Halo Effect

by Annabel Chase

  “There’s plenty of space though,” Laurel said. “And the dead would appreciate the party.”

  “Not happening.” Begonia eyed her doll’s head. “Do you think the hair needs to be a shade lighter?”

  “I don’t think it needs to be an exact match,” Millie said.

  “These remind of American Girl dolls,” I said. “They’re supposed to look like you. Same hair and eye color. You can even buy matching clothes.”

  Laurel’s brow creased. “Who would want to wear clothes that match their doll? That’s creepy.”

  “I would,” Sophie said. “Now I want to do that.” She looked at her doll. “I bet I can make her a little cloak that’s the same as mine.”

  “A cloak is fine,” Laurel said. “The dolls have to wear something, but if you start walking around in matching outfits, I don’t think we can be friends anymore.”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Millie snapped.

  “I bet the American Girl dolls aren’t magical,” Begonia said.

  I shrugged. “Depends on which child you ask, I guess.” I decided not to tell them about the flagship store in New York City with a salon, restaurant, and clothing section.

  “It’s not too late to join the class, Emma,” Sophie said. “You, too, can make a doll.”

  “No thanks. I have enough going on.”

  “I’m surprised Limpet let you off the hook,” Millie said. “You must’ve gotten on her good side.”

  “I don’t think she has a good side,” I said. “She’s all business.”

  “She must finally see that you’re an asset and not to be trifled with,” Begonia said.

  “I don’t really care what the reason is as long as I’m able to have a schedule that works for me.” I watched as Begonia painted rosy cheeks on her doll’s face. “Have I mentioned how glad I am not to have a doll?”

  Begonia caught me looking at hers. “What’s wrong with it?”

  “It looks like it’s going to track me down and murder me in my sleep,” I said.

  Begonia held the doll closer to me. “How can you say that? She looks like me. She even has my rosy cheeks.”

  I shook my head ruefully. “I’m going to have the worst nightmares tonight. You’re not going to store them in the lair, are you? You’ll take them home with you?”

  Millie cackled and wiggled her doll in front of me. “I never thought I’d see our fearless heroine afraid of a homemade doll.”

  “Fearless heroine?” I echoed. “Need I remind you of all the things I’m afraid of?”

  “Heights,” Begonia said. “They make you vomit.”

  “Failure,” Laurel said. “But I completely understand that one. I have a fear of failure too.”

  “Spiders,” Millie said.

  I frowned. “I’m not afraid of spiders.”

  “Oh, that one’s me,” Sophie said.

  I gave them an earnest look. “You know what? I have to say the scariest thing I saw today was Dr. Hall.”

  “Maybe she’s on mood stabilizers,” Laurel said. “I saw some herbs for sale at the festival that would accomplish that.”

  I laughed at the idea of the vampire on mood stabilizers. Since when did Dr. Hall care about how her mood affected others?

  “I can tell you who doesn’t need herbs for her mood,” Begonia said. “Juniper Brimstone is delightful just as she is.”

  “How do you know it’s just as she is?” Laurel asked.

  “She’s from California,” Millie said. “She doesn’t need to take anything to relax her. It’s in her blood.”

  “Will you have any classes with her?” Sophie asked me.

  “Yes, tomorrow,” I said. “Plants.”

  Millie smirked. “How appropriate. Between that and the festival, I think the universe is trying to tell you something.”

  “Yes,” I agreed. “Stop and smell the roses.” I returned to my feet. “And now I’m heading home to do just that.”

  Chapter Seven

  “I think Dr. Hall has been taken over by aliens,” I said. I’d returned home from the secret lair to find Daniel in the living room, bouncing Diana on his knee.

  “What makes you say that?”

  “She’s being a really good therapist. It made me uncomfortable.” I ran through the most recent therapy session in my head. “She asked me how I was feeling about issues. She complimented me on my progress.”

  “Isn’t that how a therapist is supposed to act?”

  “Exactly. Something’s wrong. She didn’t even offer me a cocktail.”

  Daniel’s brow lifted. “Are you serious? Wow. You’re right. Something’s deeply wrong.”

  “It was like she was in one of those cartoons where a devil was on one shoulder and an angel on the other and she was finally listening to the angel’s advice instead of flicking him off.”

  Daniel peered at me. “Should I be offended?”

  “Not at all.”

  Diana giggled as Daniel held her aloft and pretended she was flying.

  “Do you need to head back to the festival?” I asked. “I can take over Diana duty.”

  “I can stay. I’ve got the rest of my team there now.”

  “The beauty of delegation,” I said.

  “You could stand to learn a thing or two about that,” Daniel said pointedly. The wind chimes sounded and he looked at me askance. “Are we expecting anyone?”

  “Ember,” I said. “I told her I’d take her to see the Grey sisters to ask about her heritage.”

  “See what I mean?” he asked pointedly.

  “How can I delegate this?” I asked. “Besides, Ember doesn’t live here. We have to squeeze it in when we can.”

  “Does she know there are only two now?” Daniel asked.

  “You make it sound like one died,” I chastised him. “They’re not as ancient as my father, but they’re old enough that they might know something about the One True Witch.”

  I hurried to the door to greet the witch. “Hey, there.”

  “Hey, yourself.”

  I smiled. “I thought you might come with a suitcase.”

  “Honestly, the harpies have been fine. I mean, they were a little tough to take yesterday, but today seems better. Octavia has taken a shine to Marley and Phoebe adores Raoul.”

  Ember continued to talk, but my mind was stuck on her description of Octavia and Phoebe. “I’m sorry,” I interrupted. “Did you say Phoebe adores your raccoon familiar?”

  “Oh, totally. He’s living his best life right now.”

  “Are you sure she’s not fattening him up for slaughter?”

  Ember cringed. “Would she do that? She seems so sincere. She was teaching him how to play the harp when I left and, let me tell you, I was ready to throw myself off their widow’s walk at the sound. Phoebe was so encouraging that I didn’t have the heart to complain.”

  “Would you mind if we stopped in before we head to the cave? It would be nice to catch up with them.” I had to see this behavior with my own eyes to believe it.

  “I thought you saw them at the festival.”

  “They were there?” I asked. “No, our paths didn’t cross.” Not a surprise given the number of visitors. “Let me just grab the offering for the Grey sisters and we’ll get moving.”

  The sooner we got there, the sooner I could come home and crash in bed.

  Need an escort? Sedgwick asked. The owl landed on the banister of the staircase.

  If you feel so inclined. I retrieved a tote bag and dumped my purse and the bottle of Goddess Bounty inside.

  “Are you sure you’re cool with taking me to see the Grey sisters?” Ember asked, as we left the house. “I know how busy you are.”

  I offered a reassuring smile. “I know how important it is to get information about your heritage, especially when your identity’s been hidden from you.”

  She smiled back. “Yeah, I guess you would.”

  As we neared the harpies’ house, I spotted a shadowy figure c
rouched in the bushes.

  I glanced upward. “Sedgwick, who is that?”

  The owl flew ahead to investigate.

  “I wish Raoul could fly. I bet an aerial familiar comes in handy,” Ember said, and paused. “I take that back. The thought of an airborne Raoul conjures up way too many possibilities. None of them good.”

  Sedgwick swooped lower and nearly collided with the figure’s head as he popped back to a standing position. I recognized the mop of unruly hair underneath the baseball cap.

  “Oh, it’s Professor Wallis,” I said. “I met him at the festival.”

  He offered a broad smile as we approached the bushes. “Pardon me, Mr. Owl.” He tipped back his cap to fully admire the owl. “I’m sure you’ve heard this a hundred times before, but those feathers are exquisite.”

  “If I had a penny for every time someone has commented on his feathers…” I said with a laugh. In fact, I’d have no pennies.

  Have I mentioned how much I like him? Sedgwick asked.

  “What’s in the bushes?” Ember asked.

  Sedgwick flew in circles above our heads. I don’t see anything.

  The professor tapped the pair of binoculars around his neck. “Only me, I’m afraid. The object of my research, however, was scurrying through the woods. I think they’re building a nest and I was hoping to track them to the location.”

  “Wait, there’s a tangi here?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Imagine how thrilled I was to make the discovery,” he said. “It makes sense, though. This town was cut off from civilization for so long, the tangi was able to survive. In fact, I believe there’s more than one.”

  I winced. “Ooh, I’m sorry we interrupted.”

  “No worries.” As he tried to leave his hiding spot, he got tangled in the bushes and fell onto the path in front of us.

  “Spell’s bells,” I said. I extended a hand to help him to his feet. “Are you okay?”

  He popped to his feet like an energetic Jack-in-the-Box. “Good, good. Just an occupational hazard.”

  “Falling over bushes?” Ember asked.

  Professor Wallis dusted off his shirt. “This wasn’t the first time, nor will it be the last.”

  “How’s the petition?” I asked. “Did you get the number of signatures you needed?”

  “Not yet, but I remain undeterred.” He straightened his crooked cap, although it seemed more appropriate for the bumbling professor to leave it at a crooked angle. “Can I interest you ladies in accompanying me on a woodland expedition to scour the tangi’s natural habitat?”

  “As tempting as that sounds, we’re heading over to see my neighbors,” I said.

  He glanced over his shoulder at the Minors’ house. “Ah, the harpies. A formidable family, aren’t they?”

  I shot Ember a knowing look. “See?”

  Ember splayed her hands. “It’s not that I don’t believe you.”

  The professor shifted his focus to Ember. “You don’t find them a force to be reckoned with? You must be made of sturdier stock than I am.”

  “Well, I am from New Jersey,” Ember said. “Sturdy stock is a major component of my DNA.”

  “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to head into the woods before the tangi manages to hide again,” the professor said. “These are the prime hours for activity.”

  “Good luck,” I said.

  He wisely circumvented the bush on his way to the woods. At least he learned from his mistakes.

  “That must be an interesting job,” I said, watching him disappear between two large trees.

  “Only if you’re into ugly rodent-like creatures,” Ember said.

  Did someone say rodent?

  Claws off the tangi, I said. It’s endangered.

  We reached the house and I instructed Sedgwick to wait outside.

  I’m going to the woods to look for a snack, the owl said.

  That snack better not involve anything that farts rainbows, I ordered. I could only imagine the professor’s anguish if Sedgwick inadvertently chose his precious creature as a tasty meal.

  Ember opened the door without knocking and called out a greeting.

  “In the sunroom,” a friendly voice rang out.

  I glanced quizzically at Ember. Who was that?

  We passed the tabletop covered in knickknacks and entered the sunroom where the harpies liked to spend much of their leisure time.

  “Ember, you’re back. Wonderful.” Octavia sat at a square folding table playing cards with Marley, Raoul, and Phoebe.

  “If the raccoon’s cheating, don’t be afraid to deprive him of his next meal,” Ember said.

  Raoul narrowed his beady eyes at her.

  “Yes, you do cheat,” Ember said to him. “And I have a detailed journal to prove it.”

  “How’s that delightful baby of yours, Emma?” Octavia asked. “It seems like only yesterday I was bouncing Phoebe and Marisol on my knee.”

  “Treasure the moments,” Phoebe chimed in. “The days are long, but the years are short.”

  I stood rooted to the floor with my jaw unhinged. They sounded nothing like the harpies I knew—and generally avoided unless absolutely necessary.

  “Emma, I thought I heard your voice.” Marisol swept into the room wearing a 1950s-style halter dress in a deep orange color. “Welcome back, Ember. Can I offer anyone refreshments?”

  “That would be perfection, sweetheart,” Octavia said.

  Sweetheart? Since when did Octavia use terms of endearment?

  “I’ll be back in a jiffy,” Marisol said and ducked into the kitchen.

  I grabbed Ember by the sleeve and tugged her into the adjacent room. “They’re like pod people,” I whispered.

  “In what way?” Ember asked.

  I inclined my head toward the sunroom. “The harpies are…challenging personalities. Disagreeable.”

  “Yet they run a B&B?” Ember asked. “My cousin Linnea runs Palmetto Inn, but she’s very considerate and accommodating.”

  “She is,” I agreed, “and her style is basically the opposite of the harpies.”

  Florian passed by the doorway and backtracked when he saw us. “What are you two conspiring about in here?”

  I shifted my attention to the handsome wizard. If anyone would be subjected to the harpies’ typical behavior, it was Florian Rose-Muldoon. With his chiseled features and charming personality, he was exactly their type. To be fair, Florian was everyone’s type.

  “How was your day?” I asked.

  “Great,” he said, grinning. “I’ve seen some lovely…flowers at the festival.”

  Ember rolled her eyes. “By flowers, he means females.”

  I dropped my voice to a whisper. “And your stay here—in this house—it’s been good?”

  Florian rocked back and forth on his heels. “Absolutely. Five stars. I plan to recommend this place to any Starry Hollow travelers that want to visit Spellbound.”

  I swallowed hard. It was possible Florian enjoyed the attention. “Has anyone tried to slip into the shower with you or touched you somewhere that no harpy talon should touch you?”

  Florian balked. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “You haven’t woken up from a sexually inappropriate dream that felt very, very real?” I asked, watching him intently.

  He laughed awkwardly. “I didn’t realize you had such a twisted sense of humor, Emma.”

  I felt so confused. On the one hand, I was relieved that their experience was positive. On the other hand, it made no sense. Florian was a handsome, eligible wealthy wizard. The harpies should be fighting each other for his attention in a way that made him extremely uncomfortable.

  “Yoo-hoo,” Octavia called. “Come back before you miss out. Your friend Raoul has two wooden legs, it seems, and he’s not afraid to use them.”

  Reluctantly, I returned to the sunroom where Marisol was setting out a tray of treats. “Here we are. Sweets for the sweet,” the harpy said.

  “And tea, of course,” Phoebe
said, trailing right behind her. “Can’t have baked goods without a nice, hot cup of tea.”

  They set their respective trays on the table against the wall and Florian snatched up a cookie without any prodding. I waited for one of the harpies to verbally reprimand him or smack his hand, but no one did.

  “Emma, has anyone told you how lovely you look today?” Phoebe asked. “I swear you’re more stunning every time I see you.”

  “Thank you, Phoebe. That’s kind of you to say.” And downright frightening. What was going on?

  The sound of the front door drew my attention to the doorway. Calliope wandered into the sunroom and lit up at the sight of everyone.

  “Oh, good. Company.” Her gaze settled on the table of food. “And snacks. Even better.”

  “Thank the gods,” I said under my breath. “Callie, you’re just the harpy I want to see.” I made a beeline for her and dragged her into the kitchen before she could reach the table.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, once we were alone.

  “Have you noticed anything strange about your family?”

  Callie barked a laugh. “You’re joking, right? Emma, you’ve known us long enough to answer that for yourself.”

  I glanced anxiously over my shoulder in the direction of the sunroom. “Yes, but they’re being so…nice and normal. Something’s off.”

  Callie brushed past me. “Oh, Emma. You’re being ridiculous. They’re the same wonderful harpies they’ve always been.”

  I looked after her, uncertain what to do next. Ember and her contingency didn’t know them well enough to realize and all the Minors seemed to be living in an alternate reality. Even the kitchen seemed cheerful. A pitcher of lemon fizz sat on the counter. A second tray of cookies waited on the stovetop—okay, that wasn’t unusual. The Minors always had baked goods ready. A bouquet of red roses in a crystal vase adorned the windowsill over the sink. The flowers were either from the festival or Alex had delivered them to Darcy. No other harpy was likely to receive flowers from an admirer.

  Ember poked her head in the doorway. “Are you ready to go?”

  I gave the kitchen a final sweeping glance, hoping to catch a glimpse of something that explained their…goodness. Nothing appeared amiss.

  “Yes. We don’t want to keep the sisters waiting,” I said, returning to the sunroom.