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Chapter Forty-One

ASHER

A sher’s mouth fell open, as did everyone else’s at the table. His mind was running a hundred miles a minute. Sunny hadn’t been trying to leave him, just to find out more about Nox. And she had, but even that didn’t make sense.

“Mothman?” Julie asked.

“What does that even mean? Is he a shifter?” Abe asked.

“I asked him. He said no. He said he’s from a world that looks like ours in some ways but is also very different. I think he even said that there were creatures of all different kinds there but that, one night, he got trapped here by accident.”

Asher looked around the table.

The looks of perplexity and disbelief were evident. But Bridget was something else altogether. Her brows were scrunched, and the chaotic glint in her eye he’d come to expect were gone. What was she thinking?

“Speaking of the accident!” Sunny said. “My visions were right! He saw the accident that night! He says the coal company trucks ran their car off the road. They were poised to get the mountain, but my dad figured it out. That’s what this is.” She pointed to a manilla folder on the table.

Asher picked it up and pulled out the paper. There were pictures of the car crash, along with two damaged VenDeer vehicles and a cease-and-desist letter.

“I think he was still looking for a smoking gun to bring them down, but all he was able to do was get them off our back.”

“That’s all anyone can do with massive corporations,” Esther said darkly.

“Mothman, ye say?” Bridget asked again.

Sunny gave her head a little shake. “Yeah, that’s what he said.”

Bridget chewed on her bottom lip, still lost in thought, as Asher put the paper down on the table and Abe picked them up to look for himself.

“I think, when they thought I was gone, they thought they could get the house. And with them buying the land on the back half of the mountain...”

“Yeah, it’s not looking good. But it does look like good ol’ VenDeer isn’t able to get their hands on the mountain with this,” Abe said, pushing the papers back on the table.

“I don’t know...” Esther said. “I’m not sure what’s worse, having the coal company breathing down our neck or this church.”

“Both aren’t great,” Julie said.

Asher and Abe’s eyes connected over the table. He knew what Abe was thinking because it was the same thing he was thinking.

They had gotten too relaxed. They’d forgotten this mountain wasn’t only their home but their responsibility. They had squandered its magic. The evil they were supposed to guard against was on the doorstep because they’d forgotten what their mission was.

“Mothman?” Bridget said again, perplexed.

“That’s what he said—and that he gives the witch moonshine to give him the elixir.”

Bridget nodded with a furrowed brow.

“Fuck,” said Asher as he ran his hand through his hair. “How the fuck did I let this happen?”

“We all let this happen. Sunny and I left you guys here to deal with this alone. That’s on us. You can only outrun your problems so long,” Esther said darkly.

“Okay,” Sunny said. “Let’s look at it this way.

For now, the coal company is out. And while I would love nothing more than to bring them down for good, we have all we need to keep them out with this,” she said, waving around the manilla envelope.

“And we have an eyewitness to add to it.” She settled in closer to Asher, and he slid his arm around her shoulders.

“We still have each other. And we have the magic of this mountain. I mean, I know you all protect it, but it seems to do a good job of protecting you right back.”

“Mothman...” Bridget mumbled.

“Yes. Bridget, mothman.”

“I apologize. It’s just that I’ve never heard of such a creature.

I’ve been around for a long time. Longer than any of ye know.

When I got my power years and years ago, I got them from the Fae realm.

That’s why their magic blockers didn’t work on me.

The magic I wield is much different and more powerful than earth magic. ”

Everyone looked at her, nodding.

“And I know ye’ve been trying to figure out what it is ye’re all protecting, and I’m wondering...” She bit her lip, mulling over her words.

“Wondering what?” Abe prompted.

“If perhaps... there is a portal.”

“What do you mean?” Esther asked.

“Fae portals can be created with Fae magic, but maybe there are other realms and other portals. When my dear Fergus was still alive, he was a Fae in the human realm. He lived deep in the forest in Scotland. There was a place there where a Faerie Circle would appear. He was the Fae spirit of the forest, protecting the magic deep in it. I can’t help but wonder if this is the same. ”

Asher had heard her share many stories about her Fergus over the years, but he didn’t recall her ever mentioning he was Fae. No wonder Bridget was the most powerful magic creature he’d ever known.

Bridget continued. “I’ve met a few shifters in my time, but there seem to be clusters of them. I thought it was a bloodline thing, but what if it is a calling from living near a magical place? Ye been on this mountain for generations, correct?”

Abe nodded. “When my parents died so unexpectedly, we never got to ask them what they were protecting?” He took a deep breath and scratched his beard. “It would make sense.”

“I think I need to talk to this mothman. Maybe we can make this elixir?” she said to Julie.

“If you help me figure it out, I’ll make it for him,” Julie said.

“Well, it looks like I have a meeting coming soon,” Bridget said as she scooted her chair back from the table. “If everyone is okay, maybe we should turn in and reconvene in the morning.”

“But, Asher!” Sunny protested.

“I’m fine, Sunshine,” he said as he rubbed her thigh.

“No! You are bruised and bleeding. There are people here who can fix that.”

“Ock, goodness me, of course,” Bridget said as she stood and went over to Asher. “Give me yer hand. Is this the only place ye are hurt?”

Asher nodded and placed his hand near Bridget’s. Bridget placed her hand over the bruise and cut, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

Asher felt a peculiar sensation of warmth emanate from his heart and travel down his arm. It transformed into a cool tingle before leaving his fingertips.

“That’s fucking weird,” he said, looking at his arm, and as the cool tingle left his body, it took all the pain with it. “Ya know, I’m fairly convinced we can beat all of them with Bridget on our side.”

Bridget gave a huff of appreciation and a wink at his words. “It’s a good thing Sunny and her father have dealt with the coal company because I’m afraid I’m not much help there, but warlocks and witch hunters are something I can handle.”

“That’s good because I don’t think we’ve heard the last from them. I think we need to add more patrols of the entire mountain for the foreseeable future,” Abe said to Asher.

“Agreed.”

“Mom, is everything okay?” a small voice said from the top of the stairs.

“Ruby, I thought you were asleep,” Esther said, smiling up at her daughter.

Her eyes were filled with warmth when she looked at Ruby. That always made Asher smile because Esther was known for her cold, calculating gaze, but with Ruby, she was ooey-gooey warmth.

“I was,” she said with a yawn. “But then I heard talking.”

Esther stood and held her hand out for her. “I think we are finishing up here. Are you ready to head home?”

Ruby came down as Esther slid her arm around her and held her to her side. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

They all walked out on the porch, and Esther and Ruby moved down one path and Bridget down another.

“Oh, your van is still broken down on the side of the road, isn’t it?” Asher asked Sunny, peering down at her.

“It is.” She nodded.

“Do you want me to have Abe drive us to your house? My truck is there. Or maybe I could just borrow his truck? Or we could sleep in my cabin.”

Sunny nodded. “Let’s just sleep in your cabin, and we’ll deal with the rest tomorrow.”

“Sounds good,” he said before slipping his hand into hers and leading the way.

The feel of Sunny’s hand in his down the well-worn path felt good. After everything that had happened, he felt a little silly at his panic.

He gave her hand a squeeze and a sigh of relief as his A-frame cabin came into sight.