“Even after you leave?”
The question caught her off guard. Who would be in charge after she was gone? What if they didn’t care about Harmony Glen, or Finn?
I could transfer here.
“I’ll make sure Finn, the lake, and everyone are protected.”
Phineas smiled, but his usual bright smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m glad. Sometimes I find it hard to trust humans.”
“I’ve heard. And I’m sorry about that. You’re safe with me though.”
He nodded. “I know. I’d like to go to school. I’d like to go to college for aquatic horticulture and business, or something like that.”
“That sounds really good.”
Phineas shrugged. “It’s just outside…you know what happened to my parents?”
“I do. I wish I could say the outside world was a safe place. It mostly is.” She pulled onto a long gravel drive that wound its way through a marshy yet forested area. At the end was a wooden house built up on stilts. Like something out of a bayou. The roof was alive with plants and there were flowers blooming. Even the swamp around it had big beautiful water lilies blooming.
Was every place in Harmony Glen cute?
“Thanks for the ride, Margaid. So tomorrow you’re out on the boat?”
“Yes. Finn’s taking me to Sandbar Island. Do you want to meet us there in the afternoon?”
Phineas perked up. “Yep. I’ll swim out there and meet you. Later!”
She waited as he got out of the truck and bounded up to his house before turning around and driving back to Harmony Glen. Phineas had been such a big help to her. She could see why he was so well liked around these parts. As she was driving back, there was a ghoul walking along the side of the road, slowly. It was Magnus. She found it strange he wasn’t floating. He looked a bit gray, not his usual pale self.
Slowing, she rolled down the window. “Hey, Magnus.”
“Oh. Hey,” he said, quietly. He looked down, which was weird.
“You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” It was a dumb joke for someone trying to open a Dead and Breakfast and who had the qualities of a ghost. He stopped dead in his tracks and crossed his arms, looking unimpressed.
“Sorry,” she said. “Bad joke. Do you need a lift?”
“Thanks. I could use one. I had a date from hell.”
“Literally?”
“Close to it,” Magnus mumbled as he climbed into her truck.
Margaid pulled back out on the road. “Thought you and Sven could appear anywhere?”
“Only in Harmony Glen. Just walking dead when I leave the confines of Harmony Glen,” he sighed.
“How so?”
“We can leave for a short time, but if we don’t get back, we kind of rot.”
Margaid made a face. “You’re not going to drop body parts in my truck, are you?”
“No.” Magnus frowned. “Ever hear of a revenge date?”
“No. I can’t say that I have.”
“Me neither, until now,” he groused. “Serves me right.”
