Zale snorted. “Too proud. The Meyers family isn’t a coven family, they’re incomers. Sedgwick Cove is very clannish when it comes to incomers.”
“Isn’t that kind of a cliche?” I asked. “I mean, the whole little village ‘they ain’t from here’ thing?”
“In other towns, sure, but here it’s a matter of safety,” Zale said, looking serious now.
“Sure, maybe it was three hundred years ago, but it’s not illegal to be a witch anymore,” I said. “I mean, he’s sitting back there listening to us talk about covens and stuff. What’s the big deal?”
“Maybe not illegal, no, but it can still be dangerous,” Zale said.
“How could it?—?”
“Just ask yourself this,” Zale interrupted, his expression quite serious, “Would you ever tell anyone back in Portland what happened at the lighthouse?”
The question startled me, but I thought about it for a moment before answering, truthfully, “No.”
“Why not?”
I thought again. “Because I wouldn’t want to scare them,” I said finally.
Zale nodded with grim satisfaction. “That’s right. What we can do—I mean what we canreallydo—would scare a lot of people. And scared people do bad things, sometimes. I mean, what were witch trials but sheer paranoia?
“Patriarchy and religious zealotry?” I suggested.
Zale raised an eyebrow, and I put my hands up in surrender. “Sorry, just a joke. No, you’re right. I get it. We have more reason than most to be wary of outsiders. But do you think it’s okay if I take a look anyway, if Luca’s uncle says yes? Even the tourists come to the pageant. It’s not like the pageant itself is a secret. I mean, we advertise it, don’t we?”
“Yeah, I’m sure it’s fine,” Zale said. Then he walked back to the edge of the stage, and tried unsuccessfully for several minutes to get the rest of the kids under control, until Eva tookpity on him, stuck two fingers in her mouth, and whistled loudly. Everyone froze, startled.
“Okay, can everyone just chill, please? Wren’s got some good ideas for updating the pageant, but we’ll need to work out the details. In the meantime, let’s get the parts sorted out, and decide when our first rehearsal will be.”
Zale read down a list of parts, assigning them to the kids who had shown up. Sergei and Ethan were assigned the parts of the Oak King and the Holly King, which immediately launched a secondary bout of fake fighting.
“I didn’t assign you a part because I didn’t know you were coming until this morning,” Zale said, “but you can always be one of the wood nymphs.”
I shot a look at the flower crowns made from plastic leis and shook my head. “It’s fine. I’m much happier behind the scenes. How about I be your production manager?”
“I… don’t know what that is,” Zale admitted.
“It means you just focus on getting the actors into character. I’ll handle the other details, okay?”
Zale grinned. “You’re hired. I mean, not actually hired, because I can’t pay you, but?—”
“I know, I know. Don’t worry, I’m volunteering my services,” I said.
“Great!” Zale launched himself at me in a violent hug, and then went to hand out scripts. I put a hand on his arm.
“Since everyone agrees the script is a bit… well, ridiculous, what do you think about switching it up a bit?” I asked him.
“You mean like, rewrite it? I’m really not good at that kind of stuff,” Zale said.
“Hm. I’m not really either. Can I have a copy anyway, though? Then at least I can read it and see if anything comes to me,” I said, and he happily handed over to me the entire stackof scripts. Then he set the rehearsal for the next evening, and finally let everyone go.
“See you tomorrow,” Luca said, as I passed him to start my ride home. I decided the safest response was just to nod.
As I pedaled along the shore road, my mind was spinning with everything I’d learned about the Litha pageant. If we were counting on that pathetic box of costumes and the theatrical talents of Ethan and Sergei to pull this off, we were definitely in trouble. There had to be a way to reimagine it all, to bring it to life. I didn’t have much confidence in my magic, despite what all the other kids thought, but theater?ThatI knew like the back of my hand. My imagination came to life like a movie, as I envisioned an epic battle that would enthrall the watching audience, and make the Midsummer Festival the most memorable of all time. I was so engrossed that I almost sped right past the gate of Lightkeep Cottage.
Inside, my mom and Rhi were sitting on the floor in the living room going through some boxes.
“Hi baby,” my mom said as I walked in.
