Cuckoo in the Coven

“I suppose so. I surprised myself. Eben explains things well.” She glanced at him. “He tells me I’ll be ready, when the time comes. They all say it.”

Cullen didn’t respond. Dark, brooding, strong and stoic, he was largely silent on the subject of Nathaniel Fox. Sunny knew he felt guilty because he felt responsible for bringing Nathaniel Fox into her life, which wasn’t the case. He truly was an old-fashioned man through and through. Inevitably he felt it was his duty to protect her and keep her safe. How do I know that, she thought, glancing at his overcast expression.

He’d said as much at their first meeting with the coven, but his eyes were always dark and troubled when Fox was mentioned. With a gentle start, she realized what Eben had said was true. The more she used her senses, the more natural it became to draw knowledge, energy and power with them. She had sensed Cullen’s thoughts and troubles. She also knew confronting him about it would humiliate him.

Instead she looked at the old oak tree that marked the border of the meadow between the top of the town and her cottage. The branches were all but still, only occasionally moving in the breeze.

She concentrated on them, caressing the leaves with her eyes, flexing her emotional response to this beautiful part of the natural world—part of her world, as it had been part of her grandmother’s too.

The breeze lifted and floated through the branches.

The branches shivered as if in delight, then flexed reaching out toward her like a mother reaching out for her child, as if returning her greeting.

Awestruck, she stared up at the beautiful old tree as they walked past. It was just as Eben had described. Nature responded. The branches grew longer, tendrils of foliage unfurling, reaching out and touching them reverently as they passed. Several leaves drifted free of its branches and floated down toward them. They landed in her hair, like a crown, and she laughed in delight.

Cullen put down his packages, his expression one of awe. “You truly are part of the fey world,” he whispered. “I wish I could commission a portrait of you looking just that way, nature’s princess.”

Sunny searched his face and realized he knew what she’d just done. He wasn’t afraid. He accepted it as part of her, and that was so important. “We’ll take a photo when we get home, I’ll show you how.”

Still he looked at her. “Will you vanish into the wilds,” he whispered, “like a fey creature?”

She shook her head, reached out and cupped his chiseled jaw. “I’m part of your world as you’re part of mine.”

He nodded, then glanced beyond her at the horizon. “The clouds are coming in. We better get back.”

Sunny didn’t comment.

Instead she walked quickly by his side and turned her face away, looking instead at the clouds scuttling on the horizon, and for the first time she saw them for what they were—not only an incoming storm, but a powerful forewarning from nature, signaling trouble ahead.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

When Willow’s bright yellow Mini parked in front of the cottage the following morning, Sunny did a double take.

“What is the meaning of this?” Cullen asked, standing by her side, his eyebrows lowered as he took in the sight. “There are three of them riding in the horseless carriage today. Why three?”

Sunny was wondering exactly the same thing.

Willow sat in the driving seat. Aveline and Rowena were squeezed into the back of the car. After she switched off the engine, Willow beckoned Sunny over, winding down the window on the passenger side. “I hope you’re ready to get stuck in, we have lots to do today.”

Sunny stepped over. “I take it you’re not getting out and I’m getting in?”

“Yes,” Aveline replied from the back seat, “exciting stuff today.”

Exciting, or challenging? Sunny was finding it hard keeping track of everything she was supposed to be learning. The fact it required three of them made her wonder what on earth they had in store.

“No boys allowed,” Willow added, for Cullen’s benefit.

Cullen grumbled, then kissed Sunny goodbye as if it was their last ever kiss.

Whooping and cheering emanated from the women in the car.

Rowena managed to do a wolf whistle.

Blushing, Sunny extracted herself from Cullen’s arms and climbed into the passenger seat.

Willow started the car and they hurtled off a moment later. All four women waved to Cullen, who stood by the gate with his arms folded across his chest glowering, clearly unhappy to be left behind.

“Oh dear, I think he wanted to come with us,” Willow commented, with a chuckle.