“Someone got out of the wrong side of the bed, I think,” Björn said, cocking his head back toward the rear seats. I knew he meant Pike, not Bo.
I nodded but said nothing. In spite of her stiff demeanor, I knew she was tuned in to everything we were saying, though she pretended not to be. I gave a little nod of acknowledgement but remained silent also. Ours was the secret sign language of parents down throughout the ages.
I ached for Pike and was sorry that Bo had brought Molly along. It was bad enough she couldn’t afford a familiar of her own without having her nose rubbed in it. But what could I do?
A few minutes later we were on the school property. The large bus was parked by the school gates, and a number of kids were still boarding, their parents smiling and waving as the kids took their seats on the bus.
“See,” I said to Björn, “nothing to worry about.”
“Ja.” He looked relieved; I had no idea he was such a worrywart, but then Oliver and I had always been so relaxed about everything. “I will get all the bags into the coach. Not to worry. See you on board.”
“Thanks, you’re a sweetie.” I turned off the ignition and twisted to say something to the kids, but they were already jumping out of the car. Shrugging, I got out myself.
The low roar of the coach’s diesel engine kindled a little excitement in me. It was real now, here we were, going to Maine. To see goddamn dragons.
Maisy came bounding over from somewhere behind the vehicle. “It’s exciting, isn’t it!” she exclaimed. “All these weeks planning and now we’re finally off!” Her blonde ponytail was hidden under a baseball cap, and she was dressed entirely in denim, but she still managed to look fantastic. Like a fresh-faced teen cheerleader. Dammit.
“You need help with your bags or anything?”
“No, Björn has everything,” I said, nodding in his direction.
“Oh.” She moved in a little closer, and in a lower voice she whispered, “Um, are you and he…?”
I laughed. “Most definitely not, no. We’re just neighbors, that’s all.”
“Oh.” She looked genuinely surprised and was about to say something else when Carter appeared at the door of the coach, holding onto a clipboard. He looked super-hot, slightly more casual than I was used to seeing him, but drop-dead gorgeous just the same.
Carter was also dressed in denim, a rugged-looking cowboy shirt and faded jeans, and an irritating voice in my head began connecting the dots….
“I think this is it,” Carter said. “You’re the last.”
He didn’t exactly underline the word last, but he might as well have.
“Come on, everyone,” he called out to the parents and children still outside the bus. “Let’s get underway, shall we?”
There were hugs and kisses all round, as excited kids tore away from anxious moms and dads. I’d seen Pike already climb aboard, so after beeping the car one last time to make sure it was locked, I followed on after her, anxious to be on our way.
I nodded to the driver as I stepped up into the coach. He was a short man, with a bald pate joining up with a tidy chin-beard. He had a wicked grin that made me think leprechaun.
Maisy was sitting in the seat immediately behind him, and Carter was standing in the spot next to her. Harrison was in the seat directly behind them, his daughter Evelyn by his side. Pike was at the back of the bus, talking to a few of her friends, though notably not Crystal or Bo who were settled in the middle of the bus. There was a ton of noise and laughter, not to mention a million squeaks, barks, meows and hisses from the menagerie on board. It was gonna be quite a ride north.
“These taken?” I asked, pointing to the seats across the aisle from Carter and Maisy.
“No!” Maisy beamed. “Go ahead, we saved them for you.”
Carter turned as I settled into the seat by the window. We connected for a moment, and there was something in his eyes I couldn’t quite fathom. It was almost, I dunno, curiosity? Maybe he thought Björn and I were playing hide the sausage also?
“Okay, I am the last man on board, I think.” Björn hustled the last of the kids ahead of him and pointed to the empty seat next to me.
“Sure,” I said, breaking the connection with Carter and squeezing right into the window to give the big man room.
When he was settled, my gaze went back to Carter, who was still on his feet, doing a final headcount with his clipboard in hand, while Lazuli lay curled up in a ball, keeping the seat warm. Satisfied, Carter turned and after lifting Lazuli, he settled down, the ferret curling up and falling straight back to sleep.
“All present and correct, Murray,” he said to the driver. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Murray nodded, and after checking the way was clear, the bus swung out into the open road. A moment later, we were on our way, off in search of dragons.
Chapter 6
Secrets
“Well, this is nice, isn’t it?” Maisy beamed as we walked into our little cottage on the Darcy estate.
I had to admit, she was right. The room was super cozy, with a few thoughtful touches including a basket of herbs, healing stones, and an aloe-based hand sanitizer called Green Dragon. I raised my eyebrows and thought of the large jar of home brew I’d stashed in my bag. Better prepared than sorry.
“Do you mind if I take this one?” Maisy asked, pointing to the bed closest to the bathroom.
“Be my guest.”
Maisy hoisted her case on the end of her chosen bed and flipped it open. While she took care of her things, I wandered over to the window to check out the view.
We were surrounded by trees––it wasn’t wooded exactly, but I felt nestled just the same. But the thing that took my breath away was the ocean. We were close enough to hear the whoosh of the waves as they gently caressed the bottom of the cliff. I judged the edge to be just a hundred or so feet away, and hoped we weren’t too close for the kids.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Maisy said.
“Wild,” I agreed.
“I grew up not too far from here. The place gets in your blood. In my opinion, there isn’t anywhere more beautiful on the whole planet.”
“Soooo, why did you leave?” I asked.
She paused for a moment, her hand resting on her cheek and she drifted off in thought. “Work mostly. Not that I mind. I still have family up here; there’s a huge Wiccan community and I always come up for the holidays.”
I turned away from the window and flopped down on my bed. Thank Gaia, the bed was comfortable, and I sank into an enveloping mattress. Between the long journey north, and settling the kids in their cabins, I was ready for a good nap. Alas, there was a fat chance of that, as we were all meeting up for dinner.
I closed my eyes and thought about Carter. He’d hardly said two words to me on the bus. Not that there were many opportunities for a great chinwag, and whenever I had an opportunity to speak, somehow Björn had always gotten in the way.
If Lea had been here, I’d have talked to her about it. She’d have told me to just grab him and stick my tongue down his throat, but that just wasn’t my way. Maisy, though… nah. I could hardly open up to her. She was the enemy, after all.
I heard a commotion, and turning, I saw Maisy had disappeared into the bathroom. There was a noisy jingling of bottles, and then a few light flashes beamed from under the doorway.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Oh, yes, sure,” she called in her sing-song voice. “I’ll be out in a minute if you need to go.”
“No, no. Take your time. I’m not in any rush.”
I closed my eyes again, this time, to silence. And then I heard a flick from the bathroom, and looking again, I saw the light was off and Maisy was standing in the doorway, fresh as a daisy and totally dressed for dinner in her creamy slacks, pure black shirt, and a navy sweater. Perfect again.
“Aren’t you exhausted?”
“Me, no, quite the opposite. If we had more time I’d go for a run, but I don’t want to
be late for the kids. Maisy looked down at her hands, and noticing something, she frowned, then quickly locked herself back in the bathroom.
“Um, are you sure you’re okay?” I asked.
“Yes, yes, quite all right.” Her voice was a little higher than usual. “I’ll be out in a minute.” There was another jingle of bottles, another small flash of light, and then silence. The door opened, and there she was, her usual smile plastered on her pretty face. What was she doing in there?
“You’d better get changed if we’re gonna make it on time. Do you need a few minutes to yourself? I can go for a walk if you like?”
“No, you’re okay. I just need to brush my teeth and get changed. I won’t be long.”
With the greatest reluctance, I forced myself up and grabbed my toiletry bag. Maisy stepped aside so I could pass her, and I closed the bathroom door quietly behind me.
As I sat on the toilet, doing the necessary, my gaze drifted to her pink toiletry bag sitting on the counter beside mine. It was a hell of a lot bigger and chunkier, and I wondered what on earth she carried inside it.
After flushing and washing my hands, I picked up my own and pulled out my toothbrush and toothpaste. While I brushed my teeth, my attention returned to her toiletry bag. I thought I saw something move, but though I stared at it for a few seconds, it remained perfectly still. I burned with curiosity but would have pulled out my own teeth before invading her privacy.
Maisy shouted through the door. “I just got a text from Carter. He’s organizing the troops and wants to know if we’re ready.”
“Two seconds!”
I rinsed, gargled, spat and quickly wiped the sink. My hair was flat from lying on the bed, so I gave it a quick brush and then went back into the bedroom.
Maisy was smiling and texting, so I stripped down to my undies and pulled on some fresh jeans, a clean tee and sweater. Needing the warmth of layers, I pulled on my jacket and tucked a scarf inside. A set of wool-lined boots later, and I was good to go.
“Okay, that’s me––done.” I snatched my purse and stood by the door while Maisy stashed her phone in a pocket and picked up her bag. I shot my bed a final, wistful look, then together we stepped out into the cold night air.
“Oh, that’s rough.” Maisy pulled her jacket a little tighter, and I pulled my scarf out a bit more to keep my neck warm. “That’s a strong northeast chill there, those are the worst. It might be a good thing for us, though.”
“How so?” I asked. We were walking toward the long, rustic cabins where the kids were encamped. I enjoyed the crunch of the leaves under my feet on the gravel path and, like a kid myself, breathed frost dragons in the evening air.
“Dragons like the cold. When I was a kid it would bring them out in droves, though, sadly there aren’t as many as there used to be. And tonight’s a full moon. Oh, how they love a full moon.” She sounded sad, and glancing her way, I thought it odd how her hand was on her cheek, like someone remembering a lingering kiss.
“Ah, there you are,” Carter called. He was locked inside a circle of kids; there were no familiars about; the restaurant had a strict familiar policy which he’d mentioned as soon as we’d got off the coach. Tonight they were allowed to roam free in the cabins. Pike was there, too, talking to Evelyn. She looked up and nodded, then resumed her conversation with her friend.
“The coach will be a few more minutes while he refuels, so we’re going over to the cliff to check it out.”
Harrison and Björn were sharing a room, and I turned as they approached from behind us.
“These are nice cottages,” Harrison remarked.
“Ja, and that is a good bed. I shall sleep well here, I think,” Björn said, half yawning. There were dark rings under his eyes, and he had a five o’clock shadow. “So, maybe we will see some dragons.” He motioned toward the cliff’s edge, and I noticed the silver tint to his aura was a little more pronounced than usual. “It’s cold enough. Dragons love a little frost.”
“So I heard.”
“Okay, everyone, gather round,” Carter said. “Is everyone here? All critters fed? Let me know if anyone needs something, or if we have to pick anything up from the local store.”
There were no responses. “Okay, good.” Carter’s head bobbed as he counted the students, and for a second, his eyes caught mine, and instead of looking away as I often did, I smiled at him.
Carter’s brow furrowed, though I wouldn’t have said he looked angry, more confused. He cleared his throat. “Okay, everyone. The light is fading, but we should have a little time before it gets totally dark. I understand there’s quite a drop at the cliff’s edge, so I want no shenanigans or silliness, or you’ll find yourself in detention for a month, or worse.”
There was a burst of laughter and Carter’s astute gaze went straight to the source. “That would be two month’s detention for you, Bo, so don’t play up.”
The snickering subsided, though it didn’t quite die.
Speeches over, Carter led the way through the thinning trees toward the cliff’s edge. The sea below was a little louder than earlier; brisk winds were driving the waves hard onto the rocks below.
“Look at the lighthouse,” Carter said, pointing south. “There are sixty-five lighthouses in Maine, all of which are now fully automated, though in the past they were lit by a keeper. In fact, the only lighthouse that’s still manned in the States is in Boston.”
“That’s interesting,” I said, and Carter smiled at me.
“You often see dragons flying around lighthouses at night. The beacon attracts them, so your best bet for a sighting is to keep looking in that direction.”
He pointed, and all the kids looked south at once, and I was pleased by how attentive they were to Carter. Even Pike was scouring the sky, no doubt hoping to be the first to spot a dragon. But the skies were resolutely empty.
Maisy stepped forward. “The Darcy estate is especially famous for its dragons. There are sea caves in the granite under our feet, and the dragons are protected here. In the past, fisherman could see them coming and going from their craft, but the normals would hunt and kill them, so there is a protective enchantment that begins here and covers about fifty miles of ocean.”
We all looked out across the bay, as if by will we would be able to see this magical thing, but of course, the enchantments were invisible.
“They don’t mind witches coming to see them?” Pike asked.
“Thankfully, no, not at all, since we have no history of doing them harm. This is a privilege, but of course, they are wild, magical creatures, and so a sighting is never guaranteed.”
I watched as Pike stared down at her feet, and I knew she was imagining the dragons hanging out below. As was I.
The view was breathtaking, just as I’d pictured it would be, and I scoped the panorama, from the lighthouse on the edge of the bay, to the lush, green and rocky islands in front of me, to the sweeping coastline to my left. Even in the dim light of the setting sun it was glorious, as I imagined it would be, whatever the light or weather.
My reverie was startled by a loud honk, heralding the return of our coach.
“Okay, kids, time to go.” Carter ushered everyone back to the coach. Harrison and Maisy led the way, with Björn, Carter and me bringing up the rear.
The two men walked just a little ahead of me, talking quietly between themselves, which gave me a fantastic opportunity to ogle their respective physiques, unobserved. I was just mapping the shape of Carter’s butt, when he surprised me by reaching out his hand and slipping something to Björn. It looked like a small vial. My brow creased, not at the giving, but at the secrecy of how it was done. What were they doing? Surely, not drugs? No, I couldn’t believe that, but what? If it was on the up and up, why do it when everyone was looking elsewhere?
Carter turned to find me and smiled, but confused, I couldn’t return the gesture. Instead I focused on the crunching leaves beneath my feet, and wondered whether I should mention what I’d witnessed to h
im later, and what horrible secret I might find out if I did.
Chapter 7
Midnight Meeting
I couldn’t sleep. I turned this way and that, unable to find a spot to doze off in. Maybe it was eating so late, or maybe it was what I’d witnessed earlier on. I dunno, but the fact was, I wasn’t going to sleep a wink tonight unless I did something to make it happen.
Maisy groaned in the bed next to me, and fearful I was keeping her awake, I got up and dressed quickly, slipping my clothes over my pajamas. The bedside clock said 11:30 p.m. Maybe a good walk would clear my mind and help me sleep.
The cottages were well heated, so I was unprepared for the freezing-cold air that hit my face the second I opened the door. I pulled my scarf up to cover my nose and mouth and ventured out. I must be insane, I thought. The full moon above me was bright, but I pulled my wand out to help light the way. “Illuminous,” I whispered. There was little to no chance of me being overheard; the cold dampened any sound and most people were sound asleep by now. Or should be, I thought, thinking of Pike.
I had a hankering to see the sea by the darkness of night, so I headed over to the cliff, pointing my wand down to the ground, keeping to the path at all times. The curled leaves were laced with frost, and even through my scarf, the night was so bitter it hurt my throat to breathe.
The waves were calm now, and when I passed the last of the trees, I gasped in awe. The moon was directly in front of me, its light reflecting a shimmer of pale light across the vast black sea like a giant inverted exclamation mark. It was beautiful, and my heart filled with the joy of our expansive world. I felt so small, and so privileged; it had been worth getting out of bed just to see this.
It occurred to me, there was a strange eeriness to the sound of the ocean without the daily accompaniment of gulls and people. I liked it. I felt completely alone with the earth, and as a witch, there was no feeling more magical. I pulled the scarf from my face, and breathed the night in, enjoying every delicious moment of my solitude and celebrating Mother Nature.
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