“One does not forget such a transgression,” the vampire said.
“Nor forgive,” I added.
“Certainly not,” Oleg said. “Would you? It upset my father greatly. It was not long after that when we received his diagnosis.”
“How did she manage such a feat?” Deputy Bolan asked. He gestured to the protective ward that shimmered in front of the masks. “You’ve obviously taken security measures here.”
Oleg seemed hesitant to answer.
“She played one of you,” I said. “Or both.”
The vampire ducked his head. “She deceived me, that is true. Is that what this is about? At long last, have our items been recovered?”
“Did you report them stolen at the time?” I asked.
“How could I?” Oleg replied. “To be outwitted by a common fairy—it was humiliating for both of us.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I have long blocked the memory of her from my mind.”
“Then you haven’t seen her since her return to Starry Hollow?” Deputy Bolan asked.
Oleg snapped to attention. “Her return? When?”
His reaction seemed genuine, but I couldn’t be too sure. I knew how well a practiced vampire could conceal his real feelings.
“Earlier this week,” the deputy said.
The vampire slid his jeweled hands into his pockets. “She is here,” he said softly, more to himself. “Tatiana is back.”
“Have you been in contact with her since she left?” the deputy asked.
Oleg shook his dark curls. “Only once, not long after she left. It was not a very pleasant conversation.”
No doubt. “You threatened her?” I asked.
“Begged. Threatened. Swore.” Oleg laughed uneasily. “I was in such a state. I had never been so easily seduced. I didn’t handle it well.”
“You’re not alone in that,” I said.
“I imagine not,” Oleg said. “She was too good to be a novice.” He paused. “So why are you here?”
Deputy Bolan and I exchanged glances. Now seemed like a good time to come clean.
“Tatiana is dead,” I said. “She came back to Starry Hollow and it seems that someone decided to exact their revenge.”
Oleg didn’t flinch. “I cannot say I’m surprised. She must have developed quite the list of enemies.”
“Let’s just say she won’t be missed,” Deputy Bolan said.
Oleg’s gaze lingered on a mask on a nearby pedestal. It had two faces—one on either side. “She made a fool of me, yes, but I did not kill her. I can’t say I wouldn’t have if given the opportunity, though.” He shifted his focus to the deputy. “Tell me, please. How did she die? Was it painful?”
“She drowned in a swimming pool,” the leprechaun replied.
“Drowning is known to be a horrible way to die,” Oleg mused. “A most violent death.” His lips twitched, fighting a pleased smile.
“If you can think of anyone else who might have had a reason to murder her, don’t hesitate to call,” I said.
“I certainly will.” The vampire stroked the dual-sided mask. “Should you come across the items she stole from me, I would appreciate a follow-up call,” Oleg said. “Though I would be shocked if she kept them. Tatiana was an opportunist, and not remotely sentimental.”
“No problem,” Deputy Bolan said. His phone buzzed and he glanced at the screen.
Oleg gave me an appraising look. “And if you see anything of interest here, don’t hesitate to come back. I’ll be more than happy to attend to your needs.”
I smiled. “I certainly will. My boyfriend would love it here. He has his own collection of antiquities at home.”
“Is that so?” Oleg seemed intrigued. “Perhaps I’ve sold him a few pieces then. What’s his name?”
“Alec Hale,” I replied.
Oleg paled slightly. “Yes, of course I know Alec. Everyone does.” He frowned. “Including Tatiana, if I recall correctly.”
“We’ve ruled him out,” Deputy Bolan said.
I jerked my head to look at him. “We have? When?”
The deputy waved his phone. “Just now. Apparently, the examiner found traces of werewolf fur attached to Tatiana’s wings that he missed the first time around.”
“In her wings?” I repeated.
“That fur gets everywhere,” Deputy Bolan said. “I’m surprised you haven’t noticed.”
“I have a Yorkshire terrier,” I said. “That’s the only dog hair I usually see.” A horrible thought occurred to me. “Can you run the fur through a database and match it to a specific werewolf, like a DNA test?”
“No,” the deputy replied, “but I’ll have the sheriff hand over a sample of his, so the lab can compare and see if they match.”
I held my breath. If they didn’t match, then we could rule him out. Fingers crossed.
Oleg inclined his head. “I suppose I am cleared, as well as Mr. Hale. Best of luck. I’d like to know who the culprit is, once you’ve uncovered the truth, so that I may congratulate him or her.”
I didn’t know how to respond in the face of such calm and cool vitriol. “We’ll do our best.”
“The wreath is so pretty,” Aster said. “Make sure you fasten it to her hair.”
“I know, I know,” I said. “If the wind blows hard enough, it’ll blow straight into the ocean.” I stood in front of my daughter in her bedroom as Aster and Linnea helped me prepare Marley’s induction ceremony ensemble. Marley and I had clipped a few roses from the garden to add to the wreath of small white flowers. A little pop of color never hurt anybody.
“Do we make the wind blow?” Marley asked. “Is that part of the ceremony?”
“You would think,” Linnea replied. “There’s always somebody who wants to play the role of Mother Nature. The coven is full of divas.”
“I love that the ceremony is outside,” Marley said.
“You’ve always been a nature girl,” I said. “It was just hard to embrace that in a cramped New Jersey apartment.”
Marley’s eyes sparkled. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’m going to be a member of the Silver Moon coven, just like you.”
I brushed a few stray hairs off her forehead. “Not just like me. Better.”
“I’m glad your mother backed down on the solo ceremony,” I said to my cousins. “I think Marley would’ve felt awkward on her own.” Aunt Hyacinth had wanted a special ceremony just for Marley because she was a descendant of the One True Witch, but Marley and I objected to preferential treatment. Marley wanted to be inducted with the rest of the new members.
“I wish we could have convinced her to do the joint ceremony with the wizards,” Marley said.
“Change is slow to come to the coven,” Aster said. “For now, the witches have their own ceremony, as do the wizards.”
“But wizards will be there?” Marley asked, smoothing the front of her white shift dress.
“Yes, Florian will be there,” I said. I knew perfectly well that she wanted her favorite cousin present for the ceremony. “In fact, he’ll be here any minute.” He was in charge of transportation.
“And Sterling will be there,” Aster added. “Everyone is very excited for you, Marley. This is a huge milestone.”
“It’s like a dream.” Marley wiggled her toes. “Without shoes.”
“I know, right?” I said. “Seems risky. Hazards of the forest are everywhere. Pine needles, cones, thorns, a sharp stick. The dangers are endless.”
“You survived the experience,” Linnea said with a trace of amusement. “I’m sure Marley will fare just as well.”
A knock on the front door signaled it was show time. Marley gave PP3 a kiss on the nose before heading downstairs. Florian waited outside the cottage in the silver cloak reserved for special occasions. Marley’s unicorn stood amidst three white horses—Bell, Book, and Candle.
“Firefly,” Marley said happily. She hurried over to her unicorn.
“One of the perks of holding ceremonies in the fores
t,” Florian said. “No vehicles.”
Florian mounted Book. Linnea climbed on Bell and Aster and I stood next to Candle.
“You realize I’m no better at getting on a horse today than the last time,” I said.
“Yes, but now you can use your own magic to mount her,” Aster said.
I thought of the levitation spell that I’d used during Ian’s lesson. “I can!” I used my wand to perform the spell and my feet lifted off the ground as my body rose in the air. Maneuvering myself sideways onto the horse was awkward but I managed.
I was pleased to note that Marley climbed on Firefly’s back with no trouble at all. She certainly didn’t inherit the grace gene from me.
“Everyone ready?” Florian asked.
“Let’s go,” Marley cried.
My fingers dug into the poor horse’s neck as we entered the forest. One of these days I’d be more relaxed on a horse. Maybe.
I spotted the circle of large standing stones first. Then the rest of the clearing came into view. Witches in white dresses and wizards in silver cloaks milled around the stones, waiting for all the participants. Aunt Hyacinth beamed when she noticed our arrival. She stood with Iris Sandstone, the High Priestess. Iris wore a floor-length white dress and a silver crown with a moon. Her silver hair was in its usual braid that extended to her bottom.
Florian helped Marley down from her unicorn and someone else escorted the animals away from the clearing until the conclusion of the ceremony.
“I feel like a celebrity,” Marley whispered. “This is my red carpet moment. It’s too bad Alec can’t be here.”
“This is definitely a vampire-free zone tonight,” I said. Although during my induction ceremony, we were briefly invaded by Wyatt’s werewolf pack. Linnea was not a happy camper to see her ex-husband running naked through the standing stones.
Magnus Destry strode over to greet us. “And another Rose is welcomed into the fold. A momentous evening for your family as well as the coven.” The severe-looking High Priest shook Marley’s hand. “I have no doubt you’ll be the jewel in their crown.”
“A warm Silver Moon welcome, Marley,” Aunt Hyacinth said, sweeping through the circle. “You might want to adjust your wreath. We’ll be starting in just a moment.”
Marley’s hand flew absently to her head. “Is it crooked?”
“Looks fine to me,” I said.
“A few millimeters up on the left side will do the trick,” my aunt said. She continued past us to speak to the other new members and their families.
“Millimeters?” Marley queried.
“Here let me get my measuring tape,” I said. I pretended to reach into my pocket. “Just ignore her. You’re representing the family, so she has this strange notion that you should be perfect.”
“I’m glad you don’t feel that way,” Marley said.
I pinched her cheek. “How could I? You have me for a mother. You’re starting at a disadvantage.”
Marley giggled. “You’re ridiculous.”
The forest darkened and I realized the sun had set. Time to begin.
“Coven, take your places, please,” Iris said. “New members stand together in front of me.”
Everyone moved to their respective positions. I took my place between Linnea and Aster. Marley waved to me from her spot in the circle. She looked so grownup that I found myself misty-eyed.
Iris turned to the only wizard in a black cloak, the understudy to the High Priest. “Summoner,” she said in a commanding voice. He lifted his blackthorn staff and aimed it at the circle. Flames burst into existence.
“O’ wondrous Goddess of the Moon,” Iris began. “Tonight we welcome our newest members to the coven. We thank you for the generosity that you have shown in bestowing us with such gifted witches.”
“Thank you, Goddess of the Moon,” we chanted. A gust of wind blew through the circle and knocked Marley’s wreath askew. Oh boy. Aunt Hyacinth was probably itching to fix it. No chance she’d dive across the flames to do it; she’d end up in the healer’s office with no eyebrows.
The High Priestess produced a silver wand and touched the flames. She proceeded to walk straight through the fire in the middle of the stone circle to reach the new witches. Even though it wasn’t my first time witnessing this spectacle, a gasp still escaped me.
“Marley, we welcome you to the Silver Moon coven. You have our allegiance and our protection.” She touched the tip of her wand to my daughter’s forehead and drew a rune before moving on to the next witch. I peered through the flames, trying to decipher the rune. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hazel watching me intently. Great balls of scribbles. Now I was really under pressure. Ten bucks says she’d quiz me after the ceremony.
“We are honor bound to teach you the ways of the coven and to assist you in managing your magic responsibly,” Iris said, continuing the ceremony.
They were still trying their level best with me, not that I made it easy. Marley would be a dream witch for this coven. Smart, eager, responsible. She’d more than make up for my shortcomings.
I shifted my focus away from Hazel and caught sight of Gardenia, the coven scribe, typing away on her iPhone. The stout witch took copious notes on every coven event and reported them at the monthly meetings.
Iris lifted her arms high and began to chant. The rest of the coven followed suit. One of these days, I was going to catch up and memorize this stuff. For now, I was stuck feeling like I’d stumbled into the middle of a Zumba class taught in Swahili.
The Summoner retrieved his giant Aim ’n Flame and pointed the staff at the fire to extinguish the fire. Aunt Hyacinth made a beeline for Marley. I thought she was going to hug her. She did, but only after correcting the wreath on Marley’s head. I hurried over to congratulate my daughter with a warm hug.
“How do you feel?” I asked, kissing her cheek.
“This was so cool,” she replied. Her cheeks had to be sore from so much smiling. Still, she didn’t complain. She was too happy.
Warm drinks were distributed and witches and wizards swarmed the newest members to welcome them personally. Calla and Zahara took turns embracing Marley.
“Calla is the Crone and Zahara is the Mother,” I said. With her high cheekbones and lush strawberry blond waves, Zahara looked more like a supermodel than a Mother.
“Oh, I’ve been studying coven terminology,” Marley said. “You’re responsible for coordinating the rituals.”
“Among other things,” Zahara said. “It’s nice to see you already taking an interest.”
“She’s taken an interest ever since the moment three magical cousins showed up in our apartment,” I said.
“We offer mentorships in the coven,” Zahara said with a warm smile. “Perhaps you would enjoy being a mentee to one of the leaders.”
Marley vibrated with excitement. “That would be awesome.”
“Know who else would love that idea?” I said. “Aunt Hyacinth.” I had no doubt my aunt expected Marley to be the future leader of the coven…or the town. Probably the universe if the pushy witch had her way.
“Attention, Silver Moon.” Gardenia waved her phone in the air. The light of the screen was glaring now that the fire was out. “I have an announcement before everyone leaves. Hyacinth Rose-Muldoon would like to extend an invitation to the coven to celebrate Marley’s induction at Thornhold on Saturday at eleven.”
I heard sounds of approval around me.
“She would also like to remind everyone that the use of coasters is mandatory. No exceptions.” Gardenia consulted her phone to check for any further details. “If you are caught setting a glass on furniture without said coaster, you will be escorted from the premises posthaste.”
“Oh no. Not posthaste,” Calla murmured. “Anything but that.” She gave me a mischievous wink.
“It’s all fun and games now until you find yourself in the driveway with Aunt Hyacinth’s broomstick up your…”
“Mom!” Marley admonished me. “This is a nice ri
tual. Don’t ruin it with your mouth.”
I was pretty sure I could ruin it even without my mouth. I was talented in that way. “Sorry.”
Calla cackled quietly. “Between you and Marley, the coven just got a lot more interesting.”
Chapter Twelve
My left eye twitched. I was more nervous about my first counseling session with Alec than I’d realized. At least he’d been ruled out as a suspect in Tatiana’s murder. That would’ve made for an awkward session.
Alec was his typical flawless self. Perfect hair. Perfect suit. Plain perfect…except for the traumatizing emotional baggage he seemed to carry. No biggie.
The door opened and the counselor beckoned us inside. I had no idea what to expect. My only experience to date was with Marley and that was only recently. I’d certainly never been counseled as part of a couple. Karl and I were too young to consider such things, not that we’d needed it. We operated as many couples did following the birth of a child—on sleep-deprived autopilot.
I’d been planning to use Marley’s therapist, but he recommended that I see someone else for couples. Apparently, adolescents were his specialty. He did, however, suggest Aimee Hillside.
“Don’t be shy,” Aimee said in a squeaky, high-pitched voice. Her smile was so glaringly bright that I fought the impulse to shield my eyes. “I know the first visit is a huge step.”
I nudged Alec to his feet and we joined Aimee in her office. She sat in a chair and motioned to the two—
Swings?
“Um, you want us to sit in those?” I asked.
“I think not,” Alec said.
“I find it helps my clients relax,” Aimee told us. “Swinging is soothing, like being back in the womb.”
“I don’t want to be back in the womb,” I said. “I like it out here.”
Aimee wagged a finger at us and clucked her tongue. “My room. My rules.”
I peeked at Alec. His expression remained blank. “I guess it can’t hurt.” Unless I fell backward off the swing, in which case, it would hurt a lot.
Alec reluctantly sat on the swing adjacent to mine. He kept his feet firmly planted on the floor. I, on other hand, decided to gain a bit of momentum.
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