But how? I had given it to Birdie back in the Web of Wyrd.
Thor lifted his big snout high into the air, zeroing in on a whiff of something.
I sidled up next to him. “What do you smell, big man?”
Then I caught a hint of it too. The aroma of autumn—nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, ginger—the scent of Lolly’s award-winning apple cake.
It smelled like home.
I raced through the forest, Thor darting ahead of me. Dark as it was, I had years of experience navigating these woods day and night. It wouldn’t be long before I arrived at the Geraghty Girls’ Guesthouse. The trail I was on would eventually spill into a clearing that butted up against the boundary line. The emotions coursing through my body then left me fatigued. I was bursting with anticipation, euphoria, and the simple joy of feeling my feet on familiar soil. Where leaves were green, cages didn’t fly away, and lightning bugs wouldn’t grow thumbs. I was so elated, I actually stopped to kiss my favorite oak tree.
Which was a mistake.
When I turned to catch up with Thor, she was hovering right in front of my face.
“Ah!” I clutched my heart. “Don’t do that. What is wrong with you? Don’t you know you’re not supposed to sneak up on people?”
The snow-white apparition fluttered a foot off the ground, her blue eyes communicating incredible disappointment in me. She just bobbed in the air like a buoy, waiting for me to say something.
“All right, look. You were absolutely spot-on about everything. I’m sorry I didn’t heed your warnings.”
She bloated her frame, and I could see that the area where her mouth was supposed to be was moving, but I couldn’t hear a thing.
“Um, I can’t hear you. If you’re trying to tell me something, you should know there’s no sound coming from your lips.”
She cast her eyes down, annoyed, then spun around briefly. When she faced me again, I could hear her perfectly.
“The council awaits your arrival, in the castle you shall stay; but beware of the wrath of a rival, and the one who will betray.”
Again with the maddening riddles.
“Who? Who is the rival? Who will betray? Is it one of the four corners? Is it the Mage? Who is the Mage, anyway?”
She seemed pleased that I was interested in her brainteaser this time, but it didn’t do any good. She evaporated in a puff of smoke.
Dammit. What was her problem, anyway? Why couldn’t she just get to the point like every other spirit who had a message for me?
I tramped through the woods for a few more minutes, until I saw the glow of the backlight of the Geraghty Girls’ Guesthouse.
I spotted Thor leaning affectionately against Fiona. Lolly was setting up food and water for him near the back step, next to a rug that was rolled up on the lawn for some inexplicable reason.
And then I saw Birdie. She was searching for me with her eyes, scanning the field, the woods, and beyond.
My heart lurched at the sight of her. The concern on her face read like a road map to a painful place. A place where she had almost lost everything. It reminded me of the tortured little girl she’d been at the Academy. So very brave, yet so lonely in a world that didn’t think she belonged.
But I knew better. And now, I knew her better.
I wanted to burst into tears, but I didn’t dare reveal to her that I was relieved. That I had been, just minutes before, more afraid than I had ever been in my entire life. Because I knew now what she had been trying to teach me all these years. That it is important to be strong, courageous, and true to yourself, no matter what the rest of the world thinks. That the greatest mistakes in life are not the ones we make, but the ones that never get made because we are too afraid to try.
After my experience in the web, I understood that all she ever wanted for me was to believe in myself. To have the confidence to face life’s obstacles head-on, because dodging them only makes the journey more treacherous. She knew the path I would travel long before I did, and she wanted me to be prepared.
My role in this family, in this world, was bigger than me. More significant than I had ever imagined. If I could use that role to make a difference—however great or small—in people’s lives, then I had no other choice but to follow the path, wherever it would lead.
I took a deep breath, rolled my shoulders back, and straightened my sword.
Then I stepped out of the shadows and into my destiny.
PART TWO
The Reckoning
In old suffering that held you long paralyzed, you find new keys. When your mind awakens, your life comes alive and the creative adventure of your soul takes off. Passion and compassion become your new companions.
—John O’Donohue
Chapter 16
Birdie Geraghty had never been so delighted to see anyone in all her life. She rushed forward, took her granddaughter in her arms, and squeezed until the child sputtered, “I can’t breathe, Birdie.”
She let go and inspected Anastasia. “Are you all right?”
The girl looked different. Felt different. There was a glimmer in her eyes that hadn’t been there before.
“I’m fantastic.”
Her sword gleamed in the moonlight, and she was carrying a pile of rolled-up papers under her arm. Then Birdie saw the locket, and as soon as she did, she remembered why it had seemed so familiar. It was the Seeker’s locket. She had only heard rumors of its existence, but she had hoped it would be presented to Anastasia someday. And now here it was, around her granddaughter’s neck. But how had Birdie possessed it just moments ago? And who had given it to Anastasia?
Birdie slicked her fingers over the design. “Where did you get this?”
Anastasia said, “It’s a long story. One we don’t have time for right now.” She kissed Birdie on the cheek and hurried toward the house.
The girl halted when she saw the cast of her birthday celebration slumbering at the table.
She turned her head and cocked one eyebrow. “Do I want to know?”
“Not likely.”
“Fair enough.” She grabbed a slice of cake from the table, kissed her beau, and rushed inside.
Birdie followed, Lolly and Fiona behind her.
“What are you doing?” Birdie asked as Anastasia jogged upstairs.
“I need to get into the chamber of magic.”
The three Geraghty sisters shared a look. They followed the girl up to the back hallway.
By the time they reached her, Stacy was emerging from the chamber. The mystical door fizzled away, replaced by the painting of Danu. A menagerie of enchantment tools and weapons weighed down Anastasia.
“Okay, here’s what we need to do.” She glanced back at the painting and said, “By the way, we’re getting a real door for that room. One with a handle and everything.” She waltzed into Birdie’s boudoir and put the tools on the bed. “Birdie, I need you to call Gramps and see if he can get a hold of his friend Roger.”
“The pilot? Why?”
“Because I need to get to Ireland sooner than expected.” She was examining a box of crystals, lining up the stones on the duvet. She went to Birdie’s closet and pulled out a duffel bag.
Birdie shot Fiona an uneasy glance. “Actually, dear, we wanted to discuss that with you.”
“Discuss what?” She picked up a pair of nunchucks with her right hand and a five-bladed star with her left. She decided on the star and shoved it in the bag.
Fiona strode forward. “We understand that you spoke with someone on Birdie’s scrying mirror.”
“Yes, I did.” Anastasia reached for a ball with iron spikes attached to a long chain. She whirled it over her head.
Lolly asked, “Are you going to fight a dragon?”
The girl frowned. “Hell, I hope not.” She put the spiked ball aside and grabbed the broom Birdie had crafted for her. She shoved it into the bag.
Birdie said, “The woman you spoke to, Tallulah, what did she tell you?”
At the mention of Tabby�
��s name, Anastasia bristled. Slowly, she turned to face the sisters. “What was her name?”
“Tallulah,” Fiona replied.
Anastasia shook her head and laughed. “Oh, this is going to be fun.” She picked up a vial of deadly nightshade and tossed it in the satchel.
“We were going to tell you everything,” Birdie said.
“It’s true,” Fiona said.
“We just wanted you to have a nice birthday,” said Lolly. “It was my idea to wait until after your dedication ritual.”
Anastasia ran her hands through her hair. “Yeah, well, I don’t think that will be necessary. Pretty sure I’m thoroughly dedicated.” She turned back to the bag and put a wand inside. Then she lifted the scrying mirror Fiona had given her and gazed into it, a perplexed look on her face.
“So what did she tell you? What do you know?” Fiona asked.
Anastasia sighed. “Those are two very different questions, Auntie, but here goes. Tallulah told me her grandson is a Seeker.”
“Lies,” Birdie spat.
“I know, right?” The girl shook her head. “I mean, I’m the Seeker. And there’s only one born every century, so how could he be one too?”
Birdie nodded, surprised by the girl’s enthusiasm and knowledge. She was embracing her calling. What had happened in the Web of Wyrd? Birdie was hesitant to ask. She didn’t want to interrupt the flow of the girl’s frenzy.
Anastasia continued. “So then she said something about a deal, and my mother rotting in a castle, which, you know, I’m not going to let that happen.” She picked up an athame and slid it through the belt of her dress. “Then I was angry, because I was worried about Mom, so I said some things I shouldn’t have, and Danu threw a hissy fit and yanked me into the Web of Wyrd. And that’s when I learned about the cauldron.” She took a deep breath.
“Danu?” Birdie whispered, astonished.
“You met her?” Fiona asked.
It was too much too fast for Lolly. She sank into a chair.
Anastasia said, “Her and Badb.”
“The Morrigan?” Birdie asked.
“Well, one of them. They really are three separate goddesses.”
“And you know about the missing cauldron?” Fiona asked.
Anastasia nodded.
“The council specifically requested you find it,” Birdie said.
“So did Danu and Badb, and let me tell you, those chicks are crazy, so I have every intention of following their orders. Now, what’s this about a deal?” The girl crossed her arms.
After what her granddaughter had just endured, Birdie felt ashamed about making that deal with the council. She wished she could revoke the offer, but it was too late, the wheels were turning. She dug deep for her composure. “The council has agreed that should you find the cauldron, your mother will be set free.”
Fiona pinched Birdie’s backside, prompting her to expose the rest. “But if you don’t—”
Anastasia raised her hand. “No. Don’t even say it. Failure is not an option.”
Birdie felt lighter just hearing those words.
Anastasia shoved a few more things into her bag and picked up her scrying mirror again. “You have to show me how to work this thing, Birdie.” She patted her pocket. “For now, though, we’ll stick with the iPhones to keep in touch when I’m gone.”
“Actually, dear, we’ll be traveling with you,” Fiona said.
“You will?”
Birdie explained, “The council has arranged for our transportation. We leave first thing in the morning.”
“Good.” Anastasia glanced at the bag. “I was wondering how I was going to get all this crap through TSA and customs.” She looked at Birdie. “I assume the council has ways around that sort of thing.”
Birdie nodded.
“Well,” Anastasia said, “I guess the only other thing I need to explain is the four corners.”
The girl launched into a tale about how the Druids had signed a treaty promising that the four treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann would be guarded by four people, called the four corners.
Anastasia counted on her fingers. “So I know the Guardian, that’s John, and the Warrior is Ivy; I’m the Seeker, but we need to find the Mage. Can you call the council? Do you think they’ll know who that is?”
Birdie shot a surprised look to Fiona. “Impossible.”
Anastasia stared at them. “Why? Do you know who it is?”
Fiona was thrilled. “We certainly do.”
“Who?”
Fiona beamed. “Your grandmother.”
A sly smile crept across Anastasia’s face. “Well, isn’t this an interesting turn of events.”
Before Birdie could process what that meant, Chance called from the hallway. “Mrs. Geraghty? Stacy?”
“In here, Chance.”
He popped his head into the room and said, “Hey, baby, you feeling better?”
Anastasia rushed into his arms and kissed him. “Much better, thank you.”
Chance said, “Glad to hear it. By the way, do you know why Leo is sleeping in a rug outside?”
Anastasia turned around, a bemused look on her face. “Really?”
Birdie simply shrugged.
Lolly said, “Looks like the charm has worn off. Let’s eat.”
Chance said, “What charm?”
Anastasia’s phone chirped as everyone left the room. She paused, looked at the screen. “Did one of you cut Monique’s hair?” she asked.
Fiona and Lolly fluttered away.
Anastasia trained her eyes on her grandmother.
“Who’s Monique?” Birdie asked.
Chapter 17
I decided against telling Birdie about my encounter with her as a child. Ever. If she remembered it, she gave no indication, so I felt it best not to stir that pot. Or, in this case, the cauldron. I couldn’t help but notice, though, the perplexed look on her face every time she glanced at my locket.
I tucked it into my dress when she went to brew the coffee. Until I knew myself who had given it to me, there was no point in discussing my new amulet.
Whatever charm the aunts had slipped my dinner guests had apparently left them with no recollection of the event. Leo kept looking around the patio, as if he had no idea what he was doing there. His hair was in shambles, his shirt rumpled, and I wondered why they’d felt it necessary to roll him up in a rug, but decided it best to question Birdie on that later. Luckily, we’d unwrapped him before he came to, and Birdie thanked him for joining us for supper the moment he opened his eyes, as if that had been the plan all along.
Derek couldn’t stop fidgeting. He looked like a mouse caught in a maze. I wasn’t sure what his voodoo aunt was into, but from the looks of him, it was some pretty freaky stuff. Gus cheerfully chatted away as Cinnamon devoured every last bit of the cheesy scalloped potatoes. Tony’s adoration for his wife sprouted every fifteen seconds, or whenever she reached for something. I thought it was sweet. I suspected Cin found it rather annoying, the way her eyes narrowed when he asked if she needed anything for the umpteenth time.
And then there was Chance.
He had a shine in his eyes that night that made him even more dazzling than usual. They held mine for ages at a time, melting me into a pool of passion with each gaze. Despite all the warmth and love at the table, I wished everyone would just go home so I could curl up in his arms and get lost in his heartbeat until the sunrise.
I hated knowing that beginning tomorrow, I wouldn’t be seeing him for a while. There was no telling how long I’d be gone. Days? Weeks? Only that I had to do this, and I had to do it without him. My independence was something he always appreciated, but would he accept me for who I was now? It would strain any relationship, this kind of pressure. As loving as Chance was, he was still a man of confidence and pride. Would he feel threatened by the role I’d inherited? Would he put up with my running off whenever the call came?
Jesus, Stacy, get a grip. You’re not Batman.
A few hou
rs later, after the presents had been opened and the dishes put away, Leo and Gus thanked us for dinner and left. I pulled Cinnamon aside to tell her about the trip.
“Don’t worry about a thing. Mama, Tony, and I will keep an eye on the property. We’ll check messages and arrange for any bookings that come through.” She smiled at me and grabbed my shoulders. “You just bring your mother home.”
“I will.”
I had a quick discussion with Derek, explaining that my plans had changed. I made up a story about an incapacitated relative who needed help, which was mostly true. He said he’d just bump up the time frame on Monique’s column, and I tried not to cringe.
I told Birdie and the aunts I would see them in the morning. Left the sword and the rest of the magical tools—both the ones I stashed in a carry-on bag and the ones I received as gifts—back at the house. Chance helped me gather the other presents, and we strolled the short distance to the cottage, Thor leading the way.
Chance unlocked the door. I unloaded the gifts from his arms and put them on the couch. There was a vase in the cupboard, so I pulled it out, filled it with water, and arranged the roses he bought me—twenty-nine plus one for good luck. Thirty total. Birdie would approve.
When I turned around, he was staring at me wistfully.
“What?” I asked.
“You’re beautiful.”
I looked down at my dress. Miraculously, I had managed to keep it spotless through everything.
“Thank you. Lolly made this for me.” I twirled, and the skirt billowed around my legs.
He sauntered forward. “I’m not talking about the dress.”
He picked me up, his arms sliding down the curvature of my body until my toes touched the ground again. His mouth found mine, and I curled my fingers through his hair, kissing him with all the intensity of a sailor about to be shipped off to sea.
Heat tingled through me as his hands found the cord that secured the bodice of the gown. Gently, he tugged. The knot unraveled, exposing my breasts. As his lips traveled the length of my neck, his hand found my nipple and gave it a gentle pinch. I cried out as the blaze beneath my dress exploded into a bonfire of ravenous wanting.
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