Kenzie turned in her seat and handed Calum a twenty. “For tickets to the game and the dance.”
Calum looked at her, a protest forming on his lips. “Enough is enough,” said Kenzie. “The school year is moving right along and you’re not a part of it.”
“But I don’t want to go to the game, or the dance. I wouldn’t even know who to ask,” said Calum.
Kenzie glanced out of the window and pointed. “How about her? She looks nice.”
Calum looked up. Kenzie was pointing to a girl with red glossy hair. Riley Sloan.
Hagen snickered.
“Yuck it up, Hagen, but the twenty covers both of your tickets,” said Kenzie.
“A chance to see Neal Sloan get creamed on the field? Sounds good to me,” said Hagen. He snatched the bill from Calum’s hand and climbed out of the back seat. “Thanks, Kenzie.”
“Traitor,” Calum called after him.
“I know it’s been hard on you this year not being able to see Laurel, but once you get on with your life, you’ll find things will get a little easier every day,” said Kenzie. “You don’t have to ask anyone to the dance. Just go. Give it a try, okay?”
“Okay,” said Calum, groaning. He slid across the back seat and caught up with Hagen.
“So, you gonna ask Riley?” asked Hagen. “I mean your mom did pick her out for you and all.”
“I was actually thinking about it, but I know how it would break your heart if I did.”
Hagen gave him a playful shove as they made their way through the front doors. For a moment, Calum’s mood lifted. He’d missed bantering with Hagen about trivial things and he thought maybe Kenzie was right.
In homeroom, everyone talked excitedly about the homecoming dance. Calum was relieved to learn most of the seventh graders were going without dates. He and Hagen made plans to meet Kirby Dare and Susie Turnbill, and go as a group. Since the dance was right after the football game, it was a casual event, no need for a suit and tie. Calum thought it would be fun to hang out with his friends again and he began to look forward to the football game.
Calum, Hagen, Kirby, and Susie found seats together on the aluminum bleachers that bordered the football field. They watched raptly as the evenly matched Longwood Lions and Rantoul Ravens battled for the lead. It was a close game with the winner declared during the final minutes. Calum couldn’t help but cheer along with the crowd as Neal Sloan of all people ran forty yards to secure the last touchdown in the game. The Lions won 24–21. The bleachers rattled with the stomping feet of nearly all of Longwood’s students. After the game, many students were reluctant to leave the stands, wanting to savor their victory just a little longer. The temperature had dropped to a chilly forty-five degrees during the game. Calum zipped up his jacket and joined his friends at the concession stand. They bought cups of hot chocolate to warm them on their walk back to the main building.
The music in the multipurpose room seemed mild compared to the screams of the football stands. The divider between the room and the cafeteria had been rolled away to accommodate a large dance floor. The lights were low and long streamers decorated the deejay’s booth that was set up on the stage. He was playing a slow song and the dance floor held only a few couples who turned in circles to the music. Calum had a hard time recognizing any of the dancers in the faint light. The darkness seemed to give him courage and he wondered if he’d have the guts to ask Kirby or Susie for a dance. The song ended and another began immediately. It was a line dance Calum had learned in elementary school. He thought it a stupid choice until he was nearly knocked over when everyone rushed past him to the dance floor. He smiled and joined the crowd. Calum even stayed on the dance floor when Kirby asked him to dance to the next song. This whole dance thing isn’t so bad, he thought.
Calum felt thirsty after a few dances with Kirby and they both agreed to a break. As they left the dance floor, Calum noticed Hagen and Susie were dancing far away from the rest of the crowd. Calum smiled and followed Kirby to the refreshment stand. They carried ice-cold drinks and a box of popcorn to one of the long tables.
The music was too loud for conversation and so they sat in silence eating handfuls of the popcorn. Susie joined them, staying just long enough to drag Kirby to the girls’ room. They scampered away from the table, arms around each other’s waists, giggling wildly.
Calum shook his head and took another sip of his soda. He was startled when a girl he didn’t know sat beside him. Saying nothing, she pressed a note into his hand. He took it and watched as she disappeared into the crowd.
Calum unfolded the note and read the neat print: Music storage room. He thought this was a prank and looked around to see if anyone was watching him. He saw Hagen at the back of the long line for sodas. He seemed to be avoiding Riley, who tried to get his attention while waiting behind him in the line. Calum read the note again and wondered if Susie, or more likely Kirby, was up to something. He smiled, put his drink down and headed out of the dance hall.
The storage room was relatively unknown by most students. It was situated between the chorus room and the multipurpose room, and provided access to the backstage area. Calum had learned about the storage room’s existence when he helped stack chairs there after an orchestra concert.
“Ha, ha. Very funny, Kirby,” said Calum when he entered the darkened room. The door closed behind him and he fumbled for the light switch. A bright light flooded the room, causing Calum to blink. When he opened his eyes, he found himself face to face with Laurel.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, quickly shutting off the lights. “Trying to get us caught?” The room darkened again, except for streams of light from the parking lot.
“What am I doing? What are you doing?” asked Calum. “Someone gave me a note to come here,” he said, bewildered by this turn of events.
“Not what are you doing right now,” said Laurel, throwing her arms up in exasperation. “I sent you the note. I’m talking about this.” She thrust a thumb-sized glass bottle into his hands.
Calum held the bottle up in a shaft of light. It had a round bottom and a tall neck. It was filled with black seeds kept in place with a tiny cork. “Where did you get this?”
“Come on, Calum,” said Laurel. “Obviously you or Hagen put it in the baby’s room.”
“Laurel, we didn’t,” said Calum. “I promise.”
Laurel studied his face, then without warning she burst into tears. “If it wasn’t you or Hagen, then who?” She flung her arms around him. “Oh, Calum.”
“Shh, it’s okay,” he said, trying to console her. He waited a few minutes, listening to the muted thumps of the music in the next room. He briefly imagined swaying on the dance floor with her. Maybe next dance.
Laurel stepped back and wiped her face with the back of her hand. “I found the bottle this morning on the nightstand beside the crib. I thought you put it there. But if you guys didn’t, that means another Sidhe did.” She collapsed onto one of the chairs stored haphazardly in the room. “My parents have gone all out to keep me and Daniel away from you and Hagen, away from all Sidhe, but no matter what, one has still gotten in.”
“At least we know it wasn’t a dark Sidhe,” said Calum. He told her about Donnelly keeping watch over her house. “So you can relax. There haven’t been any dark Sidhe in the area.”
“That may be true, but this means someone has still come into our house.”
Calum looked more closely at the bottle. There was a tiny symbol etched into the neck. “That looks familiar.” He turned the bottle over to get a better angle and saw a face with an exaggerated forehead, similar to the busts Calum had seen on a museum field trip. “It’s from the Abatta.”
“The who?”
“The Abatta. They’re an African clan. One of them must have put this in the baby’s room.”
“But why?” asked Laurel, worry creeping into her voice.
“It’s okay,” said Calum. “It’s a protection herb. It’s something the
Abatta give new parents to protect their babies from…” He faltered and Laurel looked at him anxiously. “Look, it’s harmless. All you do is sprinkle a little around the baby’s crib. It’s supposed to keep them healthy.”
“Do you know any of the Abatta clan?”
“No, not really. I mean I met a few of them last Halloween.” Calum had a brief flash that brought the answer to him. He knew who had put the herb in Laurel’s house, and it wasn’t an Abatta. A quick succession of taps on the door startled him.
“It’s just Brie,” said Laurel.
Calum looked confused.
“The girl who gave you the note,” she said, rising from the chair. “She’s letting me know that my dad’s on the way. I’ve got to get going.”
“Hang on, Laurel,” said Calum. “When’s the baby due?”
“December twenty-first.” Laurel walked quickly to the door and grabbed the doorknob. Without looking back, she said, “I’m working on them, Calum. Don’t give up on me.” She eased the door open and slipped out of the room.
“I won’t,” Calum said to the darkness of the empty room. How can I when you’re supposed to help me find Finley? He glanced at his watch. The dance was almost over. Hagen.
“I think I’m a bad influence on you,” Hagen said, appearing beside Calum. “But you can’t go calling me like that in the middle of the school.”
“Sorry, I didn’t think I had time to look for you in the crowd. Besides, it’s so dark in there, I doubt anyone noticed.” He gave Hagen a grin. “Except maybe Riley.”
“You saw that, huh?”
“Yeah. What did she want anyway?”
“She wanted me to dance with her,” said Hagen. “Can you believe it?”
Calum burst out laughing.
“Shut up,” said Hagen, socking him on the arm.
“Sorry,” said Calum, his laughter subsiding.
“So, why did you call me here?” asked Hagen, clearly trying to change the subject.
“Outside,” said Calum, shaking his head. They made their way to the parking lot where a long line of cars stretched down the street, headlights shining like fireflies. They waited in the chilly air far from the rest of the crowd. Calum texted Kenzie; he knew she’d be there within ten minutes to pick them up. He used this time to tell Hagen about his meeting with Laurel.
“You think Kenzie left the protection herb at Laurel’s? That doesn’t seem like something she’d do, you know, break into someone’s house and all.”
“I didn’t say she did it alone,” said Calum.
Hagen chuckled. “Well, that does sound like something Donnelly would do. I know he’s been bored watching Laurel’s house the past few months. I’ll bet he was happy to help Kenzie. Or, he probably did it himself. He’s good with things like that.”
“I’m sure he is,” said Calum. “But why did they do it?”
“One of the Abatta must have been here. They usually visit women just before they have their baby and give them the protection herb.”
“But the Abatta didn’t go to Laurel’s house. Kenzie did. I just know it.”
“Ask her about it,” said Hagen, shrugging his shoulders.
“No way. She’ll know Laurel and I were together and I’m supposed to be giving her ‘time.’ Remember? Besides, I think I know why Kenzie did it. Laurel said the baby was due December twenty-first.”
“The winter solstice,” said Hagen. “That makes sense. Any duine daonna born on a solstice or equinox has a greater chance of becoming a changeling.”
Calum hated that term. Changeling sounds so nice, so innocuous. It was the name Sidhe gave to a human who had been kidnapped and added to a faerie clan.
“I think there’s an excellent chance for this one,” said Calum. “Remember Brownshire muttering about the baby?”
“So what do we do next?”
“I have an idea. And I know who’ll be glad to help.” Calum nodded to the car stopping smoothly beside them. The passenger window rolled down, but Kenzie wasn’t behind the wheel.
“Hey, guys. How was the dance?” asked Donnelly.
“It was fun,” said Hagen, climbing into the car.
Calum followed him. “It was. But now we’d like to go fishing. Know where we can get some bait?”
A wide grin spread across Donnelly’s face. “I know just the spot.” He rolled up the window and drove away from the school into the darkness.
Chapter Nine
The Solstice
Mary Grace Werner was born on time on December 21. The entire Werner family had gone to Emerald Lake Memorial Hospital for her birth. This gave Calum, Hagen, and Donnelly the perfect opportunity to break into the Werner home.
“Let me show you how it’s done,” said Donnelly. Calum watched as a flurry of fennel shot out away from the doorjamb. A quick movement of his left hand caused the door to swing open on creaking hinges. “Too loud,” he whispered. Another movement caused the hinges to silence.
“Cool,” said Calum. He wondered if it was okay that he enjoyed this as much as he did.
“Yes, what would Kenzie do if she knew you were hanging with the Hobayeth, doing a little breaking and entering?” asked Hagen.
Calum laughed nervously.
“Don’t worry,” said Donnelly, a sly grin on his face. “She’s done it herself. We used to do it all the time. Still, it’s probably best we keep this between the three of us. I may be the black sheep in the family, but my cousin has the temper of a hundred Hobayeth.” He led the boys upstairs to the nursery. “Would you like to do the honors?” he asked, passing a blue vial to Calum.
Calum opened the vial and peered inside. An odorless solution floated halfway down the neck. A small brush was attached to the inside of the lid. The whole thing looked much like the nail polish Calum had seen in Brytes’ room. He dipped the brush into the liquid and drew some out. It was clear, with just a hint of a translucent shimmer. “Is there enough here?”
“It only takes a little,” said Donnelly. “Paint a thin coating of it all the way around the tops of the crib’s rails. And whatever you do, don’t spill it on yourself.” Donnelly raised his left hand and the window opened. He made a slight pushing motion and the screen popped off.
With shaking hands, Calum did as his uncle instructed. He found there was more than enough liquid to paint a fine line along the top of the crib. When he finished, he recapped the vial and returned it to Donnelly.
“Why didn’t you use this to trap a brownie at the Hobayeth Mound?” asked Hagen.
“Because this herb has a highly specific purpose. It will trap a brownie, but only one who’s interested in changelings. Be glad it is so specific. Otherwise, our party would get too big. We only need to catch one of them.”
Donnelly suddenly crouched into a defensive stance. Calum and Hagen flanked him, prepared to strike.
Three hideous creatures crawled through the open window, nasty gurgling noises coming from deep within their throats. They were greasy, filthy, and had sickening bronze-colored skin. The fattest took a tentative step toward them. He sniffed the air and straightened, standing eye to eye with Donnelly. The brownie stared at him for a few moments before stepping back quickly, as if he’d seen something terrifying in Donnelly’s gaze.
“What is this?” he snarled.
Donnelly stepped closer to him. “Hello, Warren. I thought you were out of the Additions business. You aren’t by any chance working for my father, are you?”
The two other brownies scurried like fat rats out the open window.
“I work for no one,” said Warren. “Especially not a Sidhe.”
Donnelly raised an eyebrow. “I think that’s about to change.”
Warren drew back to punch Donnelly in the face, missing him by a fraction of an inch when Donnelly disappeared, then reappeared as Warren’s fist flew past.
“You brownies are all alike,” said Donnelly. “Too slow and too stupid to catch anyone. I’m amazed you were able to follow the scent here at al
l.”
Warren charged at Donnelly who vanished on the spot, reappearing on the opposite side of the room. Unable to stop in time, Warren crashed loudly into the wall and fell to the floor. Calum wondered if the brownie would give up and leave.
“He won’t,” said Donnelly. “His pride’s at stake now. He’ll fight to the end.”
Warren struggled to get to his feet. Hagen grabbed an elephant figurine from a nearby shelf and brought it down swiftly on Warren’s head, knocking the brownie back a few steps.
In the next second, Donnelly was on him. It was a brief but savage fight and in the end the brownie was left on the floor with a bloodied face. Donnelly backed away from the squat man. Calum thought he did so reluctantly.
“Give him a minute,” said Donnelly, barely winded from his ordeal. “He’s still thinking about fighting me. Hardheaded fool.” He kicked the brownie sharply in the ribs.
Warren groaned in response, and lay quietly on the floor for several long minutes. Calum worried Laurel’s family would return before they had a chance to clear out.
“They won’t be back tonight,” said Donnelly. “They’re all staying at the hospital.”
Warren sat up slowly, a look of defeat obvious in his expression.
“That’s better,” said Donnelly. “Now, if you will be so kind as to answer just one question. Does the phrase fero tuti latum mean anything to you?”
Calum held his breath, hoping to finally learn the secret of Brownshire’s verse.
“What?” Warren asked. He shook his head quickly as if trying to clear cobwebs from his mind. “Never heard of it,” he grumbled.
“That’s disappointing,” said Donnelly, his voice like ice water. “I’d hoped you would be a little more helpful.” He stared into Warren’s dull gray eyes. “But you can still be of some use. You will tell all of your associates this house is off limits. All of them except for Brownshire. You will find him and convince him that taking this baby will get him back on Torin’s good side.”
Calum felt a sudden chill and tried to shake it off.
“After you tell Brownshire about the baby you will forget everything that happened here tonight,” Donnelly continued. “All you will remember is a strong feeling that you and your friends should stay away from this house. Do you understand?” Donnelly tilted his head and looked at the brownie.
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