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Mabon was that very weekend, which meant that Fern and Calum spent the next two days planning for their trip. Luckily, Fern’s next class wasn’t until Tuesday, so she didn’t need to cancel. Calum cleared his schedule, and they dove headfirst into developing their plan.
It passed in a blur of more research, late night takeaways, and copious cups of coffee and whisky. Calum and Fern barely left his office until they had a plan that he was comfortable with. Emmett and Mara wanted to join, but with the bean-nighe’s reputation, Calum insisted they remain behind.
Before Fern could even come to terms with what was happening, it was Saturday afternoon, and Fern was waiting for Calum to pick her up at her apartment.
There was an hour-long drive from Edinburgh to St. Andrews, where Dunino Den was located, and Fern held off on more of her questions until then. She had to admit that she was nervous about being in a car, so close to Calum, for an hour with no distractions, so she saved her questions for the drive.
This will be fine. Fern couldn’t tell if her dodgy stomach was because of anxiety or excitement as she waited for Calum to arrive. She didn’t know if her body knew either.
You’re going to go with Calum to Dunino Den, catch a malevolent spirit, and find out how to break a centuries-old-curse. And you’re going to do it without thinking about—Oh, fuck me.
Fern’s self-imposed lecture came to a screeching halt as Calum pulled in front of her building. He was driving an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, a vintage model that looked like it rolled straight out of a Bond film.
The top was down, and every inch of Calum looked like royalty-off-duty. He threw the car in park and stepped out, wearing a dark pair of jeans, Hunter rain boots, and a John Smedley pullover. Fern was certain that his sweater alone cost more than half her rent back in New York.
Fern looked down self-consciously at her Northface jacket and yoga pants but determined it was too late to change.
It’s not like it matters, anyway. You were the one who shut him down. Fern often reminded herself of this and cursed herself for it. She took one more deep breath and stepped outside, meeting Calum halfway.
“Ready to go?” He grinned, his smile lighting up his face. Calum was trying to not let his hopes get too high, but Fern knew he was excited about the opportunity. He held out his cane in the car's direction.
“Tell me,” Fern slid into the passenger seat with a grin, “how does someone who claims to want to keep a low profile end up driving an Aston Martin V8?”
Calum started the car and grinned, pulling out of the driveway. “To be fair, this is a vintage model and not fresh off the factory floor.”
“No, it’s just the one that they used in several Bond films.”
Calum’s eyes widened. “You recognize it?”
“Don’t be daft. You don’t have to be a car person to recognize a Bond car.”
“Fair enough.” Calum winked at her, and they fell into comfortable silence as he navigated towards the highway. The sun was beginning to set, and Fern tried to not start fidgeting in her seat.
It was next to impossible to sit so close to him and not let her mind wander, especially when he looked so…delicious. Ever since they decided to go after the bean-nighe, she’d watch Calum slowly transform from the polite, almost cold professor she’d known those past few weeks into the warm, confident prince.
She watched Calum maneuver the manual transmission, shifting gears effortlessly with one hand on the wheel, and a flicker of arousal ran through her.
Oh, think of anything else. Please think of anything else right now than Calum Welsh’s hands.
Calum tossed a side glance at her, and she swore he could sense her arousal. The atmosphere in the car got heavier, and Fern found herself desperate to break the tension.
“So why Dunino Den?”
Calum smirked as if he knew she was trying to distract him, but he didn’t acknowledge it as he answered her question.
“It’s an ancient druid site. It used to be a portal to Faerie before they closed. There is a creek there, likely where we’ll find the bean-nighe, and the stones around the area have runes carved into them. They’ll amplify whatever magic is left in the ground, especially on a night like Mabon.”
Fern sensed his sadness at the mention of a Faerie portal.
“Will it be…difficult to be there?”
Calum was quiet for a moment, watching the sun setting over the highway as they effortlessly wound through traffic. When he spoke, his voice sounded smaller.
“It won’t be easy, but I’ll be too distracted to stop and mourn.” The word mourn took Fern by surprise, and she chewed her lip, not knowing how to respond. She never knew how to respond to Calum.
The attraction between them was still there, even though they didn’t acknowledge it. They never spoke of the kiss. Fern was torn about saying no to him at the start of the term. In some ways, she wondered if it’d been the wrong decision.
It’s fine, you’re making up for that now. She looked out the window at the passing scenery. You found a valuable lead in the end, even when you weren’t looking for one.
