“I think it’s time now,” she said, reluctant to lift her head. She hated leaving him, but she knew she would be back before long.
They walked in circles, holding hands all the way down the spiral ramp and out to the promenade.
“Where to now?” Cosimo asked as they stood in the moonlight beside the water.
Goldie looked over her shoulder, suddenly aware that they had an entourage. They weren’t the only ones who had walked down and out into the night. Several couples and groups of friends had followed them out in front of the casino, presumably taking in the air. But, she suspected, several of them were really there to spy on her and Cosimo. They were curious where the Ondalune lookalike was headed next.
“I think it has to be the pier, don’t you?” Goldie asked, pulling Cosimo in that direction.
“It was a fantastic ending toThe Mermaid’s Whisper.” He placed an arm around her.
She turned her head to whisper in his ear. “But it’s just the beginning of our story.”
When they reached the end of the pier, Cosimo stopped and released her hand. She didn’t look back at the crowd of onlookers that had assembled to watch. She remembered her lines, written in an elaborate font beneath the flickering scene,
And now, my love, I must return to the sea!
Goldie kissed Cosimo’s cheek and stepped forward, pausing for a moment, the exact same way she had in the version aired earlier that evening.
I can’t wait any longer!
Then, with one hand holding the stone, she broke into a run. She ran straight off the end of the pier and into the sea, where the welcoming ocean waited to embrace her.
As she broke the surface and swam toward the channel, the seafoam formed constellations in her wake. Shooting stars streaked across the dark sky like fireworks trails, landing all around her. And just before she dove, the stone she was holding lit up with a column of light so bright and high, it almost appeared to touch the moon.
She had a long way to swim, but she trusted in the ocean and the stone to show her the way there, and when her responsibilities were met, to bring her home again.
Weeks later, film aficionados young and old would still talk about the “brilliantly disruptive scenes” during the festival. Some would theorize that the light show when the mysterious woman dove into the ocean was done using sophisticated special effects. Others floated the idea that the woman “playing” the mermaid was somehow related to Ondalune herself.
Ondalune’s favorite rumor was that both she and Cosimo weren’t human at all. According to at least one attendee who’d spoken with a lesser publication, they were both definitely animatronic robots, controlled by a submarine beneath the surface.
All of this was okay with Goldie now. She was perfectly fine with letting people believe whatever nonsense they chose to believe. It didn’t change a single thing about all the wild and wonderful things in the world that she now knew to be true.
Wanderlust Essentials | Because all travel should be magical
The Witches Catalogue of Wanderlust Essentials
Whether you’re preparing for an academic conference, a weekend on the coast with your coven, or an exciting solo journey, this catalogue is for you.
The Witches Catalogue of Wanderlust Essentials was created with one simple idea:
All travel should be magical.
Over the years, I’ve crossed borders (magical and otherwise), missed connections, lost luggage, navigated unfamiliar customs, and slept in more train stations than I care to count. Along the way, I began collecting small talismans, charms, potions, spells, and even a tiny in-bag familiar (see the entry on Liminal lint) that made the experience more manageable, and occasionally more beautiful.
This catalogue brings together those items. Tools, accessories, and small comforts designed to meet the real needs of magical folk who move through the world (or worlds) a little differently. Not all of our travels are epic adventures. Most of our customers are simply planning a practical trip: to visit family, take a teaching post abroad, or finally see that place their dreams keep circling back to.
Curated by Zanfira Marinescu, for magical travelers with places to be.
What You’ll Find in This Catalogue
Every item here has been tested and selected for its reliability, adaptability, and occasional sense of humor.
•Wearables & Wardrobe Aids–For shifting climates, shapes, and social situations.
•Tools & Travel Aids–Items that help you find your way, hold your place, or keep your footing.
•Comfort & Care–Because strange beds and long journeys don’t have to be unpleasant.
