Page 8 of Haunted Eclipse

“I’ll make my latte,” I said, sliding off the counter. I tamped coffee into the portafilter, then pulled two shots.Wash…rinse…repeat…I added a shot of caramel coffee syrup to my travel mug, then filled it with ice and milk. As I slipped the top on, Astra handed me the peanut butter toast.

I carried both toast and latte over to the table, where I settled in the booth. A bowl of fruit was in the center and I selected a banana—one that was slightly green. I didn’t like them when they were overly ripe.

“I have two readings today, and I’ll start on a plan for my matchmaking client,” I said. “I doubt that I’ll have a problem finding the right person for her. She’s an easy match.”

Astra returned to the table, carrying a latte for herself. “Every time you mention her, I get an odd feeling, Maisy.” She stirred the steaming drink, frowning.

“Really? What about?” I trusted Astra’s feelings. She was always on point.

“I’m not sure,” she said. “But I think you should be cautious with this. I have no clue what’s going on, but I get alarm bells. If I can pinpoint it, I will.”

I bit into the toast, then wiped my lips with a napkin. “What are you up to, today?”

“I’m getting ready for a little trip. I’ll be gone for a few days, so you’ll have the house all to yourself.” She winked at me. “I’d say no wild parties, but unfortunately, I don’t think it’s necessary.”

I sighed. “I wish I had a reason to throw a wild party. Anyway, where are you going?”

“Moonshadow Bay. A friend there needs some help. She threw her back out and it’s going to take a few days for it to heal. You remember Teran Karns?”

Moonshadow Bay, like Midnight Point, was a shadow town. All shadow towns were connected to the Court Magika. The Court Magika was the supreme council of witchblood, and they answered only to the queen of witchblood.

“Right—January’s aunt.” I’d met January Jaxson in Seattle, before she dumped her abusive ex and moved back to Moonshadow Bay. We kept in touch, infrequently, but it had been several years since we actually got together.

“Right. The high priestess of the Dark Moon Society asked me to conduct a little business while I’m there.”

Astra belonged to the Dark Moon Society—Midnight Point’s local branch of the Order of the Moon. She was one of the high priestess’s lieutenants. All high priestesses answered directly to Queen Heliesa, who lived in Easa Cailleach. Easa Cailleach existed inBetweon Veille—a dimension between the veils.

“Is something up with the Covenant of Chaos?” I asked.

The Covenant of Chaos was a group of chaos magicians dedicated to bringing back the Elder gods of Chaos, and creating as much havoc as they could. They were greedy, going after the almighty dollar, and they didn’t care who they are to in the process, or how much mayhem they wreaked. The only thing that matter to them was disrupting the system, and gaining as much power for themselves as they could.

“Maybe. There are indications that they’re rising again. But mostly, I’m going to help out Teran.” She paused, then added, “Do you want to come with me?”

“I’d like to see January again,” I said. “But I can’t really leave my new business, and I have clients coming in tomorrow. So, tell her hi for me, and give her my new number, would you?” I glanced at my watch. “I’d better get moving. Time to get the day started.” As I picked up my purse and latte, Astra kissed me on the cheek. “When are you leaving?”

“This evening. I’ll take the 5:30 ferry over to Whidbey Island, then drive up Highway 20, over the bridge to I-5, and from there, it’s a hop and a skip north to Moonshadow Bay. I’ll take Dahlia with me. Keep an eye on the house.” She whistled to Dahlia, who came bouncing into the room. “You little dust mop. Want to go for a ride? I need to pick up some things before I go.”

Dahlia wiggled her butt. I laughed and, after stopping to pet Miss P. for a moment, I slipped on my jacket, then exited the kitchen door, heading to the side driveway.

The snow was melting,and it had warmed up to thirty-seven degrees. It was supposed to be back in the forties by next week, but between then and now we had a big snowstorm coming in. As I approached Clearwater Street—the main drag—a light sleet began to fall. The snow had melted just enough to create a few dirty piles of slush near the curbs. Pedestrian traffic was light today, given the weather, and there were plenty of open spots along the sidewalk. I was able to park directly in front of my shop, and as I stepped out of my car, into a river of slush near the gutter, I was grateful for my waterproof boots.

As I juggled my purse and coffee, trying to unlock my front door, a voice to my left caught my attention. I glanced up and saw Kevin.

“Yo, woman, need some help?” he asked. Kevin was tall, with feathery brown hair. He was built like an ice skater—long and lean, and had the grace to go along with the look. He aspired to be Randy, fromSay Yes to the Dress, but his manners weren’t affected, and he managed to radiate both empathy and yet a wry wit that had a little bit of a bite to it.

“Yeah, can you hold my latte?” I handed him the travel mug, and then turned back to unlock the door. I pushed it open and he followed me inside. “Slow morning?”

“Slow morning, yes. We have three appointments this afternoon.” He sat down in the chair opposite my desk. “So, how goes the new business? I’m hoping to gain some customers from your clients, you know.”

I laughed. “Well, vice versa, as well. So far, I’ve got one client to start researching on—she’s looking for a husband. And I have two readings coming in today. I’m really looking forward togetting back to work.” I must have shown something on my face, because Kevin cleared his throat.

“You’ve really been through the wringer, haven’t you?”

I nodded. “Yeah. First I was fired, then that same day I lost my house. I’m just grateful that Miss P. survived. But I lost almost everything from my life with Dan. I even lost our marriage certificate. I’m so grateful that I was still wearing my wedding ring.” I held out my hand, staring at the rings. “I know I should take it off sometime…but I can’t.”

“You’re not ready to,” Kevin said. “You’ll know when it’s time.”

I sat back, touching my ring. Sighing, I said, “You’re right. I can’t force myself to do something I’m not ready to. Not yet. It feels as though…if I take off my rings, I’m saying goodbye for real. I’m letting him fade into the past.”

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