Chapter 3 #2
The blanket glimmered with the residue of magic, and my fingers tingled where it touched it. I must’ve activated a warming charm sewn into the blanket somehow, because now it released a subtle pulse of magic that kept the chill from settling too deeply.
The murmur of voices intruded into my thoughts, so I made my way back to the nosy group of neighbors.
I passed the frozen koi pond—a small drop of Japan that Firth must’ve added for me since I was pretty sure it hadn’t been here before.
I could almost hear the babble of water from the garden at my grandparents’ house in Kyoto.
My hand drifted to the necklace again before I dropped it back to my side.
I stopped by the tree line and glanced at the group. “So… did you all hear everything that’s going on?”
Lenora nodded. “Quite the unexpected wedding night, I suspect.”
“Understatement of the century.” I sighed.
“And what was that about amnesia?” she asked.
“It sounds like you know as much as I do,” I said. “Apparently, he doesn’t remember anything.”
The sprite squinted at me. “Interesting how all of this happened right after he got married.”
I stiffened, her words a welcome reminder that if I wasn’t careful, the town’s gossipy nature could turn on me next. I couldn’t afford a bad reputation now—not when I was so close to opening my shop. That would kill my chances before it even started.
Plus, I didn’t want to get my family involved in something like this.
They weren’t nearly as dialed into the gossip as others in town—read Lizzy’s mom—but it was only a matter of time before they heard about what happened.
All it would take was one run in with Mayor Pembroke, one visit to Cupid’s Confections, or one brief conversation with Ms. Bates—who actually made it nearly impossible to have brief conversations—and they’d be caught up in the drama and the stress of it too.
And that was the last thing I wanted for my family.
“The timing is terrible, right?” I said.
“Not that I mind much.” Harold shook his head with a little shrug. “I never much cared for Dahlia’s magic or that of her uncles.”
Lenora frowned at him. “How can you say that? The poor girl is dead.”
Her words were like dumping a bucket of ice water on the conversation. Everyone froze and the conversation died.
“I was wondering if any of you knew more about Dahlia, like how long she’s been in town and where she’s been staying, or anything like that.” I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, maybe a reason why Dahlia was even in Firth’s yard.
“I saw her at the Christmas Market in town the other day,” the sprite said. “I see her there every year when she visits. I go for Lady Catherine’s ornaments, of course. There are few booths quite as grand as hers.”
“You always say stuff like that that about Lady Catherine,” Harold muttered.
“Well, I owe her a lot.” The sprite fluttered around, apparently unable to settle.
Oh great. Another fan of Lady Catherine.
“Now that I think about it, I might’ve seen her there too when we were looking at those enchanted scarves,” Lenora said. “You know the ones that grow or shrink and can change color depending on your clothes. I—”
I cleared my throat.
“Right, well, she might’ve been following the good old pastor around at the market.”
“Wait, she was following him around?” I rubbed my forehead, trying to piece things together.
Lenora gasped. “Did she attack him, and he just defended himself?”
Harold sniffed and fiddled with a light wrapped around his neck.
“Honestly, that makes more sense than Pastor Collins hurting anyone. That boy can’t navigate a social situation to save his life, but even if a fae tried to rob him blind, he’d probably give him the money and then ask them about their day. ”
The sprite huffed but didn’t say anything. Neither did I, even though saying it was a fae didn’t mean much. I’d have been more impressed if Harold had mentioned a different Marked race, like witches or vampires.
“I should’ve guessed as much when I found her sneaking around the church last week during book club. She was definitely up to something.” Lenora scowled. “And I’ve even seen her visit Rosings Park too. Maybe she was trying to catch him there.”
Maybe finding the truth wouldn’t be so hard after all. If she’d attacked him, she might have been injured when he defended himself. With how powerful fae magic was, that didn’t sound too crazy.
“I don’t know what to think,” the sprite said, her wings, which looked like leaves, flapping rapidly. “This town is full of crazies, Lady Catherine being the exception of course.”
“If you want to know more about Dahlia, you should talk to her uncle.” Lenora held out a hand for the sprite to settle on.
I bit my lip. Going straight to the victim’s family didn’t feel like the most sensitive approach, but if it gave us some clarity and gave him some peace, it might be worth it.
“He owns the museum in town, and you can find him there most days,” Lenora continued. “He and his niece didn’t always get along, but he’d still probably know more than anyone else.”
“You mean the Museum of Regrets?” I asked.
“That’s the one.” She nodded.
Harold frowned. “Are you sure you want to send her there?”
“Why? What’s wrong with the museum?” I shivered, from the cold or his warning tone I couldn’t tell.
“There’s nothing wrong with the museum. Stop stirring up trouble where there is none,” Lenora said. “Anyway, you let us know if you need anything else. Or if you hear anything else.”
The sprite elbowed her, her tiny elbow hardly making a dent in Lenora’s sweater. “Can you stop being so nosy for just one minute?”
Lenora sniffed. “What? I’ve lived almost three hundred years. You can’t blame me for wanting a little excitement.”
“No one blames you,” I said, making a mental note to let Tessa know later what I’d learned from the neighbors. “I’m grateful you were willing to share what you knew.”
“Of course. Of course.” Lenora patted my hand as if she were my grandmother.
“I’ll swing by the Museum of Regrets tomorrow to see if Dahlia’s uncle can provide any more information.” I curled my hands into fists to keep my fingers warm, my new wedding ring cold against my skin.
Somehow this had turned into a marriage of inconvenience, but I wouldn’t let that stop me from getting answers.