Magic & Madness

by Annabel Chase

  “Because you’re off the market,” Artemis said triumphantly.

  “She’s holding out,” Marley blurted, and I groaned.

  Artemis fixed her steely eyes on me. “Holding out for what? Your husband to be raised from the dead? Because we don’t condone necromancy here.”

  “No, no. Nothing like that,” I said. “I’m not holding out for anything. Marley is mistaken.”

  Artemis sipped her tea. “Then what’s the issue? Granger Nash is a fine werewolf and an upstanding resident of this town. You couldn’t do any better than a man like him.”

  “He’s amazing,” I agreed. He really was.

  Artemis wore a vague smile. “Well, it’s not my job to persuade you. Love doesn’t work that way.” She shifted her attention to Marley. “And you are growing like a cackleberry, young lady. I imagine you’ll be coming into your magic any day now.”

  Marley straightened in her chair. “I’m eleven next month.”

  Artemis leaned back and sighed. “I remember when I came into my magic. What a special time in a young witch’s life. There’ll be a ceremony, and you’ll need a party, of course.”

  “My aunt already called dibs on the birthday party,” I said. I shut out the image of another unicorn in the stables.

  “It’s not a birthday party,” Artemis corrected me. “It’s a coming-into-your-magic party. We can have it here. I’d be happy to host it.”

  There was no way Aunt Hyacinth would cede party rights to Artemis Haverford, or anyone else for that matter. A Rose was coming into her magic. That hadn’t happened since…well, me. But before my unorthodox entrance, it would have been Florian.

  “We saw a fortune teller at the carnival,” Marley said, “and she said….”

  “The murdered one?” Artemis asked.

  “You heard about that?” I asked.

  “I don’t live on a deserted island,” Artemis replied. “I have a rotation of guests, you know.”

  I took a sip of my tea, careful not to scald my tongue. Sometimes Jefferson made a scorching hot pot.

  “I didn’t mean to suggest you were a hermit,” I said. “I just didn’t realize that word had spread.”

  Artemis chuckled. “This is Starry Hollow. Naturally, word has spread like an STD in a nursing home.” She inclined her head toward Marley. “You don’t need to worry about that for quite a few years yet.”

  I pressed my lips together. I preferred that Marley didn’t learn about STDs from an elderly witch and her apparitional boy toy.

  “Madame Bovary seemed confident that I’d come into my magic,” Marley said.

  “But it sounds like there might be obstacles,” I added quickly.

  Artemis expressed a keen interest in this revelation. “Do tell. What kind of obstacles?”

  “It doesn’t matter. I think it’s unwise to take the word of someone who ended up dead hours later,” I said.

  “All seers have a blind spot,” Artemis said. “And it’s usually with regard to themselves.”

  “She definitely had a blind spot,” I said. “In fact, that’s where she got hit with the crystal ball.”

  Artemis touched the back of her head and winced. “How unfortunate.”

  “You once told me the future is like a cobweb,” I said, instinctively glancing around for any sign of them. As attentive as Jefferson was, he wasn’t exactly the poster child for cleanliness, except when it came to Artemis and her baths. I had a feeling that cleanliness wasn’t the goal there, though.

  “Correct,” Artemis replied. “Thread upon thread in a web of your own design.”

  “So then how can Madame Bovary claim to know what will happen to me?” I asked. “Or to Marley?”

  “I’m sure she didn’t give you specific answers,” Artemis said. “If she did, then you know she truly lacked the gift.”

  “I know she’d had a blow to her confidence,” I said. “She had a sterling reputation until her divorce, and then it all went downhill.”

  Artemis clucked her tongue. “A shame, to lose a gift like that.” She eyed Marley. “Promise me, young lady, that you’ll use your magic wisely. That you’ll nurture it so that it blossoms.”

  “I can’t wait to nurture it,” Marley said, practically vibrating off the chair. “I’m going to be the most attentive student the Black Cloak Academy has ever seen.”

  “You and your mother can take lessons together,” Artemis said. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” I said. “Marley will have lessons at school. Mine are slotted in between other assignments.”

  “Still, it’ll be nice to learn and grow together,” Artemis said. “How many mothers and daughters can say that?”

  I glanced at Marley, my beautiful daughter, and my throat tightened. I’d never had the opportunity to learn and grow with my mother. I’d certainly not deprive Marley of the opportunity to learn and grow with hers.

  “I love that idea,” I said, and reached over to squeeze Marley’s hand. “She can do all my rune homework.”

  Marley stuck out her tongue. “You can’t stick me with the grunt work.”

  “Why not? You love the grunt work.”

  “Hazel will know, and she won’t approve,” Marley said.

  Okay, that was true. Hazel would sniff out anything more advanced than chicken scratch when it came to me.

  The doorbell rang, surprising me. “Do you have a client appointment?”

  “Oh, no,” Artemis said. “I should’ve mentioned that I invited another guest. She’s new in town, apparently, and I was asked to receive her. I figured you two would be ideal company for a newcomer.”

  Jefferson must have slipped past us and answered the door.

  “Miss Rose?”

  I looked up from my teacup to see Holly. Ugh. “Actually, it’s Ember.”

  She giggled. “Sorry, that’s what Alec calls you. It’s like he barely knows you, even though you work together every day.”

  I gritted my teeth. “It does seem that way, doesn’t it?”

  “Hello, Marley,” Holly said.

  “I didn’t realize you all knew each other already,” Artemis said. “Please, sit down and join us. I’m Artemis Haverford.”

  “A pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” Holly said.

  “Jefferson, please fetch another cup,” Artemis called.

  “My nana used to have a ghost in her house,” Holly said. “He wasn’t as polite as Jefferson. He used to throw things on the floor all the time. He had a real temper.”

  “Thankfully, Jefferson is as docile as they come,” Artemis said. “He’s a very gentle soul.” She smiled vaguely. “With a very gentle touch.”

  I shuddered.

  “Congratulations on winning the baking competition,” Holly said, sounding genuinely pleased. “I had a taste of those donuts, and I can see why your team won first place. Ah-mazing!”

  My voice caught in my throat. “Thank you,” I managed.

  “I wish I had the recipe,” she said. “Alec gobbled it up, soggy mess that it was. I was beginning to think the way to a vampire’s heart wasn’t through his stomach until I saw the way he savored it.”

  “Alec tried our wet donuts?” He hadn’t mentioned it. In fact, I hadn’t even seen him there.

  She forced a smile. “I have to admit, I was a little jealous until I realized how silly I was.”

  “He seems perfectly content with your…baking,” I said.

  Holly heaved a dreamy sigh. “Oh, he is. I mean, sometimes he seems closed off, but then other times he’s such a sweetheart.” Her high-pitched laugh rang out in the parlor room and I noticed Artemis wince. “I never know which Alec will greet me at the end of the day. He can be very grumpy.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I guess you know all about that.”

  I started to feel a little sorry for Holly. Dating Alec couldn’t be easy. I wasn’t going to pretend that I understood his decision to bring home a living, breathing souvenir from Rainbow’s End, but I did understand h
is erratic behavior. One minute his hands were in my hair, and the next minute he was shutting me out. Complex didn’t even begin to describe Alec Hale.

  “His normal mode is grumpy,” I said, making an effort to be friendly. It wasn’t her fault that Alec had encouraged her to come to Starry Hollow. Whether it was to put distance between us, I’d never know for sure, but the reality was that Holly was his girlfriend now. She’d moved across the country to spend time with him, so her feelings were likely sincere. The problem was—so were mine.

  “I’m working hard to change that,” Holly said in a conspiratorial whisper. “He deserves to be happy, but I think sometimes he questions that.”

  “You seem to have a good handle on the situation,” I said.

  “He and my mom get along super well,” Marley interjected. “They’re, like, best friends.”

  “Marley, I don’t know if I’d go that far,” I said. I didn’t want to be on Holly’s radar.

  Unfortunately for me, the nymph seemed intrigued by this declaration. “I didn’t realize. Why on earth would he call you Miss Rose if you’re so close?”

  “It’s an affectation,” I said quickly. “You know how pompous he can be.”

  Holly snorted. “Well, no wonder he was so determined to try those soggy donuts. I thought it seemed out of character.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Artemis picking up every word and gesture. I could tell by her expression that she knew exactly what was happening.

  “Alec’s very supportive,” I said. “Mostly because of Marley. She’s his biggest fan.”

  Holly beamed. “Yes, he mentioned that you read all his books. So adorable.”

  “It’s not adorable,” Marley said. “It’s an achievement. Those books are way above my reading level.”

  “Holly didn’t mean anything by it,” I said.

  Artemis decided to play the hostess card and steer the conversation away from potential minefields. “Speaking of well known bachelors in town, I understand your cousin is pursuing the affections of a coven witch for once.”

  “Florian is dating Delphine, if that’s what you mean,” I said. I kept quiet about the tiger’s unwillingness to change his stripes.

  “She’s a lovely young witch,” Artemis said. “So intelligent.”

  “Delphine Winter is the town librarian,” I told Holly.

  “More books,” Holly said with a laugh. “I feel like there are books everywhere I turn in this town.”

  “Not much of a reader, Holly?” Marley asked.

  “I prefer to live life rather than read about someone else’s,” the nymph replied.

  “The sheriff and I are having dinner with Florian and Delphine tonight, as a matter of fact,” I said, in an effort to prevent Marley from skewering Holly.

  “That sounds fun,” Holly said. “Alec and I tend to keep to ourselves. He doesn’t seem to socialize much.” She seemed to realize how that sounded. “He’s not anti-social or anything. Just very busy. Like, all the time.”

  “Maybe you could include Holly and Mr. Hale tonight,” Artemis suggested. That wily witch. She knew all too well that the sheriff and Alec didn’t get along. Who knew Artemis was a pot stirrer?

  “Oh, I’d love that,” Holly said. She sounded so incredibly eager that I felt sorry for her. Spending most of her time alone in a strange place with an emotionally unavailable vampire was probably not the life she anticipated when she chose to come here.

  “I’ll see if I can work my magic, Holly,” I said, forcing a smile. “Make it happen.”

  Artemis pressed her pruned lips together. “Now this I’d like to see.”

  13

  “Are you sure about those earrings?” Florian asked. He sat on the edge of my bed as I prepared for our triple date. I’d begged the sheriff to include Alec and Holly and he reluctantly agreed. Florian, as always, was up for anything. We planned to meet Alec and Holly at the restaurant, but Delphine and Sheriff Nash would be here any moment and I was woefully behind schedule.

  My fingers touched my earlobes. “What’s wrong with these earrings?”

  He scrunched his perfect nose. “I don’t know. They’re a bit…human world, don’t you think?”

  My eyes widened. “Seriously? You’re pulling the superiority card on me?”

  Florian grimaced. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to, but it demanded to be said.”

  I placed my hands on my hips. “Demanded? Really, Florian?”

  “Okay, maybe requested politely,” he said.

  “Do everyone a favor and don’t criticize Delphine’s choice of jewelry tonight,” I said. Not that it mattered. Florian could tell Delphine she smelled like the inside of a unicorn stable and she’d smile with gratitude. She was almost too in love with him.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” Florian said.

  “Then why do it to me?” I asked.

  “Because you’re family,” he replied. “Besides, I happen to like Granger. I want you to look your best for him.”

  “That’s only because your mother dislikes him.” I removed the earrings and placed them on the dresser.

  Marley appeared in the doorway. “I can’t believe you’re caving because of Florian’s opinion. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement.”

  Raoul swung in from the window. I thought the same thing. If I’d mentioned those earrings, you would’ve left them in for the next week.

  I stopped getting ready and stared at the scene in my bedroom. “Why is there a crowd in my bedroom?”

  Florian shrugged. “Old habits die hard?”

  I threatened to chuck a shoe at his head. “You’re not funny!”

  Florian chuckled and escaped from the room unharmed. “Hurry up!” he called over his shoulder. “I don’t want to keep my date waiting. I actually care what she thinks of me.”

  “Since when?” I yelled after him. Not according to all the women he continued to see behind her back.

  Marley lingered in the doorway. “I think the earrings are pretty. You should wear them anyway.”

  I left the earrings on the dresser. “I’ll be honest, I trust Florian’s opinions on such matters. He has excellent taste.”

  So do I, Raoul insisted. You don’t spend years scavenging through dumps without recognizing good stuff when you see it.

  “Okay then,” I said. “Which earrings do you think I should wear?”

  None, Raoul replied. The sheriff doesn’t want to swallow a hunk of metal when he nibbles on your ear later.

  I was thankful Marley couldn’t understand him. “Everybody out!” I commanded.

  Marley and Raoul bolted from the room at the sound of my irritated voice. I ran a brush through my hair and took another look in the mirror before applying a coat of lipstick. I decided to leave the lobes naked because that was the only naked part of me the sheriff would have access to tonight.

  By the time I arrived downstairs, Delphine and Sheriff Nash were in the living room. PP3 cowered on the corner of the sofa, a soft growl vibrating from his chest. When he saw the sheriff plant a kiss on my cheek, he began to bark.

  “Prescott Peabody III,” I said in a no-nonsense tone. “That’s quite enough out of you.”

  A knock at the door signaled the arrival of Mrs. Babcock, Marley’s brownie babysitter. After a few minutes of chaos, we were finally on our way to the restaurant. Florian chose the location because it was new and hip, and he thought we’d get a kick out of it.

  “Stake-n-Shake?” I said, when I saw the flashing neon sign. “This seems a little low brow for a Rose.”

  Florian parked the car in the regular parking lot. There was an entire section devoted to car service, where roller-skating paranormals served food on trays attached to the car windows.

  “Isn’t this the new vampire joint?” Sheriff Nash asked, seated beside me in the back of Florian’s car.

  “Don’t let the name fool you,” Florian said. “There’s plenty on the menu for everyone.”

&nbs
p; “It’s a franchise,” Delphine added. “I looked it up when Florian first mentioned it. The original isn’t far from where you’re from, Ember. Pennsylvania, right?” She glanced at Florian, who nodded.

  A Gorgon skated past us as we maneuvered our way around the cars to enter the restaurant.

  “This reminds me of an old-fashioned diner in New Jersey,” I said, surveying the bright interior. Minus the horned waiters and blood-based shakes, of course. There were booths and a jukebox and plastic menus. I’d need to come back another time with Marley. She’d love the ambience.

  “Welcome to Stake-n-Shake,” a vampire said, stepping out from behind the hostess stand. “I’m the owner, Glynn. We’re so happy to see new customers.”

  “This place looks great,” I said.

  “Thank you so much,” Glynn replied, pleased. “My cousin started this franchise and it’s suddenly taken off. I decided Starry Hollow was ripe for a place like this.” He pulled four menus from a pocket on the hostess stand.

  “We’re meeting another here,” I said.

  Glynn’s brow lifted. “Ah, right. Mr. Hale?”

  “Yes,” I replied.

  “Right this way.”

  We followed him to a spacious raised booth in the corner, where Alec and Holly were waiting. It was as though Glynn knew he was seating the royals of Starry Hollow. Or maybe it was because I complimented the diner right off the bat.

  “Good evening,” Alec said. “For those of you who haven’t met her, this is Holly. Holly, this is Delphine and Florian. You’ve met Sheriff Nash, and, of course, Miss Rose.” I felt his gaze linger on me for a beat longer than necessary.

  “Thank you so much for including us,” Holly said. “I feel like we haven’t gone out very much since I’ve been here.”

  “As far as I’m concerned, we’ve been out quite a bit. Then again, Holly’s more of a social creature than I am,” Alec said.

  “I’m right there with you, Holly,” Florian said. He nudged Delphine. “Sometimes it’s like pulling mandrakes out of the ground to get this one out of her pajamas and out of the house.”

  Delphine gave a sheepish smile. “I don’t know where Florian gets his energy.”