“She doesn’t know, Ethel,” a male voice said.
Gray appeared as puzzled as I felt. “You’re ghosts,” he said.
“That’s right,” the male voice said. “This inn is run entirely by ghosts. I’m Allan.”
I tried to disguise my discomfort. Anton booked me into a haunted inn? I bet he thought he was very funny.
“Can I offer you a drink?” another female voice asked. “Coffee or tea? Maybe something a tad bit stronger?”
“Don’t forget the Bloody Mary for the vampire, Irma,” Ethel said. “No virgin drinks here.”
“No, I’m good,” Gray said. “Do you have another room available? I was a last minute addition to the trip.”
“They don’t want to stay together?” Ethel asked in a hushed tone.
“Obviously not,” Allan replied. “Or he wouldn’t have asked for his own room.”
I looked at Gray. “They know we can hear them, even though we can’t see them, right?”
“There’s an adjoining room to Miss Morrow’s,” Irma said. “If the gentleman would sign in, we can make up the room for him.”
Gray seemed to sense my discomfort with the ghosts. “Actually, we’ll stick to one room.”
“It’s two double beds,” Ethel said. “Perfectly adequate for your needs, I’m sure.”
“Two beds is perfect,” I said. “Thank you.”
We headed upstairs to check out the room. The innkeeper was right—the room was fine for our purposes.
“It’s one night,” I said to Gray, standing between the beds. “We’ll manage.”
Gray poked his head in the bathroom doorway. “I can always sleep in the bathtub and close the door.”
“That’s silly,” I said. “It’s not like I’m worried you’re going to pounce on me in the night.”
His eyes widened slightly.
“You said yourself bloodlust isn’t an issue for you,” I added.
He appeared relieved. “Right, bloodlust. We’ll play it by ear. How about that?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“We’re due at the Whitethorn at ten,” he said, “so let’s calm your rumbling stomach before then.”
My hand flew instinctively to my stomach. “What rumbling stomach? It’s quiet now,” I said indignantly.
“Give it about five minutes,” Gray said, with a trace of amusement. “I’ve spent enough time with you now, Morrow. I know how your body works.”
The intimate remark made my cheeks burst into flame. Gray seemed to realize how it sounded, too, because he shifted awkwardly.
“Do we have time to check out the downtown area before we go to the lighthouse?” I asked. “I’d love to see it.” My mother and I had seen a lot of places with our many relocations, but we rarely ventured out. She’d always been too paranoid. We’d constantly worried about someone asking too many questions, especially about me. Homeschooling seemed to send up red flags for some people, and my mother had been adamant about keeping me out of the system.
“I think we can spare an hour or so,” Gray said. “Do you want company, or do you want to go on your own?”
I thought it was sweet of him to ask. “I’d love company. To be honest, I feel guilty for leaving Icarus behind. I think he’d like it here.”
We strolled down the pavement, and, for a brief moment, I pretended that we were a couple on a weekend outing. It felt so normal that I almost cried.
“I love that T-shirt,” I said, as we passed by a shop window. The shirt was bright blue with the town’s slogan— Come to Starry Hollow, where spells were made to be broken. There was an image of a wand broken in half and surrounded by glitter.
“Something to wear in lieu of Resting Witch Face?” Gray queried, referencing one of my T-shirts.
“I could use another top. I came to Spellslingers with the clothes on my back,” I said. And no shoes. Chancellor Tilkin had used her magic staff to grace my feet with the sneakers I now wore.
Next, we passed a row of colorful houses along the street.
“These are called the Painted Pixies,” Gray said.
“It would be so cool to live here,” I said.
“Spellslingers isn’t such a bad place to live,” he said. “It’s like living in a castle.”
He wasn’t wrong. “I’m not complaining at all. I love living at the academy, but I could definitely see settling down in a place like this one day.” I looked at him. “Do wardens get to settle down?”
Gray shrugged. “Depends.”
“You could’ve settled down after you left, instead of lurking for a living. Why didn’t you?”
“First, I don’t lurk for a living,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. “Spy, gather intel, whatever.”
“Second, I didn’t settle down because I had no reason to. That kind of life isn’t meant for everyone.”
I didn’t know. I never had the chance to choose for myself.
As a woman and her daughter crossed paths with us, I caught their attention. “Excuse me. I’d like an authentic Starry Hollow experience. How do I get it?”
The woman glanced from me to Gray. “There’s Balefire Beach if you want to surf or enjoy the seaside.”
“He doesn’t like sand,” I said, jerking my head toward Gray.
“There’s Seers Row,” the young girl said. I guessed she was close to eleven years old. “Or the Whitethorn. My mom spends a lot of time there.”
“Not a lot of time,” the woman said, clearly embarrassed to be pegged as a tavern dweller.
“We’re going to the Whitethorn tonight,” I said. “And to that lighthouse restaurant for dinner. Is it good?”
The woman sighed contentedly. “Delicious. You won’t regret a meal there, and the views are incredible.”
“My mom’s a terrible cook,” the daughter said. “She’ll eat out anywhere.”
“Gee, thanks, Marley,” the woman shot back. “I’ll remember that in about an hour when I need to make dinner.”
“Please don’t,” Marley said.
“Please don’t remember?” her mother asked.
“No, please don’t cook.”
“Thanks for your help,” I said, and hustled Gray forward before any punishments could be issued. I felt a pang of loss, thinking of my own mother and our frequent banter. I missed her tremendously.
“What do you think?” Gray asked. “Seers Row? It’s right down here, then we can head over to the lighthouse for dinner.”
I peered down the block. “This whole street is devoted to fortune-tellers?”
“Apparently,” Gray said. “It’s not that unusual.”
“It is to me.” We passed by a few buildings and I paused in front of a shop window. “That’s the biggest crystal ball I’ve ever seen.”
Gray’s eyes twinkled. “That’s because it’s a disco ball.”
“Then she’s my kind of seer,” I said. “Hey, how do you know about disco?”
Gray seemed mildly offended. “I know about many Terrene customs and historical events.”
“But not Star Wars,” I said pointedly. He’d failed to get my Darth Vader reference when we first met.
He looked chagrined. “Sorry. Not Star Wars.”
The shop door opened and a woman stood framed in the doorway, her dark curls tucked under a woven sun hat. “You can’t possibly intend to hover there all day. Come in and have your fortunes told.”
I hesitated. Initially, I thought it would be fun, but then it occurred to me—what if she revealed something about my father in front of Gray?
“You seem uncertain of my abilities,” the woman said. “I assure you, I am Veronica, the Voice of the Gods. It says so right…” She scanned the exterior for a sign. “Stars and stones! Where is that blasted sign? Jericho!”
A dwarf ambled out from behind the counter. “Yes, my gracious one?”
“What happened to my sign?” she demanded, hands on hips. “How are prospective customers supposed to know I’m the voice of the
gods if there’s no sign to tell them? They’re not mind readers. Well, most of them aren’t.”
“All they need to do is listen to the sweet sound of your voice, and recognize that it’s like the dripping of nectar…”
Veronica cut him off with a look. “Set up my station, please. We have guests.” Before I could object, she looped one arm through mine and the other through Gray’s. “Come in, my lovelies. No doubt I have much to tell you. I always do.”
Gray peeked at me over the top of her hat. “You said you wanted an authentic Starry Hollow experience.”
I shrugged off my nerves. Chances were good that Veronica could no more tell my future than the dwarf had ever toiled away in a diamond mine.
The seer settled on a plush purple chair in the back corner of the room. “Jericho!” she shrieked.
A beleaguered Jericho scuttled over.
“My ball, please,” she said, and removed her hat.
“You don’t want the tarot cards?” he asked.
Her eyes hardened. “Are you the voice of the gods, Jericho?”
“No, my beloved,” he replied, his head bowed in reverence. “I’ll only be a moment.”
Veronica waved us over. “Sit, sit, you gorgeous creatures. You must be relaxed or the images won’t come to me.”
“You see images?” I queried.
She scooted around on the chair until she was comfortable. “That’s usually how the gods speak to me. They know I’m a visual learner.”
Jericho lugged over the disco ball and I worried that he might topple forward from the weight. He placed it on the empty stand in front of Veronica.
The seer rubbed her hands together eagerly. “Now, which one of you would like to go first?” Her gaze darted from Gray to me. “I’ll be honest, I tend to find vampires difficult to read. Let’s start with the easy one.” She flashed a smile. “No offense.”
“No worries.” I tried to remain calm the way my mother used to advise. Steady breathing. Direct eye contact, but not so direct that I look unstable. It was a hard balance to master.
Veronica placed her palms flat on the disco ball. “A little help, Jericho!”
The room darkened, and colorful lights splashed across the room. Music pulsed in the background, and I recognized the theme tune from Saturday Night Fever. As a kid, I watched a lot of movies while my mother worked night shifts at the hospital.
“You don’t need silence to work?” Gray asked.
Veronica gave him a dismissive look. “It took me a while to find my groove, but trust me when I tell you that this is it. Nobody gives my readings more of a boost than the Bee Gees.”
She bobbed her head as she gazed into the disco ball. “Ooh, I see a big fight. Huge.”
I froze. “Like a physical fight?” Maybe she was glimpsing a future weapons class.
Veronica held up a hand to silence me, her eyes still on the variegated ball. “Hold your questions until the end.”
I pretended to zip my lip.
“You’ve endured much strife in your short life,” she continued. “The magic is…” She cocked her head. “There is no shame in your power, dear heart.”
“I know where I’ve been,” I interjected. “Tell me where I’m going.”
Veronica shushed me. “I said hold your questions.”
“Technically, that wasn’t a question,” I said. “It was a statement.”
Veronica looked at Gray. “Is she always like this?”
Gray resisted a grin. “Mostly. You get used to it.”
She resumed her fixation on the disco ball and her brow creased. “What business do you have in the underworld?”
I glanced sharply at Gray, who immediately tensed.
Veronica shifted her focus to me. “I asked you what business you have in the underworld.”
“I thought I wasn’t supposed to talk.”
Veronica blew an exasperated breath. “I see you there. Much danger lies ahead.”
“Are you sure you don’t see me?” Gray asked.
Veronica rolled her eyes. “I can tell the difference between an older vampire and a young witch-in-training, can’t I?”
“I don’t have any business in the underworld,” I said. “I’ve never been there.”
The seer nodded solemnly. “You will, my dearest. A challenging journey for you, mark my words.”
Gray seemed unsettled by the revelation. “Can you see why she’s there? Does it have anything to do with me?”
Veronica smiled. “Men. They think our worlds revolve around them.” She peered into the disco ball. “I can’t see clearly enough to say for certain.”
“Will she be okay?” Gray asked, and I heard the concern in his voice.
“I cannot see that either.” She removed her hands from the ball and sank into the chair. “Anything further requires payment.”
I had the allowance that Anton had given me for the trip. I pulled out a handful of coins and placed them on the table.
“Will she be okay?” Gray repeated. Seated beside him, I felt the intensity of his words.
Veronica met his hardened stare. “I told you. That I cannot see. The road seems open at the moment, which means the things that must come to pass in order for me to know have not yet happened.” She returned her gaze to me and smiled. “Any specific questions from you, my lovely? Now’s the time.”
There were so many questions whirling through my head that I couldn’t focus on a single one. Finally, I asked one that I deemed safe in front of Gray.
“Will this trip be successful?”
She dropped her gaze to the disco ball. “Yes and no. When you open a book, sometimes it reveals its secrets. Other times, it reveals yours.”
My stomach tightened. There was only one secret I harbored, and I was desperate to keep it hidden.
“Thank you, Veronica,” I said, and my legs trembled slightly as I stood to leave.
“You forge your own path, dear heart,” Veronica called after me. “Let no one tell you who you are. You decide that for yourself.”
I pushed open the door and drew a deep breath.
Only time would tell.
14
The Whitethorn looked like a pub where I’d find Aragorn and Gandalf drinking from tankards and discussing the latest news from Middle Earth. The moment I entered, the magic inside me responded to the environment. It wasn’t malevolent, just…strong.
“Why does this place feel so strange?” I asked Gray.
“Ancient magic,” he replied, drinking in the ambience. “I feel it, too.”
The ceiling was low, with wooden beams stretched from wall to wall.
“Good evening and welcome to the Whitethorn,” the bartender said. “I’m here to attend to all your spirituous needs.” He wore a pirate’s hat, an eye patch and a yellow and black striped jacket. Not hard to guess his name.
“Captain Yellowjacket?” I inquired.
He grinned and I spotted the fangs. “That’s right. Who’s asking?”
“Bryn Morrow,” I said, and quickly remembered the code phrase I was instructed to use. “The sea is very flat tonight.”
His brow lifted. “Is that so? I’ll have to take a look for myself. Why don’t you join me? There’s an excellent view from the roof of the pub.”
The parrot behind him squawked loudly. “She’s already with a vampire, Captain, and dare I say his fangs are more impressive.”
“Mind your business, Bittersteel,” Captain Yellowjacket shouted over his shoulder. “Or you’ll wake up with salt on your tail feathers.”
“I’m not a snail,” Bittersteel shot back. “Salt won’t do anything except whet my appetite for a margarita.”
Captain Yellowjacket rolled his eyes. “Any more insolence from you and you’ll wake up to find yourself on a ship sailing eastward.”
The parrot flew off his perch, his feathers ruffled.
“This way,” the captain said, tilting his head.
“I’ll wait here,” Gray said, dropp
ing down on a stool at the bar. “Seems like the ideal place for a drink.” Gray hadn’t been as excited by the lighthouse restaurant as I’d been. I wondered whether the upscale atmosphere reminded him too much of his earlier life with his family. Maybe he was more at home in dark, cozy places like the Whitethorn.
“Indeed, it is the absolute best place in Starry Hollow for a pint,” Captain Yellowjacket said. “Come along, young miss.”
I followed the captain through a back room and then up a set of stone steps that opened onto the roof.
“You weren’t kidding about the roof,” I said. I expected to be taken to a secret room where the book was being stored.
“Important to take time to rejuvenate the soul,” he said, inhaling deeply. “Even for those of us without one.”
I stood at the edge of the rooftop, staring into the dark abyss. The only significant illumination came from the nearby lighthouse. The moon was no more than a glowing sliver and thick clouds dulled the star shine. I welcomed the darkness. Coupled with the sound of lapping waves, it was incredibly peaceful.
“There’s nothing like the call of the ocean, is there?” Captain Yellowjacket said, breaking the companionable silence. “Except maybe a beautiful vampire pirate with a preference for one-eyed pub owners.”
“You really only have one eye?” I queried. “I thought the patch was for show.”
“A long story, missy.” He cast me a sidelong glance. “You seem younger than the usual intermediaries. How long have you worked for Mr. Harrington?”
“I don’t really work for him,” I said. “We have a one-time deal, and this is my end of it.”
“I see, or as much as I can, with only one eye.” He chuckled. “Take care with the package. I hear it’s cursed. The boat it arrived on barely made it to the harbor. The crew became ill.”
A shiver traveled up my spine. “Did anyone die?”
“Not to my knowledge, but still. You don’t want to keep hold of it for any longer than necessary. No point in taking the risk.”
“I don’t intend to.” What I intended was to take the book to Anton and be done with the treasure-collecting vampire for good.
He thumped his fist on his chest. “Good, now that’s settled. I’ll get your package.” As I moved back toward the stone steps, the captain stopped me. “No, it’s here.”
Outclassed: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Warden of the West Book 2) Page 12
