2
I breezed into the offices of Vox Populi, a latte from the Caffeinated Cauldron in my hand. I’d asked for a shot of Death Wish this morning, to get me through another crazy day of work and magic.
Bentley Smith glanced up from his workstation. "Look what the hellhound dragged in. So nice of you to join us worker bees.” Bentley was always a little salty about the fact that I could come and go as I pleased. It was partly due to the fact that Aunt Hyacinth owned the weekly newspaper. She wanted me to have a respectable job, but not to the point where it interfered with my witch training.
"What's the matter, Bentley?" I asked. "Did Meadow wake up this morning and realize she was dating you?"
Bentley straightened. "No, actually we’re doing well, thank you very much." Bentley had met his girlfriend on a website called MagicMirror. Although they’d gotten off to a bumpy start, the relationship seemed to have hit its stride. I'd never admit it to his face, but I was happy for him. Bentley was the kind of guy who was better when he was in a relationship.
I plopped into my chair. “Will I be seeing her at Thornhold for the barbecue?” My aunt apparently hosted an annual dinner for the Vox Populi staff as a thank you for everyone’s hard work and dedication.
“Heavens, it’s not a barbecue,” Tanya said, her green wings in a dither. “Your aunt would be horrified.”
I blinked. “Isn’t it held on the grounds of the estate?”
“Yes,” Tanya confirmed.
“With grilled food?” I asked.
“Well, yes,” Tanya replied.
I cocked my head. “How is that not a barbecue?”
“It should be obvious,” Bentley interjected. “Because your aunt is hosting and Hyacinth Rose-Muldoon doesn’t do barbecues.”
“So what do we call it then? A cookout?”
“Too banal and pedestrian,” Bentley said. “It’s a party or a soiree.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” I faced my computer, ready to get to work. Naturally, that meant my attempt to log in failed. “Ugh. I have to change the password again? Why does every thirty days feel like every five minutes?”
Tanya swooped over to mother me. “Sorry, dear. That’s standard office procedure. Important for security.”
I stared at my screen, trying to remember the most recent iteration of the same password I’d been using since my arrival in town. Yarrow123? Yarrow?!!
“Yarrow$$$,” Bentley said, peering over my shoulder.
I jerked my head toward him. “Stalker.”
“I can’t help that I’m detailed oriented.”
“Then how do you explain the nose hairs?” I shot back.
Bentley instinctively touched his nose. “You’re mean.”
I typed in Bentley’s suggestion and, lo and behold, it worked. I added an extra dollar sign for the new password and logged in. Maybe there was something to be said for nosy neighbors.
The office door swung open, revealing Holly. The nymph held a pink box in her hands with a label that read—Holly’s Secret Recipe. Silly me, I didn’t realize Botox came in a pink box.
Tanya immediately sniffed the air. "My word, what is that delicious smell?" She fluttered over to Holly to investigate.
"These are fizzlewick tarts," Holly replied. "Alec adores them, so I’ve been practicing to make them for the carnival competition."
“You’re entering the baking competition?” I asked.
Holly nodded. “It’s ideal for me because I simply adore baking. I’m trying to decide whether to open my own bakery right here in town. It would be a huge risk, but that never stopped me before.”
My stomach plummeted. A new business? That would solidify her move to Starry Hollow.
“Alec’s in his office," Tanya said. "He was on a call with New York, but I think that's finished now." Alec was a best-selling author in addition to his editorial duties in Starry Hollow, so he was frequently on the phone with his agent or publisher in New York.
“Perfect,” Holly said. “I love to surprise him.”
“How can you tell you managed it?” I quipped. “Alec only has one expression.”
Bentley kicked the side of my leg under the desk.
"Do let us know if there are any left over," Bentley called after her. As he turned back to his computer, he paused to look at me. “You need to stop.”
I blinked. “Stop what?"
"You’re scowling," he said.
I pressed my fingers to my forehead. "I don't think so."
"You can't tell by feeling your forehead," Bentley said. "Trust me, I know a scowl when I see it."
I shrugged. "I guess I’m not a fan of fizzlewick tart."
Bentley snorted. "I'll bet."
Tanya fluttered back to her desk. "I love a good fizzlewick tart with a cup of mintberry tea. Reminds me of my grandmother. She was an amazing baker. Even without magic, she would have been a master chef in the kitchen."
"What about you?" I asked. "Did you learn from her?"
"I have all her old recipes," Tanya said. "I never developed the skills, though, probably because my grandmother was alive for so long. None of us had to bake when she was around." She pressed her lips together. "Now that she's been gone for so many years, I think we regret not learning. Those poor recipes have gone to waste. It's not like my niece is interested either." At the mention of Tanya's niece, I winced. I knew that there was an unhappy history between Tatiana and Alec, as well as Sheriff Nash. Luckily for us, Tatiana had left town before my arrival.
After a few minutes, Alec and Holly emerged from the back office. Her irritating laugh rang in my ears, and I gripped the pen in my hand.
Bentley glanced down at my desk. "That's not her neck, you know," he said quietly.
I released the pen and forced a smile. "How's the tart?" I asked Alec.
The vampire's gaze met mine. "Not very filling," he replied smoothly.
"Excellent," Tanya said. "That's exactly as a tart should be. Light and fluffy. That's the goal, isn't it?"
Holly held the box against her chest. "I'd like to give it a little more substance. I'm going to go home and work more on the recipe."
“Sounds like a solid plan,” I said.
"Are we still meeting for lunch, boo?" Holly asked Alec.
He frowned. "I'm sorry. I can't today. I'll see you later, though."
She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, and I tried to remain stoic. It didn't matter how well I got along with Sheriff Nash, there would always be a part of my heart that belonged to Alec. Frankly, it sucked.
"Don't eat too much today,” Holly warned, "because there will be plenty more treats to sample later."
He offered a vague smile. "I look forward to it." He waited until she left to address Bentley and me. "I take it you’re aware of the incoming carnival."
"Marley brought home the leaflet yesterday," I said.
"It's an annual event," Alec said. "I expect you to cover it, Bentley."
Bentley groaned. "Me? Why not Ember? I've been covering it for years."
"Exactly," Alec said. "You’re the best reporter for the job."
"What about me? Maybe there’s some other angle of the carnival I can cover?"
Alec shook his head. "Your job, Miss Rose, is to escort Marley, so that she can experience her first paranormal carnival."
"No fair!" Bentley said.
I elbowed him in the ribs. "Pipe down, green-eyed elf. You can't always get what you want."
"Says the witch who always seems to get what she wants," he muttered.
“I think we both know that isn’t true,” I said.
"If you’re disinclined to do your job, Bentley, I'm sure I can arrange to hire another reporter."
"No, no," Bentley said quickly. "I'll be there with bells on. You never know. Maybe something interesting will actually happen this year."
Tanya held up a finger. "There was that one year when the three-headed hellhound escaped the enclosure. That was a bit of excitement."
> "Except he wasn't remotely dangerous," Bentley said. "All they had to do was throw a Frisbee and he fetched it for them."
"Only one Frisbee?" I queried. "Didn't the other heads feel left out?"
Bentley scoffed. "You always think of the most random, irrelevant things."
Alec studied me. "Oh, I don't know about that. I was just thinking that Miss Rose has a deeper well of compassion than she often displays."
Takes one to know one, I wanted to say.
The vampire retreated to his office, and I resisted the urge to stare after him. Sometimes it was difficult to work so close to him, knowing that there could never be more between us. As much as I tried to put it out of my mind, hope always found a way to permeate my thoughts—and as long as I carried hope in my heart, it was difficult to give Sheriff Nash the chance he deserved.
"Don't worry about the carnival, Bentley," I said. "I'll definitely help you. I'm interested to see what it's all about."
Bentley released a breath. "I was really hoping you’d say that. If I have to look at another crystal ball, I might be tempted to hurl it into the sea. We have an entire Seers Row in Starry Hollow. We don't really need an influx of carnival psychics.”
"You should cover the baking competition," I said. "Alec might like to see his girlfriend’s name in print if she wins.”
Bentley gave me a sly look. “Maybe you could enter, too. How are your baking skills?”
“Nonexistent,” I said. Then again, I knew of a group of Type A moms that were sure to enter the competition. For the first time, joining the Power Puffs seemed like a pretty good idea.
I sat in the local history section of the library, flipping through pages of yet another book. When I’d decided to take a community college class to bridge the gap in my paranormal history knowledge, I never anticipated it would be so time-consuming. It was one thing to practice spells with Wren or identify runes with Hazel, but poring over history books and writing papers elevated my studies to another level. I hadn't been much of a student in my youth, and I didn't attend college, so this academic experience was entirely new to me. Although Florian was supposed to be in the class with me, his interest fizzled quickly once he decided to give Delphine a chance. Florian only seemed capable of putting energy into a select number of projects at once. I was beginning to think he was onto something, because Linea, Aster and I always seemed to be on the proverbial hamster wheel, whereas Florian was the most relaxed paranormal I knew. It helped that his responsibilities were minimal.
"Can I help you find anything?" Delphine stood at the edge of the table, equipped with a friendly smile. “You look ready to crumble.”
“Thanks, surprisingly, I think I'm doing okay," I said. "I have another paper due at the end of the week. This type of work takes more time than I expected.
"The important thing is to learn and have fun while you're doing it," Delphine said. "The mistake a lot of teachers make is to present material like it's a chore."
"Thankfully, that’s not been my experience," I said. Dr. Timmons was incredibly knowledgeable and tolerant of my general ignorance. No one else in the class came from the human world. They were building on knowledge that they already had. I tried to keep my questions to a minimum, so as not to be that student. "How’s everything with Florian?"
Delphine's cheeks flamed crimson. "I'm afraid to jinx it, but we seem to be getting along great. He’s kind and funny. I seem to enjoy his company no matter what we’re doing."
I couldn't help but smile. Delphine had harbored a crush on Florian for such a long time that actually having the opportunity to get to know him was either going to be a complete disaster or bliss. I was pleased that it seemed to be erring on the side of bliss.
"I'm really proud of him for resisting his rebellious side," I said.
Delphine giggled. "Oh, I know. He does it in small ways, as well. We went to dinner the other night, and I suggested the mermaid cake for dessert. He immediately chose something different. Only when mine was brought to the table did he confess that he really wanted the mermaid cake. His instinctive reaction is to go the opposite way.” She shook her head. "It makes me laugh."
"I'm glad to hear it because you’ll be dealing with that personality trait for a long time, if things work out. He needs to be deprogrammed."
Delphine shifted uncomfortably. "I've been wondering whether he'll invite me to a family dinner soon. I feel like that would be a clear sign that we’re on the relationship track.”
My eyes widened. "Are you sure you’d even want that? Aunt Hyacinth is one tough customer. Just because she wants Florian to marry a witch doesn't mean she’ll automatically approve of you.” I quickly realized how negative that sounded. "Not that there’s any reason to disapprove of you. I only mean that she can be very…challenging."
Delphine nodded. “You don't have to tell me. You forget that I’ve lived here my whole life. Hyacinth Rose-Muldoon is a magical mountain. If she doesn’t want me to date her son, believe me, the relationship will be over the next day. She’d find a way."
"Then why be in a rush to get invited to dinner? Let the relationship blossom a little more before wading into the parental pool."
“You’re probably right.” Delphine chewed her lip. “I guess I’m constantly worried that Florian will lose interest in me. If he invites me to dinner, it would be a positive step in the right direction.”
"Will you go to the carnival?" I asked.
Delphine’s face lit up. "Absolutely. I go every year. It's one of my favorite events. The petting zoo is phenomenal. You should make sure Marley sees it.”
"Maybe you and Florian can go together," I said.
“I’ll suggest it,” Delphine said. “The carnival would be a fun date, but the costume ball would be even better.”
“There’s a costume ball?” I hadn’t noticed that on the leaflet.
“Oh, yes,” Delphine said. “It’s the big finale at the end of the carnival’s stay. They leave bright and early the next morning. It’s a huge deal. There’s even a parade to the ball. You should definitely go. It’s one of the best social events of the season.”
“In that case, I’m sure I’ll hear all about it at the next family dinner.” Aunt Hyacinth would want me to put my best foot forward for the town tradition.
“I know it sounds silly, but I used to have this fantasy about attending the costume ball with Florian as his date. My Cinderella moment.”
I smiled. “Now it might actually come true.”
Delphine hugged herself. “I was always the girl in glasses sitting alone at the end of the table, and now I’m dating Florian Rose-Muldoon. I have to pinch myself to believe it’s real.”
“You deserve to be happy, Delphine,” I said.
She looked at me with surprise. “Doesn’t everyone?”
My thoughts turned to Holly and Alec, and a wave of guilt washed over me. “Yes, Delphine. Yes, they most certainly do.”
3
The home of B’linda Hogson-Stagg was built like a monument. The exterior was smooth white stone with strange blue-green tinted windows. Other than the fact that she was a vampire with a daughter in Marley’s class, I knew very little about her.
I stood awkwardly at the door, struck with the sudden thought that I should have brought a small gift. Aunt Hyacinth would scold me if she found out I showed up at someone’s house empty-handed. Never mind that the sole purpose of the visit was to “interview” for a spot in a group of elite mothers. A visit was a visit.
The door flew open before I had a chance to knock. “Hello! Come in.” B’linda blinded me with her pearly whites. I’d never seen fangs so pointy and polished. “You must be Marley’s mom.”
“Ember Rose,” I said.
“Ember,” she repeated. “I’m B’linda, but everyone calls me Queen B.” She laughed at her own joke.
Queen B was no joke. She wore a pearl necklace and a vintage blouse paired with a chic skirt. Her blond hair fell in soft waves around her should
ers. I quickly glanced down at my jeans, True Brew T-shirt, and flip-flops, feeling underdressed.
“Your house is beautiful,” I said, I struggled to remember all my aunt’s pointers about etiquette. Compliment home? Check. Compliment hostess? I tried to redirect my focus away from her bright white teeth. “I love your veneers.”
Crap on a stick. Why couldn’t I have mentioned her shoes? Shoes were always a safe bet.
B’linda’s smile faded. “How do you know my fangs are veneers? Did Harper Woodridge tell you that?” She folded her arms. “I’ll bet it was that Palmer Seaworth. She’s just jealous that I got mine first.”
My neck warmed. “No one told me. It was a guess because they’re so perfect.” Perfect was a compliment, right? Compliment hostess? Check!
B’linda relaxed slightly. “Dr. Medley does an amazing job. You should go see him about your teeth. He could get rid of those stains in one short visit.”
“Stains?” I repeated, running my tongue over my top teeth.
B’linda waved a hand airily. “Oh, you know. Coffee. Tea. Whatever makes your teeth yellow and dirty.”
Yellow and dirty? My teeth? “Thanks for the tip,” I said.
Her heels clicked across the marble floor. “Why don’t you follow me? The girls are all on the veranda. We have several interviews today, so we need to stick to the schedule.”
“The girls” consisted of three other mothers from the middle school. To my dismay, I didn’t recognize a single one. I only had myself to blame, though. I hadn’t made an effort to meet any parents from school. I’d been too focused on the coven, my family, and Vox Populi.
“Ember, I’d like you to meet the Power Puffs,” B’linda said.
“We’re so delighted that you’ve chosen to interview,” another blonde enthused. With her pouty lips, tiny waist and ample chest, she looked like a Swedish supermodel. “My Liliput talks about Marley all the time. She finds her simply fascinating.”
“Liliput is such a cute nickname,” I said.
The woman frowned. “Liliput is her actual name. It was my grandmother’s middle name.”
Magic & Madness Page 2
