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  “What are we doing here?” I choked out, rubbing my neck from the pain.

  Damien crouched next to Moss who lay on the ground as still as a stone. “This is my last bet to place. My ace in the hole. You said I did not appreciate your town’s riches, but you are mistaken. I need you to help me locate the treasure buried here. I will take it and you with me.” He still held enough threat in his tone to worry me.

  “I don’t think you get it. The treasures that Blythe told you about aren’t exactly what you think.” I thought back on the last Founders’ Day events, wondering what value the vampire would place on my late parents’ simple gold wedding bands or any of the other things each of the founding representatives used to cast the protective spell on our town.

  “Then help me find them and let me be the judge of their worth,” he replied, attempting to scare me with a flash of his sharp fangs. “I may have lost my hired muscle, but do not take my own strength for granted.”

  Fearing what might happen if he took away even one of the foundational treasures, I stood firm. “There’s nothing you can do or say to make me help you.”

  His lips widened in a pompous smile. “Oh, I think you will.” He dug into his suit pocket and pulled out a folded paper, waving it in the air. “This will ensure your compliance.” He took a step forward. “You know how you were having the cleaning company sift through your papers? I am sure you were looking for something in particular. Time to find the treasures or say goodbye to your one chance at finding out who you really are.”

  A battle raged inside me. The idea of possessing that first clue to my relatives and my magic had become my secret obsession since Tipper’s death. Knowing that a possible answer was so close made me question everything.

  Damien pushed harder. “Do you know why those with your magical talents are rare? Because a few of your kind switched sides, choosing to use their powers to work with humans to hunt other magical beings down for nothing more than sport and wealth. Countless deaths littered the world due to hunters and trackers much like yourself. Tracker bloodlines of the guilty and the innocent alike were annihilated until only a few survived, going into hiding until the past was forgotten. Is it not an intriguing mystery to solve, whether or not you descend from traitors or the honorable who fought to survive? Help me, and the knowledge is yours,” he offered.

  Others like me had made choices that cost lives, demolishing them in their wake and causing the destruction of entire family lines. And what about my family here in Honeysuckle? Not just Nana and Matt, but TJ and my niece to come, all of my friends…Mason and Dash. Was solving the mystery of my past worth destroying their futures?

  My decision made, I crossed my arms. “Do what you want with the information. I still refuse.”

  The paper crinkled in his hand, and Damien grunted in frustration, unable to follow through with his threat. “Your life is still not your own. I will tell those who employ me about you, and they will come and find you. They could destroy the entire town and take you in a single visit. As I said, talents like yours are rare and prized. If you won’t volunteer to use them, there are ways to force you that are less than pleasant. ”

  Behind the vampire, Moss blinked and sat up, still groggy from her burst of power. A last-ditch plan dawned on me. “You used Moss to find my adoption papers, didn’t you? I’m surprised you would stoop so low as to rely on someone like her.”

  Damien sniffed. “I never knew how convenient fairies could be. They do have a knack for getting in and out without detection if they are properly motivated. So simple. So elegant, and almost impossible to track, as you proved.”

  “Did you compel her like you did Mrs. Kettlefields or Blythe?” I asked, watching Moss catch up to the conversation.

  The vampire snorted. “No need to waste valuable energy on her. A few romantic overtures and she took the bait of my affections, becoming a willing participant. In fact, it was her idea to take what she had discovered at your house. The little thing proved to be quite useful in landing me the one thing I really wanted. You.” He shook the paper in his hand. “Give in, Charli.”

  He never saw it coming. Moss fluttered to life, expending what magic she had left to blast him from behind and knock him down. “You said you wanted me,” she accused in her squeaky voice. “That she was inconsequential. A tool to be used.”

  Damien grunted on the ground a foot away from where she collapsed again. “It takes one to know one, my dear.” He recovered, standing up and dusting himself off. “But now, I fear our time together has come to an end, as has your usefulness.” With a quick hand, he snatched her up by the throat. Looking at me instead of her, he spoke with wicked intention. “I take lives.” Moss’s wings dropped, and her body went limp.

  What did I have left to fight him? With little effort, he could put me in his thrall and make me obey his every command, and then I would be lost forever. Or if I fought hard enough, perhaps he would end my life like the fairy’s. A sad resignation weighed on me. Either way, life as I knew it would be over.

  Insistent caws echoed through the evening air. A dark figure circled the tree until it settled on a branch not too far away. Biddy squawked at me, arriving to witness my end. She pecked at the bark underneath her talons, hopping on the limb in agitation.

  “Fly away, you bird. Get out of that tree.” Damien waved his hands, distracted.

  The tree. Biddy wanted me to notice where we stood. The giant live oak served as the beacon of power for our town. Power pulsed through it at all times, protecting every single being who chose to live here. If I could tap into that magic, I might be able to boost a hexing spell and at least stun Damien.

  Knowing my spellcasting limitations, in desperation, I added the one thing I needed to give me focus. “The vampire wants to win his bet, by putting me and mine at threat. Give me magic to end his time, and stop him from his life of crime. So pretty please with sweet iced tea, to save the town, bring power to me.”

  The tree hummed to life around us. A light shimmered and glowed, and a power unknown to me spread from the bottoms of my feet and up my legs, pulsing through my veins. All doubt vanished, and I gave in to the crest of magic filling me to the brim.

  “What are you doing?” Damien cried.

  “Making sure you do no harm to those who live here. Tonight, I act as the town’s protector.” Sparks crackled over my entire body.

  Holding up the paper in both his hands as if to tear it, he countered in distress, all of his bluster gone. “If something happens to me, then you can say goodbye to this.”

  I tilted my head at his empty threat. With a flick of my fingers, the folded paper caught fire in his hand. He dropped the smoldering remains on the ground, backing away from the blaze and cowering like cornered prey. If I could do that to the paper, what could I do to him?

  “Spare me, I beg of you,” he pleaded.

  The noise of several people joining us filled the air, but I kept my eyes trained on Damien, not willing to let him go. A large wolf sauntered to my side and bumped my hip, its lips pulling back in a fierce snarl.

  “I’ve got this, Dash,” I said.

  Mason joined me on my other side. “But you don’t have to do it alone, and I need to take him in. He has more things to answer for than the chaos he brought to our town. Please, Charli. I can’t allow you to destroy him.” The detective ignored the roar of protest from Dash.

  Sensing his nearing defeat, Damien straightened and confronted those of us who could hear him. “You are all fools, hiding away from the rest of the world. Your lives will amount to nothing,” he spit out in defiance.

  The tree pulsed again, and my magic surged. “Aw, bless your heart,” I gathered the power from my body into my hands and focused it, “and hex your whiny hiney.”

  With a mighty cry, I directed everything in me at the vampire. Magic poured out of my body until nothing remained. A steady hand gripped me, anchoring my efforts and pulling me back into myself. Exhausted and spent, I slumped ov
er, a furry body breaking my fall before I slipped to the bottom of a deep well of darkness.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  I opened my eyes to the worst sight in the world. A tall glass full of gray sludge floated in front of my face. Whipping the quilt back over my head, I rolled over and shuddered.

  “Charli Bird, you’ve got to stop makin’ it a habit of gettin’ yourself into trouble.” Nana sat down on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping next to me. She patted my behind covered by the blanket. “Come on. No use hidin’ under there. There’s things you have to do, and I can’t keep them at bay for much longer.”

  With caution, I pulled the quilt off me. “Who’s waiting for me?”

  “When you attack a wanted international criminal and almost take him out, you tend to attract all kinds of attention.” She shoved the glass in my face, the stench of it turning my stomach. “Drink all of this down, and then make yourself presentable. The detective will be bringing the other guests by in a hot minute.”

  I groaned and attempted to hide again, but Nana held onto the blanket, preventing me. She stroked my hair. “Get up, sweetness. Morning’s here to greet you with her shining light.”

  My heart warmed at our old wake-up game. “Nobody here but us chickens,” I joked.

  Cupping my chin, my grandmother gazed at me with fierce love. “And I am mighty glad this bird did not fly to the great beyond last night, even when she put her own life at risk for the rest of us.” Her eyes pooled with wetness, and we both shed tears of relief and thankfulness.

  When our sniffling stopped long enough, I swung my feet out of bed. “Okay, okay, I’m up.”

  “Good.” Nana wrapped me up in a quick hug and released me. “Get yourself clean, dressed, and fed. You’ll wanna fuel up before the guests arrive.” She headed out the door, but before she got to the bottom of the stairs, she yelled back up, “And you better bring an empty glass down with you. You know I’ll know if you don’t drink it all.”

  It was tempting to pour the contents down the drain of the shower, but Nana definitely would figure it out, so I endured the nasty stuff, wondering if there would ever come a day when I wouldn’t have to drink it in the first place. About the time I finished a second helping of scrambled eggs with onion and ham mixed in, someone rapped on the screen door.

  “Ms. Vivi, is she finally up?” our town’s sheriff called out from the front porch.

  Nana glanced at me. “Better pull on your big girl britches. When you get through everything, I’ll give you the biggest slice of chess pie you’ve ever seen.” She left to greet whoever waited with the sheriff.

  Downing the rest of my coffee and finishing off the last crumbly bite of my cheesy buttermilk biscuit, I shoved myself away from the old kitchen table.

  “I’ll help you get the tea, Ms. Goodwin,” Mason called out, on his way to the kitchen. He pushed the swing door open and froze when he saw me. “Charli. You’re looking better than I expected.”

  “Thanks?” I hated it when a compliment sounded more like an insult.

  He entered the room, attempting a couple of times to correct himself before giving up with a sigh. “I meant, I’m glad to see you. After the other night, I wasn’t sure how you would be.”

  I frowned. “How long was I out?”

  “Your grandmother didn’t tell you?”

  I shook my head, a little bit of worry creeping in. “It’s been that long?”

  He counted on his fingers. “Three nights and two days. We’ve been forced to come by every day to see if you were ready.”

  “You and Big Willie?” Confused, I sat back down.

  Mason scratched the back of his head. “A few more than that. It’s been hard putting them off, but seeing as you’re the most important part of the investigation, they had to wait.”

  My eyes darted toward the back door. “Any chance you’d let me make a run for it?”

  He chuckled. “Only if you took me with you.” His burning gaze suggested there might be some truth to his words. “Come on. I’ll be right there by your side, and it will be over before you know it.” The detective held out his hand to help me up.

  I accepted his assistance and relished his warm touch. He pulled me upward, my body launching into his. For a brief moment, nothing else existed.

  Nana cleared her throat. “If you two are quite finished, they’re waiting for you in there. I’ll bring out the tea, Detective.” Her eyes twinkled with mirth at my burning cheeks when we passed her.

  Mason escorted me to the parlor, and I stopped in the doorway. Three other people occupied the available seats while one hovered near the sofa. Their eyes snapped in my direction, and I tried not to squirm under their scrutiny.

  As a tall Sasquatch unable to fit in any of our seating comfortably, Big Willie stood on the other side of the room. He waved his hairy hand at me, and nodded with purpose at Mason.

  The detective cleared his throat. “I think the first thing we need to do is make some introductions. Everybody, this is Charlotte Goodwin. Charli, let me introduce these two first.” He gestured at the man and woman sitting in adjoining chairs. “This is Chief Investigator Lilith Marsden and her colleague, Deputy Investigator Thomas Pine. They’re from the World Organization of Wardens.”

  “Pleased to finally meet you, Miss Goodwin,” the female investigator replied in a stiff tone.

  I shook her hand. “Wow.”

  “What? Surprised that a female witch could make it this far up the chain?” she asked. Based on her quick reaction, she’d faced her challenges getting where she was.

  “Oh, no. Sorry, I just meant that you work for WOW. Not wow, I can’t believe you’re a girl.” I stumbled. “A woman, not a girl, although you don’t look old either. I am just swallowin’ my foot whole, aren’t I?”

  Nana joined us, handing me a glass of tea from the tray she carried. “Here, put some of this in your mouth and see if it clears it out.” She passed around the rest of the drinks. “My granddaughter is more than used to seeing a woman in charge, considering I occupy the highest seat in our town council. Now, let’s move things along, shall we?”

  Mason stepped forward again. “These two are working in cooperation with Agent Dryope of the International Magic Patrol.”

  The stoic countenance of the tall, willowy woman with light green hair prevented me from commenting on what the initials of her organization spelled. “Pleasure to meet you, Agent Dryope.”

  She shook my hand with the lightest touch. “It’s pronounced like Calliope,” she corrected. “And as you’re staring at the leaves in my hair, I will inform you that I’m a dryad.”

  If I could have summoned a hole in the ground to jump in, I would have.

  “And this is Agent Giacinta,” finished Mason, ducking out of the room at the end of his introductions.

  “Con piacere.” The beautiful fairy replied in a high-pitched lilting accent, her wings flickering a light purple dust with her greeting. “Our many thanks to you and your nonna for hosting us in your fine home.”

  “It is most unusual to hold an interrogation in one’s domicile.” Agent Dryope flicked a strand of leaves from her face. “But I suppose, given the circumstances, we can make do.”

  “Interrogation?” I asked, overwhelmed by everything.

  Mason reappeared, carrying a dining room chair. He placed it down for me to sit. “We need you to fill everybody in on what happened from the first night of the election speeches to the last thing you can remember.”

  Placing my exhausted behind on the cushion, I did my best to recall all the details. The four strangers took notes and clarified when needed, seeming to be familiar with most of the timeline. Once I got going, the information poured out of me, and my hands gesticulated in the air while I told my story.

  When I got to the part of figuring out that having the stolen goods in the presence of a vampire or even a fairy blocked my magical talents, I clapped my hand over my mouth, suddenly realizing that I might have shared too m
uch. Damien’s voice echoed in my head, warning me that others outside of my town would be interested in what I could do.

  “Non ti preoccupare, bella,” reassured Agent Giacinta. “What you say here to us is strictly for our files. You need have no worries that your information shall be shared outside of here.”

  “Although, having a tracker on hand would come in handy,” the female warden investigator commented, her colleague nodding and eyeing me with too much interest.

  Agent Dryope shook her leafy head. “Let us remain focused on the issue at hand. Tell us about what Damien Mallory said to you when you confronted him.”

  I held up my finger. “Hold on. What happened to Blythe?” I couldn’t believe I had forgotten to ask about my friend.

  Nana touched my shoulder. “She’s doing better. After Raif got his precious dog back, he sent word to Lady Eveline to return home. I guess she has some experience in helping those who have been…influenced by someone like Damien. She got back yesterday, and is already working with Blythe.”

  I’d have to stop by to check on my friend soon. I hated that she’d gone through that entire experience. The memory of how Damien had come to Honeysuckle trickled back into my brain, and I slumped forward. Regret penetrated all the cracks and crevices of my spirit, and I confessed the truth to Nana, aware that the others heard it and added my guilt to their notes.

  Inspector Mallory uncrossed her legs. “Miss Goodwin, we’re aware of his involvement in the investigation in Greenville as well as the person you were working with at the time. You did not drag him to your town. He made that choice for himself along with continuing his life of crime.” She nodded at me, and I appreciated her attempt to ease my conscience.

  Wanting to get things over with, I sped through the stuff that happened in the abandoned broken down house and got to the Founders’ tree. The image of Moss’s last breaths sent shivers down my body. Agent Giacinta’s wings quivered in agitation, and I wondered how unbiased she could remain, knowing that one of her kind was involved.