Page 14 of Air Of Mystery
Maybe it was a Daughter of Midnight thing?I wondered.
Exhausted, I sighed again. “Tell you what, Amanda. Go ahead and pull my dress out of the dryer. It doesn’t matter if it’s still wet. I’ll call an Uber and be out of your hair just as soon as I can.”
Amanda dropped a hand over mine. “That’s not necessary—”
“I’ll drive you back to Alton myself,” Estella volunteered.
“No. That’s okay.” I waved the offer away quickly. “I wouldn’t want to put you out.”
“Oh, I insist.” She smiled. “I’ll run home and let Chauncey know. You put your clothes in a bag. I’ll see to it that you get back home. Right away.”
With that, she jumped up from her chair and rushed out the suddenly open back door. It shut—untouched—with a solid thump behind her.
“Estella’s very protective,” Amanda said by way of an explanation. “Sometimes overly.”
“I get it. You’re best friends.” I stood. “Thank you again for your help today, Amanda. If I have caused any problems for you—or your family—I apologize.”
“Nonsense.” She stood too. “I’m always available to help a fellow Witch. Now, I’m going to give you my number. If you need anything, please call me.”
“Sure,” I said, although I had no intention of bothering her again.
About five minutes later, I was on the highway with Estella Marquette, and she was driving along with the radio blaring. Crazily, her entire attitude had changed. Wearing mirrored sunglasses, she was smiling and chattering away.
Estella spoke of mostly mundane topics. She wanted to know how Cordelia and Tim were doing. She inquired about Brynn’s upcoming wedding…she even asked how my folks were in Florida. It was slightly concerning to me how she’d gone from hostile and suspicious to casually chatty and polite.
By the time we arrived back in Alton, and I gave her directions through my old neighborhood on the hill, I felt slightly sick to my stomach. I didn’t think she was throwing any negativity at me; it was more like the exhaustion from everything that had happened was finally kicking in.
Estella dropped me off out front, and I shut the passenger door, waving at her as she drove away. Fishing the keys from my purse, I opened the wrought iron gate, walked barefoot up the front steps, and let myself inside.
Oh hell,I thought, suddenly realizing I’d forgotten my sandals.Well crap.
Then I sighed.They’re probably toast anyway.
For once it was quiet in the manor house. I went down the main hall, past the family kitchen, and to the laundry room to hang my dress up so that it could air dry. Then I started up the main staircase to the third floor and my attic apartment.
Keeping my mind off Charlie and the enchanted evening thatwasn’t, I dutifully texted Kenna, warned her to be careful, and to perform a cleansing on herself—and Tyler—as soon as possible. She messaged back promising that she would and let me know that Tyler was settled in a private room where she was going to stay and watch over him all night.
Next, I texted my grandmother and told her what had happened with Kenna and Tyler. She called me back immediately. As we spoke, I changed into my own pajamas, snagged a sports drink from my mini fridge, and dropped down on my sofa.
“Grandma,” I said, after filling her in on the details, “I’m going to need you to contact the Guardian. Enough is enough. Whatever is in that house on Henry Street is beyond bad. We’re talking true evil. The Guardian is supposed to be a Magus. Have them do their grand high poo-bah thing and get rid of whatever is out there once and for all.”
“I will put in a request,” she promised. “And first thing in the morning, I’m going to go up to the hospital and check in on your sister and Tyler.”
“Perfect,” I said. “That’d be great.”
“Areyouall right, sweetheart?”
“Fine,” I said. “I figure a quick nap will do the trick.”
“Promise me that you’ll stay away from that house in the meantime.”
“I will,” I said. “My team and I agreed to that weeks ago. I only went back today to help Kenna.”
“I’m very thankful that you were there to assist,” she said. “I’m sorry that your date was interrupted.”
“I’ll get over it,” I said around a yawn.
“It’s going to take a bit longer than you like...we all know how impatient you are. But you will find your way to each other.”
