Kenzie pulled into the garage and parked. “Show Laurel where to put her things then introduce Buster and Whisper. Hopefully, they’ll get along.”
Calum led Laurel inside and up a winding staircase. “Your room’s up here. It’s the one Hagen’s sister uses when they stay over.”
The room was quite large. Two full-sized sleigh beds covered with matching pink bedspreads made an L in one corner. A dressing table with a pale pink skirt stood in the opposite corner.
Calum thought the room was way too girly. “I hope it’s okay.”
“Are you kidding?” asked Laurel. “It’s so pretty.”
“The bathroom’s over there,” Calum pointed to a door beside the window. He set her suitcase down, and Laurel opened Whisper’s carrier. The cat darted from the room and down the stairs in a black-and-white blur.
“Come on,” said Calum. “I’ll show you where everything else is.” He led her to the third floor. “This is my room.”
An oversized sleigh bed sat in the middle of the room. An open laptop on the desk flashed a screen saver of three young boys, arms draped around each other’s shoulders, huge grins on their faces. Calum, Hagen, and Finley. Calum smiled, remembering the day the picture was taken, but then he noticed a pair of underwear sticking out one of the drawers in his armoire. He roughly closed his bedroom door, hoping Laurel hadn’t seen them.
“My parent’s room is over there.” He nodded to a closed door at the end of the hall.
Kenzie called from the base of the stairs. “Calum, would you please get some oregano for the spaghetti sauce?”
“It’s in the sunroom,” said Calum. “I’ll show you.”
The sunroom smelled of damp soil and was full of vegetables, fruit plants, and delicate herbs. Windows stretched from floor to ceiling, bathing the room in warm sunshine. Calum grabbed a pair of small scissors and cut leaves off one of the many tender plants.
“That’s strange,” said Laurel. “My mom said grown cats don’t usually make friends right away. She said our cats might even fight, but look at those two.”
Calum glanced at the loveseat where Buster and Whisper sat side by side, sharing a patch of sunlight. A low rumbling distracted him. “That’s the garage door. My dad’s home.”
He led Laurel to the kitchen where, to his horror, he found his parents kissing. Calum blushed deeply as he put the oregano leaves into a small white dish.
“Now, my mind’s running crooked today,” said Gus, turning away from Kenzie. Although he was Southern, Gus didn’t normally have a trace of an accent. He did, however, reserve a special Southern drawl for times that provided maximum embarrassment for Calum. This was one of those times.
“Who’s this young lady? She ain’t your wife, is she?” he asked in a fake country-boy accent.
Calum responded by turning three darker shades of red.
“Nah, that can’t be right,” said his country dad, scratching his head. “I don’t remember goin’ to your weddin’. Maybe she’s that move star—Starry McStar.”
“Funny, Dad,” said Calum. “You know it’s Laurel.”
“Of course,” said Gus in his normal voice. He shook Laurel’s hand. “You make yourself right at home. But you’ll have to excuse me. I have to get the yard mowed before supper, or the boss won’t feed me.” He winked at Laurel before leaving the kitchen.
“Your dad’s funny,” whispered Laurel.
“Yeah. Super hysterical,” said Calum.
An hour later, they all enjoyed their meal outside on the deck. Wrecks lay under the table, noisily chewing a stick to pieces. “Cut it out, Wrecks,” said Calum. “We’ll play fetch after supper.”
“Mrs. Ranson…” said Laurel.
“Call me Kenzie.”
“Okay.” Laurel smiled at her. “Kenzie, I saw some wooden sticks in a vase in the game room. Are those for Wrecks?”
Calum gave his mom a quick glance. He had forgotten to put them away before Laurel arrived.
“Nope, they’re not for Wrecks. They’re for us. Those are Particulars and they’re actually quite rare. That set has been in our family for almost a hundred years,” said Kenzie.
“What are they used for?” asked Laurel.
“They predict the future,” said Kenzie matter-of-factly.
Gus coughed and looked at her in disbelief.
“Cool,” said Laurel. “How do they work?”
“Go get ’em and I’ll show you,” said Kenzie.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Gus asked as soon as Laurel was out of earshot.
“It’s fine,” said Kenzie. “She’ll think it’s just a game. Besides, I’m curious about her.”
Laurel returned and set a green vase on the table. It was filled with wooden twigs in varying lengths and colors. Some straight, others twisted.
“Draw the one that calls to you,” said Kenzie.
Laurel examined the twigs and chose a honey-colored one that was thinner than the rest.
“This makes sense,” said Kenzie. “Secrets. You’re going to tell one and learn one.”
“So cool,” said Laurel. “Are the predictions always the same? I mean for the same person, or if I do it again will I get a different prediction?”
“No,” said Kenzie. “It depends on a lot of things: the date, the moon’s phase, who’s drawing the twig, and what’s in their heart.”
“You do it, Calum,” said Laurel.
Calum shrugged. He’d done this hundreds of times, but it had been awhile. Calum studied the twigs and drew a yellow one decorated with golden circles. He handed it to Kenzie.
Her eyes met Calum’s as she said, “Rescue.”
Calum stared at the twig.
Finley?
Wi
On Wednesday, business was slow due to a messy, drizzling rain. Calum sighed as he and Laurel finished their third game of chess. Although he enjoyed getting to know Laurel, having her beside him all day had severely limited his ability to use his talents. Everything seemed to take so much longer; cleaning up the store before going home, washing dishes, and other chores all cut into Calum’s free time. He hadn’t really thought about how often he used his talents, and even though they were sometimes unpredictable, he found life was dull without them.
He glanced at Kenzie hopelessly. Nothing to do.
“I’ve got something for you guys.” Kenzie rummaged through a drawer in the checkout desk. “I bought these for a day like today. Two tickets to Wings Theater to see Stencils.”
Calum was impressed by his mother’s talents. He knew the tickets weren’t there when he made change for Mrs. Pennysmith. For once, Kenzie’s mind-reading ability proved helpful.
Kenzie gave him the tickets, and pulled two ten dollar bills from the cash register. “For snacks,” she said, handing one to Calum and Laurel.
“Awesome,” said Calum. “I heard that’s a cool movie.”
“Thanks, Mrs…I mean, Kenzie.” Laurel reached out her arms to hug her, but hesitated.
Kenzie pulled her into a gentle embrace. “You’re welcome. If you leave right now, you might just make the next showing.”
Calum and Laurel rushed out of Siopa Leabhar, ran down the sidewalk, and right into a long line of people waiting to buy tickets. “It’s not a good day for sightseeing. So many tourists,” said Calum, looking at the unfamiliar faces.
“But we can go straight in,” Laurel said brightly. “We already have our tickets.”
As she pulled Calum by the hand, it occurred to him that he had never been to the movies with a girl before. Well, he’d been with Hagen’s little sister, but that wasn’t the same. Laurel released Calum’s hand as they stood before the concession stand menu.
“Everything’s so expensive,” said Laurel.
“We could split a popcorn,” Calum suggested automatically. He and his cousins often did this at the theater. Calum’s face flushed. She’s gonna think that’s weird.
“Yeah, let’s. And let’s split one of those big sodas,
too. We can use the rest of our money on candy.” Laurel grinned at him.
Calum and Laurel filled up on popcorn, licorice, and chocolates as they watched the movie. Calum wished he’d brought a light jacket. It always got so cold in the theater. But he warmed up when Laurel lifted the dividing armrest to sit closer to him during the scary parts of the film. When the movie was over, the tourists left in cars with license plates from nearby states, and Calum and Laurel walked back to Siopa Leabhar.
“That was pretty good,” said Calum.
“Yeah, but all that stuff about copying people is kinda creepy,” said Laurel.
They walked a few minutes in silence when a foul odor filled Calum’s nostrils. He looked around and then up at the clouds. “Something’s wrong. The air smells funny, and it’s so sticky.” He pulled his T-shirt away from his chest where sweat had caused it to cling to him. “There’s gonna come a storm.”
As they continued walking, they unconsciously moved closer together. Calum realized they were alone on the street. Not one bird chirped, or even one fly buzzed near them. He jumped when he felt Laurel take his hand. Calum saw the awning at Siopa Leabhar, but it seemed miles away. It was too quiet.
“Calum,” called a gruff voice. Frank appeared in the doorway of Bat’s. “You two get in here. Now!”
The silence broke with an ear-splitting roar. Calum felt Frank’s strong hands as Laurel’s scream matched the roaring noise. Frank shoved him inside Bat’s, herding them downstairs to the cellar where several other people were already huddled. Frank nearly landed on them when he came thundering down the steps. Calum and Laurel squeezed into the room. Out of the corner of his eye, Calum saw Frank move quickly to Helen’s side and put his arm around her. Someone prayed softly in the musty room. The only light went out, plunging them all into total blackness. The windows rattled until Calum thought they would burst, but it was over in ninety seconds. It was over before Calum had a chance to catch his breath or understand what had even happened. The light flicked back on.
“Are you two all right?” asked Frank. Calum and Laurel nodded. “A tornado. I can’t believe it. I don’t think we’ve ever had one.”
“Not as long as I can remember,” said Helen.
“How did you know we were out there?” asked Laurel.
“I didn’t. I just had a feeling someone needed help,” said Frank.
Kenzie.
“I’ve got to go check on my mom.” Calum bolted up the stairs and out the door, Frank huffing loudly behind him, trying to catch up. Once outside, Calum stopped dead in his tracks. He looked up and down the street. Aside from a few overturned potted plants in front of Hiller Hardware, nothing looked out of place. Laurel and Frank joined him on the sidewalk.
“Are you sure it was a tornado?” asked Calum.
“I grew up in Illinois,” said Frank. “We used to have ’em all the time. The sky turned green and it got muggy. Everything was right for a tornado, except…”
“Except what?” asked Laurel.
“Hail. Now that I think about it, there wasn’t any hail.”
Kenzie walked toward them, looking curiously calm for someone who had just experienced a tornado. Calum noticed the potted plants righted themselves, spilled soil streaming back into the pots, as his mother approached.
Kenzie looked directly into Frank’s eyes. “That was some freak storm, wasn’t it?”
“I’ll say,” said Frank, with a dazed look. “Some freak storm.”
“He got us into the cellar just in time,” said Laurel.
“Thank you, Frank,” said Kenzie, still holding the man’s gaze.
“No problem. Although it looks like it wasn’t necessary. Strange, blustery weather,” Frank said, shaking his head as he returned to his ice-cream shop.
That was no storm, thought Calum. Why did you make Frank think it was?
Kenzie looked at him and shook her head. “I’m glad you guys are okay. Your mom would probably kill me if I returned you in less than perfect shape, Laurel. Which will be sooner than you thought.” Kenzie smiled. “Your dad called. They got back from Virginia right after you two left for the movie.”
“All right! I mean, it was fun staying with you guys, but…”
“Don’t be silly. I know what you mean,” said Kenzie.
“Is that our truck?” asked Calum. He pointed to a gray king cab parked in front of Siopa Leabhar.
“I asked your dad to bring Laurel’s things and Whisper,” said Kenzie. “Business is so slow today. I thought we’d close up early and take Laurel home.”
Something’s wrong, thought Calum. Kenzie never closed early. She believed regular hours were the key to regular customers. His mind raced with suspicion. What’s going on? He looked at her for an explanation.
Kenzie mouthed the words, “Not now.”
Calum felt her following closely behind him as they walked down the sidewalk.
At the bookstore, Gus was leaning on his truck, holding Wreck’s leash. The dog strained to get to Calum. “Unusual weather we’re having,” said Gus, handing the leash to his son.
Calum looked up at the clear blue sky as he and Laurel climbed into the cab. Wrecks clumsily jumped in, first trying to sit on Calum’s lap, and then settling between Calum and Laurel. Whisper was in his crate, strapped in the front seat. He started his symphony of angry cat expressions as soon as Gus cranked the engine.
When they arrived at Laurel’s house, Gus had barely stopped in the driveway before Laurel jumped out. She hurried up the brick walkway and through the front door calling, “Mom, Dad, I’m home.”
Calum and his parents followed her, carrying her belongings. Calum set Whisper’s crate down just inside the door. The home had a warm feel, and a spicy vanilla scent played at Calum’s nose. Stacks of unpacked boxes blocked the foyer.
“I’m Rob,” said Laurel’s dad, maneuvering through clutter. He was quite tall and had reddish brown hair. His eyes were a lighter blue than Laurel’s, but they held a deep sadness. He shook Gus’ hand. “Thanks for making Andrea and Laurel feel so welcome here.”
“No problem,” said Gus.
“Everything settled?” asked Kenzie.
“We’re getting there,” said Andrea. “Come on in. We’re taking a break.”
“I wish we could, but we’ve got to get going,” said Kenzie. “Calum’s cousins are coming home from Ireland. They should be here anytime.”
Hagen’s coming come today? Calum tried not to look surprised by this news.
“Can we have a rain check?” asked Gus.
“Of course,” said Andrea.
“Guess we’ll see you at Talent Night then.” Gus ushered Calum toward the door.
“Looking forward to it,” said Rob.
Calum gave Laurel a half-hearted wave as they walked outside. The Ranson family climbed back into their truck and drove home.
“Why is Hagen coming back early?” asked Calum.
“I called them,” said Kenzie.
Calum knew what that meant. His mother hadn’t called them by means of a telephone. There were no phones in the Otherworld with their clan, the Tusatha. Kenzie had used the calling, a secret form of Sidhe communication.
“But why did you call them? What’s going on?” asked Calum.
“I called them because you were right,” said Kenzie. “That was no storm.”
Chapter Four
The Reunion
Calum heard the Tusatha calling as he and his parents sat at the kitchen table, awaiting the arrival of the Dunbar family. “They’ll be here in a few seconds,” he said.
Although Gus couldn’t hear Sidhe calls, it was impossible for him to ignore his wife’s squeals of joy when the first of five people passed through an invisible threshold in their kitchen. Kenzie gave Tullia Dunbar a fierce hug, and the room came alive with the sound of simultaneous and fragmented conversation. “It’s about time,” “I’ve missed you,” and “Did you bring your schedule?” carried through the kitchen. After exchangi
ng hugs all around, the adults settled themselves at the table.
“Ceno,” said Kenzie. Cold cuts, various cheeses, thick baguettes, and small cakes filled an empty serving tray on the counter. Calum and Hagen took their time making sandwiches to eat in Calum’s room. Brytes and Will, Hagen’s little sister and brother, grabbed snacks and took off for the family room. Weeks without television had made them hungry in a different way.
“Tell us how everyone’s doing,” said Kenzie. “How are Aine and Connor?”
“Yes, how is the queen?” asked Gus.
“Gotta love the royal family,” said Donnelly Dunbar, wrapping his arm around his wife’s shoulder. He was tall like Gus, but Donnelly had a dark complexion and an intense nature.
“Mom’s fine,” said Tullia, tucking her black hair behind her ears. “She was a bit stressed when the Additions Law was up for review, but she’s good now.”
At this, Calum made a great show of getting sodas from the refrigerator and passing them to Hagen. The adults seem surprised to see the boys were still in the kitchen. Hagen excused himself and Calum followed, but he stopped in the hallway. He peered around the corner and continued to eavesdrop.
“I thought Additions were outlawed after Finley disappeared,” said Gus.
“They were actually outlawed an hour before he disappeared,” said Tullia. “But Sidhe laws are reinterpreted every seven years. The Summit was yesterday at the Foletti Mound.”
“There was some resistance from the usual suspects,” Donnelly said, disgusted. “But the law did pass again. So for now, it’s still illegal for Sidhe to add human children to their clans.”
“Call it what it is,” said Kenzie. “Kidnapping. You mean it’s still illegal for Sidhe to kidnap human children.”
“There was one small change to the law. An addendum,” said Tullia. “It’s now impossible for any Sidhe to stay inside a sealed mound for one hour.”
“Why the change?” asked Kenzie.
“To protect the merchants,” said Donnelly, using air quotes around the word.
“He’s talking about the black market,” Tullia explained. “We’ll never stop Sidhe who want trade with the dark clans; there’s just too much money to be made. But the new law will protect them inside a sealed mound.”
The Circle Page 4