Magic & Madness

by Annabel Chase

“I think PP3 might like her,” Marley said. Leave it to my daughter to think of the dog’s happiness at a carnival.

  “I think PP3 might like barking at her,” I corrected. Even so, who was I to begrudge my daughter the chance to win a flying doll? “Make sure you don’t flick your wrist too hard. You’ll overshoot.”

  Marley bit her lip in concentration, carefully aiming the halo at one of the smaller silver horns in the middle.

  “You might want to adjust your feet, too,” a familiar voice suggested.

  “Alec!” Marley shouted his name as though she hadn’t seen the vampire in a decade. “I’m going to win a fairy doll. She actually flies.”

  “I have every confidence in you,” Alec said. “Try to plant your feet a bit closer together. You need better balance or your aim will be off.”

  Marley followed his instructions. “Like this?”

  Alec smiled, and I glimpsed a flash of fang. “Perfect.”

  Marley tossed the halo and missed. “I get two more turns, right?”

  “Absolutely,” the pixie said, and handed her another halo.

  Alec stood behind Marley as she took aim. “A little to the left,” he advised. “Try not to overextend your wrist.”

  Marley tossed the next halo and we watched it bounce off the tip of the small silver horn.

  “So close!” I yelled.

  “I’ll get the next one,” Marley said, her jaw set in determination.

  “I’m happy to help,” Alec offered.

  “No,” Marley objected. “I can do it myself.” Like mother, like daughter. Sometimes, I wondered whether that was the best attitude to have.

  “Where’s Holly?” I asked.

  “She’s joining me later,” he replied. “She’s expressed an interest in one of the performances.”

  My brow creased. “Then why are you here? You hate carnivals.”

  Alec flicked an invisible piece of lint from his jacket sleeve. “There were certain curiosities I was interested in seeing.” He paused. “Where’s Sheriff Nash? I assumed you and he would be examining more suspects today, team that you are.”

  “Team, huh? I thought Bentley and I were a team.”

  “Bentley is currently in the process of winning a miniature kelpie in a plastic bag full of water for his beloved Meadow,” Alec said.

  “A miniature kelpie?” I repeated. “Aren’t they bloodthirsty water horse demons?”

  “Not this kind,” Alec said. “They’re engineered to stay small and harmless. Paranormals keep them in tanks to admire.”

  Naturally, Marley overheard that part. “Mom, can I…?”

  “No,” I said firmly.

  “But I didn’t f….”

  I held up a hand. “I said no baby kelpies. Throw your halo.”

  Marley lobbed the last halo and it arced through the air, landing squarely on the desired silver horn. Marley and Alec fist bumped.

  “Impressive stuff,” the pixie said, and retrieved the fairy doll from the rafters. She gave the doll to Marley, who seemed shocked that she’d actually managed to win.

  “I think this is a good sign,” Marley said.

  “A good sign of what?” I queried.

  “That I’ll come into my magic on my birthday like Madame Bovary said,” Marley said.

  I raised an eyebrow. First dolls, now this? “That isn’t exactly what she said, and since when do you believe in signs?”

  Alec regarded me. “You don’t believe in signs, Miss Rose?”

  I leaned back slightly. “You do?” I found it hard to imagine that Alec Hale, the serious and reserved vampire, believed in signs.

  “You’re a Silver Moon witch,” he said. “How can you not?”

  “I don’t know.” I dug the toe of my shoe into the dirt. “I guess because I wasn’t raised in the coven. I’m still trying to interpret runes.”

  “Those are symbols rather than signs,” Alec said, mildly amused.

  “I know that,” I shot back. Hazel would have my head if she thought I didn’t know the difference by now. “I just meant that I don’t have those instincts, to interpret an event as significant.”

  “Alec uses a lot of signs in his books,” Marley interjected. “And they’re heavy with symbolism and foreshadowing.”

  Alec ruffled her hair in an uncharacteristic gesture. “You truly don’t miss a trick, do you?”

  “She is your biggest fan,” I said.

  We walked away from the ring toss stall and Marley began the search for the next game. We passed by a stall where patrons shot a water gun into a cardboard vampire’s mouth and blew up a balloon over his head. The fangs apparently made it more challenging because the water splashed around them instead of remaining in a focused stream.

  “I detest that game,” Alec said, steering Marley away before she could opt in.

  Marley practically sprinted toward the next enclosure. “A petting zoo! How have we missed this?”

  “Watch out for the flying monkeys,” Alec said. “They’re quick and very mischievous. I always tuck my wallet deeper into my pocket.”

  Marley’s eyes bulged. “What else is here?”

  Alec laughed. “Go and see for yourself.” He seemed more relaxed than usual, and I wondered whether it was Holly’s influence. As annoying as she was, she struck me as fairly laidback. Maybe that was the personality type Alec needed in his life. Not neurotic and scattered, but friendly and relaxed—with a highly irritating laugh.

  I cast a sidelong glance at Alec. “Are you coming, or do you have an appointment with a certain curiosity?”

  “I’d be delighted to join you, if you don’t mind,” Alec said.

  Of course, I didn’t mind. I didn’t mind spending the rest of eternity in a heated embrace with Alec Hale, but that option was off the table. The sooner I accepted it, the better off I’d be. Easier said than done.

  “It might be nice to have a knowledgeable guide,” I said.

  Alec smirked. “Why, Miss Rose. Did you just refer to me as knowledgeable? I may need to mark this day on my calendar.”

  “Who are you kidding?” I said. “You don’t mark anything down. You’d have Tanya do it for you.”

  He chuckled. “You know me too well.”

  We strode through the gateway of the petting zoo and Marley ran to see the first creature.

  “What is it?” she asked, craning her neck to see over the wall of other children.

  “I believe it’s a nue,” Alec said. The vampire stood head and shoulders above everyone there.

  “What’s a nue?” Marley asked.

  Alec paused to think. “It has the face of a monkey, but the legs of a tiger…”

  A little boy in front of us whirled around. “It has the body of a tanuki—that’s a Japanese raccoon dog in case you didn’t know—and the tail is the top end of a snake.”

  Fear rippled over Marley’s features. “Do I want to pet it?”

  “One hundred percent,” the little boy said. He looked no older than seven. “It has a creepy cry, but it won’t hurt you.”

  As if on cue, an eerie noise pierced the air. Alec bristled.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “The cry of the nue was traditionally associated with ill omens,” Alec said.

  “Well, that’s a weird animal to include in a petting zoo,” I said. Let’s give all the children complexes, why don’t we?

  “No one believes that anymore,” the little boy said with confidence. “It’s an old witch’s tale.”

  The wall of bodies shifted and the nue became visible. Marley gasped.

  “Cool, right?” the little boy said. He stepped closer for his turn to pet the creature. It was much larger than him, but that fact didn’t seem to deter him.

  Marley seemed uncertain. “The tail is bizarre.”

  “All part of its charm,” Alec said. “Come on. We can pet the creature together.”

  I was relieved that Alec volunteered because I had no interest in touching it. I wondered what Ka
rl would think of all this. Knowing my former husband, he’d probably laugh and call it “trippy.”

  I observed from a safe distance as Marley and Alec approached the nue. Alec showed her the best spot to pet the nue, which was apparently behind its monkey ears. When Alec stroked its head, the creature rolled onto its back, patiently awaiting a belly rub. The surrounding children voiced their delight.

  “It recognizes the vampire as the alpha,” the woman beside me said.

  “Too bad Sheriff Nash isn’t here,” I said. “That werewolf can out-alpha any alpha.”

  “Vampires and werewolves have a complex history,” the woman said.

  “You’re telling me,” I said. And no two had a more complex history than Alec and the sheriff.

  After successfully rubbing the nue’s belly, Marley was ready for her next animal experience. “A seven-headed serpent?” she asked, recoiling. “I don’t know how cute that is.”

  “Seven heads seems a bit redundant,” I said.

  Alec suppressed a smile. “Such logic, Miss Rose.”

  “Not to worry, young miss,” a carnival attendant said. “All the heads are defanged.”

  Marley approached with caution. “I’m starting to miss goats and pigs.” She stroked the first head within reach. Other kids crowded around to pet the remaining six heads.

  “They’re sweet creatures,” the attendant said. “When they’re asleep, their heads are often intertwined.”

  A small creature the size of a kitten skimmed our heads, drawing Marley’s attention skyward. “A winged kitten!”

  My head jerked to the side. “Are you serious?” I gaped at Alec. “Is that a real thing?”

  “Why do you still find all this so difficult to believe?” he replied.

  He was right. I should take it all in stride by now, but still…a flying kitten!

  “Mom, isn’t she precious?” Marley cradled the creature in her arms. The wings were tucked behind its back.

  “She’s incredibly cute,” I said.

  “Maybe my familiar will be a winged cat,” Marley said excitedly. “Do you think that’s possible? Maybe meeting one now is a sign.”

  “You also met a seven-headed serpent,” I pointed out. “Do you think maybe one of those might be your familiar?”

  Marley ticked the kitten’s belly. “Definitely not.”

  “Why not a normal cat?” Alec said. “That’s the most likely outcome.”

  “No way,” Marley said. “My mom has a raccoon. There’s no way I’ll be normal.”

  Alec flashed a grin. “That sounds about right.”

  “The Rose-Muldoons have cats,” I said. “I’m the odd one out.” As always.

  Marley reluctantly released the kitten back into the air so other kids could take a turn holding it. “I wouldn’t mind a cat. I’d be happy with any familiar, really.” She frowned. “I worry about PP3, though. He’s so set in his ways. Moving to Starry Hollow was a big enough adjustment.”

  “Your canine companion has lived with you both for quite some time,” Alec said. “He’ll make allowances for your new addition.”

  “Except the sheriff,” Marley said. “PP3 growls at him.”

  “That’s a werewolf thing,” I said. “And he’s not at the cottage that often.” I didn’t want Alec to think that Sheriff Nash had practically moved in.

  “He’s there often enough,” Marley persisted. I longed to change the topic.

  Alec seemed to find my discomfort amusing. “How often? Overnight visits?”

  “Alec!” I objected. He knew perfectly well that the sheriff hadn’t glimpsed any of my bedtime attire.

  “No overnight visits,” Marley said. “Mom’s not ready for that, although Florian said I can come and stay with him if Mom wants privacy.”

  Alec studied me. “And yet she’s declined the kind offer?”

  “Hey, what’s that?” I pointed, desperately trying to change the subject.

  Marley squinted. “It’s a dog and something else.”

  “Monkey,” Alec said. “Often referred to as a shug monkey.”

  The animal was clearly the most playful in the entire petting zoo, garnering the lion’s share of attention from the crowd. The petting zoo attendant was attempting to calm the animal, but she seemed out of her depth.

  “What kind of paranormal is she?” I whispered to Alec. Her upper half was human, and her lower half was the body of a snake.

  An echidna. Alec’s voice echoed in my head. Uncommon in this part of the world.

  Why are you in my head? I asked. I thought we were supposed to avoid reading each other’s thoughts. I’d worked especially hard to shield my thoughts from Alec. A necessity given the nature of them.

  It seemed more polite than risk the echidna overhearing us, he replied. They can be quite sensitive.

  He wasn’t wrong. This one seemed on the verge of tears as she tried to keep the shug monkey from pouncing on the admiring children.

  “First day on the job?” I joked.

  “It kind of is,” she admitted. “I mean, I’ve been with the carnival a long time, but I was recently reassigned.”

  “Is that typical for them to move you around?” I asked.

  Her expression soured. “No, but my position was…” Tears welled in her eyes. “My job was eliminated.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” I said. “Cutbacks can be tough.”

  She sniffed. “It wasn’t due to cutbacks. The carnival does really well financially. My boss….” She slithered out of earshot of the children, leaving the shug monkey to frolic freely. “She died unexpectedly.”

  My radar pinged. “You worked for Madame Bovary?” I asked.

  “Yes, I was her assistant,” she said.

  I snapped my fingers. “You’re Zola!”

  “That’s right,” Zola said. “It was the best job I ever had.”

  “Were you with her when she died?” Alec asked softly. He knew, of course, that Zola couldn’t have been there because I was the one who discovered the body.

  “Sadly, no,” Zola said. “She’d sent me on an errand for new crystals. A child had swiped hers that morning and she felt unbalanced. If only I’d not gone, my beloved boss might still be alive.” Tears slid down her cheeks. Her serpent’s tail surprised me by flipping over her shoulder and wiping away the droplets.

  “Was it normal for you to run her errands?” I asked.

  “Oh, yes,” Zola said. “They were a regular part of my job.”

  “Were you close to Madame Bovary?” Alec asked. “Did you socialize outside of work hours?”

  Zola nodded. “We often stayed in the tent until the wee hours, drinking zazzleberry wine and reminiscing.” She sighed. “I miss her dearly.”

  “What did you reminisce about?” I asked.

  Zola waved a hand. “You name it. Past loves. Past clothing sizes.” She cackled, quickly followed by a snort. “Bianca was always good for a laugh. She was my biggest cheerleader and I was hers. Every time she tried to quit, I said I’d support her no matter what. That I’d come with her to any carnival she wanted to join. That’s what a loyal assistant does.”

  I balked. “Quit? Why?”

  Zola lowered her voice. “Her ex, of course. She couldn’t bear seeing him every day. It was beginning to take a toll, especially once he began dating someone else.”

  “Who was her ex?” I asked.

  “The carnival manager, Jacob.”

  “Do you know why they split up?” I asked.

  “He wasn’t invested in the marriage anymore,” Zola said. “He only paid attention to Bianca when it was connected to the carnival. He wasn’t awful to her or anything, just neglectful. Eventually, he decided to cut her loose. Probably when he decided he was ready to date again.”

  Inwardly, I winced. Cut her loose? I didn’t love the comparison of Madame Bovary to a fish on a line. I’d seen fish flap helplessly while the fisherman was in complete control of the line. The imbalance rankled me.

  “Between
her marriage ending and her rating reduction, Bianca’s confidence was shaken to the core,” Zola continued. “She was questioning her ability to do anything. She must’ve changed her mind about quitting a hundred times.”

  “What would be her reason to stay?” Alec asked.

  Zola gave a rueful smile. “To see Jacob every day, of course. She still loved him, despite the divorce. I think she secretly hoped for a reconciliation.”

  My heart ached for Madame Bovary. Divorce was difficult enough, but to continue to see her ex-husband every day as part of her job…I glanced at Alec, realizing the irony of the situation. Of course, Alec and I weren’t exes, but I still found it incredibly hard to work alongside him, especially now that Holly was in the picture.

  “I know exactly how Madame Bovary felt.” The words slipped out before I could stop them.

  Alec shot me an inquisitive look. “You do?”

  I quickly regretted opening my mouth. “Any woman who’s experienced heartbreak could say the same.” I chose not to elaborate.

  “Any man as well,” he replied, his jaw tense.

  A child began to cry and Zola hurried in the direction of the sound. “Ugh! I really need to request a reassignment. Children are not my strength.”

  Two small children pushed past us. “‘Scuse me,” the little girl said. “We want to see the magical one.”

  “Aren’t they all magical?” I asked.

  The little girl stared up at me with solemn eyes. “This one is truly magical, like a cloud.”

  Well, this I had to see. I motioned for Marley to follow the two children to where a huge crowd gathered.

  “It’s so white and fluffy,” one of the children said in wonder.

  “What is it?” Marley asked, hopping up and down to see past them.

  “I think it’s called a kevin,” another child said.

  Marley and I exchanged glances. “What’s a kevin?” she asked Alec.

  The vampire shrugged. “I’m not familiar with any creature by that name.”

  The crowd thinned enough for me to catch a glimpse of the wondrous creature. Huh?

  “It’s a sheep,” I said. I moved closer to make certain. Maybe it was a sheep with wings…Nope. Normal sheep with a bell around its neck engraved with the name Kevin.

  “Baaah,” the sheep said, as dozens of hands stroked its woolly coat.