Cuckoo in the Coven

She was level with Willow and Rowena again and she let go of their hands, and wrapped her arms around their shoulders instead. She nodded, and felt Aveline whisked away from beneath them.

Willow grinned. “There, you have it. You want to try it alone, and we’ll stand beneath you?”

Sunny looked back at the horizon, imagining Cullen standing there, perhaps locked in an eternity upon that hell bound vessel she’d seen so clearly. It was her gift that made her see it, her gift saved him. I have to do this, she told herself.

She looked at the other women, and nodded. They freed her, tentatively letting her step across the clouds. She moved across the empty space, turning back to her friends, she imagining Cullen at her back and felt strong and invincible. She risked a glance to her side and saw the town in the bay below.

She stared at the tiny houses, squinting in order to look north, to pick out her grandma’s cottage. She saw it beyond the meadows, the familiar color of the thatch and the shape of the orchard beyond.

“I can see my house from here,” she said, laughing with delight.

It was then she noticed something she’d never noticed before—the shape of the orchard against the landscape. From here, it looked like an ankh, the stone marking the circle of the orchard forming the shape of the loop.

When she looked back at her companions, Willow was sitting cross-legged, mid air, watching her with a smile on her face. Aveline and Rowena were sitting on the edge of the cliff, their legs dangling.

“What do you think?” Willow asked the other two.

Rowena nodded. “She’s getting there.”

“Yeah, she could probably survive the ducking stool now,” Aveline replied, deadpan, and then gave one of her naughty smiles.

“You guys,” Sunny said, as she marched back toward them, as sure as if she were walking down the cobbles on Main Street in Raven’s Landing.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Sunny cursed as she darted around the house, pulling things into shape for the impending visitors. Her family were due to arrive at any moment. She wasn’t anywhere near ready. How on earth would they get through this? A mere three weeks ago, her biggest worry had been her parents’ critical words about her recent life choices. Now there was the sudden presence of a rather compelling but mysterious man in her life to explain.

The house was currently a jumble of her grandma’s belongings and her own stuff from her flat in London, much of which was still in boxes. One day, it’d be perfect. The dining room was just about in shape to seat everyone for a meal, but several unpacked boxes were still stacked by the Welsh dresser, and she wanted them out of the way. Pulling the top box open, she cursed at her disorganized packing. Reaching inside, she pulled out a hairbrush. “I’ve been looking for you since I moved here.”

She’d had to buy another. She rolled her eyes, rested it on the dresser and rooted about inside. It looked as if she’d just emptied a drawer into the box when she’d packed to move down here. She hauled an armful of stuff out, smiling wryly at familiar old magazines, a bottle of moisturizer, two half-read novels, a couple of sex toys and a cuddly toy. It was mostly bedroom junk. With any luck, she could get it upstairs before they arrived.

“All this talk of family,” Cullen said behind her, “has put a thought in my mind.”

Sunny clutched the various items to her chest as she turned to respond. “You’re not going to head for the hills, are you? I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

“I have no such intention.” He chuckled. “It reminded me I wish to go to Hollingswell Hall. You said my family home still exists in this time, and I would like to visit.” He paused, and his eyelids lowered. “Before the, er...trouble that lies ahead.”

“That would be lovely. We must do it.” The idea was appealing, and she’d have gone there in a shot right now, if it hadn’t been for the impending visitors.

“We must,” Cullen agreed. “There’s something specific I would like to find, something I would like to give you.”

Sunny was about to point out he couldn’t give her anything from Hollingswell Hall, which now belonged to someone else, when he wandered over to the calendar and stared at it, as he often did.

She moved closer, just in time to catch him frowning at the red cross she’d put on the thirtieth day.

He prodded the date with his finger.

“Not long now,” she commented awkwardly, feeling it better not to ignore it right at this moment.

“When I catch sight of that blackguard,” he muttered.

She sighed. “When you catch sight of him, I do hope you’ll be strong and support me in negotiating, nothing more.”

He turned to face her, glowering silently.

“Cullen,” she warned. The last thing she needed was a row when her parents were due.

He lifted his hands. “‘Tis in my nature to feel this way, I cannot help it.”