“It’s a clue,” Fig says, then makes a noise that would be normal from a phone and is very strange from a bird. “I bet Nonna knows.”
“It might just be a coincidence,” I hedge.
Posey glares at me. “The same rune you saw tonight is in Grandma’s scrapbook on a napkin with a recipe that says “whenthe tide turns” after weird things have been happening all day is just a coincidence?”
“Even if it is a coincidence, Nonna might be able to help.”
“Nonna has been yelling at me for breaking up with Caleb for literal years.” It bursts out of me, surprising us all into a silence punctuated by the too-hot fireplace popping.
“Aha,” Posey says, unblinking. Oatmeal does the same, rubbing her tiny soft paws together like an adorable cartoon villain.
“That’s probably a coincidence too,” I grouse, not at all meaning it.
“What if it’s not?” Rose says, voice speculative. “What if… whatever is going on has something to do with Caleb? With Watchmere Light? With whatever magic Grandma always said was rooted here in Silverlight Shore.” Rose shifts, mouth twisting while she thinks. “A ward rune… that’s protective, right?” She glances sidelong at Posey, because that’s her specialty.
“It is… But why would the light need warding?” They both look slowly over at me. “And what the hell did you see in the bay tonight?”
I don’t know what I saw, so I just shake my head. “Something. And it might be something that needs warding against, too.”
“So we go to Nonna’s,” Rose announces in a no-nonsense voice. “We follow up on this, and we see about calling Grandma and see if she can give us some details. I might not have the same kind of helpful magic as you to, but if I can help, I will.”
I wrap my arm around her slim shoulders and squeeze.
“I’ll figure it out,” I promise her.
Rose’s chin juts up, and she narrows her eyes at me. “No. We’ll figure it out together.”
I refill our tea instead of answering.
For once, I’m completely sure I don’t have any answers.
Ten
The online ordering for Sugar & Salt is starting to make my eyes cross by the time Rose and Posey stomp through the front door, the bell jangling over their heads to announce their entrance.
“Close it down,” Rose announces, twirling a finger to encompass the whole store. “It’s lunch time.”
I glance up just long enough to glare at her. The counter’s covered in boxes, all nearly assembled and now ready to be packed with the various and sundry orders that somehow appeared overnight.
A wonderful problem to have, but work to be done nonetheless.
“I need to ship these out as soon as I can.” Why did everyone order rush? Why did I not take down the rush order option? Who let me be in charge of my business? Who let me be in charge of anything at all.
“You are literally shaking,” Rose observes.
“You are coming with us.” Posey crosses her arms over her chest, menacing despite her small size. Oatmeal pops her pink nose out of her chest pocket and copies her look. “You obviously need food. Not sugar, real food.”
“Nonna’s gonna yell at me about Caleb.” It comes out a near caterwaul of despair, and Gunner, who I thought was sleeping in the back, pushes his forehead against my calf.
“She’s going to feed you carbs and cheese. If she says anything rude, we get more bread and use that as an emotional seawall.” Posey mimes bricking up a wall, and Rose slathers some imaginary mortar — or butter —on the wall as they continue to stare me down.
“But the orders?—”
Rose looks up from her phone. “I canceled all my lessons for tonight. Okay, two lessons. And they are the Delucco twins. They have strep throat. Anyway—” she clears her throat. “I will help you box up your orders tonight, for the small fee of candy.”
“I closed my shop for the day too,” Posey chimes in. “I will also accept candy as payment.”
I press my gloved hands against the countertop, feeling a sudden urge to cry well up out of nowhere. “What do you all think is going on?”
