Chapter 18 King
King
“Good morning, my little prince. Come pick me up, and we can head out to the manor.”
“Gran—”
“Yes, yes. I know. I can feel that young man’s power from here.
He’s been in Willowhope for several days, as far as I can tell,” she said, cutting me off.
“I’ll call Elyse and ask her to meet us there.
I’m sure she has everything I need in her shop, but maybe…
” She hung up, already lost in her own head.
“Okay. Sure. See you soon,” I said to myself.
When I got back to Witch’s Brew, Booker looked mildly terrified about leaving with us, but Carli walked him out, rubbing his back and reassuring him the whole time. “And Cassi and I will be there tonight, so don’t you worry.”
“You will?” Sky and I asked at the same time.
“Of course. I’m assuming you’re taking him to the manor.”
Sky looked over at me, and I nodded. “We are.”
Carli smiled. “Don’t do anything fun without us.”
We got Booker settled into the backseat, with Patchy curled in a ball on his lap, and were on the road for Gran’s before I glanced over at Sky and whispered, “Do you ever feel like everyone knows something we don’t know?”
He snorted. “Yeah. At least when it comes to all the women in our lives.” He shook his head, then chuckled. “This whole town is one giant mindfuck.”
I couldn’t disagree, but it wasn’t like this before he and Chance moved here.
Obviously, there had always been things…
ghosts and magic, but they’d been as hidden to me as they were to the rest of the world.
Then, suddenly, psychic mediums, Dreamwalkers, and Lorewardens were real. And now sorcerers, too. What was next?
When we pulled up to my house, Gran was already standing outside, resembling the caricature of a witch from a movie.
She had on a black skirt with a black blouse and carried her black carpet bag, the one that had always reminded me of Mary Poppins’ fathomless bag of stuff. All that was missing was a pointy hat.
Sky jumped out. “Here, Rosie. You can sit up front, and I’ll sit in the back with Booker.”
She waved him off. “No, no.” She opened the back door and leaned down. “Hello, dear. You and I are going to be great friends.”
Looking half-scared—which I didn’t blame him at all—he scooted over, and she got in. He kept going until he was pressed up against the door on the other side. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
In the rearview mirror, I watched her peer at him. “What are you sorry for?”
He cleared his throat. “It’s been a while since I was able to…” He waved a hand up his body.
She cackled. “You think you smell?”
Next to me, Sky’s eyes widened in mortification. Obviously, we’d both noticed a distinct odor, but we hadn’t even exchanged so much as a glance to hint at it. That would’ve been tactless and rude.
My grandmother could be a little eccentric, but I’d never heard her be outright cruel before.
Where was my grandfather, and why wasn’t he reeling her in?
She slid closer to Booker in the backseat and patted his knee.
“See that boy?” She pointed at the back of my head, and Booker nodded slowly.
“Well”—she leaned closer and stage-whispered—“believe me when I tell you, nothing smells riper than a teenage boy. I swear, when he was in middle school, I couldn’t get him to use deodorant no matter what I tried.
“Then, he got a little older and would go on these camping trips, sleep out all weekend ghost hunting, and then come home and tell me all about it.” She shook her head. “Honey, let me tell you, he didn’t take a shower before he got all in my space and went on and on for a couple hours.”
Next to me, Sky snickered, and a small, shy grin appeared on Booker’s face as his gaze met mine in the mirror. I felt my face heat, but I merely shrugged. She wasn’t wrong.
“It couldn’t have been as bad as—”
“As what? Something you have no control over? No. You don’t worry about that, baby.” She moved all the way into his space and leaned into him. “Now tell me your name.”
Sounding choked up with emotion, he said, “Booker, ma’am. Booker Vale.”
“Well, Booker Vale, it’s nice to meet you. I’m the High Priestess of the Nightwell line, but you can call me Gran.”
“Oh, uh, okay.”
“And this is Duchess,” she continued as her golden cat appeared in her lap.
Patchy yipped excitedly at the appearance of another familiar, but Duchess eyed Sky’s pup disdainfully, then promptly ignored him. Really, this cat didn’t like anyone but her owner. The psychopomp pup settled back down into Booker’s lap, staring intently at Duchess.
Gran petted Patchy. “Aw. You must be Sky’s puppy.”
Sky turned in his seat with a big smile. “Meet Patchy, Gran.”
She leaned down, nuzzling his face while he licked hers.
“Aren’t you a pretty thing? So many colors.
The perfect companion for Sky. I’m so proud of him for using his magic and bringing you here so I could meet you.
” My boyfriend beamed next to me. “Don’t you worry about Duchess; she’ll come around, and you two will be the best of friends.
” Duchess disappeared, and Gran tutted her tongue. “Such a snob.”
My attention moved from the backseat as Sky kissed my cheek. “Are we going to the manor?”
“Yes. What are we waiting for?” Gran asked.
I didn’t really know why I hadn’t left yet, except the conversation in the backseat, watching my gran wrap this scared, timid young man in her web was like watching magic.
She’d asked one of the most offensive questions I’d ever heard while completely invading his space, and yet, he seemed more comfortable already.
I should’ve known she’d put him at ease.
Gran kept Booker calm and relaxed on the way to the B&B, but when I pulled onto the long driveway that led to the large home, he looked a little panicked again. Sky turned in his seat. “I know this looks like the beginning of a really bad horror movie, but I promise, you’ll be safe here.”
“Are you sure they won’t mind…”
“This is my best friend’s Bed and Breakfast. He’s amazing. You’ll like him, I promise.”
Booker blanched. “I can’t afford—”
Gran clucked. “No one’s expecting a dime from you. You’re here so we can help you.”
Sky nodded. “We’re going to stop whatever that thing is so that you can get some real sleep.”
Gran smacked her hands together and rubbed them with anticipation. “I can’t wait to hear this story, but first, let’s have breakfast.”
We all got out and directed a still hesitant Booker inside. As we reached the front door,
Elyse opened it with a smile on her face, colorful in her bright pheasant skirt and top with all her clunky jewelry in place like it wasn’t the crack of dawn. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” we repeated, with Sky giving her a kiss on the cheek.
She gave Booker an appraising once-over. “Wow. You glow bright, don’t ya?”
His gaze bounced to Sky, who nodded. “See. This is the right place for you.”
Elyse moved to Booker’s side and linked arms with him. “Let me show you to your room so you can get settled in, and then we’ll chat over a nice breakfast. The boys are in the kitchen whipping up a feast.”
“Oh, I don’t…” He trailed off, looking to me for help.
Smiling reassuringly, I nodded. “Best to do what Elyse says. Sky and I have very recently had the dawning realization that the women in our lives are in control. We’re just along for the ride.”
Elyse’s laugh tinkered like bells in the entryway. “’Bout time you figured that out.” Then she guided Booker up the stairs.
Sky and I walked with Gran into the kitchen where Buck, Harry, and Scotty were indeed busy at work whipping up a full breakfast of cinnamon rolls, pancakes, omelets, toast, a fruit salad, and fried potatoes.
Chance and Jetty were sitting at the table leaning into each other while they drank their coffee, but there was no sign of Stevie.
I wondered if he was out at the pond with Trixie.
Since I didn’t know how Scotty was feeling about his brother seeming to find more of a life than he had so far, I decided not to ask any questions.
Gran made her way to the table and sat down. “Let’s let our new friend get some food in his belly before we talk about what happened last night or what brought him to Willowhope.”
“I think that’s a good idea.” Heading toward the coffee pot, I stopped and went back toward the table when Harry gave me the stink-eye. If he wanted to serve me, I wasn’t going to say no. As much as I didn’t usually feel tired after being in the Dream-veil, last night was different.
Speaking of different. “Gran, where’s Pops been this morning?”
“He has others that he checks on from time to time. It’s been a while, so as soon as I woke up with the knowing that you’d need me today, I sent him on his way. He’ll be back before your next trip to the veil.”
Elyse came back into the room with Marc right behind her. “Booker’s going to take a shower and meet us back down here. I told him to enjoy it. We’re not in any rush.”
“Should we…” Sky bit his lip, looking at me anxiously.
“Don’t worry, Sky. My Mrs. left some clothing options in there from the lost and found,” Marc said.
He looked marginally relieved. “That’s good. I just wish…” He trailed off again.
Stepping up close behind him, I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my chin on his shoulder. “Stop worrying. We’re going to help him in the Dream-veil, but we’ll help with whatever else he needs, too. He’s one of us, after all.”
“What’s that mean?” Jetty asked.
I grinned. “He’s a sorcerer.”
Jetty barked out a laugh. “Holy shit. Of course, he is. Your geeky, paranormal-loving ass has to be in heaven lately.”
“Come on, you have to admit, it’s pretty freakin’ cool. We’re friends with ghosts, our boyfriends can literally do magic, and—”
My gran cleared her throat loudly.
“And all the women in our lives are totally cool and powerful. What else could we ask for?”
“Meeee,” Ego sing-songed, long and drawn out, as he stepped into the room, waving jazz hands.