Shifters and Sabotage

by Lily Webb

  Raina nodded. “It’s possible. Pixies are excellent copycats.”

  Mallory frowned. “But we have nothing that directly links her to all this. It’s not like we caught her red-handed writing this stuff. She could reasonably deny it.”

  “Then we’ll just have to catch her in the act at the banquet tomorrow night. I can’t tell you why, but I’m convinced Rose will strike then, if it happens at all. She’ll want to make a public show of getting back at everyone who’s wronged her.”

  “I think you’re right,” Mallory said. “But how in Lilith’s name are we supposed to fight what we might not see?”

  “Pixies aren’t invisible, my dears,” Raina said. “Tiny, yes, but not invisible.”

  “And they’re often followed by a trail of shimmering dust,” Estelle added.

  Raina turned to her with a smile, impressed. “Precisely.”

  “Okay, but still, with all the people, food, and commotion going on during the banquet, I don’t know how Zoe will see that either,” Mallory said.

  “Well, it’s a good thing I’ll have your extra pairs of eyes there to help me, huh?”

  Mallory stared blankly at me.

  “You’re both coming tomorrow night, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, dear, I expect the entire town will be there,” Raina answered.

  I turned to Mallory and raised my eyebrows at her. “Well?”

  “Ugh, fine,” she groaned. “Talk about peer pressure.”

  “Hey, whatever it takes. Anything else I need to know about pixies before tomorrow, Raina?”

  “They’re mischievous and rarely confront things head on. They prefer to do things on the sly.”

  “Okay, and what about their magic? Is the dust the only thing I need to worry about?”

  “No, far from it. As I’ve said, pixies can change their size and shape at will, and if Rose — or whoever it is we’re really dealing with here — has already shown her ability to fool several people by passing as a fairy, I have every reason to believe she’ll try something similar tomorrow.”

  “Great. So not only could she be tiny, she might blend into the crowd. This should be fun,” I sighed.

  “Your best bet is to stay as close to Katelyn as you can without being conspicuous,” Raina said.

  “That’s easier said than done, especially since I’ve already accused Katelyn twice.”

  “You’re Head Witch, dear. I doubt anyone will think anything of it.”

  “But what if it isn’t Katelyn she’s after? It could be me or Sam or Lilith only knows who else.”

  “Pixies rarely, if ever, go after those who haven’t directly wronged them. They’re a very simple species in that regard.”

  “Well, as far as I know I haven’t, but I can’t say the same for Sam. They used to work together. Maybe Rose has some hidden grudge against him, too.”

  “Then you should stay close to him, and we’ll watch Katelyn instead,” Mallory suggested.

  “Good idea. Beau can help, too.”

  “Olivia might also be useful,” Raina said.

  “Oh, I hadn’t even thought of that. She’d be perfect to help catch something small and fast. Maybe this won’t be so difficult. Okay, let’s say we nab Rose somehow, then what? Will whatever magic she’s exposed Beau and Olivia to break?” I asked Raina.

  “I’m not sure. As I said, the effects of pixie dust typically wear off on their own, but that might not be the case here. Regardless, Rose should be able to reverse the magic once we have her in custody.”

  “So then it all comes down to catching her. Easy.”

  “Famous last words, Zoe,” Mallory said, and I couldn’t help laughing.

  Chapter Fourteen

  If it hadn’t been in the same place it always was, I wouldn’t have recognized Moon Grove’s town hall. The double doors, usually closed while the Council was in session, were wide open in welcome, and a colossal table stretched from inside the main chamber down to the top of the stairs.

  It was resplendent. More chairs than I could’ve hoped to count lined each side of the table, with plates and silverware to match. Magical firework decorations popped and sizzled in the air above the table, singing the praises of each paranormal species in Moon Grove, interspersed by floating candles that cast the room in a warm, welcoming glow. Paranormals of all species milled about the entrance nursing drinks and chatting with each other merrily. It was one of the most unifying experiences I’d had since moving to Moon Grove.

  Beau came to a stop beside me and sat down on his haunches, as awestruck by the sight as I was. There must’ve been magic at work — like there was with everything in Moon Grove — because it shouldn’t have been physically possible to fit so many people into the town hall at that one table. I had to hand it to Heath; it was brilliant to seat everyone together...

  Which reminded me I needed to find him and fast. If things went the way I thought they might once the festivities got underway, I’d need his help to rein Rose in. I glanced around in a circle, but it didn’t take long to find the Head Warlock. As usual, Heath stuck out like a sore thumb. Toward the very back of the chamber, near the raised dais where we normally presided as council members, Heath stood talking to Sam.

  “Come on, Beau,” I said and began working my way through the throngs of people toward the back of the chamber. Beau trotted along beside me, his nails click-clacking against the floor. Heath and Sam both held a glass of champagne in one hand, and they were laughing about something when I reached them.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Ah, Zoe, there you are! I worried you weren’t coming,” Heath said and set his glass down on the dais to wrap one arm around me. “I’m glad to see I was wrong.”

  “If I’d missed this, I could never have forgiven myself,” I said, waving at the impeccable display. “It’s unbelievable. I think there are more people here now than there were during my election for Head Witch, and that’s saying something.”

  “Maybe expanding the Council and bringing more people under the umbrella was the right thing to do,” Sam said.

  I nodded. “Yeah, clearly. But wait a second, I don’t see any of the shifters. Did they decide not to come?”

  Sam grimaced and shook his head. “Unfortunately, they won’t be here. I got word this morning. I don’t have a clue how, but the news of what happened to Olivia spread. Because of the attacks, the shifters are afraid, and I can’t say I blame them.” He reached down to pet Beau’s head and Beau nuzzled him. “I take it there haven’t been any developments in figuring out what’s wrong?”

  I lowered my voice — as if anybody could’ve overhead me in all the commotion, anyway. “Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I can’t say for certain, but I think I know who’s behind the attacks.”

  Heath’s eyes widened as he reached for his glass on the dais. “You do?”

  I nodded. “Do you know Rose Mossfield?”

  Heath paused for a second while he tried to place the name to a face. “I can’t say I do.”

  “She’s Beau’s intern at Channel 666,” Sam said, his face white. “Do you think she did it?”

  “At this rate, I can almost guarantee it. The problem is, I don’t have hard proof.”

  “What do you have then?” Heath asked.

  “Raina found traces of pixie dust in the chocolate sent to Beau and the coffee I found in Olivia’s office. Whoever did this to the two of them is the same person, and we think they’re a pixie.”

  “But Rose isn’t a pixie, she’s a fairy,” Sam said, puzzled.

  “Is she really?”

  Heath rubbed his chin. “Hm, what makes you so sure Rose isn’t who she says she is?”

  “She’s the only one who would have a reason to attack both of them — a very personal reason. Beau rebuffed her when Rose asked him out on a date, and Olivia bullied Rose like no other. But more than that, Rose got coffee for Olivia and the rest of her team, and yet Olivia is the only one who ended up stuck
in her shifter form.”

  “And she was Beau’s intern, which means she could have brought him the cursed chocolates and no one would’ve thought twice about it. It all fits,” Sam said, shaking his head.

  I grimaced. “There’s more than that, though. We suspect Rose was behind all the letters. I spoke to an expert from the Moon Grove Historical Society about forgeries, and she compared the handwriting on the letters to a note I stole from Katelyn’s office — don’t judge me, it was for a good cause — and the expert told me that the author of the letters was impersonating Katelyn.”

  “So, if all this is true, Katelyn could be the next target, right?” Sam asked, following my train of thought easier than I thought he would.

  “Exactly. It’ll be her, you, or me. The trouble is, we don’t know which, but I’m fairly sure Rose will strike tonight.”

  Heath’s face darkened. “As heinous as it is, I have to admit it’s smart. She’ll declare publicly that anyone who crosses her will get their comeuppance. We can’t let that happen. The future unity of Moon Grove rides on this banquet.”

  “Try not to worry too much about it. I brought some friends along with me to monitor us all tonight. That said, Heath, I’ll need your help, too.”

  He nodded. “Absolutely. Anything I can do, I will.”

  “Good. Stay with Sam as much as possible. If you’re not with him, never take your eyes off him. And be careful with your food and drinks. We already know what Rose’s preferred method of attack is.”

  As if he worried someone had already tampered with his drink, Heath pulled his wand out and waved it at the glass. The contents vanished, as did those in Sam’s glass. Heath placed both on the tray of a passing waiter. “Better safe than sorry.”

  Sam gulped and shrugged. “Just when I thought I could finally enjoy myself for an evening.”

  “Be cool, or as much as you can. I know this is terrible, but I’m using this event as a trap. Like I said, I don’t have concrete proof that it was Rose who did all this, so I’m hoping to catch her in the act tonight.”

  “Smart,” Heath said. “A pixie shouldn’t be too hard to spot, even among all these attendees.”

  “Well, that’s where things could get interesting. It’s possible Rose could try to take on a different form tonight to blend in with the rest of the audience.”

  “Duly noted,” Heath said, his expression grim.

  A beat later, a collective gasp tore through the room, followed by low murmurs of conversation. I turned my head along with everyone else toward the entrance to see what was happening. To my amazement, a lumbering, gigantic black bear approached the town hall, flanked by dozens of shifters — all in their animal forms — like they were heading to board the Ark. Marissa had come, and she’d brought what looked like the entire shifter community along with her.

  She stood up on her hind legs and let out a deafening roar that made the plates and silverware on the table rattle. By the time she collapsed back onto her front legs, she’d shifted back into her human form. She rose and flipped her long hair over one shoulder, locked eyes with me, and winked as her entourage all shifted into their human forms too.

  I dashed to the entrance to meet her. “I thought you weren’t coming!”

  Marissa chuckled. “And miss all this? Bikers never say no to free food.”

  I gestured at the throng of people behind her. “You said you didn’t have any influence over the shifter community.”

  Marissa shrugged. “Turns out I still have some sway. Besides, I thought this might be more exciting than opening another dive bar.”

  She had no idea how right she might be, but I kept that to myself. The fewer people who knew about our little pixie problem, the better. “Regardless, I’m glad to see you.”

  Marissa peeked around me at Beau and Sam, both of whom looked everywhere but at her — unlike everyone else in the room. “Looks like they don’t agree. Still no luck on the sticky shifter situation, huh?”

  “Yes, and no. It’s complicated. Anyway, like I said, I’m glad you’re here. Help yourself to a drink or, well, whatever it is shifters like.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice,” Marissa said and winked at me as she headed toward the bartender at the side of the room. She waved at Beau and Sam on her way, and Sam politely waved back, his face beat red. Beau lay down in defeat.

  “Zoe!” I whipped back around and found Mallory and Raina standing in the doorway. Raina held Olivia in her arms. The poor cat looked absolutely terrified, and judging from the raw red marks on Raina’s arms, she’d paid the price for bringing her.

  Mallory dashed up to me. “So, any developments?” she whispered as she glanced suspiciously around the room. “I mean, besides the big bear show?”

  I laughed and shook my head. “No. Thankfully, that’s been the only excitement.”

  “Let’s hope nothing eclipses it.”

  I couldn’t say I agreed — as dangerous as it was, I needed Rose to reveal herself and try something so I could put a stop to all this. Otherwise, Beau might remain a dog forever.

  “You really haven’t seen anything yet?” Mallory asked as if she’d sensed my unease.

  I glanced around the room again, squinting for anything that might resemble a sparkling pixie floating through the air. “No, nothing yet, but the night is young.”

  Raina set Olivia down and watched as the cat dashed between attendees’ legs to head for the table, which she disappeared underneath.

  “Some help she’ll be,” Mallory scoffed and rolled her eyes.

  “Guess that means we have to be more vigilant,” I said, scanning the room yet again. As much as I wanted to relax, I couldn’t. I feared that as soon as I let my guard down, Rose would strike and it would be too late for me to stop her.

  The sound of clinking glass rippled through the room, and I turned to find Heath standing on the dais. He banged a fork against his champagne flute several times until the chatter in the room died down and all the eyes in their various shapes and colors had settled on him.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, witches, warlocks, werewolves, vampires, fairies, gargoyles, and all!” Heath said, his magically amplified voice carrying through the room. “It’s with great pleasure that I welcome everyone tonight. I want to emphasize that: every single one of you is welcome here.”

  He scanned the crowd slowly while he let the message sink in. “These last few months in Moon Grove have been trying but I know in our heart of hearts — still beating or otherwise,” he said to scattered laughter from the vampires in attendance, “We’re on the same team and we want the same things. We can only do that when we stand together, because when we stand together, we stand stronger. In that spirit, I invite you all to enjoy and celebrate each other’s foods and cultures tonight. I hope that as we move forward, this evening will stand out in your memory as a prime example of what we can accomplish when we respect each other and work together.”

  A deafening round of applause, barks, howls, and wings flapping filled the chamber and spilled out into the open air.

  Heath raised his hands and smiled. Gradually, the cheering died down until it was quiet enough in the room that I could’ve heard a pen drop. “Now, enough talking. Let’s do what we came here to do: eat!” Heath bellowed and reached into his robes for his wand. He waved it in a wide arc across the room and heaps of food appeared on the massive table: giant pots of bubbling stew, deliciously crusted pies and puddings, and more that I couldn’t make out from where I stood.

  My body jolted into high alert at the sight of the hundreds of attendees approaching the table in a flash of fangs, claws, and robes. If anything were to happen, it would be now while the initial round of food distracted everyone.

  Panicked, I glanced around the room in a hurry to find my targets. Thankfully, Heath had rejoined Sam toward the head of the table, and Katelyn stood near Marissa with the rest of the shifters. Mallory and Raina were together near the entrance, each looking as anxious as I felt.
>
  My eyes darted back and forth between Sam and Katelyn, but I found nothing out of the ordinary. To avoid looking paranoid and to calm myself down, I reached for a plate from a towering stack of them nearby and perused the offerings. It would be a shame to let the food go to waste, and I doubted I’d ever get another chance to eat as varied a pallet as was on display.

  My stomach twisted when I saw a dark, gelatinous substance in a dish labeled blood pudding, courtesy of the vampires. It was a disturbing idea for a joke, but I laughed at it anyway. Thankfully, there were plenty of other things to choose from. The werewolves had brought a bone broth, which seemed a little macabre too, but at least it wasn’t as grotesque as the blood pudding. Having lost most of my appetite, I ditched my plate in favor of a bowl and filled it with a vegetable stir-fry made by the fairies.

  It was delicious, and reminded me of the dinner I’d shared at a vegetarian restaurant with Flora, Beau, and Flora’s on-again off-again boyfriend, Officer Ewan Barrett — before I’d run out of the room barefoot to be the first at a crime scene.

  I glanced again at Sam and Katelyn. Thankfully, they stood talking and laughing with Heath like they didn’t have a care in the world, though Sam’s body language gave off a whiff of nervous energy. Still, so far everything had gone exactly as planned, so I wondered if I’d been paranoid to think there might be another attack in such a public setting. Had I read things all wrong? Maybe Rose was smart enough to think better of going after another of us while the whole town watched and had tricked me into thinking otherwise… which meant she could’ve been lurking elsewhere, waiting to strike.

  I shook my head, determined not to get pulled down into an anxious spiral. Despite the pounding of my heart in my chest and the crackle of anticipation vibrating through my whole body that I couldn’t seem to shake, I sucked in a long, deep breath — and had just opened my mouth to release it when I noticed an almost imperceptible sparkle above the glass in Katelyn’s left hand. She raised it to her mouth to take a drink, and though I was too far away to be sure I dropped my bowl on the table, yanked my wand from my robes, and dashed toward her.