Page 16 of The Cursed Sebastian Storm

“They could be better,” Sebastian admitted. Even if it wasn’t the mayor’s responsibility to address the imbalance at Storm House, he should probably tell her about it, given the potential for a deadly explosion.

Eleanor frowned like she wasn’t pleased to hear Sebastian’s complaint. “Why’s that?”

Sebastian hesitated, his tongue rebound just as James’s had been. They hadn’t brought The Magical Tales, and even with the weakened secret-binding, he wouldn’t be able to communicate anything useful without breaking the spell again.

“It’s complicated,” James supplied. He shared a significant glance with Sebastian. It seemed like James was still tongue-tied, even after having the spell broken twice. It really wasn’t a good sign.

Eleanor sat up straighter. “Is trouble out at Storm House why you’ve come to see me?”

“No,” James admitted, and together, he and Sebastian recounted the incident with the shade the night before.

The mayor’s face hardened as the story went on. “Smart using fire,” she said when they’d finished, nodding approvingly to Sebastian. “Glad to know that still works. There’ve been more than a few incidents lately. The last few nights have been a shitshow, and it’s not like it was calm before that. The smashed lights. What happened to Eli not long ago.”

Eleanor looked grim. Sebastian had no idea what had happened to Eli, but the scowl on James’s face didn’t bode well.

“I’m glad you came by, James,” Eleanor continued. “I’m calling a meeting tonight to discuss the recent disturbances. I caught up with Hazel this morning, but if you could ask Parker to come along, I’d appreciate it if you were all there.”

“Of course.” James’s agreement was quick. “Anything we can do.”

The mayor nodded before turning her attention back to Sebastian. “Are the problems north of town shade related?”

Sebastian shifted under her sharp gaze. “No. But there have been a whole lot more of the beasts at the house than usual.”

Eleanor didn’t look pleased to hear it. “In that case, you’d better come to the meeting too. I want as much information about shade activity in the area as possible. It’s a closed group, not a public session at this stage. I’m hoping we can figure out what the hell is going on before I address everyone. Too many people have been getting hurt to act like this is business as usual. We need a plan of attack.”

Sebastian agreed to come to the meeting. He and James left Eleanor looking stressed, but hopefully, they’d be able to figure out something useful.

“All right, let’s get me a phone.” Sebastian jumped in a show of overdone excitement when they were outside. The interaction with the mayor pleased him, even though the situation was a downer. His mood had brightened more than he understood.

James’s lips twitched. “There’s a good burrito place I wouldn’t mind stopping at for lunch too.”

“Yes, definitely.” Sebastian was more excited about the food than the cell phone. He remembered the place James was talking about. Their food was great, maybe not as good as the places he’d gone while living in San Diego for the year and a half of college he’d managed to attend before getting trapped, but he’d take it.

James drove them through town, heading south. Sebastian’s mood continued to lift. Things felt more manageable now that he wasn’t brooding by himself. He was apprehensive about the mayor’s meeting, but he wanted to be there to see just how involved James was in Moonlight Falls. It sounded like James, Hazel, and Parker worked with the mayor often. Sebastian wasn’t surprised. They were all typical Moonlighters.

For the first time, Sebastian wondered what it would be like to join them rather than shy away. Before James came to Storm House, Sebastian would have said he’d run far away from Moonlight Falls the second he escaped. That idea no longer had any appeal. The world was too big, and unknown things didn’t excite Sebastian like they used to. He wanted a sense of familiarity with the places he went and the people he interacted with. He hoped it’d make his new anxiety easier to manage.

And he liked that the mayor had invited him to the meeting, including him in something important to the town.

He’d always wanted to be part of something bigger than himself, not just sitting on the outside watching. He’d spent his life on the fringes, alone while in Moonlight Falls and set apart from his mom and sister when he was at home. Knowing that he hadn’t imagined being pushed away, that his mother had given him life and tolerated him only so he could take on the family curse, made him want to find his own place. With people who wanted him.

He’d never have thought that would happen for him in Moonlight Falls. He’d been so lonely there for so long, but understanding why his childhood had taken the shape it had might allow him to let go of his misplaced hate for the town.

For the first time, he could see potential in Moonlight Falls. Wouldn’t it be great to take something he’d associated with pain and sadness and turn it into something good? Being happy here would be more satisfying than running away. He suspected nowhere else would feel quite right or give him a sense of completion and healing. Maybe he did understand what people meant when they said this place called to them.

Could Moonlight Falls turn into something good for Sebastian? Would it last, or would it come to an unfortunate end like everything else? It was a question he didn’t want to dwell on. Instead, he chose to hold on to this hopeful feeling he’d found and pretend he didn’t know better.

Within minutes, they were past the bulk of the town. The houses grew sparse, replaced by trees.

James drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. “Want to listen to the radio?”

“Are you going to start singing?” Sebastian teased.

“What? No.” James took his eyes from the road briefly, glaring in a way that said he would never.

Sebastian laughed. Damn it, he really liked this man. Meaning he needed to get his shit together and talk to him and stop stealing all these sweet moments he hadn’t earned.

If he could be hopeful about Moonlight Falls, could he be hopeful about James? He wasn’t sure. It felt like pushing his luck, but he wanted to believe he wasn’t doomed to be alone, that he wasn’t cursed and wouldn’t always be cast out.

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