Page 12 of Bewitched By the Headless Horseman
“To make what is to come simpler between us, I will answer you. The head I took is still here. Only no one can see it. At the start of each new moon, it begins to fade, requiring me to collecta new one unless I don’t want to see or hear. So I do what I must.”
Stevie bit her lip, thinking about her mom and the hearts she’d eaten to live. Human hearts she’d taken in the past before she discovered the witch who would save her. It was something he thought he had to do, a choice he made.
“And do you ever … take heads from animals?” At that precise moment, Roxy burst through the door, barking up a storm at him. “Roxy! Stop. Get back and go to Lucia!” The fox didn’t listen, and Stevie stepped between them even though it would do no good.
Kit made a tsking sound. “If you think I would wear the head of an animal when there are plenty of ghosts wandering about, then you are madder than you seem.”
Stevie rolled her eyes. “I’ll give you one positive point for that.”
Roxy’s barking halted and she hesitantly padded forward to sniff Kit’s boot. His shoulders hunched forward as he must’ve been peering down at her sidekick. “You have a ghost fox for a … pet?”
“Yes, she’s my ghost sidekick. Seers have them, and if you touch one little ghost hair on her head, I’ll make sure you never gallop through the streets again,” Stevie promised.
Kit chuckled, deep and mocking. “Your tiny fox is all yours, Pumpkin. I prefer to claim stallions as mine.”
“Speaking of, where’s your horse? Does he stay with you at that house? Is that even where you actually stay during the day?” If so, maybe the horse had been in the backyard or only appeared to him at night.
“He comes when I desire it.” Kit shrugged. “Now I must go, but I’ll be calling on you very soon.”
“I didn’t really agree to anything just so you know.”
“You will,” he said, his voice assertive of what he believed to be true. “Good evening.”
Stevie balled her hands into tight fists, her nails digging crescent moons into her palms. “Listen, you—” Before Stevie finished her sentence, Kit turned his back on her and sauntered through the wall leading to her backyard. She shoved the curtain to the side, but his white form was already gone. “Good riddance,” she grumbled under her breath.
Roxy observed the shards of ceramic scattered on the floor. If there weren’t so many little pieces, Stevie would’ve had Lucia spell the vase back together. At least it wasn’t one of her favorites. Still, they were hard to find in excellent condition at a decent price.
“His fault for barging into my house,” Stevie said to Roxy, “but Iguessit started with me going into his. He stays at the abandoned house.”
The fox’s eyes widened and she cocked her head.
“Yes, I went alone. I thought it was safer you didn’t go. Although, I guess it wouldn’t have mattered now.”
Taking out her phone, she sent Lucia a text.
I know you’re still at my parents’, but apparently the Headless Horseman resides at the abandoned house. Oh, he also knows where I live and we had a little chat.
What? I’m coming home now!
No, it’s fine. He’s gone. Maybe you can put up a stronger ward or something.
I can try, but it’s probably a situation like Roxy. Where you’ve seen him and he’s seen you which would cancel out the spell. The Crowned Witch would maybe know a secret about the living and the dead seeing one another, but she’s still away from Sleepy Hollow. Once the Eyes close, this pesky issue will be solved.
From one new moon to the next, it took about twenty-nine days, which meant she had a measly twenty-eight now. She could handle that.
Stevie cleaned up the vase’s broken pieces before sinking down on the living room couch where Kit’s cape still lingered. She tried to knock it to the floor with her hand, but her fingers passed through the fabric.
“Can you take that thing outside?” Stevie asked Roxy.
The fox grasped the cape between her teeth and dragged it through the door.
“Ah, that’s better.” Stevie turned on the TV as Roxy bounded back inside and hopped up next to her. A fantastic musical score cut through the room, one she instantly recognized from the movie playing.
Sleepy Hollow.
The edges of Stevie’s lips curled up at the corners as she watched the man being chased. The Headless Horseman closing in, lifting his arm, sword in hand. And … swipe.
“It’s a sign, Roxy.” Stevie drew the blanket over her legs. “But what the sign is for? Only the Headless Horseman can reveal that.”
