He checked me out as well. “No, Lu. Nothing like it. In fact, she’s kind of homely. Not as bad as some of those witches, mind you, be she’s hardly succubus material.”
“Feel free to keep talking about me like I’m not here,” I said.
Alex guided me to a quiet corner of the living room. “You know what? I think it’s best if we talk over here.” He lowered his voice. “You have to excuse my parents. They have a tendency to speak their minds and their minds aren’t necessarily a pleasant place to glimpse.”
“I know the type.” I did. Back in the human world, I worked with a paralegal called Sheila, who was only too happy to tell you when you looked fat, or overtired, or point out when your socks didn’t match. And she always found a way to do it when there was an audience. Needless to say, I didn’t miss Sheila.
“What did you want to ask me about Jolene?” His expression was open and earnest. I felt a twinge of guilt for what I was about to suggest. We had to consider the possibility, though. It wasn’t fair to pin a murder on Daniel if there wasn’t a murder in the first place.
“Were you aware that Jolene suffered from depression?” I asked.
His gaze darted nervously over my shoulder to where the rest of the family lingered. “What do you know about it?”
“I know that she was taking a potion to cope with the depression. She was also attending a harp therapy class.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What harp therapy class?”
“Twice a week. Tuesdays and Thursdays.” I produced the sample bottle of anti-depression potion from my handbag. “Have the sheriff check her system for this. I don’t know if it’s possible to overdose on it, but the lab experts will.”
He stared at the small bottle for a beat before taking it. “How do you know all this?”
“Daniel told me.”
At the mention of Daniel’s name, his eyes suddenly glowed golden and I realized the wolf inside him was stirring. “Where is he?”
“I have no idea,” I lied, “but he had nothing to do with Jolene’s death. He was trying to help her.”
“Help her how?”
“With her depression,” I said. “They confided in each other.”
I heard a low growl and realized it was coming from Duke, Alex’s father.
“Nonsense. Jolene would never seek help from outside the pack,” Duke said heatedly. “It’s not our way.”
“Maybe that’s exactly why she felt she couldn’t confide in one of you,” I said. “Werewolves are supposed to be tough, right? Resilient?”
Heads bobbed up and down.
“Well, Jolene didn’t feel that way about herself,” I explained. “So she felt alone.”
“She was getting married to the best wolf in the pack,” Jolene’s mother said. “She had nothing to be sad about, except maybe ‘cause she didn’t end up with the color wedding flowers she wanted on account of them being out of season.”
It seemed depression was just as misunderstood in Spellbound as it was in the human world. “Depression like Jolene’s isn’t a simple case of sadness. It’s not because she didn’t get the wedding flowers she wanted. Or even for a more serious reason, like she didn’t want to marry Alex.”
“You need to stop talking right now, witch,” LuAnn snarled at me. “No one here is interested in your drivel. Jolene loved my son and she couldn’t wait to be the mama of his cubs.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.” I didn’t seem to be getting my point across. I was about to give up when I noticed a shadow pass over Alex’s face.
“What is it, Alex?” I prompted.
His brown eyes met mine. “Emma’s telling the truth.”
LuAnn nearly fell off the arm of the chair. “What are you saying, son?”
Alex paced the length of the room, emanating pent-up energy. “It’s all true. Jolene was real depressed. I told her to do whatever she had to do. I didn’t know she’d been talking to Daniel about it, but it makes sense. Everybody knows he’s a moody son of a bitch.”
“You didn’t offer to help her?” I asked. They were mated. It seemed like an obvious act of love and devotion. Your beloved is hurting—help her find a way to heal instead of leaving her to deal with it alone.
He kicked the wall hard, busting a shoe-shaped hole right through it. “What do I know about it? It just made me feel helpless.” He faced me, his expression a mixture of anger and anguish. “We were getting married and all she could do was mope around the house feeling sorry for herself. How do I help her? It made me feel awful.”
LuAnn stood and looked down her nose at me. “You’ve done enough here. I think you ought to leave.”
With five angry werewolves staring me down, I was inclined to agree with her.
“I’ll show myself out,” I said, inching my way slowly toward the door. I didn’t want to move too quickly and provoke the predators lurking within to give chase.
Once I closed the front door behind me, I exhaled the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Although it was a long walk home, it gave me plenty of time to think.
Chapter 8
I rushed over to the field for another broomstick session. I’d gulped down my orange goo this morning, much to Sedgwick’s amusement. I needed all the help I could get.
Professor Holmes used his wand to illustrate the course we’d take on our broomsticks for the final exam. A green light streamed from his wand to the blue sky above. A long-distance laser pointer.
“You must successfully complete four maneuvers in a solo run,” he said. “The first one is a hard left.” The green light bent sharply to the left. “The second one is a sudden, steep climb. You must fly twenty feet at a ninety-degree angle.”
I gulped. A ninety-degree angle? Granted, I hadn’t taken geometry in quite some time, but that didn’t sound like a straight line.
“The third maneuver is the most complex.” Professor Holmes pinned his gaze on Sophie. “Can you remind your classmates of this move?”
Sophie’s jaw tensed. “The loop-de-loop.”
“That is correct. You must circle up and over, executing a perfect loop.”
I felt sick just picturing it. Upside down? I wasn't even sure why this maneuver was a requirement. It seemed more like a fun exercise for people who liked to fly on broomsticks. I was definitely not in that camp. I didn’t even like amusement park rides that went upside down. I avoided roller coasters and anything involving heights. My grandparents weren't exactly begging to take me to an amusement park, so it wasn't an issue in my house.
“The final maneuver is, of course, the landing.” His eyes wrinkled at the corners in that way that seemed to be the staple of older, distinguished men. “Easier said than done.”
I raised my hand. “Professor? How do we know we’ve completed all four successfully?” I pictured a point system like in gymnastics. That was the only Olympic sport I’d ever watched.
“Believe me,” he said. “You’ll know.”
Small comfort.
“Millie.” He beckoned her forward. “Would you like to demonstrate the course?”
“Yes, Professor Holmes.” Millie hopped on her broom and sped off without a backward glance. I had to hand it to her—she was a natural flyer. If we were on better terms, I’d ask her to practice with me.
Millie completed each move with grace and precision. She even made the loop-de-loop look fun. It was all well and good when someone else was on the broom, though. I knew I’d fall to pieces when it was my turn.
“I wrecked my landing last term,” Laurel said in a low voice. “I think I took half the field with me.”
“I don’t think the grass has grown back yet,” Sophie added.
“Sophie struggled with the loop-de-loop last term,” Begonia whispered. “It’s one of the tests she failed.”
At least I wouldn’t be alone then.
“Today we will practice all of these maneuvers,” Professor Holmes said.
My stomach plummeted. All of them?
<
br /> “Miss Hart, since the loop-de-loop is a complicated move, I’ve decided to pair you with Millie today.”
Uh oh. It was unlikely he knew about the problem between Millie and me.
To her credit, Millie didn’t complain. As long as she didn’t push me off the broom when we were airborne, I’d be all right.
“Since the others have done this before,” Professor Holmes said, “why don’t you two start?”
My throat tightened.
“Sit in front of me,” Millie directed. “Keep your hands on the stick at all times and, whatever you do, don’t close your eyes.”
Yes, yes. I knew not to close my eyes. I’d heard it enough times now that I’d started to repeat it in my sleep. Gareth initially thought I was trying to stay awake because he kept hearing me mutter, “Must keep my eyes open.”
“I’m going to steer this time,” Millie said. “You can do the next run.”
The next run? My palms started to sweat. I wasn’t sure the anti-anxiety potion was going to be potent enough for today’s lesson.
We glided into the air and, once again, I marveled at Millie’s prowess.
“You’re so good at this,” I told her.
She didn’t respond. I took her silence to mean she was still angry with me.
“You’re shaking, Emma,” Millie said sharply. “Don’t do that. You’ll throw the broom off course.”
“Sorry.” That was like telling a leaf not to blow in the wind. Once my body began to tremble, it was very hard to stop.
“Emma, I’m serious,” she said, struggling to regain control of the broomstick. “Vomiting is bad enough, but shaking is dangerous. It’s a huge distraction.”
I inhaled deeply through my nose and exhaled from my mouth. I’d taken yoga briefly in college and that was the only part I remembered. The rest was a jumble of pulled muscles and the inability to bend in unnatural ways. I also remembered a lot of giggling. Unsurprisingly, my attempt at yoga was fleeting.
We began the climb upward and I felt my body begin to tip backward. I clung to the broomstick, hugging it like my favorite stuffed animal from childhood. An owl called Huey. I’d refused to part with it, even to attend school. The therapist had told my father that the toy was a surrogate for my absent mother.
My beloved childhood toy was an owl. Why did I just remember that?
“Emma,” Millie shouted, but it was too late.
I felt my body leave the broom and I hung in the air, one hand gripping the handle. The broom began to spin out of control. The whole world turned and my stomach churned along with it. The last thing I remembered before slipping into darkness was throwing up and praying that I’d missed Millie.
I awoke in a familiar place. The healer’s office.
“She’s up,” Boyd called, as he rushed to my side. “How are you feeling?”
“Dizzy,” I said.
“That’s to be expected.” He gave me a sympathetic smile. “What happened up there? Millie said you couldn’t stop shaking.”
I told him about my anxiety and the potion I’d taken.
“It might be time to try a higher dosage,” he suggested. “I can recommend a lotion as well, if you don’t like the taste of the potion.”
“What would a lotion do?” I asked.
“You rub it on your skin,” he explained. “It basically acts the same as a potion, except your body absorbs it through the skin instead of digesting it.”
Wow. I learned something new every day.
“Your friends are waiting in the reception area,” he said. “Would you like to see them?”
“Is Millie okay?” I asked. I’d never forgive myself if I caused harm to anyone else.
“She’s fine,” Boyd reassured me. “She went home as soon as we told her you’d recover.”
Millie went home, which meant she was not one of the friends waiting in the reception area. I tried to brush off the disappointment. What did I expect? I’d only given her one more reason to be upset with me.
A minute later, I saw the faces of Laurel, Sophie and Begonia peering down at me. I felt like a lab rat.
“Thank the stars, you’re alive,” Sophie said, and brushed the hair out of my face.
“You should have seen Professor Holmes,” Laurel said, stifling a giggle. “I thought he was going to have a stroke right then and there.”
“Is he here?” I asked.
“He was,” Sophie said. “As soon as Boyd said you were out of the woods, he ran over to Lady Weatherby’s office to report the incident.”
Great. Just what I needed. More of Lady Weatherby’s disapproval.
“Is Millie angry?” I asked.
“Who cares?” Begonia said. “It’s not your fault.”
“Well, it certainly wasn’t hers,” I said. “I couldn’t stop shaking and then I couldn’t focus. I remembered a toy I used to have. An owl. My mother had given it to me. That can’t be a coincidence, right?”
“But your mother didn’t know she was a witch,” Sophie said.
“That’s been my assumption,” I said. “Maybe she knew after all. Or maybe she felt an affinity for owls but didn’t know why. I guess I’ll never know for sure.”
“What was the owl’s name?” Laurel asked.
“Huey,” I said, smiling. “He was brown with yellow eyes.” Not unlike Sedgwick, except Huey wasn’t spotted.
“That’s a nice memory,” Begonia said. “I’m glad it came back to you, even if it was at an inopportune time.” She bent over and hugged me.
Lady Weatherby entered the room, with Professor Holmes trailing behind her.
“You’re alive, I see,” Lady Weatherby said. She almost sounded disappointed.
“Surprise,” I said weakly.
“Witches, please clear the room,” she said. “You are dismissed for the rest of the day.”
The other three girls exchanged surprised glances.
“Will Emma be able to go home today?” Laurel asked.
“Boyd says yes,” Lady Weatherby said. “You can dote on your friend later. Right now, I need a word.”
The trio left the room, leaving me alone with Lady Weatherby and Professor Holmes.
“You nearly killed yourself today,” Lady Weatherby said. “As well as another student. What do you have to say for yourself?”
“I’m terribly sorry,” I said. “I tried so hard not to be nervous, but my body refused to listen to my brain.”
“Millie refuses to ride with you again and I don’t blame her,” Lady Weatherby said. “Being a part of the coven means being part of a group. One link in a long chain. You must put your own neuroses aside if you wish to join us.”
“I didn’t think I had a choice,” I said.
Lady Weatherby glared at me. “You are in Spellbound now, Miss Hart, whether you like it or not. We have all made sacrifices here, some far greater than yours. Do not think for one second that you are alone in this.”
She seemed to be taking my near-death experience very personally, as though I deliberately set out to die just to spite her.
“I’ll apologize to Millie,” I said. “I would never intentionally hurt anyone.”
“Your intentions are irrelevant,” Lady Weatherby said. “Do better or you may find yourself ex-communicated.”
Tears stung my eyes. Ex-communicated? The coven would shun me?
“J.R.,” Professor Holmes said softly. “Perhaps you’re being too harsh on the girl. I was there, remember? She panicked. She’s hardly the first witch to do so.”
Lady Weatherby turned her attention to the elderly wizard and I saw him flinch. “If you have an issue with anything I’ve said,” she said, “I would appreciate it if you spoke with me in private instead of undermining my authority.”
Professor Holmes pressed his lips together. He was a sweet man and I appreciated his efforts on my behalf.
“Why don’t we let the patient rest now?” Boyd suggested, coming into the small room. “I’ll release her in another hour or
so.”
“As you wish,” Lady Weatherby said. Without another word, she spun on her heel and left the room. Professor Holmes gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder before following her.
Once they were out of earshot, Boyd came over to the bed, rubbing his hands together. “Now that Little Lady Sunshine has left the building, who wants ice cream?”
“Are you feeling better?” Daniel asked.
I was at home, tucked safely in my bed, with a vampire ghost and an angel hovering beside me.
“Jittery, but otherwise okay,” I said.
Daniel handed me a cup of tea on a saucer. “It’s thistle and thyme.”
“I had Magpie direct him to it,” Gareth said quickly. “He doesn’t know his herbs from his weeds.”
“Thank you both,” I said, taking a hesitant sip of the tea. The warmth shot straight to my belly.
Sedgwick flapped into the room. The vampire is here.
“Daniel, you need to stay hidden,” I said. “Demetrius is here.” I dragged myself out of bed and down the steps.
“What’s he doing here?” the angel asked.
“He probably heard about the incident,” I called over my shoulder. “You know how fast word travels in Spellbound.” At the speed of light.
“Fix your hair,” Gareth called.
There was no time to worry about my hair as I flung open the door. “What a surprise.”
He seemed relieved to see me. “I wasn’t certain you’d be able to answer the door.”
“I’m sure the whole thing was blown out of proportion,” I said.
He leaned against the doorjamb, the hint of a firm chest visible thanks to an open-collared shirt. “I heard you nearly fell to your death while on a broomstick with another remedial witch and freaked out the entire coven.”
Okay, so maybe it wasn’t blown out of proportion.
“Are you going to invite me in?” he asked.
I couldn’t possibly let him in with Daniel hiding upstairs. Not with his vampire hearing.
“I appreciate you coming to check on me,” I said, “but I actually need to get to work. I’m meeting with a client soon.”
Doom and Broom (Spellbound Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 2) Page 8
