by Nora Lee
Fern gave a wordless shout of delight and sprinted onto the beach.
Rowan smiled as she watched the girl run, inhaling a deep breath of fresh, salty air. The beach, more than anywhere else in Secret Hallow, reminded her of idyllic childhood. Fern’s joy at being unleashed gave her sympathy flutters of happiness.
Her smile faded a fraction when Fern immediately began splashing in waist-deep water. She was instantly soaked.
“That’s okay,” Rowan said to herself. “Nothing wrong with getting wet.”
She didn’t follow the girl into the surf, though. She settled on a log and started kicking the sand around.
Rowan pretended to ignore Fern, constructing a castle with damp sand and her cupped hands.
It didn’t take long for Fern to come investigating.
For a few more minutes, Rowan continued ignoring her. She didn’t even say anything when Fern started building towers alongside her. It was too peaceful to try to speak.
Rowan’s teacher urges got the best of her eventually, though.
“My magic goes wild when I have really big feelings,” Rowan said. “It makes the ground shake. It’s very scary. I don’t like how little control I have over it.” She smashed one of her own towers. “Sometimes people get hurt.”
Fern gazed, wide-eyed, at the smashed tower.
“You get big feelings too, don’t you, Fern?”
The little girl didn’t respond, but that was okay—she didn’t need to.
“Remember how the storm broke your house? All kinds of things fell around us and we could have been hurt. If your mommy was home, she might have been hurt, too. You don’t want that, do you?”
Fern trailed a finger through the sand, drawing a line where a moat would go.
“Eventually, I learned that there are ways to safely channel my feelings,” Rowan said. “It took a lot of help from people like your mom and my grandma. Do you want to know what they told me to do with my power when I get mad?”
She took Fern’s silent stare as affirmation.
“First you have to feel the power. Do you remember how it feels when the storms happen?”
The wind came up and the waves began crashing onto the beach with more ferocity.
“Is that you?” Rowan asked, a smile growing over her lips. The crashing waves were truly impressive for such a little girl.
Fern nodded and clenched her tiny hands into fists.
That nod was one of the first direct attempts at communication Fern had made. Rowan’s heart warmed at the sight of it. She was listening—she was really listening.
“Can you feel how you’re making the wind and waves move?”
Closing her eyes, Fern nodded.
“Can you see the waves in your head while your eyes are closed?”
Fern nodded again.
“Slow the waves down. Push them back with the power of your mind.”
Breakers crashed against the shoreline as Fern scrunched up her face and clenched her fists tighter. She kept her eyes shut tight and her face reddened. She seemed to be holding her breath.
The wind swirled around them, blowing sand into Rowan’s eyes. As she rubbed them clear, she tried to encourage Fern.
“The waves you’re making are like how I make the ground shake. When that happens, I imagine myself putting a big hand on the ground to stop it from moving. See if you can do that in your head.”
Every muscle in Fern’s body tensed.
When a huge wave seemed about to crash down on them, she leaned toward Fern to move her out of the way. The wave towered overhead, blocking the sunlight, and she didn’t think she’d be able to get the child to safety in time.
But the breaker fell back toward the ocean without hitting the beach.
Fern opened her eyes and looked up into Rowan’s face. She smiled. Her teeth were very white and square, with big gaps between them. Fern looked so much like Orianna.
“That was great! You did an awesome job of pushing the wave away. High five?”
They smacked hands.
“Sometimes, you don’t want to tell your magic to be quiet, though,” Rowan said. “You can’t let it build up in your insides forever. You have to let it out once in a while. When that happens, it’s okay to push all the magic out when you’re somewhere like this—at the beach where nobody can get hurt. Just open yourself up and let the feelings run wild. That’s okay too.”
Fern seemed to be ignoring her again, attention returned to the sand castle.
Rowan ruffled her hair. The kid was adorable, and babysitting her wasn’t all that hard after all. “You can also talk to your family about your feelings whenever you want. Your mommy would love to hear what’s bothering you. I would, too. Anyone in Secret Hallow is your family, and they will always be there to help you if you reach out for it.”
Fern pushed a tower of the castle over and giggled.
“You like that, you little monster?” Rowan asked.
They took turns demolishing their sand castle, destroying walls, throwing fistfuls of sand, and laughing wildly.
Rowan noticed that the happier Fern became, the quieter the ocean was.
Unfortunately, the sun was inching toward the horizon. They’d been out much longer than she’d intended. She needed to get Fern home to Orianna.
“Let’s go home now.” She got to her feet and brushed sand off her jeans before extending a hand to Fern. “We can come back and practice that another day, if you’d like.”
Fern shook her head and refused to get up.
Rowan reached down and pulled her to her feet. “We’re going home right now. Come on.”
The slight breeze blew stronger and waves lapped at their feet. A storm seemed to billow on the horizon. It hadn’t been there just seconds before, and the gloom in the clouds matched the gloom in Fern’s eyes. It was easy to tell where the wind was coming from.
“Wait,” Rowan said. “Remember what we just talked about?”
The waves came in harder and faster and a bank of dark clouds blocked the setting sun.
Waves crashed against the shoreline. The mound of dirt they’d piled up was washed away and replaced by oversized pieces of driftwood. The smell of seaweed and fish grew stronger on the raging wind.
Fern managed to wriggle out of her grasp and started to run away just as a massive crack sounded nearby.
The ground split and a huge tree began to fall.
Fern was a safe distance away from that tree. Rowan was not.
Rowan started to run.
The impact knocked her to the ground and the breath from her lungs.
Silence fell over the forest as the wind died down again. She heard ragged breathing over thundering of her heartbeat. Her hands reached up to push off the weight preventing her from drawing a breath and realized the tree trunk seemed much softer than it should have been.
She opened her eyes and found herself looking into the face of a man. Not just any man, either.
Her completely mundane, non-magical, non-warlocky ex-boyfriend, Garrett Blank.
Chapter 11
GARRETT BLANK WAS in Secret Hallow. The only way that Rowan could have been more surprised was if the president himself had appeared on that beach.
He propped himself up on his elbows, brown eyes sparkling as he gazed down at her. “Hey, Rowan. How’ve you been?”
“Can’t…breathe….”
He helped her up. “You okay?” Brushing dirt and leaves off her jeans, he gave her a warm smile. “I hope I didn’t hurt you.”
“I’ll be fine in a minute.” That was probably a lie. Rowan wouldn’t be fine until she got Garrett far, far away from all the magic and witches that he didn’t know existed.
Remembering Fern, Rowan looked around in panic. “Where is she?”
“Who?”
Fern’s head peeked around from behind a nearby tree. Her hair was a little wilder than usual, but she had a big gap-toothed smile, and she was obviously just fine.
“Fern! You scar
ed me!” Rowan opened her arms wide, inviting her for a hug.
The little girl came over, popping her free hand into her mouth.
Relief overwhelmed her and she took Fern up into a bear hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
The little girl relaxed in her arms and laid her head on Rowan’s shoulder. An unfamiliar warmth washed over her. She’d never experienced the sensation of holding a child in this way. The feeling warmed her. Rowan met Garrett’s eyes as she stroked Fern’s hair as she’d seen Orianna do earlier that day.
“Is there something I should know?” he asked, eyebrows climbing his forehead.
Rowan managed a small laugh. “Nope. She’s the daughter of my best friend.”
Perking up, Fern lifted her head to smile at Garrett. Then she startled Rowan by putting out her arms so he’d carry her. “Take me home to Mama, please.”
Rowan’s eyes must have been rounder than cauldrons. She had never heard Fern speak before, especially in such an articulate fashion. The little rascal had been letting Rowan believe that she didn’t talk, when in truth she had a sweet little voice to match that sweet little smile. She had just been saving it for the right audience.
Garrett took the little girl. “Sure thing. What’s your name?”
“Fern.” She snuggled his shoulder. “Home, please.”
Garrett said, “Lead the way, Rowan.”
Oh no. This isn’t good. He can’t know our secret.
Staring at the child in Garrett’s arms, Rowan couldn’t believe this was the same little girl who’d been so upset about leaving the beach earlier that in her anger she’d created yet another storm. She looked like nothing more than a sweet mundane child at the moment.
She reached out, but Fern refused to come back to her. “C’mon, sweetie. We don’t want to take Garrett out of his way. I’m sure he has other places to be.”
“This is my final destination.” Garrett’s laugh warmed her heart. “Your grandmother called and asked that I come talk to you. She seemed worried.”
“Really?” How on Earth had Nana gotten Garrett’s phone number? It must have been the mischievous magic of a nosy, busybody grandma taking effect.
“Take me home.” Fern’s whine grated on Rowan’s strained nerves. “I want Mommy.”
Garrett patted her back. “We’ll get you back to your mommy as soon as someone tells me the way. I don’t know how to get there.”
Again, Rowan tried to take Fern from Garrett. “That’s okay. I’ll get her home.” She felt a flush creep up her face because she’d never been good at lying. “Fern’s mother would be upset with me if I brought a stranger home with her daughter. Especially a male stranger. She’s a bit overprotective.”
“Mommy!”
A gust of wind almost knocked the trio to the ground.
Garrett looked around in surprise. “You have strange weather around here. I’ve never seen microbursts quite like this.”
“You have no idea how strange the weather can be around here. In fact, I really don’t think you’d enjoy staying very long. This area can be downright unpleasant.”
“You’re not trying to get rid of me, are you?” Garrett asked. His tone was light, but she sensed the hurt that she had evoked in him by breaking up at graduation. “I came to town hoping we could talk.”
She couldn’t bring herself to hurt Garrett any more than she had already. Breaking up with him was one of the hardest things she’d ever done.
Her soul was weak to pushing him away.
Rowan gave Garrett an honest-to-goodness smile. “I just didn’t want you to feel pressured into staying around when you seem to have been brought here under false pretenses. I don’t know what Nana’s up to and I’m afraid she might try to push us back together again.”
Fern squirmed. “Mommy! Where’s my mommy?”
Nobody could ignore that plaintive tone.
Garrett began trudging toward the trail, and Rowan had no choice but to follow him.
Her mind whirled with possibility.
Secret Hallow was the most ridiculously magical town Rowan had ever seen. There was no way he could mistake all the bubbling cauldrons, black cats, and ravens for Halloween decorations in the middle of summer. Not to mention that he would know exactly what was going on if he saw kids throwing playful hexes at each other on Main Street.
But what could she do to stop him? Fern had her arms wrapped tightly around him and was now guiding Garrett to the trail.
Rowan could only hope that her ex would leave before he figured out the truth.
Fern continued to snuggle up in Garrett’s arms as he carried her through the forest. An unfamiliar pain stabbed her heart as she saw what she could have had with him. He seemed so good with the little girl that she could only imagine how he’d be with his own children. With their children. They could have a wonderful family together if not for her horrible curse.
Why had she been born a witch? Life would be so much easier if she were normal like Garrett.
She couldn’t help smiling when Fern started chattering to Garrett. “My mommy is pretty. You’ll like her.”
“I’m sure she must be very pretty to have such a beautiful daughter.” Garrett flicked the tip of Fern’s pert little nose with a finger. “And if she’s as sweet as you are, I know I’ll like her.”
Fern smiled and gave Garrett a big hug.
Rowan smiled. She couldn’t resist such a sweet moment.
The trees thinned and they stepped out at the edge of Secret Hallow. Garrett examined the houses they passed as they headed for the business district of the little village. Though she’d never been back east, Rowan imagined Secret Hallow looked a lot like an old New England town, from the cobblestone streets to the rows of painted Victorian shops and houses.
Secret Hallow looked pleasantly normal for the first block or two. Everyone was downtown, enjoying the crisp autumn evening. Music from Java by Candlelight drifted on the wind. Rowan didn’t see a single pointed witch hat.
Fern continued directing Garrett toward her house. The girl was tragically astute now that she was talking.
The sounds of activity up ahead brought Rowan’s worries crashing down on her. She heard the tinkling of bells, the clattering of metal, and hammers pounding nails into wood—hammers that were surely working of their own volition.
In desperation, she decided to try to get Garrett to leave before he found out. “We can get back from here if you’d like to head out, Garrett. You really don’t have to stay.”
“Rowan, I spent years trying to get to know you better,” he said. “I had to pry every little fact about your family and childhood from you. Now I’m in the town where you grew up, and I can finally learn everything I always wondered about. I’m not going to lose this chance!”
“Please, Garrett,” Rowan said, increasingly desperate. “I’ll take you to the airport myself so we can talk about it.”
Garrett ignored her, glancing up at the trees overhead. “What an interesting forest. I’ve never seen trees this color during the summer. Is it always like this around here?”
“Our trees aren’t healthy at the moment. That’s one reason I was called back here.”
He shot a surprised glance over his shoulder at her. “Are you an arborist, too?”
Rowan couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. “No, I’m not. I’ve just got…special skills…that Nana thought might be helpful. You might say I have a green thumb.”
“Then the forest is in good hands. You’ve been good at everything I’ve seen you take on.”
His praise warmed her a lot more than it should have.
“This is quaint,” Garrett went on, examining each house they passed with great interest. He didn’t seem to have noticed all the cauldrons yet. Or the magical sparkles in the windows. Anxiety twisted in Rowan’s gut. “Looks older than it must be.”
“Our ancestors came from back east and settled here because they wanted to recreate what they’d left behind.” Rowan mov
ed into the lead position as they reached Main Street. Up ahead, she could see Books of Shadows, and knew her secret will be well and truly out within mere moments if they stepped into the midst of the magical reconstruction zone. “Um, Garrett. I should tell you something…”
“Mommy!” Fern squirmed out of Garrett’s grip and ran to Orianna, who was waiting on the front step.
“You were gone so long. Are you okay?” She kneeled, cupping her daughter’s cheeks. Fern had no visible sign of their little beach storm. She seemed to pass Orianna’s inspection. “Did you have fun?”
“So much fun! The nice man brought me home!”
Orianna grinned at the sound of her daughter’s voice. “Nice man, hmm?” She gave Garrett a once-over, and then lifted her eyebrows at Rowan. “A very nice man. Where did you find this specimen?”
“The beach!” Fern said. She tugged Garrett’s hand. “See? I told you my mommy is pretty.”
“This is my ex-boyfriend, Garrett.” Rowan motioned from Garrett to her friend. “This is my oldest and dearest friend, Orianna.”
“Nice to meet you.” Garrett stepped forward with a hand extended.
Orianna stood to meet him, aquiver with delight now that she realized she was meeting Rowan’s former boyfriend. She shook his hand. “Thank you for bringing my little girl home.”
“She insisted.” Garrett smiled as he tousled Fern’s hair. “She wanted us to meet.”
“Did she?” Orianna smiled down at her daughter. “I’m surprised. She doesn’t usually like strangers.”
“He’s a very nice guy,” said Rowan. “Everyone likes him.”
“We have so much to talk about,” Orianna said without releasing Garrett’s hand. “I need to know everything that Rowan did at college. Everything!”
“Only if you promise to tell me all about her childhood. Quid pro quo, right?” Garrett gave his easy laugh, which still made Rowan’s stomach flip upside down with butterflies.
“I think I should take him to the airport,” Rowan said a little shrilly.
“Nonsense.” Orianna winked over her shoulder as she led Garrett and Fern upstairs. “Every visitor to Secret Hallow is family.”
“But the house is such a mess!” Rowan protested.
