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“Oh, I didn’t realize.” My eyes widened, and I guiltily dropped the leaf. “Your home is lovely. Thank you for letting us stay.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I didn’t make the decision, but it is exciting. Even if there is a magic-eating dragon flying around, I’ve never seen so many people here. It’s like a festival. Or what I imagine a festival to be like. I’ve never actually gone to one.”
Her blue eyes sparkled as she spoke, punctuating her words with exuberant hand motions. I chuckled at her excitement.
“Laurence said you’re all family here,” I said.
Her shoulders slumped, and her excited tone dulled. “Ja, although our family is small these days, hence why so many cabins are empty. There’s only my grandparents, my parents, my aunts and uncles, and my four cousins.”
“You must all be very close.”
“Probably too close.” She scowled. “That’s why I moved out of the main house and into the cabin. I needed to get away from them.”
I was a little breathless as we reached the top of the hill. “Do you think you’ll ever move off the island one day?”
“Centuries of witches have poured magic into the wards that protect us here. It would be a waste to leave it all behind.” She gave me a wry smile. “Although some days, I’d kill to be closer to the shops.”
I chuckled. “I can imagine it’s quite the expedition.”
She shrugged and pointed toward the garden in front of the large house, which held a large greenhouse and many rows of plants. “We’re very self-sufficient.” She chuckled. “I learned to cut my own hair through videos.”
“Wow. It’s amazing what you can learn from the internet.” I ran a hand through my hair, twiddling with the ends. “I can’t wait to do all the things to my hair that I didn’t get to do in my time. Cuts, dyes, straightening … although hair straighteners do seem rather dangerous.”
“You’ve never straightened your hair?” Her blue eyes were wide with horror.
I shook my head. “But I watched my witch do her hair a lot, and she always burned her fingers on the straighteners, so I’m a little hesitant to do it without help.”
At the mention of Winnie, a morose sensation washed over me, and tears pricked at my eyes. I missed her so much.
“Your witch? You’re the familiar?” The strange tone in her voice made me look up from the winding stone path we were walking to the front of the main house. Her eyes were large, and there was something in them that made me uneasy.
“I am,” I replied simply since she’d already guessed correctly.
She surged toward me, grasping my hands. “Then you must come by my cabin this evening. We’re planning a little party in the main house so everyone can decompress and get to know each other. You’ll need something to wear, and I can help you do your hair and makeup. It’ll be so much fun. Tell me you’ll come.”
I backed away, surprised by the sudden touch and eagerness, and stuttered, “I … I … yes, I’d love that. Thank you,” despite being a little taken aback.
Her grin spread from ear to ear. “It’s my pleasure. I can’t wait to get to know you better.”
“Ah, Clawdia, there you are.” I turned around, thankful for the interruption, and found Laurence. “We were just going to see if you and your men were ready for breakfast.”
“It’s only me. Zaide’s still bruised all over from the car crash, and Charlie’s hardly slept for weeks now. They need their rest.”
I could feel Karin’s intense gaze on me but tried to ignore her and stepped closer to Laurence.
“Come on in. Let’s get you something to eat.” His eyes moved over the top of my head to look at Karin. “Thanks for walking her up here, Karin. I think I heard your parents are looking for you to discuss the get together tonight.”
“I’ll go find them,” she said. “See you this evening, Clawdia.”
“Goodbye,” I called faintly as she marched around the side of the house.
I gave Laurence a smile, and he gestured for me to walk ahead through the front door of the house.
Stepping through into the entryway, I was immediately reminded of Christmas by the gorgeous wooden floors, the red tartan wallpaper, and the smell of pine.
“This way,” Laurence said as he walked through an archway and into a huge dining room with a table of food sat up at the back of the room. I recognized Joseph Northrop, the faei representative for the supernatural council, and Marianne Liscovy, the vampire representative, sitting at the dining table, talking quietly amongst themselves.
“Help yourself to whatever you like,” Laurence said as he picked up an apple and bit into it.
