Leading them onto the porch, I pointed toward the tree line.
“Wow,” Heather said, awestruck. Murmurs of a similar sentiment echoed all around.
Hazel had gone all out, curating four separate scenes. There was a cream tufted chaise nestled against the pines; a pile of autumn leaves in vibrant crimsons, mustards, and orange; a hexagon-shaped wedding arch with crystals dangling from its top at varying lengths; and a flannel blanket with a beautiful spread of white candles and fall treats.
Ivy came up next to me, running her hands over the deep-blue material hugging her hips. “This is stunning.”
“Who wants to go first?” Hazel called out. About five different hands shot toward the sky.
My sister swung her gaze over to me, eyebrows raised as if waiting for me to make the final call. Scanning the group, I knew instantly who I wanted to shine first. One who hadn’t raised her hand. “Heather, why don’t you kick us off?”
“Me?” Her eyes went wide as her arms crossed over the pleated black babydoll with large crescents embellishing the otherwise sheer bra cups. “Really?”
“Yes. Look, you didn’t have six kids in eight years from being shy, so get on out there and have fun.”
There were some hoots in agreement from the rest of the group, and she smiled, a slight tinge of crimson staining her cheeks. Of the Blessed Crescent group, she didn’t seem to really be into the gossip or pomp. She was probably too busy for it.
“We are all gonna cheer you on.” Jade ushered her forward.
“Hazel is an amazing photographer.” I waved the rest of the group over to the outdoor seating area. “You’re in great hands.”
Heather hesitated a moment before heading toward Hazel, whispering with her a few moments as my sister looked at the camera, making some adjustments to the settings and taking some test shots. Photography had become a hobby of hers over the years, and she’d helped me so many times with Full Moon Emporium by taking pictures for the shop.
“Come right over here. I want you to lie on these leaves,” Hazel said, pointing to the autumnal pile. Then she floated the camera above, using its twin enchanted lens that was clasped in her hand to change its positioning. Heather followed her instructions, lying back onto the lush maple leaves and brushing off a few stray ones that had clung to the bottom of the babydoll’s skirt. “Good girl. Now bring this arm up and let it rest above your head; the other one I want you to trace along the lace near your hips.”
She seemed to have everything handled. I shuffled inside the house to grab some waters and snacks for the group while they waited, listening to them whisper.
“Hazel really should watch how she saysgood girlor she’ll end up invited to join every couple and singleton the next full moon,” Jade teased.
“I call dibs.”
“Better beware, I heard the last person that crossed Aurora ended up dead.”
“True,” Cordelia’s voice filtered to me. “But she’s not here. That means full moon invites are fair game.”
“Alright, Ivy, you’re next,” my sister’s voice called out as I hurried into the kitchen. I didn’t know how I felt about them talking about Hazel that way. And how would inviting her to the pines be crossing Aurora?
The sinking feeling in my gut was trying to tell me something, but I refused to acknowledge it. If Hazel had something to say about Aurora, she would have told me.
Wouldn’t she?
Though she was very adamant that Aurora couldn’t have killed Acacia… Could she have been defending her because they were somehow involved? Did the guys know this? And if they didn’t…was it important to the case somehow? Should I tell them?
No.This was all just neighborhood gossip I’d ask Hazel about later. We’d probably laugh about it.
Dropping the waters and snacks off at the table, I went to watch Hazel in action when Jade called me over. “Will we see them before they’re put on display?”
“Yes. We will send out the best of the bunch in a few days and let you each pick which photo you want displayed at the masquerade.”
“I’m so excited to see the finished product.” Cordelia’s words filtered out, her gaze locked on Ivy who was owning her shoot in front of the hexagon and its hanging crystals. A small flame was ignited in her palms, held near her breasts. Hazel was capturing the witches up close and far away through the camera lens.
“I can’t wait for my husband to see these,” Jade said. Then she scanned me over, her lips downturned. “Are you going to model?”
“I am.” I chuckled, gesturing at my oversized sweater and leggings. I definitely was overdressed in comparison to everyone around me clad in next to nothing. At least the outdoor heating pods were turned on, the home system sensing the lowering body temperatures. The last thing that felt sexy was the cold wind whipping at your sensitive witchy bits. “Later tonight, once everyone else has gone and Aspen is down.”
“I have to ask…” Laurel started, eyeing me curiously. “What’s going on with you and Archon Thorne now that he’s moving here?”
My whole body froze. But as soon as I realized, I shook it off, replacing the reaction with a pleasant smile, repeating the line I’d rehearsed to myself only a thousand times since he’d told me he was coming to Celestial Haven. “He moved here to be closer to his son. That’s really all there is to it.”
