Starlight Spells (Starlight Hollow #6)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

“I’ll get you for that! You’re both going down!

” I was flat on my ass, in the snow, staring up at both Faron and Bran.

We’d ended up in an impromptu snowball fight, and they ganged up on me.

They stood there, laughing, as my ass hit the ice.

Fancypants was flying around, flapping his wings to stir up the snow.

“That sounds like it might be fun,” Bran said, his purple knit beanie keeping the falling flakes off his long blond hair.

“It does at that,” Faron said.

“Oh, shut up and help me to my feet. This is a solid sheet of ice beneath the skiff of snow that fell last night.” As they helped me to stand up, I stopped laughing. “Seriously, if May or Grams tried to walk out here, they’d lose their balance. That would be bad—really bad.”

“True,” Bran said. “We should get out the shovels and deicer.” He turned to Faron. “Want to give me a hand? There’s enough ice out here for both of us.”

Faron nodded. “Good call. Okay, fun’s over. Time for work.” He glanced at me. “Why don’t you go inside? We’ll get the mail.”

I brushed the snow off my clothes. “Sounds good to me. I’ll make breakfast while you two clear the paths. Come on, Fancypants, let’s get out of the cold.”

Fancypants fluttered above my head. “I’m right on your heels,” he said. And so we left the men outside, heading back for the warmth of the living room. As we entered the house, I glanced at the clock. It was still barely nine AM.

Faron was staying in the guest room after being ousted from his Pack for being infertile, and the three of us were cautiously finding our way around each other.

A lot of other shit had gone down, but we were doing our best to navigate the new normal for all three of us, and whether it worked out or it didn’t, we were taking it day by day.

I pulled out a couple of large skillets.

After starting sausage links in one, I gathered eggs, bread, cheese, ham, and scallions from the fridge.

I diced several thick slices of ham, minced a scallion, grated a bunch of cheese, and whisked up a dozen eggs.

Heating oil and cooking spray in the skillet, I poured in the eggs, then scattered the ham, scallions, and cheese evenly over the top.

As the eggs bubbled, I popped bread into the toaster, and as it came out crisp and brown, I slathered it in butter.

As the omelet poofed up, I folded it, slid it onto a platter, and then ran over to peek out the front door. “Breakfast!” I called.

Bran waved that he had heard, and I returned to the kitchen. I divided the omelet into three pieces. I cut a slice off my third and slid it onto Fancypants’s plate. Then, I carried our plates to the table, along with the plate of toast and a jar of May’s blackberry preserves.

By that time, Faron and Bran were inside, stripping off their coats.

I made myself a triple-shot latte and a pot of coffee for them.

After they washed their hands, we gathered at the table.

Fancypants settled into his high chair, and Bran fastened the tray across the seat, and I set the dragonette’s meal in front of him.

“We cleared the walk from the driveway to the house,” Faron said, salting his eggs.

“What are you going to do today?” I asked.

Faron had been with us for several weeks now.

His brother had taken over as the king of the Olympic Wolf Pack on an interim basis, but that meant that they couldn’t talk.

Kyle didn’t dare let himself be seen with his brother in case someone accused them of colluding to help Faron reclaim the throne through a coup.

Faron had no such designs, but Kyle had to keep his rule squeaky clean until the council chose a new king.

“I suppose it’s time I found a job,” Faron said, leaning back in his chair. “I can’t mooch off your goodwill forever.”

“You’re not a problem. Our finances are fine,” Bran said.

“What can you do? I mean, you were a king,” I said. “What would you like to do?”

Faron shrugged, biting into a sausage. “I might check down at the marina. I’m good with boats. Or maybe I’ll check out the construction companies.”

I nodded. “Have you thought about management? You managed the entire Pack. You’ve got a lot of skills.”

Faron shifted, looking uncomfortable. “And to be honest, I hated it. I like being outdoors. I like working with my hands. To be honest,” he said, setting down his fork, “I never wanted to be the king. I was thrust into the position, and I couldn’t do anything that anybody might question.

Pack royalty’s not like a true monarchy, with unlimited power. ”

After a moment, he frowned. “I wish Kyle wasn’t so disappointed in me. I miss talking to him. I love my brother, but he can’t talk to me now.”

“Would it be so bad?” Bran asked.

“As I said, it would look like we might be conspiring, and Kyle can’t take that chance.

I gave up my own desires for the throne—to do my duty.

And my brother is the same. I respect his loyalty.

When you assume the mantle of authority, you can’t just throw it away.

” He sighed. “If I had been fertile, I would have done everything to ensure that Lucretia and I had produced an heir. I would have honored my duty.”

Faron was like that. When he took an oath—a duty—he saw it through.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m sorry that Kyle can’t talk to you.” I had liked Kyle until he had effectively cut me out of Faron’s life. He had his reasons, but he’d been clumsy about it and rude, and it had soured me on him.

“I know how you feel about Kyle,” Faron said, a smile crossing his face. “Don’t sweat it,” he said as I winced. “You have your reasons. Anyway, so yes, I’ll head downtown to look for any jobs that might be available.”

“I’m headed downtown, too,” I said. “I need to buy groceries and run some errands. Bran, what’s on your calendar today?”

“I need to shovel my mother’s walk,” he said.

“And the men and I need to make certain the livestock are set for cold weather. It looks like we’re getting an Arctic blast coming through this week.

If you think it’s chilly now, wait till Wednesday.

Highs are supposed to be in the thirties, lows in the twenties.

” He finished his breakfast and stood, placing his napkin on the table. “I guess I should get moving.”

Faron cleared the table. Once he moved in, he offered to help with the housework, and he kept the place spotless.

The man had more energy than was good for him, but the truth was, he wouldn’t be happy if he wasn’t working.

He’d also offered to help Bran with the farm, but we all knew that might be too close for comfort. We all needed space from each other.

“Okay, I’m off,” I said. “Talk to you later.” I grabbed my keys and purse, shrugged into my good coat and belted it snugly, pulled up the hood, and—after saying goodbye to Fancypants and the cats—headed out.

* * *

As I pulled into the parking lot for Bayview Market, I noticed that Hi Jinx—the pot shop to the right of the market—was having a sale.

I grinned. They took full advantage of being next door to the grocer.

To the left, Carly’s Cat Hospital was open.

I took Gem and Silver there when they needed vet care.

Carly Wiles was a talented vet with a knack for cats.

She was human, but might as well have been a cat shifter, for as much as she connected to the feline world.

I grabbed the reusable grocery bags, slung my purse over my shoulder, and headed inside. As I manned a cart, the smells coming from the deli section were enough to make me hungry again.

The market was fairly empty at this time of the morning. Most of the people in Starlight Hollow seemed to do their marketing after noon, and it was only eleven. Bran always had to get up early due to the animals, so I’d adopted his schedule. Faron was also an early riser.

I strolled through the aisles. Buying groceries was a luxury in that it was mundane. I didn’t have to worry while I was in the store. I wasn’t facing some monster. I wasn’t worried about my loved ones. In that sense, it was an emotional vacation.

I started in the produce aisle, adding bananas and cherries, apples and pears, and assorted veggies, then moved to the staples and dairy.

Cheese, of course, and eggs and milk. Noodles and crackers and chips—May made bread for all of us, so we never needed to buy it.

I dropped ketchup and mustard into the cart—we still had plenty of mayo.

I added cookies, in case May didn’t have time to make any, and other odds and ends.

Finally, I ended up in the meat aisle, where I picked up pork chops, chicken, lunch meat, and game hens.

We had beef aplenty in the massive freezer we shared with May.

Bran had bought a couple of sides of beef the year before, and we were eating the last of it.

He’d fill the freezer again, soon, and this time he intended on adding plenty of pork, lamb, and chickens, so our grocery bill would be that much lighter.

I added several cases of cat food and headed for the cashier. As I steered the cart into line, I heard someone mention my name. I glanced up and froze.

“Well, hello,” a cool, deep voice echoed.

Startled, I turned around to see Kyle—Faron’s brother.

He was staring at me as if he might look at a two-headed cat.

I hesitated. What the hell was I supposed to say to him?

He didn’t like me—the friendship had ended when he found out I was involved with his brother. Then, he had become outright hostile.

I thought about congratulating him, but I foresaw that comment being fraught with potential landmines. “I hope you’re well,” I finally said.

He let out a slow breath. “Well enough,” he said, and his shoulders relaxed. “I…how are…I hope you and yours are also well.” There was an unspoken question there, and I suddenly realized why he had talked to me. And why he was stumbling over his words.

Kyle wanted to hear how his brother was doing. He couldn’t contact Faron, but he probably knew that Faron had moved in with Bran and me. I thought about being an asshole, but tit for tat wasn’t always the right thing to do, and the concern in his eyes deflated my anger.

I leaned in and lowered my voice. “He’s fine. He’s okay, and he’s staying with me.”

Kyle swallowed, hard. After a moment, he nodded. “Take care of yourself, please. And give…Bran…my best.” He held my gaze for a moment. I smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. Relief flooded his face, and he let out a sigh and turned back to his groceries.

I suppressed a smile, not wanting him to think I was laughing at him, and busied myself with my wallet until Kyle was heading out of the store, and it was my turn to check out.

* * *

On the way home, I stopped at the Starlight Hollow Women’s Shelter and carried in a couple of bags of groceries I had bought specifically for them.

I also brought in six dozen eggs from our chickens.

We stopped by every couple of weeks with food and homemade cider during the winter.

What we brought varied depending on the time of year, but we had signed up with several other families to help keep the residents at the shelter fed.

It took some of the pressure off the organization and ensured that the kids there, as well as their mothers, had enough to eat.

After that, I made a stop at the dry cleaners to pick up a comforter, and at the Starlight Hollow Roastery for several bags of freshly roasted coffee beans. They sold the best coffee around. Bran and I had always agreed on supporting local businesses.

My last stop before heading home was at the Grapevine, one of the local plant nurseries down by the bay. I headed inside, stopping to talk to Tracy, the owner.

“Hey, I’m supposed to pick up an order Bran made last week?” I glanced around. I loved being around growing things. The scent of soil and mist and sprouting plants made my blood stir.

“Right,” Tracy said. She knew us well by now. She motioned to one of the customer service reps. “Order for Bran Anderson. It’s already paid for. Can you load it into Elphyra’s car?”

“Of course. I’ll be right back,” the rep said. He headed toward the back.

“So, how are you?” Tracy asked.

“Good. Looking forward to spring. It’s been a long past six months.” It hit me: I was tired. I was looking forward to spring and to feeling renewed. Right now, I wasn’t unhappy, but I was feeling the toll of everything that had gone on.

We chatted for a few minutes until the clerk returned, carrying a large box filled with various bulbs, seed packets, and growing pots. I led the young man outside, where he deposited the box in the back of my midnight-blue Chevy Equinox. I thanked him and, errands done, headed home.

* * *

Along the way, my phone signaled that someone had entered the house. I pulled over to the side of the road and—panicked—opened the camera app. The alarm never sounded when one of us opened the house, because we all knew the code.

I glanced at the cameras, flipping through them, and then saw her. It was May, and as I caught sight of her, she turned off the alarm and pulled out her phone. Within seconds, my phone rang.

“May! What happened?” She knew the code, as well, so I had no idea why she set it off.

“I’m so sorry to worry you,” she said. “Bran forgot his hat and gloves. Since he’s in the middle of taking care of the goats, I volunteered to come get them.

I was thinking about the farmer’s market that’s coming up and what I need to have ready.

I didn’t even remember the alarm until it started beeping. ”

Sitting back, I took a deep breath. “I’m so glad it was you. I worry a lot, with everything that’s happened over the past few years.”

“I understand, dear. But all is well. I’ll arm the alarm when I leave, and I’ll be sure to lock up. See you when you get home.”

As she hung up, I closed my eyes for a second, wishing that I didn’t jump at every loud noise. Some habits died hard, and I was so hypervigilant that I wondered if I’d ever be free of anxiety.