“You’re celebrating the fact that someone’s been murdered and at a wedding no less?” I clucked my tongue. “For shame, Deputy.”
Alec appeared in the distance. I could tell that he was reluctant to come any closer and endure one of the sheriff’s inevitable scowls.
“Looks like the reception is clearing out anyway,” I said. “I think word got around.”
“Deputy, prepare the victim for transport,” the sheriff said.
“Do you need help with anything?” I asked. “I don’t have upper body strength, but I have a wand.”
“Yeah, I heard about your wand action during the ceremony,” the deputy said with a snicker. “I passed guests talking about it on the way across the beach.”
“They spelled love,” I said, determined not to let the leprechaun ruffle my feathers. “Butterflies, mosquitoes. What’s the difference?”
“You did go to school in New Jersey, didn’t you?” Deputy Bolan asked. “Or did you spend all your time at Bon Jovi concerts?”
I gasped. “Bite your tongue, little man. I wouldn’t be caught dead at a Bon Jovi concert.”
“Can you two quit your bickering for five minutes so we can finish up here?”
I looked at the sheriff askance, but he wasn’t looking at me. I realized that he’d spotted Alec lingering in the distance. Waiting for me. Ugh.
“You know what? I should go,” I said. “I’m getting in the way.”
“Wow, a moment of introspection. Write this day down in your diary.”
I glared at the leprechaun before exiting the crime scene. “I’ll see you guys around.”
“Goodnight, Rose,” the sheriff said. “That shade of green suits you. You should wear it more often.”
“Thanks.” I walked along the beach toward Alec, conscious of the sheriff’s gaze burning a hole in my back. The vampire extended a hand as I approached.
“It’s been quite the evening,” he said.
“I’ve had worse,” I said.
As we started toward the parking lot, I spotted Franco. He sat alone on the beach, staring blankly at the rolling waves. All evidence of the wedding had been cleared away and his son was nowhere to be found. I’d clearly been at the crime scene longer than I’d realized.
“Give me a minute,” I whispered to Alec. I walked over and joined Franco on the sand. “You didn’t go home.”
“How could I?” he asked. “My life is still on the beach.” He glanced over to the secured area where his girlfriend’s body had been. “She’s gone?”
“They took her body to be examined,” I said. “You want to find out what happened, don’t you?”
He wiped his nose with his sleeve. “Of course.”
“Can you think of any reason someone would want to hurt her?” I asked.
He snapped to attention. “You think she was murdered?” The color drained from his face. “I thought it was a medical issue, or she hit her head and fell. Great Goddess. This is even worse.”
“There were marks on her neck that suggest she may have been strangled,” I said. “The sheriff will know more after the body’s been examined.”
“Strangled?” Franco covered his face with his hands. “I mean, she wasn’t always easy to get along with. She was tough, but to kill her?” He started to cry again. “Why am I talking about her in the past tense? Stars and stones, this is awful.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now.”
“Can we drive you home?” Alec asked, emerging from the shadows. “I have a driver here.”
“Thanks, but I’ll be fine,” he said. “I can walk from here. It’s not that far.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. I hated to leave him but could understand wanting time alone to process the day’s seismic events.
“My son’s waiting for me at home,” Franco said. “I told him I’d be there soon.”
Alec clasped my hand. “Terribly sorry about Shayna. I only met her briefly, but she seemed like a wonderfully strong woman.”
Wonderfully strong. That was one way to describe her. No wonder Alec was a writer.
“I never imagined myself with a troll, to be honest. I always dated petite women before her, but there was something about Shayna that grabbed me from our first meeting, you know?”
Alec’s gaze flickered to me. “I do know.”
“She said it was love at first sight and I don’t know if it was that instant for me, but it was pretty darn close.” He pressed his forehead to his knees. “I thought I was safe after my first wife, that I couldn’t lose another one. Life doesn’t notice how much has already been taken from you, though. There’s no checks and balances.”
“No, I’m afraid there isn’t,” Alec said. “Ask any vampire and they’ll all say the same.”
Franco’s head bobbed up and down. “On the one hand, it’s depressing but also sort of encouraging, you know?”
I squeezed his shoulder. “Take care, Franco,” I said, and walked to the car with Alec.
“Not exactly the wedding they hoped for, was it?” Alec asked, once we were safely installed in the backseat. “Bentley likely wishes that the dead mosquitoes were, indeed, the highlight.”
“I’d give him a thousand dead bugs if I thought it would help.”
“Guests kept murmuring about bad omens,” Alec said. “That the marriage is doomed.”
“A wedding isn’t a marriage,” I said matter-of-factly. “I have no doubt that Meadow and Bentley will be fine.”
“We’re doing crafts again today?” I complained. I still felt mildly nauseous from the events of yesterday’s wedding. I wasn’t really in the mood for lessons.
The Master of Ritual Toolcraft frowned at me. "We do not do crafts, Ember. These are essential tools in support of the craft.”
“Right. So crafts.”
He gave an impatient sigh. “Craft as in short for witchcraft and wizardry. Not crafts like popsicle sticks and glue.”
“There’s also the cheese,” I said. “Kraft.”
He closed his eyes and I knew he was likely counting to ten in his head. I’d done it enough times with Raoul to recognize the expression. “I’m not familiar with any cheese by that name.”
“That’s because you’ve never had yellow squares of it each individually wrapped in a plastic. Now doesn’t that sound delicious?”
Lee stared at me for a beat and then set his bag on the table. “Tell me, Ember. When the troll fell on top of you yesterday, did you hit your head on the ground? Maybe suffered a concussion?”
“No, the sand cushioned the blow.”
“You might want to get a healer’s opinion on that.” He unzipped the compartment and produced a work in progress.
“You’re a wizard,” I said. “You should really think about carrying stuff around in something more magical than a carry-on suitcase.”
He continued to retrieve items from the bag and set them neatly on the dining table. “This is not a suitcase, Ember. This is a bag designed to transport items from place to place. The handle and wheels simply make it easier to move.”
“So it’s a suitcase.” I picked up a pair of shears and began snapping them open and closed as though they were the mouth of an alligator. He snatched them from me and set them on his side of the table.
“We’re going to resume work on your Book of Shadows today.”
“I guess I’m okay with that,” I said. “It’s not too mentally taxing. At least Marigold isn’t here. I wouldn’t be able to handle her energy level today.” The Mistress of Psychic Skills was a cross between a cheerleader and a drill sergeant.
“Would you rather I trade ritual toolcraft for an afternoon of opera with the coven bard?”
I shivered. “Why would you even suggest such a thing?”
Lee chuckled. “I thought that might be your reaction. Now, which color ribbon would you like to use. We’ll attach it to the interior spine so that you can use it as a bookmark. The best way
to avoid those wretched dog-eared pages is to have a built-in marker like this.”
“Good goddess,” I said. “Marley is going to pee her pants when it’s time to make her own Book of Shadows.”
Lee scrunched his nose. “You say that like it’s a good thing.”
“I just realized that both Book of Shadows and Big Book of Scribbles have the same abbreviation—BOS.” I paused. “No, wait. I guess the other one is technically BBOS.” I shrugged. “Close enough.”
Lee fell silent.
“You’re counting in your head again, aren’t you?” I asked.
“It’s not counting.” He forced a smile. “Anyhoo, I’ve brought an assortment of embellishments that you may want to consider for both the exterior and interior of the book.”
I peered into the suitcase to see a collection of small shiny objects. “You know? I’m in the mood for a little bedazzlement. I saw a really pretty pin at the wedding yesterday with all these tiny gemstones…” I stopped talking when I realized that I’d seen the pin on Shayna. “You know what? Never mind. Let’s make it all gray and black so it’s gloomy.”
“Your Book of Shadows should reflect you, Ember,” Lee said.
“What are you trying to say? That you don’t think I’m gloomy doomy? Lee, I think that’s the nicest vague compliment you’ve ever given me.”
“I only mean to say that if you would like this book to be a happy, safe place for you, then treat it as such. If the sight of dazzling stones along the edge of the book will perk you up, then by all means, be this book’s glam squad.”
I shot him a curious look. “Lee, have you been dipping into episodes of Real Housewives on Bravo?”
Lee maintained a neutral expression. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Must be a human world thing.”
I wore a vague smile. “Must be.”
His gaze shifted to the corner of the room and his brow furrowed. “I hate to ask, but what is that thing?”
I realized he was pointing to the scratching post. “Oh, that was a gift from Raoul to Bonkers. He won it at the dump.”
“There are no winners if that’s in your house.”
“They dig their claws into it,” I explained. “It’s relaxing or something. Don’t worry. I won’t make you test it out.”
“Can you at least change the color? It’s ghastly.”
I studied the strange shade of green. “I guess I can use magic. I hadn’t really thought about it.” Using magic still wasn’t second nature to me.
“I’m happy to do it for you,” Lee offered. “Name a color. Any color. As long as it isn’t that one.”
“How about rainbow stripes?” I asked. Marley was a big fan.
Lee pursed his lips, probably regretting his open-ended offer. “As you wish.” He took out his wand and aimed it at the scratching post.
“You know what?” I interrupted. “If you can tolerate it this one time, I think I’d like to let Marley do the honors. She’s been practicing color spells, so it would be good for her.”
Lee tucked his wand away. “Fair enough. I’ll avert my eyes.”
“How do you think I get through my lessons with Hazel?”
He stifled a laugh. “I am sorry about what happened to you yesterday. It must have been a terrible shock.”
“Not as terrible as what happened to Shayna.” I pictured the troll’s lifeless body on the ground. “I got off easy.”
“I hope the sheriff is able to apprehend the killer quickly,” Lee said.
“I’m sure he will,” I said. “Sheriff Nash is devoted to his job.”
“Yes, this town has been lucky to have him,” Lee said, “though I know your aunt might disagree. Then again, she’d only be happy if she wore the star badge.”
I laughed. “What are you trying to say, Lee? That my aunt is a control freak?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Just out of curiosity, have you ever seen her Book of Shadows?” I asked.
“Of course not. Why would you think that?”
“Because you’re the expert,” I said.
“Not when it comes to your aunt,” he said. “Hyacinth Rose-Muldoon is the expert unless explicitly stated otherwise.”
I began plucking out colorful bling for my book. “I don’t know how my cousins aren’t more messed up. They should be train wreck city.”
“They were fortunate to have other influences, like their father.”
“What was he like?” I asked. I couldn’t imagine the man brave enough to put a ring on her finger. It was one thing to date her like Craig and Zale, but another thing to pledge to live the rest of your life with her. An early death seemed like the only sensible option.
“A very practical, very even-tempered wizard,” Lee said. “He was a respected member of the coven and the community.”
“He’d have to be to meet my aunt’s exacting standards.” I glued a few beads on the cover. “Was he a good dad?”
“Muldoon was involved,” Lee said. “Took Linnea and Aster to their dance lessons and Florian to whatever activity of the week he’d decided to try and then abandon.”
“That hasn’t changed,” I said.
“Florian was always a wayward wizard,” Lee admitted. “I think we all thought he’d find his footing once his father died, but it didn’t happen.”
“Because his mother coddles him,” I said. Not that Florian was a bad guy. He wasn’t. He’d proven to be a great friend to me and took a genuine interest in Marley, which I appreciated. He seemed content to coast through life, though. No ambition. No relationship goals. I worried that he’d end up in his mother’s basement forever. Granted, the basement of Thornhold was basically a mini-mansion, but still.
“And you don’t coddle Marley?” Lee asked. Amusement danced in his dark eyes.
“What? No!” I thought about Marley sleeping in bed and eating whatever she wanted. “Okay, maybe a little, but only a normal amount.”
“I see.”
“What do you think of Hyacinth getting her dating groove on?” I asked. “Is it weird for the coven to see her acting like she has the same organs as the rest of us?”
Lee snipped a section of ribbon and handed it to me. “It’s certainly unexpected, but she seems to be in good spirits as a result. That’s a win for the coven.”
“I really like Zale, but that wizard’s been skulking around, too,” I said.
“Linden’s cousin, isn’t he?” Lee asked.
“Yes. I’ve seen their car at the main house a couple of times recently.” In fact, Marley and I had been invited to join them for drinks and nibbles tomorrow, which seemed to be a statement. My aunt didn’t tend to mix family members and ‘others’ for social gatherings unless it meant something.
“Hyacinth has always been partial to intercoven relationships.”
“True. I think he’s probably more her type in the long-term anyway. He’s way more polished than Zale.” The absence of fins was a plus, too.
“Yes, your aunt does prize certain qualities above others, as do we all.”
“And which qualities do you prize, Lee?”
He appeared thoughtful. “The ability to work in companionable silence.”
“That’s highly specific.”
He gave me a pointed look. “And not a very good hint, apparently.”
It took me a moment, but I eventually caught on. “Fine, Master of Solitude. I’ll be quiet. Seems boring though. Why work in silence when you have the opportunity to chat with me? What if you miss out on the answers to life’s big questions because you wanted to work in ‘companionable silence?’”
He heaved an exaggerated sigh. “It’s a risk, Ember, but I suppose it’s a chance I’ll just have to take.”
Chapter Four
I wasn’t sure what the appropriate attire was for drinks and nibbles with my aunt’s prospective suitor, so I settled on a sundress with strappy sandals that Florian had dubbed ‘lazy chic.’ The ensemble received Marley’s stamp
of approval, which was really all I needed.
“Do you want to ride Firefly over?” I asked. Aunt Hyacinth had given the beloved unicorn to Marley as a gift.
Marley chewed her lip. “That just seems like showing off.”
“I know. I thought I might give Aunt Hyacinth the chance to preen a little for Craig’s benefit. I was throwing her a bone.”
Marley smiled as she ran a brush through her dark hair. “You think she likes him?”
“You’ve seen Linden’s car parked in the driveway as much as I have. They may as well embroider the napkins now.”
“Can Bonkers come?”
I glanced to the scratching post where the flying kitten was keeping herself occupied. “I think she’ll be happier here.”
“You’re not going to really make me change the color, are you?” Marley asked. I’d mentioned Lee’s comment to her. I tried to spin it as the chance to practice her magic, but she didn’t bite.
“Not if you prefer it the way it is.”
Marley wrinkled her nose. “It is ugly, but I don’t want to hurt Raoul’s feelings. Besides, Bonkers doesn’t mind the color.”
Inwardly, I sighed. How could I argue with her compassionate logic?
We left the cottage and enjoyed the long albeit lovely walk to the main house. Craig Buckley-Croft was already on the veranda, along with his cousin, Linden Buckley-Clay. Linden was a member of the local coven who’d been away for almost a year. She’d returned after her mother’s recent passing with her handsome cousin in tow. The attractive cousins were close in age—probably mid-fifties—and shared similar features, including a patrician nose and cinnamon-colored hair.
“I’d like to introduce you both to my daughter, Marley,” I said.
“One of the newest members of the coven,” Linden said, giving Marley a cheerful smile. “How exciting.”
“A pleasure to see you again, Ember,” Craig said. “Your aunt was kind enough to invite us yet again. This house is a true wonder.”
“And Simon is an absolute treasure,” Linden said. “I hope Hyacinth realizes how fortunate she is to have good help.”
As challenging as my aunt could be, I knew how much she valued her staff, especially Simon. “Oh, we all worship Simon,” I said.
Magic & Maladies Page 3
