I descended the stairs to the basement in search of my father. With Mom and Gram gone, and now Uncle Frank, he was the only adult in my life I could really turn to. Yes, I had my doubts. He didn't exactly seem all that enthusiastic when Mom gave it to him earlier. Still, after the humiliation and failure I'd just gone through, I needed someone to lean on.Most of the lights were out, only the single bulb over the pentagram throwing illumination around the large space. My eyes readjusted to the dimness slowly. I expected to find Dad standing in the middle of said pentagram, working. Instead, he was nowhere to be found. I was sure he stayed downstairs... it wasn't until I heard a soft shuffling sound from the far left corner I spotted a bit of movement in the dark."Dad?" My sock barely touched pavement by the time he hurried toward me. His face was drawn into a distracted frown as he stepped inside the circle of light."What is it?" I'd become somewhat used to his new attitude. Uncle
"Syd!" Alison's enthusiastic arrival at my locker almost drove me face-first into the thin door. She was smiling, though her vulnerability hovered just behind it. At least she was in a good mood after yesterday's pouting. "Sorry I'm late." She rolled her eyes. "My flat iron died, can you imagine?" Her hands went to the artful pile she'd created out of her blonde hair. "I had to settle for this nest.""Looks great, Al." I secured my stuff inside the narrow box before jamming it shut and locking it. "I like it up.""Really?" That word came out kind of squealy and hurt my ears. She grabbed my arm, pulling me along with her. "How was detention?"Speaking of the hell of yesterday afternoon, the moment she asked I spotted Ms. Spaft. It was my clear intention to avoid the woman as much as possible, but she seemed to have different ideas. Her gaze locked on mine, icy cold sternness laser focused on me."Crappy." I forced myself to look away, my only goal to get to class on time and stay th
I'm not sure what I was expecting. Total global meltdown, a zombie apocalypse. Disaster extraordinaire to drop on me from the sky. Yeah, something along those lines. But as I sat there in the kitchen, hands on my jittering knees, mind open to the coven just in case something happened for the fourth straight hour, I finally realized how silly I was being.Everything was fine. No twinge of warning from Shaylee who seemed to be back to her happy normal. No message from Galleytrot declaring impending doom. Though it did strike me as odd he wasn't home when I arrived, nor did he show at any time during my nervously prepared-for-anything vigil.In the end, with the tedious and petty day-to-day crap of the rest of the family touching my wide-open thoughts, I finally slumped sideways from hyper-alert to feeling bored and stupid.Just because Mom was gone didn't mean everything was going to suddenly fall apart. And I'd had enough of feeling like that was the case.With Dad locked in the bas
I was almost asleep when my computer dinged and the entire world focused on the dancing pen. Sassy snarled at me and leapt aside, muttering a sleepy string of probably nasty words under his breath before curling up in a new place and flickering his tail over his nose.Couldn't care less.Sorry it's so late. My mind imagined Quaid speaking the words as he wrote. I missed his deep voice, the warmth of his chocolaty-caramel magic wrapped around me.Still up. He'd know I was lying, but that was okay. Do you have much time to talk?Some. What's up?Okay, was I that obvious? The usual Hayle craziness. For a moment I hesitated in telling him about Gram, then shook off the concern. Quaid was nothing like Grandfather Ivan. He might be a Dumont by birth, but he was a Hayle at heart.I filled him in, my fingers flying over the keyboard, telling him about Gram and Mom and Uncle Frank. About the dreams I'd had and Galleytrot's absence. Meira's odd behavior. Dad. Erica. It seemed like I poured
Lunch. I was dreading it. Until I approached the doorway and found Liam standing to one side. He didn't see me at first, back against the wall with his hands in his pockets. I watched him as he watched everyone else, that same gentle look on his face. Not an act, then, a show for my benefit. He genuinely was just a really good person.Which made me feel terrible. How far had the gay rumor gone? I was pretty sure Liam wouldn't care what other people thought of him, but I felt like I was part of the rumor mill just by association.I glanced over my shoulder as I approached him. Ms. Spaft hovered at the end of the hall, her evil eye scanning each kid as they passed, though for some reason I felt again like she'd singled me out. Maybe me being the first to pass her little test the other day was a bad thing, made me target zero.Whatever. I smiled at Liam as he glanced up and saw me, a slow grin making me feel welcome."Your table is full." I didn't even have to look inside to know Page
Liam led me into the second floor library with a huge smile on his face. Now that I wasn't acting all weird and freaked out, he seemed to genuinely enjoy being there.I'd managed to shove down my worry, hide it behind a smile and a veil of normal, but inside my mind churned. I barely registered the old carved bookcases at the front of the room, the heavy wooden desk or the vaulted ceilings painted with murals of beautiful people in old-fashioned clothing. Until I realized those murals were yet another hint, another depiction not of humans, mortals. Those paintings were of the Sidhe, no question.Who built this place, and why the connection to the fairy folk? My feelings about Wilding Springs weren't just my imagination after all, though I wasn't sure I was happy to be right about it.I looked back toward the library's front desk just in time to spot the tall, stunningly gorgeous man who stepped out from behind it, a warm and yet oddly repellant smile on his face. Shaylee quivered at
I gathered up my notes and stuffed them into my backpack, eyes and hand tired from writing, but mind a whole lot wiser. Everything I'd read told me Liam and his family were the corner stone of this place, and if I wanted to get to the bottom of the dream and Shaylee's anxiety I had to talk to him and hopefully his grandfather.I'd almost forgotten the new librarian until Shaylee jabbed me on the way out with a shot of pure fear. A hand fell on my arm, his touch giving her the willies even through the fabric of my jacket. I glanced up and into those green eyes, though this time I knew for certain he recognized the Sidhe inside me."I'm surprised to find you here, Your Highness," Venner said softly, long, silky black hair falling over one shoulder as he leaned down to speak to me. "But I am pleased to know your spirit has finally found a new home."Shaylee trembled inside me, forcing me to pull free of his grip though I still had no real idea why she despised and feared him so much. A
I headed straight for home after my little encounter, mind running with possibilities. Shaylee seemed tired, unwilling to communicate any further. Maybe she was just frustrated or maybe Venner was right-her power was diminished being in a mortal body. Whatever the case, I was left with my fuming demon for company and she wasn't helping any.The house was quiet when I arrived, but I heard the sounds of giggling the moment I set foot on the top of stairs. The bathroom door gaped wide, light blazing. I glanced inside, scowling over the scattered makeup and general mess covering the countertop.Whatever. Meira could clean up this disaster herself. I wasn't taking her crap on anymore.I knocked on her door, annoyance making me tense. The voices inside fell silent and no one answered. My eye roll was a classic."Meira," I snapped, "it's not like I don't know you're in there." Her glowing amber magic was muted, but easily detectable. My demon snorted over her attempt to hide while I gritt