Chapter 27
W ith the library closed on Saturday, Lucy deserved a lie-in. She’d spent the morning reading in bed and was desperate for a snuggle, but Chaos was still avoiding her. It was clear there was a six-foot-something man she wanted to snuggle more.
Speaking of whom… Lucy winced as she eyed Benedict’s missed call. She covered her head with her bedcovers and was about to turn off her phone when a text arrived from Rosie.
Rosie: I’ve got a giant favour to ask. Emerson asked me out!!! Finally! But I promised I would chaperone the dance tonight from seven to nine. We are going for dinner after we finish looking at some cottages around the village, so please please please can you cover for me? I’ll buy that super expensive yucky tea you love. PLEASE, and remember I have sharp teeth ;)
She couldn’t say no; she and Emerson were looking at cottages to rent so he wouldn’t have to stay in his university accommodation. Most of the professors had their own places, and Emerson getting a place in town might establish that he was here to stay.
Lucy groaned. There was no way she’d be able to avoid Benedict if she went to the festival’s opening night costume party. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see Benedict, but if she did, she’d have to tell him about her mum destroying the curse-stripping potion.
Staring at the message, she pulled herself from her sheets. She shouldn’t let her friend’s love-life suffer because hers was a mess.
Lucy: Are you threatening to bite me if I say no?!
Don’t say no then. Pretty please! I thought I’d have to be the one to ask him and then this morning he just blurted it out while I was working. Xxx
Great, now she had to find a costume by seven. The calendar with the 31st circled in red mocked her. The town square had transformed into what could only be compared to the towns from The Nightmare Before Christmas or Hocus Pocus , two of her favourite Halloween movies, to mark the ten-day countdown to the festival.
Fine, I’ll do it. It’ll get me away from my mum. Are you still able to cover the toffee apple stall? We only need to have it open for the fireworks.
I could kiss you! Thank you! Yes, I’ll be there for nine and stay until midnight so you don’t have to be around the fireworks. You should talk to Willa, ignoring each other isn’t going to help matters. She was wrong to destroy the potion, but she probably didn’t want to risk both of your elements.
Rosie had offered for Lucy to stay at hers for a few days, but so close to the binding, all eyes would be on her. Rumours of a rift amongst the Hawthorne women would mean everything that had happened over the last four weeks would’ve been for naught.
She’s avoiding me as much as I’m avoiding her, and I think I’d prefer your teeth. ;)
Was that text meant for Benedict? Speaking of, have you spoken to him about what you’re going to do? Emerson still has the grimoire, I could ask him?
Never mind, I think I have plans tonight.
No, don’t say a word to Emerson. I don’t want the order to know we’re using the grimoire. They’d never send me another one.
Her stomach dropped at the thought of Emerson discovering she was going to use a forbidden potion. No matter how much Rosie trusted him, he was the last person she wanted to know about their plan.
My lips are sealed. We’re going to the haunted manor in Willow Valley. The one where the girl killed her whole family because she was possessed. I promised Emerson I’d bring him, so I thought dinner in Willow Valley would be a good idea since I don’t want him going there alone.
How romantic, a crime scene for a first date.
Don’t yuck our yum, and you might have fun tonight! The best part of being the chaperone is that no one is watching you.
Do you know who else signed up?
Mrs Crawford didn’t tell me. But this might win you some points from the Matherson supporters. Going the extra mile.
Good point. But you still owe me.
GIANT WOLF HUG. I’m going to call Emerson! Also, don’t forget your costume! We can debrief at the apple stall later tonight! x
Later that night, Lucy’s black patent stilettos clicked against the porch. It was already a little past six, so she had plenty of time to get to the town square for seven. She’d enchanted her heels so they wouldn’t hurt her feet – there hadn’t been time to shorten the floor-length dress.
She found her mum and Gwendoline sitting on the porch with a pitcher of wine between them. The crimson liquid was topped with herbs, probably to prevent them from getting a hangover.
“Lucinda, darling! You look fabulous, although I’m not sure why you’re dressed as your Great-Aunt Belinda?” Gwendoline said, eying Lucy’s harshly straightened hair.
“I’m not. I’m meant to be Morticia Adams,” she said, waving the long black mesh sleeves. “I only had the old crates in the basement to find something, and this dress from Belinda’s chest was the only thing in black that didn’t need altering.”
She wasn’t good at using the sewing machine, and since she wasn’t really on speaking terms with her mum, she hadn’t wanted to ask for help. Any extra inches around the waist she had cinched in with a black corset from her great-grandmother, even if it was digging into her ribs and she felt like her boobs were pressed up under her chin.
“Sorry – it was the hair that threw me off, but they do say the character for the show was based on your great-aunt. The original, that is. Belinda had a thing for showbiz – all the lies and deceit. Loved it.” Gwendoline sipped her wine.
Lucy had never heard such a thing, but her great-aunt had lingered on the fringes of good and bad. Never having married or had kids, she’d been a free spirit. Lucy was jealous of her nomadic, glamourous lifestyle.
“I didn’t have time to get a black wig.” She didn’t want to use her magic, fire and hairspray never went well together.
“Regardless, you look beautiful – truly wicked,” Mum said, beaming. Removing the blanket from her lap, she stood and reached up to run her fingers through Lucy’s hair. The colour changed to raven black. “Now you’re perfect.”
“Thank you,” Lucy said, adding her black lipstick to her clutch. It was their first exchange in days. She swallowed her relief; she hated not talking to her mum, who had always been her best friend. “Are you sure neither of you want to pop by? I’m sure those visiting our humble town would love to meet such highly esteemed witches.”
“If we showed up, everyone would have to be on their best behaviour – and anyway, this is our time off.” Gwendoline clinked her glass against Wilhelmina’s.
“You’ve got a fun night ahead of you; I remember the years of trying to stop people spiking the pumpkin punch. I’ve got to the point where I want to spike it just to throw the little devils off,” Lucy’s mum added.
“Hopefully they’ll only be spiking the drinks instead of using magic as they please,” Lucy prayed. The opening night of the festival coincided with the end of potion exams for the senior school. Magless schools hold their exams at Christmas, but since Samhain was the magic world’s biggest festival, potions and spell exams finished in October so they would be able to enjoy the festival.
“Unfortunately, I doubt it. Alcohol and magic are not a good combination for those so young. Even if they’re seventeen, eighteen, it takes until they’re twenty-five for their elements to truly settle,” Wilhelmina said. “But since it’s the end of the seniors’ final exams, show them some leniency unless they endanger anyone.”
Lucy nodded.
“Surely you got up to some mischief when you finished your final exams?” Gwendoline teased her, though Wilhelmina nudged her friend.
“I didn’t go to the opening dance that year,” Lucy said quickly, not wanting to discuss it.
Gwendoline frowned, pouring herself another glass. “Why? I was sure Benedict asked you. Peter teased him mercilessly for weeks until he finally plucked up the courage!”
Lucy gripped her clutch bag, trying not to reveal her annoyance. “Benedict asked, but he only did it to embarrass me.” Her tone wasn’t as polite as it should have been. Even if they’d come a long way in a short time, it didn’t erase the past.
“To embarrass you?” Gwendoline gawked. “No. He wouldn’t have done such a thing.”
“He asked me when everyone was gathered to get their spell assignments. No one would ever believe a Matherson was asking out a Hawthorne and meant it.”
The mortification of that moment still stung. She had been unable to bring herself to go to the opening night in the end, with or without a date. Now, she wished she hadn’t let him get to her.
“There must’ve been some misunderstanding. Peter told him you were upset about not being asked out because of Wilhelmina being High Priestess.”
“That’s true – they were afraid I wouldn’t be any fun or would tattle on them for drinking or using magic.”
“I thought you just didn’t want to go because you were stressed and tired after your exams,” Wilhelmina said, taking her daughter’s hand.
“Benedict wouldn’t have lied to Peter when he said he wanted to ask you. Are you sure there wasn’t a mix-up?”
Lucy thought back. It wouldn’t be the first time they had misunderstood each other. The school theatre had been so crowded and loud when she’d seen him in the audience, during the monthly assembly. His smile made her suspect he was up to something. When she’d made it to her seat in front of him, he’d leaned forward and asked her about the festival opening out of the blue. His delivery had been so blunt, she’d immediately assumed he was mocking her. She wanted to go so badly that she’d almost accepted anyway, but before she could even think about her answer, his friends had started laughing, confirming it was a set-up.
“I’m sure there was no misunderstanding, but we were young. It wouldn’t have been the first prank,” she said. They’d both driven each other crazy. Not that they didn’t now – it was just a different type of crazy.
Gwendoline shook her head, sinking back into the rocking chair.“I’m so disappointed to hear that. I was sure he’d been looking forward to it; he even turned down going on a camping trip with Peter and his friends because the opening was the night before. When he didn’t go, I thought neither of you wanted to,” she admitted, looking truly dismayed.
Lucy didn’t want to dwell on the past; whether Benedict had intended to humiliate her or not, it didn’t matter now. Still, after she’d said her goodbyes and closed the gate behind her, she fought the urge to text him. She wasn’t sure he’d even give an honest answer.
The lanterns lighting the town highlighted the orange and red leaves that littered the streets, getting Lucy into the festival spirit. Walking through an alley narrowed by food stalls that smelled mouth-wateringly delicious, Lucy vowed that next year, whether she was High Priestess or not, she would leave the festival to Benedict. Every detail of the planning had stressed her out, and listening to Mrs Crawford and Mr Lark argue over the placement of every stall had nearly sent her over the edge. How she hadn’t set the whole town on fire was a mystery.
The only positive outcome was how well she and Benedict had worked together. Wherever she’d expected to clash with him, they’d seemed to fall into step. He’d listened to her opinion, and where they differed, they’d compromised. It was almost too easy, and others were starting to notice the change. Before, most of the townspeople had been hesitant to congratulate them; now, they acted like it was an event to be celebrated.
Lucy’s phone buzzed.
Benedict: Crawford put us together for the night. I’m waiting by the gargoyles at the town hall.
Lucy: How’d you know I was coming tonight?
Rosie told me you were filling in for her. She didn’t tell you I volunteered?
Nope. I’m almost there.
Rosie had probably wanted it to be a fun surprise. So much for avoiding him.
Hurry up, if I stand here alone any longer people are going to think I’ve been stood up.
You’ve waited a decade, you can wait five more minutes.
???
Lucy reached the town square, already crowded with people enjoying the music from the gazebo converted into a stage. The smell of popcorn and burgers filled the air. When she saw Benedict resting his arm against the gargoyle, she brought her clutch to her lips to stop herself from laughing. The past no longer mattered; Frankenstein’s monster was waiting for her.