Page 9

9

Luna

D ays later, I still stewed from the bargain struck with Vincent.

We might need to update your style to help you sell your old fae heritage better.

His words pulled at the seams of defensive stitches I had in place for whenever the old fae were mentioned.

Convincing myself I didn’t need them was one thing.

Being told I needed to become one of them to save my inn was another.

Hearing it from someone who was using me to get close to my father, a male he knew I didn’t get along with, was icing on the cake.

I shook my head, working my frustration out on kneading bread dough.

The counter was a mess, and I added to it, sprinkling a little more flour on the surface.

As my palms pushed into the dough, I tried to push in my anxiety about this bargain.

When I folded it to continue the process, I imagined I was covering up my worries and hiding them away.

The bargain was my only choice.

I needed Vincent’s help, and this was his condition .

Hiding my nerves in bread-making didn’t seem to work, though.

I gave the dough a stern glare like it had let me down, even as I continued to knead.

My fingers slid into the mixture.

It surrounded and stuck to them—still not ready.

I needed to speed up.

This wasn’t the only item on my list today.

No matter how disappointed I was, I could admit I needed Vincent’s help.

I’d spent the last few days studying the other inns in Sandrin and their offerings.

While I believed Cliff House had a chance, I would be up against some strong opponents.

Winchester Inn was by far the most popular.

It was directly on the path where the eastern road poured into Sandrin.

The inn itself wasn’t much to look at.

It was clean and had no particular style, but nothing could top its location.

Convenience to travelers couldn’t be understated.

On the way into the city from the south, there was another popular inn, Earthbend.

It was run by a Suden couple and tended to cater to friends and family visiting the military base on the city’s southern tip.

These two were my main competitors.

Others scattered the city streets, but they were extra rooms above taverns or boarding houses, offering less comfort than a traditional inn.

I would focus on giving visitors a reason to bypass these two easily accessible inns and come to Cliff House.

One good thing was that both were almost full.

Soon, visitors wouldn’t have a choice but to keep searching.

I wasn’t too proud to work with that, either.

I pulled my hand back from the dough to test its tack again.

Seeing it was still sticky, I kept kneading.

I tried to remember my childhood visits to Cliff House.

Though we’d stayed in the cottage, we’d often encountered guests on the beach.

The inn had always been full.

I tried to remember some of them—what had drawn them to the inn, their stories.

Most recollections of guests were too fuzzy; I’d been pretty young.

I shied away from some of our clearer memories, like our last visit.

Our haste to leave after Darius’s impromptu arrival had put a damper on the event in my mind.

He never visited us when we were at Cliff House.

It seemed he and Mom had some understanding.

He must have at least known to stay away the weeks we were there.

It was further proof he’d rather have nothing to do with me, as if I needed any.

I kneaded faster as the memory snuck in.

Mom had woken me up for a moonlit swim.

She knew I loved the full moon—said I’d been born under one.

“We need to celebrate you.” She pointed to the sky through the window.

Caught up in her enthusiasm, I was too young to care whether this was a good or bad idea.

I dressed for swimming and followed her by lantern light down the wooden staircase to the beach.

The lantern didn’t help much.

The moon’s light was so bright, it was all I could see.

Mom laughed loudly, splashing into the water.

She was giddy, free in a way I rarely saw her.

Worry usually hung heavy on her brow.

I didn’t know the context, but I knew enough to understand that the weight was lifted while we were here.

“Come in, the water is nice!” she called.

I didn’t hesitate, throwing myself into the softly crashing waves of the sea.

We played for what felt like hours beneath the moon.

If only the memory ended there, I could have filed it away as a happy one, but as we lost track of time, the tides changed.

The current strengthened, and before I knew what was happening, my next dive into the waves had me pulled away by a strong current.

I thrashed to the surface, gasping for air.

Another wave crashed, pushing me back under.

Up and down had no meaning.

Water surrounded me, beating me back.

I surfaced again, unable to open my eyes—to find Mom—before I was pulled back under.

Her screams reached my ears, though .

I was sure it had only been seconds, but it felt like so much longer.

Mom couldn’t get to me, to the cove around the cliff where the current dragged.

I was sure she tried her best, sure she tried everything she could to get to me, but it wasn’t enough.

I should have drowned.

The next thing I knew, I was sinking.

No more breaking through the surf, no more moments of breath.

My body fell like a stone beneath the waves.

I rolled myself into a compact ball and lay against the sea floor.

Water surrounded me, but I was sure it also poured from my eyes.

And then I could breathe.

I’d never understand what happened or how he was there, but the next thing I knew, Darius was pulling me from a whirlpool in the sea.

I was in its eye, curled like a cat on the seabed.

The water that previously tried to drown me was pushed back on all sides, giving me access to fresh air.

I didn’t know how long I’d lain there before he found me.

The scent of moonflower and juniper surrounded me—an unfortunately comforting scent for his magic.

He pulled me from the center of the storm, dried me, wrapped me in warmth, and told me everything would be alright.

I remembered waking up in a room at the inn later with Mom tucked next to me.

We’d stormed out shortly after.

It was hard to admit, even to myself, but I’d clung to Darius like a life raft in a storm.

In that moment, he had been one.

His magic had dried me as he carried me from the beach.

It had flooded me with a familiarity I’d been too young to know was false.

I pulled my hand from the dough again, testing it.

That round of kneading had done the trick.

The memory had swept me away, and the bread benefited.

Many would consider the experience of near-drowning traumatic on its own, but for me, it was the experience of Darius saving me that stuck .

The look of concern on his face as he pulled me from the sea was haunting.

I would have sworn he cared.

And if he cared that much, why did he ignore me for the rest of my life?

How could someone turn their emotions on and off like that?

It was all too similar to what Vincent had done when he’d arrived at the inn to strike our bargain.

Maybe that was a trait of the old fae.

Another reason I’d never count myself as one of them.

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the cottage door.

“Come in,” I called, picking the remaining dough from my hand.

I moved to rinse them under hot water as my friends entered.

Seraphina had a mop in one hand and a bucket filled with bottles of cleaning liquids in the other.

Evelyn had a broom, a feather duster, and many rags tucked into an overly large belt.

“What are you two...” I trailed off, realizing why they were here.

“We’re here to help clean. I assume you haven’t heard from the fae yet?” Seraphina said.

I’d seen them shortly after my bargain with Vincent, giving them most of the details and listing everything I had to do.

“Not yet. He said he needed to create a plan.”

Seraphina pressed her lips together in a thin line, telling me all I needed to know about her opinion of Vincent.

“Did he at least take your input?”

“Yes. Though I told him I wanted no part in his plan to make me seem old fae. I did share the information I had about the other inns in the city.”

She looked like she’d say more when Evelyn cut in.

“I think we should start in the library.” Her hair was pulled back in a smooth, low ponytail, and she had a look of determination that I didn't understand.

“Is something not going well with your research project?” I asked. She worked part-time at the tavern and spent the rest of her time in the Vesten Library. Though she was half-Vesten, her scholarly achievements were unmatched and had earned her the position.

“You could say that,” she said, not making eye contact. “I’d like to clean, though. I think that will help.”

I smiled, very in tune with that feeling.

“Looks like Luna was already working through something with her bread dough here,” Seraphina said. “We didn’t mean to interrupt. I knew you needed help, and this was our only free afternoon.”

“You’re never interrupting.” I waved her worry off. “This has to rise, and if you’re offering to help clean, I am accepting. Let’s get started.”

Evelyn’s suggestion won, and we started in the library. This would ease us into the cleaning process. It was by far the best-kept room, probably because before Byrd had banned me from the inn, it was where I’d sneak in to read with the view of the sea. By nature of having been used the most, it looked less sad.

“This is truly a stunning view.” Evelyn removed books to dust the shelves. She held them reverently, then placed each back where she found it. “I can’t believe people aren’t flocking to stay here.”

“It never made sense.” Seraphina swept the floor. “This is by far the best view in town, and back in its heyday, it also had the most charming rooms for the best rate. I can’t figure out what happened.”

“The rooms are decidedly less charming now,” I warned. “Byrd stopped any general upkeep. There was a leak in the northernmost room.”

Seraphina scratched the back of her neck as she glanced at her supplies. “We didn’t bring anything for patching or repair, but I’m sure we can get that taken care of in the next week.”

This was part of why I loved Seraphina. She always knew what to do. When I met her my first day in Sandrin, she’d walked right up to me and said that I looked like I could use a friend, and she happened to be in the market for one. We hadn’t looked back since.

It shouldn’t have surprised me they showed up ready to help with the more mundane aspects of this challenge. Their presence soothed my nerves in a way neither baking nor list-making did. I was happy with our progress on the first floor, but not even my friend could prevent my heartbeat ratcheting when I realized it was time to head upstairs.

“I’m warning you two, it’s bad.”

Evelyn shook the mop at me like it was a weapon. “We’re ready.”

We turned left and marched with determination to the end of the hall. As soon as I saw the door, I remembered it was locked. It had slipped my mind with Vincent and our bargain. “Actually,”—I pointed across the hall—“let’s start over here.”

“What’s wrong with that one?” Evelyn asked.

“It’s locked.” I hesitated. “I couldn’t open it last time. I tried everything.”

Evelyn’s head tilted. She loved a mystery. I should have known this would be right up her alley. “Locked how?” She stepped closer to the door. “Can I touch it?”

“I did.” I shrugged. “It didn’t hurt me, but it also didn’t open.”

“So, I take it you don’t mean locked and missing the key.” Seraphina rested her hand on her hip.

I gave her what I hoped was an apologetic smile and shook my head. “The actual door lock isn’t secured. I peeked through the keyhole. ”

“Lovely.” Seraphina’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “You have a mysteriously locked door.”

Evelyn ignored Seraphina’s sass. She wrapped her fingers around the handle and twisted. Nothing happened. She tried again and pushed a little harder against the door with each new attempt. I saw the exact moment this became more interesting to her than cleaning.

Seraphina and I shared a glance. “I think we should leave her to it.”

Knowing she was correct, I laughed and followed her into the bedroom across the hall to clean.

“This is…worse than I thought.” She pulled back the drapes to let in the light. I didn’t know why they had ever been closed. The sea view should be the first thing to greet guests upon entering this room.

“I know. I meant to come over here yesterday to get started, but I went to the other big inns in town instead.”

“You wanted to do your own research, not trust the old fae’s?” She elbowed me as she dusted the flat surfaces.

“It’s not about him,” I said a little too quickly.

She gave me a knowing smile. “I’m sorry that went so sideways on you. It was better to find out what he wanted from you early, though, wasn’t it?”

I wasn’t sure. I kept telling myself the same thing, but Seraphina’s comment from the night we met kept playing on repeat. I had told him about Darius—with little to no provocation. It had been so long since I’d connected with someone so quickly, even given the unfortunate circumstances of our meeting. I couldn’t help but think it was a missed opportunity. I shrugged. We’d both shown where our priorities lay, I guessed.

“It is what it is. If he recommends the inn, it can only help.”

“What about helping him with Darius? Have you thought about how you'll do that? ”

“I have. I just really don’t want to do it, but if it’s to save this place”—I glanced around the room—“I will.”

Seraphina nodded. She knew what the inn meant to me. “What’s your plan?”

“I’ll try to find something juicy about the inn to report. I realized I’ve never…asked to talk to him…asked for an invite to Pierce House.” Seraphina’s brow furrowed as I continued. “He’s never invited me, but I don’t know. I was thinking that would be a place to start.” I shrugged again.

“Do you think it will be that simple?”

“I don’t think asking Darius for something is simple,” I said defensively.

Seraphina raised her hands in surrender. “Fine. Remember we’re both here when you need us.”

“Luna!” Evelyn called from the hallway.

Letting the conversation drop, we returned to the locked bedroom door. Evelyn’s smooth black ponytail was mussed, and I couldn’t imagine what she’d gotten into in the minutes we’d left her alone out here. Glancing down, I saw a burn mark on the wood door and ashes smeared across her skirt.

My hands were on my hips before I could stop the motion. “What did you do?” I asked, half worried but mostly holding back a laugh.

“This door is magically sealed,” she announced.

It was my turn to tilt my head in question. “What? That can’t be right.”

“It is. I tested it. And I know I haven’t spoken much about my research, but...” She took a deep breath. “I’m one of the foremost experts in blood magic, especially when it’s connected to fae elemental magic. This door connects both, like a spell, to the inn. I’m sure of it.”

Horrifying news poured from her lips, but I wouldn’t skip the information she’d let slip. “You’re one of the foremost experts on blood magic? ”

Seraphina’s mouth was open at those words as well. “Why are you working at my tavern?”

“That wasn’t the actual point of my sentence,” Evelyn replied.

“It’s pretty damn relevant,” Seraphina said.

I laughed. “We will be talking and celebrating that part more later, but what does this mean, exactly?” I was still reeling from Evelyn’s revelation. She was usually so reserved about her work. All half-fae were different, so I didn’t pry. I had no magic, but Evelyn had some. She could wield fire, evidenced by the burn marks on the floor, but she couldn’t shift, which was a second part of Vesten fae magic. I’d assumed she hadn’t spoken of her studies because it involved shifting or some magic she wasn’t comfortable with. Now, I wondered if she didn’t want to intimidate us. We would be fixing that.

“It means that blood magic was enacted on this inn.” She put her hands on her hips, matching my pose. “And the fact that this door is locked shows it’s active.”

“Is there a way to figure out what the magic is?” Seraphina asked.

“I haven’t been able to yet. I need to do some research.” Evelyn tucked a strand of hair falling from her ponytail behind her ear. “I’m sorry. I should go start now.” She then turned and headed down the hall.

While it wasn’t unusual for Evelyn to slip away for research at a moment’s notice, something about this had my hair standing on end. There was something she wasn’t saying. It took time for my brain and mouth to connect. I had so many questions.

“Evelyn,” I called as she walked down the hall toward the staircase. I jogged to catch up to her. “Do you think it’s…bad magic?”

I was unfamiliar with this kind of magic. The fae courts each represented an element, but humans could do all manner of interesting things using blood magic. Recent reports from the Compass Points indicated that even more could be accomplished when the fae elements mingled with blood magic. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that someone was studying the connection between the two.

“I don’t think it’s good.” Evelyn’s gaze shifted toward the door again.

Seraphina came to my side. Her hand was on my shoulder, and her gaze lingered between me and Evelyn. “Evelyn won’t say so because she’s a researcher, and her hypothesis is not substantiated enough even to guess, but I’m not.” She gave me a look that said don’t shoot the messenger . “I’d wager she believes unlocking that door is the key to guests returning to the inn.”

Evelyn glared at Seraphina but didn’t refute the statement. “I need to go.”

I nodded, and she scurried down the stairs. I could only assume she was headed for the Vesten Library.

A magically sealed room, somehow preventing guests from staying at the inn? What had I gotten myself into? Maybe my bargain with Vincent wouldn’t matter after all.