A Witch in Time (10 page)

G
emma knocked
on the door to her room. “Are you in there Enid?”

She rolled onto her back and looked up at the ceiling, trying to quiet the hiccups racking her body. She’d cried until she could shed no more tears. Her eyes now felt dry and gritty and must look an unpleasant shade of red. The muscles of her throat spasmed as she struggled to draw air into her lungs. She couldn’t breathe through the congestion clogging her nose and her head throbbed.

“I hear you, Enid. Will you please let me in?”

She knew her sister wouldn’t go away. Gemma was stubborn that way. So Enid got up and straightened out her skirts as she went to unlock the door. When Gemma turned the knob, she turned away and walked to the window.

“Are you all right?”

Enid nodded.

The floor creaked as Gemma crossed the room. She put a gentle hand on Enid’s shoulder and turned her around. “Oh, Sis. You look terrible.”

Wiping at her painful eyes, Enid hiccuped again. “I went to talk to Hephaestus up at the castle.” Hanging her head in shame, she admitted what she’d considered. “I wanted to ask his help to keep the veil open so he wouldn’t have to go back to the other side. After I saw what the ghouls were doing, I couldn’t. So I suggested he practice the…the…wedding…” A sob wracked her and she wrapped her arms around the sore muscles of her abdomen.

“Oh, Sis,” said Gemma again. “I’m so sorry to see you this way.”

“What can I do?” Enid couldn’t help but wail her despair as she fell into Gemma’s arms.

“I don’t know, Sis. I just don’t know. If I could fix this for you, I would. You know that.”

Enid nodded again.

“You should tell Hephaestus how you feel. He’s been on the other side for a long time. Maybe he has an idea.”

She pulled back as though she’d been punched. How could Gemma suggest such a thing?

“Now, Sis. Don’t give me that look.” Gemma’s hand took Enid’s, warming her chilled flesh. “He should know how you feel about him, at the very least. You owe him that much. And telling him might make you feel better, too.”

“I can’t.” Enid hiccuped. “If he feels the same and we can’t be together that would hurt even more. Don’t you understand?”

“Your problem is you want to control everything. You’ve always been that way. Yet you can’t control life. Unexpected things happen. You can see that now, can’t you?”

Her sister’s words carried a lot of weight. Enid thought back over the events she’d put in motion to lead her to this place. She’d done all this because she’d wanted to run the wedding of her dear friends. Yet her fight to control the most important event of their lives caused her own life to spiral into a tailspin of gloom and despair. Gemma knew her better than she did herself. She’d seen Enid go down the same path too many times before not to have figured out the pattern. Yet neither of the Ash sisters could have foreseen the results of Enid’s most recent foray into taking charge of everything.

“You’re right, of course. I need to learn to let go.” Enid went back to the window and looked up to where she knew Castle Hallow watched over them all. She’d left Hephaestus up there alone, wondering how he might have upset her. How could she have been so selfish?

“Why don’t you come to the Academy with me in the morning? Working with the kids might help take your mind off your troubles.”

So Enid trailed along to the Ash Academy with Gemma the next day. Her eyes still stung from all the crying she’d done the night before and she knew the lids were red and puffy so she wore a smart pair of sunglasses in the hope no one would ask questions.

“Morning,” said Rowan as the two women entered the school. She motioned to the stairway as she rocked in place to keep little Siobhan quiet. The infant once again napped in the sling her mother seemed to wear whenever Garrett couldn’t watch their daughter. “They’re up in the training room now. We’re all ready to go.”

Gemma started up the stairs.

Rowan fell into step beside Enid as she started up to the second floor. “Are you all right?”

Enid’s nod caused her head to throb and she winced.

“Partied too hard last night, huh?” Rowan winked. “I won’t tell anyone.”

The three women entered the large room on the second floor of the Academy to find Fern seated in the center of the floor with a small bowl of water before her. Another person stood near the window looking out over the grounds.

“Good Morning, Rafe,” said Gemma. She crossed to his side. “I’m glad you took us up on our proposition to work here.”

Rafe and Gemma shook hands.

“Fern will need a lot of training. Since she’s not coming with me, I’m happy to teach you a few tricks to help out. I’m really not such a bad guy.”

“No one said you were.” Rowan crossed to take a seat on a chair set against the wall.

“Good to see you again, Enid,” said Rafe. “How’s life been treating you?”

Enid glared at him, then realized he couldn’t see her expression through her sunglasses. “Everything’s wonderful. We’ve got ghouls and spirits roaming Secret Hallow thanks to your helpfulness.”

“Enid,” said Gemma in a warning tone. “We aren’t discussing that right now.”

Rafe ignored Enid’s comments and turned his attention to his daughter while the women sat down to watch. “Let’s try again, daughter. I want you to create a whirlpool in the bowl. Just make the water spin in a circle. Be careful not to splash over the edges.”

Scrunching up her little face, Fern put her hands on either side of the bowl.

“Focus, daughter. Imagine a circle.” The water sloshed against the edge of the bowl and almost spilled over onto the floor. “Slow and easy now. Imagine drawing a circle in your mind. You can do that, can’t you?”

“Yes, Rafe.” Fern relaxed her face and put her hands down. “Mama taught me a circle.”

“Good girl. Now I want you to remember what your mama showed you. Think about how you drew that circle. Imagine that in your mind while you look at the bowl of water.”

The little girl looked down again. Her eyebrows drew together in concentration as she stared at the water. Again, the liquid sloshed, but this time took on the appearance of having a stone dropped in the middle. The water didn’t swirl, but did ripple.

“Good, good,” said Rafe. He turned to look back at the women. “The best way to teach an elemental control is to start as small as you would with any other kind of power. A bowl of water is a great place for early lessons. You can then graduate to something like an aquarium.”

“Rafe, look!” Fern pointed at the bowl.

Enid saw the water spinning in a slow circle. She and her companions clapped.

When Rafe just grunted, Gemma got up and went to stand over Fern, placing a gentle hand on the child’s head. “That’s very good, Fern. Keep practicing.” She looked at the child’s father. “We need to speak in private.”

“Keep working.” Rafe got up and loped across the room behind Gemma.

When they reached Rowan and Enid, Gemma put her hands on her hips, a sure sign she wasn’t happy. “We all agree that you’re the best person to teach Fern self-control. We also understand that you’re her father and you need to learn how to relate to her on that level.” Her eyes flashed. “However, your teaching skills leave something to be desired. She needs positive reinforcement when she does something good.”

“She shouldn’t be babied.”

Rowan struggled to her feet. “That isn’t what she’s saying.”

The sound of the door opening caught everyone’s attention. Rowan’s mouth snapped shut as she turned to see who’d interrupted them.

Caedmon appeared. “Hey, guys. Ori said Fern was having a lesson. Mind if I watch?”

Enid took a steadying breath as she waited for Caedmon to start in on Rafe.

“He can stay, can’t he?” Fern looked up at her father. “Please, Rafe?”

“Of course, daughter. Whatever you want.” Rafe smiled with more warmth than before.

Another figure stepped into the room. Enid’s breath caught when she recognized Hephaestus. “Good Morning, young Misses and Masters.”

When Gemma looked over, Enid felt glad she’d kept her glasses on. She didn’t want her sister to see the fresh batch of tears filling her eyes. Honestly, shouldn’t she be dry by now?

Hephaestus crossed to where Enid sat and motioned to an empty chair. “May I?”

“Please.”

He sat down and looked her over. “Are you well this morning? Those are not indoor spectacles, if I am not mistaken.”

“Just a bit of a headache. I didn’t sleep very good last night after everything that happened.”

“I am sorry to hear that.”

Enid turned her attention back to the center of the room where Rafe and Caedmon now sat on either side of Fern. The child looked from one to the other with a big grin. She reached out a hand to touch Caedmon’s arm and pointed at the bowl.

“Look.”

Caedmon smiled. “I’m watching, pumpkin.”

Fern concentrated on the water again. Nothing happened for several long seconds as everyone held their breaths in anticipation. Everyone but Rafe, who seemed more interested in looking out the window at the beautiful morning light.

“See what I can do? I made a pool-whirl.”

Giving her a little nudge, Caedmon said, “I think you mean whirlpool, pumpkin.”

“Right.” Fern didn’t care that she’d been corrected. “Was that good, Rafe?”

“Yes, daughter. You did a good job.” Rafe’s quirked a wild brow at Gemma.

Enid thanked the stars her sister didn’t have her temper. If the annoying man had looked at her that way, she would’ve exploded. Just as she’d thought Caedmon might when he first came into the room. Caedmon again surprised her when he spoke to Rafe.

“Thank you for working with her like this. Ori and I both appreciate your help.”

Rafe shrugged. “You don’t need to thank me. I fathered the child and we share powers so that makes me the most logical instructor.” He looked Caedmon over. “I’m glad you came. The ladies are learning how to help Fern control her powers and you might pick up some tips so you can help her mother out at home.”

“That’s what I thought.”

When Caedmon glanced over at Hephaestus, Enid realized he’d been coached in how to handle the man he considered to be a competitor for Orianna’s affections. Hephaestus smiled and nodded toward Rafe as though urging Caedmon on.

Fern crawled into Caedmon’s lap and he stroked her hair as she gave him a big hug.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she said.

“Me, too.” Caedmon looked over at Rafe again. “The other reason I stopped by today is that I wanted to invite you to the wedding. Fern and Ori would like you there, I’m sure.”

Fern hugged Caedmon tighter.

Rafe looked at his daughter and her soon-to-be stepfather. He then looked around the room at everyone else. After a moment, he got to his feet and crossed to the window to look outside again. He seemed to Enid to be eager to get away from Secret Hallow and all of them. She recalled Orianna calling elementals restless spirits and saw now what she meant.

“Thank you for the invitation, but I can’t stay right now.”

“Aww…” Fern ran to her father and tugged on his hand. “You can’t. I need you to teach me.”

He knelt so they were eye level. “I have to take care of something, daughter. Your friends can help you until I come back.”

“I’ll see you again?”

Rafe nodded.

Enid noticed Caedmon looked relieved that Rafe declined the invitation to stay for the ceremony. While he’d done his best to be civil, he still didn’t seem to like the other man much. Not that Enid could blame him. Having Fern’s father show up at such an awkward moment couldn’t have been easy.

Hephaestus smiled and nodded in response to Caedmon’s look. He then turned to Enid and gave a little shrug. “The young man found himself in need of advice so I offered my assistance. I believe he and young Miss Westerly will make a fine couple and good parents for little Fern.”

“I agree.”

He moved his hand as though he wanted to take hers, but stopped short.

She looked around to see if anyone else had noticed.

All the other adults sat in the center of the floor watching Fern work with the bowl of water. None of them paid the couple against the wall any attention. Though Gemma did glance over once or twice during the course of the lesson to give Enid an encouraging smile. She appreciated her sister’s concern, but wished Gemma wouldn’t keep acting as though she had some kind of illness.

“She cares a great deal for you,” said Hephaestus. “Your sister.”

“Yes.”

“I am glad. You need someone to care for you when…” His voice trailed off.

Enid knew he’d started to say ‘when I go back.’ She’d been thinking the same thing. In fact, she’d thought of nothing else since she came to the realization she couldn’t keep him with her. The time for the Samhain ceremonies would soon be upon them and then he’d go back to the other side once more.

If only she knew a spell to stop time. She could live in this moment forever.

E
nid yawned
and stretched as she stood at her kitchen sink waiting for her coffee to brew. She hadn’t slept well since she’d come back to the Living World and needed all the energy she could muster to get her through this difficult day. She’d also slept later than she would have liked today because she’d been awake so late the night before. The hands of the kitchen clock pointed to 11:30.

She’d been happy to see the late morning of Samhain to be clear and bright. Everything in her yard looked clean and fresh and she thanked the stars the ghouls hadn’t attacked her few crops. Enid felt for everyone else they’d attacked and promised herself she’d help them put their property to rights no matter how long it might take.

Bacon sizzled in the cast iron pan on her massive iron range. She’d already scrambled a few eggs with some fresh onions and a touch of mint from her garden, her own secret recipe, and one others seemed to enjoy as much as she did. Enid might not be as good a cook as Nana Winterblossom, but she had a few tricks up her sleeve.

She’d heard no sounds from upstairs since getting out of bed and thought she must have the house to herself. Gemma and Fox may already have gone up to the Castle to help clean up the mess left by the ghouls. They’d have to replace all the jack-o-lanterns and strengthen the wards to try to keep the little monsters at bay so they could redecorate in time for the ceremony.

Pouring the brew into her mug, she dropped in a couple spoonfuls of sugar and a dollop of fresh cream from the Leif’s cow. She held the steaming mug in both hands. Since she’d gotten back, she also couldn’t seem to get warm, so Enid wore a thicker skirt than normal, a full blouse, and even a jacket to try to chase away the chill. The range warmed the kitchen air to a pleasant temperature yet she shivered so hard her coffee splashed over the rim of her mug and scalded her hand.

Her first bite of bacon and eggs tasted even more delicious today than she’d remembered. Enid had also toasted a thick slice of fresh-baked bread and slathered on a layer of creamy butter and a dollop of marmalade; she didn’t often eat toast, but her mouth watered as she prepared to take her first bite. Everything else she’d eaten in the last few days seemed so bland she might as well have been chewing cardboard. Her enjoyment of breakfast this morning encouraged her to feel she might yet get back to some semblance of normalcy soon.

Enid devoured her meal and took her dirty dishes to the sink. Running steaming water into the deep stone well, she added a touch of the lavender-scented soap made by an Ash cousin. She buried her hands and arms in the hot water up to the elbows and took great pleasure in scouring away the mess she’d made as she looked out the window at what looked to be a fine morning.

“Good day for a wedding,” she said aloud to the empty room.

The feeling of being watched caused her to look over her shoulder.

Bronson loped into the kitchen in search of his breakfast.

She drained the water from the sink and wiped her hands on a soft towel before bending down to pat her familiar’s head. “Morning, buddy. Good to see you up and about. I felt a little lonely.” Enid crossed to the corner where they kept his dish and poured out a measure of the healthy food they prepared him from scratch every week. “There you go.” She then topped off his water dish and stepped back to watch him enjoy his own meal.

The dog licked his food dish clean and turned to eye Enid.

“That’s all you get. You’re too big already.” She knelt down and put her arms around his neck, burying her face in his soft fur. He smelled of the dry shampoo they used to keep his coat clean and the food he’d just devoured.

Bronson rested his heavy head on her shoulder and panted.

Enid felt a damp spot on her jacket from his drool. Pulling back, she smiled into his face. “You’re a messy boy, aren’t you?”

His tongue lolled out the side of his mouth in a way that made him look like he was smiling.

With one more pat on his head, Enid got to her feet and pointed toward the living room. “Go lie down, buddy. I’ve got a lot to do today.”

The St. Bernard rubbed against her leg as he passed her by on his way out of the room. She listened to the sound of his paws clicking across on the floor and the tell-tale creak of him settling into his regular spot at the hearth. Alone again, she took one last look around the kitchen to make sure she’d cleaned up her whole mess before heading out the front door. She couldn’t trust herself to have noticed every little detail. Her mind wandered too much.

Cool air caressed her cheeks as she headed up the path in the direction of the castle. Ghouls skittered out of a nearby bush and crossed the road without stopping to look at her. The fact they seemed intent on reaching some unknown destination worried her. She knew they’d been getting into all kinds of trouble since passing through the veil. Secret Hallow looked worse for wear from their presence. The front window of Java by Candlelight bore some ugly graffiti, the tables on the sidewalk overturned, a few chairs broken. The Penny Spindle’s sign hung at a drunken angle from the single hook holding it in place. Downed tree branches, uprooted saplings, smashed flowers, fallen fences, and cracked windows greeted her as she passed the cottages along her way.

None of her neighbors seemed to be out and about yet. She wondered whether they might be sleeping in after having fought off ghouls all night or if they might all be up at the castle already. Either way, she felt a stab of guilt at having been the cause of such trouble to everyone.

Gemma had been right. Enid needed to learn to let go.

She came upon Nana Winterblossom’s cottage and felt relieved to see the little house in one piece. The older witch must have cast and maintained a strong warding on her property to prevent the ghoulish vandals from wreaking havoc there. Hopefully, the strength of Nana’s powers would help the little monsters away from the wedding as well.

She’d paid little attention to the spirits she’d passed along the way. They all continued to stand around staring at nothing in particular in such a way as to depress anyone who came upon them. Enid didn’t need any more reason to feel sad. She had enough of her own already.

Oh, Hephaestus…

“Gemma! Good morning,” she called when she saw her sister and Fox in front of the castle. “Everything okay so far?”

The two women looked like they were in the middle of replacing all the ruined jack-o-lanterns out front of the towering stone structure. Already, about a half-dozen of the orange orbs lined either side of the pathway leading to the open front door. A stack of two dozen or more rested in the back of Nana’s pickup awaiting the carving knife.

“Morning, Enid.” Gemma straightened and wiped a hand across her brow. “Fine here. How’s everything with you?”

“Hey, Sis,” said Fox. “Good to see you. Did you have breakfast?”

Enid stopped when she reached the pickup and hopped up to sit on the lowered tailgate. “You’re starting to sound more and more like Gem every day. She been giving you lessons?”

Fox winked. “No need. I’ve just learned to treat you like my own sister – if I’d had one.” She placed a candle into the jack-o-lantern she held and set the happy-faced squash in the next spot in line before stepping back to check out her handiwork. “I hope you had something substantial. Today promises to be a long one.”

“I know.”

Gemma gave her a searching look as she came to retrieve another pumpkin. “You’re okay?”

Enid nodded.

“I know I’ve been asking that too much, but I’m worried about you. You haven’t been yourself since you came back through. And it’s not just your lack of appetite.”

She laid a reassuring hand on top of one of Gemma’s. “Everything will be fine. Trust me.” Her eyes searched the façade of the castle. “Who else is here?”

“Everyone.”

Slipping back to the ground, Enid adjusted her jacket and skirt. “Guess I’ll go see what I can do to help. I’m sure we need to replace just about everything in the great hall.” She waved a hand over her shoulder without looking back at Gemma and Fox because she could sense their eyes on her back. Both of them probably watched her with the troubled expressions she’d seen on their faces so often in the last few days. Since she couldn’t seem to reassure them, Enid would just go on about her business as much as possible.

A hand caught one of hers.

“You need to talk to him,” said Gemma. “Don’t get caught up in the decorating.”

“I won’t.” Enid crossed her hand over her heart. “Promise.”

Of course, the first thing she did when she entered the great hall was to start directing the group resetting the tables. She then went to track down more candles from the storeroom in order to refill the candelabras. A cousin asked her help in hanging the streamers on the fireplace mantles. She decided to frame the doorway with bunches of golden mums. Chairs needed to be fixed. And the bridal table didn’t have quite the look she’d wanted.

“What did I tell you?” Gemma appeared at her elbow. “No decorating. Go find Hephaestus.”

Enid opened her mouth to respond.

Gemma shook her head. “No excuses. You need to clear the air right now.” She took the napkins from Enid and handed them to Fox. “Go.”

“Where is he?”

“Who knows?” Gemma shrugged. “He must be around somewhere. You spent some time here with him so you must have some idea of where he might be hiding.”

Remembering how he’d retreated to his old bedchamber, she went to search there first. When she didn’t find him, she moved on to the small room at the back of the castle where he’d practiced reciting the vows, then the storeroom, the kitchens, the hothouse, and the library. She couldn’t find him anywhere she’d expected he might be so she determined to go through every single room in the massive structure.

Hephaestus did not seem to be around anywhere.

Just as she felt ready to give up the search, she opened a door into yet another bedchamber, and heard the sounds of laughter. She opened the door wider and said, “Hello?”

“Hi!” Fern rushed over and tackled her knees. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Enid patted the girl’s head. “I’m happy to see you, too.” She looked across the room to see Orianna and Rowan seated together at a dressing table. Two large clothing bags hung off hooks on the wall nearby and she realized she’d come upon the bride’s room where the young women were getting ready to dress for the ceremony. “Big day.”

Rowan looked over and smiled. “One of the biggest.” When she got up, Enid noticed she didn’t have Siobhan for a change. “Nana’s keeping an eye on her until the ceremony is over.”

“You look strange without that little accessory.”

“I feel like I’m missing something important,” said Rowan in agreement and patted her stomach. “Feels like she’s been attached to me in one way or another forever. Even though Garrett watches her a lot.”

Fern grabbed Enid’s hand and pulled her toward the table. “Come on.”

“What’s the hurry?”

She pointed at the makeup laid out beneath the oversized mirror near where her mother sat. “Mama said I can do her face. You can do Rowan.”

Quirking an eyebrow at the brides, Enid said, “I’m not much of a makeup artist, but I’ll be happy to help.”

Orianna got to her feet. “We should get into the dresses first, I think. I don’t want to get makeup on mine.” She crossed to open one of the bags and pulled out what looked like a creamy cloud. After unzipping the back, she slipped the straps off the hangar. “Would you mind?”

Enid took the dress and helped Orianna climb in. Zipping up the back, she adjusted the straps and then followed the bride to the full-length mirror. Four reflections looked back at her since Rowan and Fern also crowded around them to have a look.

The bodice hugged Orianna’s curves in all the right places down to her waistline and then the skirt flared out into a mass of glittering taffeta. The fabric rustled as she moved.

“You look like a princess, mama,” said Fern in an awed voice. “Just like in the stories.”

“You’ll look just like one, too, once we get you into your new dress.” Rowan appeared with a smaller dress that looked just like Orianna’s in miniature, though in a beautiful shade of yellow instead of off-white, and with a shorter skirt. She helped the child put on the dress and then stood her next to her mother. “See?”

Fern and Orianna’s reflections smiled at each other. They both looked excited and happy.

Her breath hitched and she felt the tell-tale sting of tears. They hadn’t dressed Rowan yet, and she already wanted to cry. This wouldn’t do. Not at all.

Not one for fancy and frilly clothing, Rowan had chosen a sheath dress that showed her full postpartum curves to advantage. “I’m sorry Siobhan isn’t a little bigger. We couldn’t find her anything like this to wear tonight.”

“Babies can’t be princesses.” Fern’s matter-of-fact tone caused her mother to hide a smile. “They’re too small.”

Orianna tweaked her daughter’s nose. “That’s not true, honey. A princess is a princess no matter how little. You’ve been mine since you were a baby.”

“Aw, mama. I’m not a baby.”

“Not now, but you were once. We all started out as babies.”

The three women laughed aloud at Fern’s shocked expression.

After seating the brides at the table, Enid and Fern got down to the business of applying makeup, which led to a lot of laughter and face-washing. They also fought to create appropriate hairstyles to go with the gorgeous dresses they wore.

“Anyone seen Hephaestus yet today?” Enid tried to keep her tone neutral.

Caught up in laughter at yet another unsuccessful attempt to get her hair into a flattering style, Orianna missed the question.

Rowan glanced at Enid. “Not today. He should be around somewhere, though.”

“There.” Enid patted baby’s breath into Orianna’s hair and stepped back. “How’s that?”

Orianna turned to give everyone a look.

“Beautiful,” said Rowan.

Fern smiled. “I like that one.”

Patting a stray strand of her own hair, Rowan looked back at the mirror.

A loud chime reverberated through the castle.