Page 10

Chapter Ten

C lover was just entering the shop to grab another package to bring to the van for her morning deliveries when her sister came in for work. Mom was at the counter, and Dad was in the back, cutting flowers for the day’s ready-made bouquets.

“Good morning, family,” Erie greeted cheerfully.

Everyone returned her salutation.

“How was trick-or-treating?” Mom asked her eldest.

Erie shook her head. “It’s not what it used to be when we were young. It seems like everyone is just doing trunk-or-treat now. Hardly anyone on our block was giving out candy. Crane’s pillowcase wasn’t even a quarter full. She had fun, though.”

“What did she go as?” Clover asked.

Erie smiled, pulling out her phone. “Oh, she was so cute. She dressed as a little alien with spring antennae and everything. Look.”

Clover glanced at the picture of her niece’s green-painted face, all of her baby teeth on display as she grinned. Clover smiled at the image. “Did Antony go with you?”

Erie sighed. “No, my lovely husband was not there for yet another occasion.”

“That’s not fair, Erie,” Mom scolded lightly. “You know how hard he works.”

Erie frowned. “I know. I just wish he wasn’t missing so much of his daughter’s life. She’s already in the second grade. If he keeps going like this, he’ll miss her whole childhood.”

A feeling of unavoidable sadness settled over them.

Erie tried to put on her best I’m-all-right smile as she made her way to where Mom was. “That’s why I’m so grateful for my baby sister. How would I ever have any free time if it wasn’t for the best aunt in the world watching her very favorite niece on occasion.”

Clover snorted. “What do you need?”

Her sister smiled prettily at her. “Would you mind watching Crane tonight? The moms in her class are getting together to plan holiday pageant costumes.”

Just when Clover was about to tell her sister that she didn’t have plans that evening, their mother jumped in. “I think you should ask Llewellyn to watch her instead.”

Erie blinked in surprise, and Clover flinched. It was never a good sign when Mom used their brother’s full name.

“Is there a reason I should ask him instead?” Erie inquired.

Mom nodded seriously. “Yes, I think he needs to spend more time with family, and he clearly needs more responsibility. So I’ll pick Crane up from school, and then we’ll all stay in for the night.”

Erie met Clover’s eyes with a question, and Clover shrugged and shook her head.

“Well, then,” Clover said. “I better get going. I’ll see you all later.”

Clover gritted her teeth against a blast of cold air that nearly blew her over when she exited the shop and hurried to load the package she carried into the van. Just as she moved to close the back doors, an icy drop landed on her nose.

She looked up into the grey sky overhead to see little flecks of white drifting toward the ground.

Snowing again .

Like other summer witches, Clover didn’t like snow. Sure, it was beautiful when she was tucked inside under a warm blanket. But it was a clear sign of winter, a physical reminder that her magic was weak and would be for months to come.

But for the first time in Clover’s thirty years, she smiled up at the fluffs of white. For the first time, she saw the promise that the first snow brought.

Closing her eyes, she breathed deep the cold air and tilted her head back to let the sparse flakes land on her face.

She had to admit there was something refreshing about the cold water that melted on her skin the moment it touched her. It was as if the snow was kissing her warm skin before ceasing to exist.

Clover smiled to herself, her heart thumping as she suddenly felt that this snow promised new things for her.

She closed the van doors and climbed into the driver’s seat, turning the heater on high to melt away any chill before it got into her bones.

What should I do this weekend?

She still didn’t have an answer when Ari called her on her lunch break. She was parked in the lot of a local drive-thru, about to take a second bite of her cheeseburger when her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen and saw it was Ari calling. “Hey, what’s up?” she asked as she flipped the phone open and pressed the speaker button.

“Hey, you on break?”

“Yep,” Clover confirmed around a mouthful of burger.

“Good. I was just checking to see if you got home all right. I heard Rune was making a pest of himself last night. He didn’t bother you, did he?”

“I’m fine.”

“I feel like we should have an intervention with him or something. Dude just can’t take a hint.”

Clover paused with her cheeseburger halfway to her mouth. “I think, next time, I need to be clearer with him. If he can’t pick up on it himself, then I just need to tell him to his face to leave me alone.”

“That’s a good idea.”

Clover nodded as she swallowed. “On another note, I wanted to ask you. Do you know that guy who wore a silver horned mask last night?”

“A horned mask?” Ari went silent for a moment. “I don’t remember it.”

“He was standing on my other side during the ritual.”

Ari hummed in thought. “Was he? Sorry. I guess I didn’t notice.”

Clover blinked. Surely, he couldn’t really be a fae…right?

As many summer witches did, Clover often encountered the Good Neighbors. She made offerings to them and sometimes even asked for their help. But never had she seen one so clearly and solidly as she’d seen the man from last night. If she ever saw them in solid form, they were usually out of the corner of her eye. She’d certainly never physically touched one and definitely never kissed one.

“Why?” Ari asked. “Did something happen?”

Clover bit her lip, hesitating. “Okay. This is going to sound crazy, but stick with me.”