Omens (Cainsville 1)

The Walshes would help with that--Rose and Gabriel both--even if they had no idea what exactly they were doing. It came naturally, this recognition of similitude--the instinct to spread wings of protection around one another. And the girl, Veronica feared, would need it.

Chapter Forty-eight

When we turned onto Rowan, the moon slid from behind the clouds and illuminated a strangely perfect circle of glowing white mushrooms.

Rose quoted, "And I serve the fairy queen, to dew her orbs upon the green."

"Midsummer Night's Dream again?"

"Of course." She walked over to the mushrooms. "If it's fairies, it must be Shakespeare. And that"--she pointed--"is a fairy circle."

"Ah." I followed, dew dampening my sneakers.

"You have no idea what a fairy circle is, do you?" She sighed. "Which is shocking for a changeling child."

"What?"

She laughed as she bent beside the mushrooms. "You know what that is, then."

"Sure. It's a fairy child left in place of a human one. I stumbled across the Bridget Cleary story in a high school law class."

Rose recited, "Are you a witch, or are you a fairy, or are you the wife of Michael Cleary?"

"Her husband burned her to death and was found guilty of manslaughter, not murder, because he claimed she was a changeling."

"And you cannot murder a nonhuman." Rose smiled. "The much-underutilized fairy defense. One that would impress even my nephew."

"So now you're saying that I'm a changeling?"

"Metaphorically speaking, of course. A child stolen from her parents and snuck off to others, who raise her unaware of her true heritage."

Tricked by malicious fairy folk. I wondered what my mother--Lena--would think of that. Was it how she felt?

"Olivia?"

"Sorry." I snapped out of it and nodded at the mushrooms. "What's the story with these?"

"They're considered the dancing place of the fair folk. If you see them, you must hurry on. Do them any harm and you are doomed to misfortune and early death. Dance with them and you'll dance forever, trapped in their circle."

I crouched to look more closely. "There must be a natural explanation for the growth formations."

"Don't be dull, Olivia. There is no graver sin." She began walking again. "Now come. We're having tea, and you're going to tell me what you found in your room."

I looked up sharply.

"Did I mention I have the second sight?" she said.

"No, Grace told you I thought someone broke into my place."

"Perhaps, but how would that explain knowing that something was left in your room?"

"Inference. Or firsthand knowledge."

"You mean I put it there?" Rose laughed. "That would be a trick indeed, considering Grace won't let me set foot on her property. The old bat hates me."

She resumed walking, long strides consuming the sidewalk.

I caught up. "I thought you were friends. I know you gossip."