself, especially after pulling the stunt with the drink. College kids have to realize that being drunk isn’t an excuse to make stupid decisions without consequences. Believe me, I know.”
“Right. You were a professor before you ended up stuck here,” he said half-heartedly. Something seemed to jolt him to life and he jerked back. “Wasn’t Cosmo just arrested for something last night? The RA on our floor was talking about it. I was meaning to ask if you or Dru knew anything about it,” he said, standing up.
The news would reach him soon anyway. I nodded. “Chief Putnam had a search warrant for his room and apparently they found the adhesive that was used on Helio’s wings. They haven’t officially charged him or anything, but it’s not looking good for him.”
It was quiet for a moment, as Quicksilver studied my face. “You don’t think he did it.”
I know he’s observant but boy, it really shows just how bad of a poker face I have. I gave him a half smile. “I’m not sure. There are too many things not adding up for me. And I’m not quick to judge someone guilty.”
There was a flicker of light in his black eyes. “I’m thinking about going to see him at the police station.”
I jumped up and held up my hands. “Whoa, whoa cowboy. I think it’s a good idea to keep a cool head right now. We have to let the police department and Special Council do their jobs now that they’ve apprehended him. You getting in the middle of that isn’t going to help things, Quicksilver.” I could understand the miserable and angry look on his face, though.
His usually calm expression twisted. “Haven’t you been saying that the police are inept? Amortencia has even gone so far as to ask you for help under the chief’s nose. You think I should trust them now?” He shook his head. “I want to talk to him face to face.”
He was using my own words against me and I wasn’t sure whether to be proud of him or irritated. “Trust me, Quicksilver. Everything will shake out and we’ll know one way or the other whether he’s responsible for Helio’s death.”
“It’s almost time for me to clock out. Do you mind if I go ahead and leave early?” Clearly he was ignoring my advice.
“I suppose it won’t make any difference. Please take what I’m saying into consideration, okay?”
There was a stiff nod of his head and his wings unfurled for him to fly out of the newsroom for the first time.
16
Priorities
“I could get used to this.”
Fatima leaned back against the sauna wall with a relaxed smile on her face. “I wish someone would’ve told me this place was women only. I would’ve tried it sooner.”
The heat of the steam was oppressive coming off the hot rocks, but I didn’t care. I would stick my face straight on the rocks if it meant relaxing more.
“Well you’re here now. Thanks for coming with me, by the way. I wasn’t sure if you’d be interested in trying the session with me or not but I’m so glad I had someone in there with me. I like the trainer but there’s something about having your friend nearly knock you across the room through a weighted bag that really motivates you.”
Fatima pretended to kick at me. “The look on your face was worth it. Speaking of motivation… have you been working on your magic lately?”
It didn’t matter that I wasn’t looking directly at her, I knew that she knew I was embarrassed to answer. For the first time since we started my magic lessons, I'd rescheduled with her. She didn’t take it personally—at least I hoped she didn’t take it personally—but she knew I was maybe a little too preoccupied.
Blood rushed to my cheeks even more. “I should be, I know I should be.”
The room was quiet for a few minutes, with the only sound the hissing of steam.
“I know you’re in the middle of working on the cases on top of working at the Gazette. Those are important. I’m just worried that maybe you are biting off more than you can chew right now. I say that with love, you know,” she finally said as she came down a step to sit right next to me on the bench. “You already have so many things on your plate as it is. It’s no wonder you took up kickboxing.”
That little anxious feeling had been bugging me in the back of my brain nonstop, that I always got when I knew I was trying to do too much. Keeping track of the details of both cases, making sure the paper was fully ready to go each week, and now the kickboxing, too.
When I came to the conclusion that I basically live here for the time being, all I worried about was getting out of here. That, and juggling the magic lessons Fatima threw my way.
But now I was being pulled in so many directions that I felt like it was impacting my ability to do any of it.
I brought my knees up to my chin and wrapped my arms around myself. “I’m a terrible witch. What kind of person finds out they have magical powers and then ditches magic practice to go Scooby-Dooing around town? Me. I am that person, and also a terrible witch.”
I could feel her kind but reprimanding words before they even came out.
“Indie Warren. That is not true, and you know it! You are probably one of the most powerful witches or wizards in town, and you have the potential to be the most powerful. Harnessing it takes time… and dedication. I’m not saying you should only focus on the magic, but you will only get out what you put in.”
You’d think common sense like that would’ve gotten through my brain by this point. I blew the d
amp hair out of my face. “Once we figure out what’s going on with the sick fairies I think I’m done. I know I promised Amortencia to follow through with Helio’s case but it might be all wrapped up now that they’ve arrested Cosmo. Maybe I’ll head over to the library after work tomorrow and start researching some more about the effects of different man-made materials on fairies.” I made a face. “Ugh, I’m starting to sound like Ash.”
She giggled. “You said the secret word. Research. If I had a glass of wine, I’d take a sip.”
“Careful! I’ve noticed he seems to pop up whenever the word is uttered aloud.”
Go figure that not even two hours later, I found myself sitting on a bench in front of Gilded Lake next to Ash.
It was a pretty day out, for Charming Springs that is, and nothing sounded better than going out to take in some of the natural beauty on the outskirts of town.
Okay, so maybe I was feeling some type of way about what Fatima said earlier. She certainly wasn’t wrong, but I didn’t know how to fix it. It wasn’t like I could clone myself… and no, I did not research whether I could or not in a whole section of the library one afternoon after magic lessons with Fatima.
Ash had tracked me down as per usual and sneaked up on me in his eerie way. His eerie reaper way, no less.
I shot him an unamused look. “I should call you TLC, the way you’re creeping around me. What’s up?”
He took a seat beside me. “I won’t get in the way of everything you've got going on right now. But when you're ready, I have a few books I think you’ll be interested in checking out.”
It didn’t matter how much I bugged him to tell me what they were about or had to do with me, Ash was keeping close-lipped.
Probably because he liked torturing me and knew that I didn’t like being kept in the dark about anything.
“You just finish working on these cases. The reading isn’t going anywhere. Once your priorities are better sorted, we can go over what I found.” There was no mistaking the sideways smile his mouth curved into.
Absolutely insufferable.
I appreciated each of my friends for different reasons. All three of them were loyal and I knew I could trust them with my life. There was Fatima’s patience and kindness with me. Goldie’s curiosity, humor, and relatability. Then there was Ash, with his protectiveness and helpfulness.
They each helped me get to where I am—holding it together in spite of landing myself in a cursed bubble. But I had to give it to Ash. The other two kept me happy and upbeat, while Ash wasn’t afraid to dig deeper and make me confront things. Sometimes these were things like fears, but sometimes they were things like my patience. He was particularly good at challenging that.
I nudged his shoulder. “Thanks.”
“For what?” he asked, looking at me from the corner of his eye.
“I needed a minute to take a step back from everything, and I thought I could sit here and look out across the lake and suddenly things would become clearer.”
“Did they?”
“Nope,” I said, smiling. “But you’re right about my priorities. You and Fatima are both right. I’ve been so wrapped up in all of this that I wasn’t taking any time to do what I promised myself I would do—keep searching.”
Ash leaned back and spread his arms out across the back of the bench. “I do like being right about things.”
“Don’t ruin my gratitude,” I said as I leaned back too. “If I giveth, I can taketh away.”
The morning frosty mist that hung in the air slid into a rather bright and sunny afternoon through the windows. Part of me wanted to stretch out in the sunlight streaming in like a cat on the floor. I might even catch a cat lazing around like that if I check in on Henny.
In all of the hubbub around Helio and the sick fairies, I’d completely forgotten about our coverage of the End of Summer Triathlon kicking off tomorrow morning. If it weren’t for Drusilla coming in wearing a sporty black tracksuit, I wouldn’t have even thought about it.
“That’s a new look for you,” I commented as she came in and started up her computer. I don’t know how Drusilla did it, but she always managed to pull off any style she wore, no matter how different it was from the day before. Maybe it was a vampire thing.
“I’m not one for athleisure, but I’m just excited for the races tomorrow,” she said as she flipped her braid over her shoulder.
“Oh. I didn’t even realize that was happening tomorrow.” I shook my head. “Ugh, it’s been hard just keeping track of what the actual day is lately.”
“Right? I was just saying the same thing to Quicksilver yesterday. To tell you the truth, I completely forgot about it too until he mentioned it. Alina and I were supposed to go see a double-feature but I didn’t know I had the dates mixed up. I asked him if he wanted to come along. Mind you, I didn’t exactly run it by my sister, but I didn’t think she would care. He was surprised because he figured the two of us were going to watch the triathlon and I said of course we were! He told me it was tomorrow and I almost didn’t believe him.”
I pulled up the main template for the newspaper. “Are you going to take notes for the story we’re running on the history of the triathlon? I’ll be there to keep track of the races specifically. Now that I think of it, I completely forgot to tell Quicksilver that we’ll need a second shooter. I was hoping he might know someone who could help.”
“I can ask. He’s been complaining about it all week so I’m sure he’ll appreciate the help.”
I raised a brow. “Complaining?”
“Not necessarily about the photography, but about the races. He was grumbling about it because the fairy elders have been bugging him for years to participate on behalf of the fairies. He was just saying how they can’t take a hint.”
“Really? Why would they care about him so much? Ridge told me they have a few good racers already.” As harsh as it probably sounded, I couldn’t imagine someone begging Quicksilver for his athleticism.
She snorted. “I thought the same thing but he’s actually one of the fastest fairies around. You’d never know, of course, because he’s not into that kind of stuff. He’s more about brain over brawn. Which is so sexy, might I add?”
“Okay, okay. You can keep the details to yourself, thanks,” I laughed. “That is surprising though, I must admit.”
“His name isn’t Quicksilver for nothing, you know.”
I stood by the window and looked out across the road, watching a group of reindeer trotting back into the woods without leaving hoof prints behind. A tiny part of me wondered if maybe they were magic too and hovered over the snow instead. One day I’d finesse my air skills enough to hover like that, too. Hopefully.
I slowly turned my head back toward her, but Drusilla was already click-clacking away at the keyboard. I stared, not really seeing, but rather thinking.
“I’ll be right back.”
She beamed up at me. “Okay!”
The top crusted layer of snow had melted under the sun, leaving slushier snow that would surely refreeze for the millionth time on either side of the sidewalk. I knew it was a few blocks to the frat house, and even farther down the main road to the clock tower.
But the library was close.
My feet pounded the freshly cleared sidewalk, and I did my best not to slide all over the place as I walked as fast as possible.
I threw open the library door, and I knew exactly where I was headed thanks to having lived there.
“Indie? What are you—?”
Ignoring Ash, I went straight to the huge antique map of Charming Springs that was hanging up on the wall over the top of a small bookshelf filled with all sorts of maps. Including the most recent map of the town.
“Where is it, where is it? Oh, here we go.” I pulled the map out and spread it out across the nearest table.
“What’s this?” Ash was suddenly bent over the map next to me and started studying it.
“It’s a map, of course.”
“I see
that. I mean what are you doing running in here like the camper is on fire? It isn’t is it?”
“That was one time. And no, to answer your question. I’m trying to work a distance question out in my head. Now shush.”
Placing my finger on where the LKD house was, right next to Northern Mountains College, I went inch by inch until I hit the clock-tower.
“Hm. Just as I suspected.”
“I may be a reaper, but I’m no mind reader. Thankfully.”
I folded the map back up and leaned against the table to face him. “Fine, but you’re going to think I’m nuts.”
He arched one dark eyebrow at me. “Try me.”
“It hit me when I was talking to Drusilla just now. Fairies fly. Which means that anyone who said they were at the party when Helio was out falling from the sky could have be lying. Especially if they’re a good flier. I just looked at the distance between the fraternity house and the clock-tower and it’s safe to assume that someone who can fly would be able to make it to the clock-tower and back without anyone noticing they were missing.”
He blinked. “Okay. I thought you’d already narrowed it down to a fairy, though?”
“I had. But now I’m zeroing in on one particular fairy. Someone who was there that night and present when Helio and Cosmo got into it. Someone who went off on their own for a little while and by the time they were seen again asking around about Helio being missing, they would’ve had plenty of time to fly with him to the clock-tower and back.” I took in a deep breath. “Quicksilver.”
“Really? Quicksilver as in Amortencia Fell’s nephew? The one you hired?”