“You don’t even try to make time for me. You make time for your friends.”
I struggled to keep my voice even. “I’m making time for you right now. What do you want to talk about?”
“Nothing!” She stood up and stomped out of the room. I heard her bedroom door slam shut.
I just managed not to keep from chasing after her and yelling back. She wouldn’t be a teenager for months, but she was starting to get the attitude down. It was hard not to be more than a little nostalgic for how close we’d been when we were kids and best friends, but we had both grown up since then, and maybe grown apart.
That afternoon, my mom came home from her store early and called me out to help her in the garden. There was still a gaping hole where three of the posts had fallen, pulling the wire fence down along with them. My dad would be the one to help her fix it later this weekend. For now, I was going to help her re-cast the spell that went along with it.
I watched her closely as she brought out the array of tools for the spell. I took note of each of the plants that she handed me: blackberry, mint, nasturtium, and catnip. She also had a small bottle of essential oil for each of us and a little baggie of salt. When I sniffed the oil, it smelled grassy and lemony at the same time.
I held out the bottle. “What’s in this?”
“That’s citronella. Insects don’t like it.”
We went along the border where the fence would go; she went east and I went west. Every three steps, I stopped, knelt, and dug a small hole. I placed a bit of each plant into the hole, then a few drops of the oil, and finally a pinch of salt. I tried to visualize all of the animals being driven away from our yard. They would be able to find plenty of other food in the woods.
When we were finished casting the spell, I handed the half-empty bottle of oil back to my mom. “I hope it holds this time.”
She looked up and down the gap. “When the fence is back up, this should be pretty secure.”
“No problem.” I bent and brushed dirt off of my jeans. “Hey, have you talked to Akasha lately about what’s bugging her?”
Mom frowned. “No, what’s wrong with her?”
I shrugged. “She’s just been saying that she doesn’t really like school this year, but she doesn’t want to talk to me about it much.” I rubbed the back of my head. “She’s been writing in her diary a lot.”
Mom sighed. “I’ll take care of it.” She turned back toward the house. “I’ve got to get cleaned up and start dinner before you leave. You did finish all of your homework, right?”
“Yeah, it’s all done.”
I went in after her and jumped in the shower. After that, while I was waiting for my hair to dry before I could get dressed up, I went downstairs to look for a drink.
I found Mom sitting at the kitchen table alone. Akasha’s diary was open in front of her. Akasha had disappeared to another part of the house.
I stopped short in the doorway. “Mom, what are you doing? That’s her private diary!”
Mom closed the book and looked up at me. “Don’t yell, Rosamunde, I’m right here. You were the one concerned about your sister. I’m just finding out what’s wrong.”
“I told you to talk to her about it!” I walked over and reached across the table for the book. “You can’t just go snooping like that, she’ll hate it. She freaked out when she thought I might look in there.”
Mom picked up the book and stood up from the table, holding it away from me. “I’m not a big sister who is going to tease her about the book, I’m her mother. I need to know the truth so that I can help her.”
I folded my arms. “That’s ridiculous. Being her mother doesn’t make you entitled to go through her stuff. Some things have to stay private.”
“Some day when you’re a mother, maybe you’ll understand that a child’s privacy is not as important as her safety.” Mom put the diary down on the table and walked away.
I ran upstairs and looked around my own room. How many things did I have that I didn’t want my mom seeing? Letters from Lindsey, my books of poetry—where could I hide them that Mom wouldn’t find them? Somewhere that she would never think to look. The underwear drawer was too obvious, and so was under the bed.
Then I saw my school bag sitting open on my desk. Maybe I could take them to school and hide them in my locker.
To keep them safe until Monday, I slipped them inside my text books. I made sure that my notebook full of homework was on top of the stack, just in case Mom wanted to check that I’d finished my assignments. Hopefully that would be good for a few days at least.
After the family dinner, I got dressed in a hurry. I always wear the same dress for any kind of special occasion. My mom made it for my thirteenth birthday, and I think that it’s perfect: the fabric is soft against my skin, a bright blue cotton blend, and the design is simple, with little puffed short sleeves and a long, full skirt. Last year my mom had to let out the bust area a little because it was growing tight, but otherwise it fits me perfectly. I did most of my growing at the end of elementary school and now I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’m not getting any taller.
I had to rush because I was stopping on my way to pick up Heather, and her house was in the opposite direction of Count Duncan’s estate.
It takes a certain amount of concentration to fly on a broomstick, especially because I live in an area known for very large trees. I had to be careful because of my dress. But flying is a feeling like none other, and once you’ve seen the view from up on a broom, it’s worth any annoying things that you have to deal with when flying.
I maneuvered the broom up between the trees that surround my family’s house and then floated up into a sky that was painted in the golds and pinks of an early autumn sunset. The sun was sinking below the horizon, and the pale crescent moon, which was almost half full, was also in the west, although still high up in the sky: it would still be up for a few more hours. There, I paused for just a moment to take a deep breath and enjoy the lovely sight.
Then I bent low over the broomstick and zipped over the ridge. The wind blew my cape so that it flapped and billowed out behind me, sending a shiver of cool air down my spine. A few birds veered out of my way as I passed them, but otherwise the sky was clear.
Below me, the road wound back and forth across the mountain sides, but I flew straight, to the north and a little bit west. The sun was setting over my left shoulder, but it would be in our faces coming back from Heather’s house; I hoped that it wouldn’t bother her too much.
I flew fast until I was near Heather’s street. Then I had to slow down to a cruise because it was harder to recognize her house from above. I remembered that we had turned left there, and then there was a large oak tree—ah, there it was. It looked the same as the last two times I’d dropped her off, with all of the curtains closed in the windows, no cars in the driveway, and the garage door closed. It looked as if there was nobody home.
I landed lightly in her front yard, adjusted the cape on my shoulders, and walked up to ring the doorbell.
Heather answered the door. She was wearing a long, dark purple formal gown, and her black hair was swept up into an elaborate mass of curls that must have taken a long time to arrange. She was also wearing a heavy amount of make-up on top of her pale skin, sparkling amethyst jewelry, and a corsage of white roses.
I smiled. “You look like you’re going to be crowned prom queen.”
She looked down and smoothed the dress self-consciously. “Is it too much? I didn’t know what was appropriate, and then my mom wanted to help me get ready—”
I shook my head, then peered over her shoulder into the darkened house. “Are your parents here?”
Heather stepped outside and pulled the door closed behind her. “They’re resting. They don’t like being, um, active before dark. They also asked if I could try to be home by one.”
“Oh, of course.” I was still learning vampire etiquette. “Do you have a jacket? It can be a little cold flying.”<
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“Oops. Wait here.” Heather went back inside the house. A minute later she came back wearing a white lace shawl over her shoulders and clutching a small white dress purse. “Now I have everything.”
I eyed the delicate shawl, doubting that it would keep Heather warm. “That looks very—pretty,” I said. “Well, try not to drop anything.”
I stepped down off the porch into the yard and sat down on my broom. Heather stood there and stared at me helplessly.
I pointed to the space beside me. “It’s easier to fly side-saddle, as they say, instead of astride, when you’re wearing a long skirt. If you sit here sidelong, but facing the other way, then you can hold onto me and keep your balance. It’s easier the second time.”
Her look told me that she wasn’t any more confident than she had been the day before, but she approached the broom and sat down gingerly. I kept the broom perfectly steady. “That’s it,” I said. “Make sure you’re centered. Now put your arms around my waist, and hold on tight.”
Her corsage tickled as it brushed the underside of my arm when she slid her arms around my waist. I lifted my right arm and put it around her. Confident that she was secure, I glided the broom up slowly until we were above the tree tops.
The sunset was also beautiful with all of its shifting colors. I’d arranged us on the broom so that Heather would be facing a little away, instead of looking directly into the sun, so I hoped that she could appreciate it without being uncomfortable.
I turned the broom southeast and flew us off to the Faerie Court on Quiggs Mountain.
Doe’s Rest Castle was a tall, sprawling complex of mismatched buildings. It had never been a true fortress, so there were no walls and guard towers and moats with drawbridges; it was very open, and the grounds surrounding the castle were filled with meadows, gardens, and tree groves. The complex was nestled into the side of the mountain, and the peak was left open for the Grove.
The Victorian mansion stood as the centerpiece of the complex with tall, peaked roofs and four stories of stone walls punctuated with stained glass windows. Each story shrank smaller than the previous. Wide balconies displayed colorful banners and ribbons fluttering in the breeze in honor of the party.
Around the mansion, there were smaller buildings of different architectural styles. One small stone building to the side had been the count’s first home. Next to that, the original barn also stood, a simple wooden structure. Beyond that were the new stables, several open fields, and the old library.
On the other side of the mansion, there were small houses for the staff, three swimming pools, a three-level concrete garage, the main kitchens, and an enormous greenhouse. In the back were the newest buildings: a gymnasium, additional guest quarters in the style of an upscale hunting lodge, and the new library still under construction.
I felt Heather, holding onto my waist behind me on the broom, catch her breath at the sight. I smiled, glad that she got to see it, too.
“It’s so big,” Heather said.
“Yeah, Count Duncan and his wife, Serafina, keep adding on to it.” I smiled. “Hold on tight, we’re going in for a landing.”
After circling around the estate once, I let the broom drift down until we landed in the courtyard before the front door, careful to avoid the cars that were arriving with other guests. A servant, dressed in emerald and gold livery, came forward to take my cape and broomstick. Then he bowed and stepped aside so that we could enter.
“One moment,” I said. We had both spent a lot of time getting ready for tonight, but now the wind of our flight had messed up our hair and our formal dresses were wrinkled from sitting on the broomstick. I reached into one of the hidden pockets of my dress and pulled out a charm. This one was a bundle of sticks and dried flowers tied together with a silver thread. I held it out in my hand, palm up, and told Heather, “Touch this.”
She looked a question at me, but did as I asked. I whispered a word to activate it. The stray hairs slipped back into place and the wrinkles smoothed themselves out. “Much better. Ashleigh made that for me. That’s how she and Glen can ride a horse to school every day and always show up looking nice.”
Heather looked down at the transformation and raised her eyebrows in surprise. “That’s a useful trick.”
“Yeah.” I looked up at the sky, where the last sliver of the sun was just about to slip below the horizon. “Right on time. Let’s go.” I couldn’t wait to see her reaction to the wonders on the other side of the door.
CHAPTER FIVE
The Faeriekin Party
I took Heather’s arm and pulled her through the large double doors into the mansion. She wanted to stop then and stare at the elaborate marble hall just inside, but I kept going. We stepped out the back onto a wide terrace and then down two shallow steps into the main garden.
Just as our feet touched the grass, the sun set, and right on cue, the chamber quartet in the gazebo across from us struck up the first notes of a song.
I gave Heather a minute to take in the sight of the main party area, and then I began to point out the features, starting with the cluster of tables set out to one side. “The refreshments are there. The green fountain always has a non-alcoholic beverage, like sparkling punch,” I said. “The gold fountain has champagne, but if we’re caught acting drunk, we could be asked to leave.”
I pointed to a pond filled with water lilies and floating candles. “That’s the dance floor.”
Heather stared in confusion. “I don’t see anything.”
“It floats in mid-air. It’s invisible so you can see the pond.” I pointed to a space flanked by two white crane statues. “That shows you where the way up is. There are more ballrooms inside.”
Count Duncan, in an emerald doublet and tights, was escorting his wife, Serafina, in a golden gown, making the rounds to greet their guests. Emerald and gold were the official colors of the county. They came over and greeted us with a nod and a smile. “Miss Rosamunde,” the count said. “Welcome to the Autumnal Equinox celebration. Who is your friend?”
I made a deep curtsy to the count. “Your grace, may I introduce Miss Heather Prasolov. She is a new student at my school, Crowther.”
Heather managed to pull off a curtsy of her own, which earned her a large smile from the count. “Ah, the new student!” he said. “I welcome you and your family to Golden Forest County. Your family name sounds Russian. Do you have a patronymic?”
“Um, no, Count Duncan, sir,” Heather said, blushing. “I was born in America, and my parents dropped their patronymics when they emigrated to this country.”
Serafina said, “Many families choose to adopt new traditions when they move to a new place.”
Heather nodded. “Something like that.”
The count turned back to me. “And what about your mother, Rosmerta? Will she be joining us at all this weekend?”
I shook my head. Count Duncan always asked Mom to come to Court, but she almost always came up with some excuse not to show up. “She sends her regrets, but she has things that require her attention at home. In the garden.”
He smiled. “Well, let her know that we miss her company. Now, I’m sure you’re eager to see your friends. Please, enjoy the festivities.”
We curtsied a final time and he led his wife away.
Ashleigh and Glen found us next. Ashleigh was wearing one of those big ball gowns that can only keep their shape with hoop skirts, but she moved in it easily. Both of their outfits were emerald green with golden trim, which matched Ashleigh’s long, wavy golden hair, and made Glen’s much paler blond hair look almost silver.
“Lady Ashleigh, Sir Glen,” I said, curtsying to them like I had done for the count.
They laughed and hugged us both. “You know you don’t need to be formal with us,” Ashleigh scolded me.
“I fear that if I insult you, my lady, then your noble champion will rush to defend your honor, and I cannot possibly best a knight in a duel,” I said, winking at Glen.
Heath
er turned shy again, looking down at the floor. “Congratulations on your knighthood,” she said to Glen.
Glen flashed her a warm, reassuring smile. “Thanks. That stuff comes tomorrow, though. Tonight’s all about having fun. Would you save a dance for me later?”
“Of—of course,” she stammered. “I’m not a very good dancer, though.”
Ashleigh laid her hand on Glen’s arm. “Oh, don’t worry, he’s a very good lead. We have to keep making the rounds, but we’ll chat later, okay?”
The couple moved away, and I saw that more of our friends from school were starting to arrive among the older guests. I turned and saw Domenico arriving with Zil on his arm, which surprised me a little, although she abandoned him a moment later and made a beeline for the punch fountain. Lindsey was beaming on Peter’s arm, and I braced myself to say hi.
“Oh, good, both of you girls made it!” Lindsey said. She grabbed Heather and blew air kisses on her cheeks. Heather stiffened, but she smiled and murmured “hello”.
When Lindsey leaned in to do the same with me, she pinched my arm and whispered in my ear, “She’s not your date, is she?”
I shook my head. “I just gave her a ride here. Be nice.”
Lindsey let go of me and turned back to look at Heather. “That dress looks great on you. The dark color really brings out your pale skin.”
Heather blushed. “Thank you. Your dress is lovely, too.”
Lindsey took a step back and twirled to show how her skirts spun out, revealing panels of varied shades of pink. The colors shifted and twinkled in the light, so subtle that it took me a moment to realize that it was an enchantment. “Do you think so? I worked on it mostly during the summer, before I got so busy with school starting. I wanted something that I can dance in.” She looked over her shoulder at Peter and smiled at him.
Peter said, “Let me get you a drink. Do you girls want anything?”
Small Town Witch (The Fae of Calaveras County) Page 6