“Not so much to give them a heart attack, I hope.” I opened one at random.“The muscles on his bare arms rippled as he swung her off the horse. His bronzed chest glistened in the setting sun.”I agreed with her judgement as I closed the book.
“I hope your afternoon was equally successful,” she said. “Young Noah came in, with Brad. He seemed disappointed to miss Cosmo,but he gave me this for you.” She opened the notebook I kept on the counter, next to the computer, and took out a hand drawn card.
It showed a small dog and a black cat, with a joint speech bubble over their heads.“We’re best friends now.”
Underneath the animals, Noah had written the names Ollie and Cosmo. He’d signed it at the bottom,For Bex and Cosmo.
I smiled down at it.
“How is Cosmo?” she asked with palpable concern.
I made a snap decision.
“Why don’t you come upstairs and see for yourself? We had no time for a real conversation earlier.” I crossed my fingers. With any luck, she’d be able to clarify why Aunt Violet had kept her friend’s abilities from Cosmo – and if Ms. Vine was aware of who Cosmo really was.
He lounged listlessly on the sofa.
“I’m back, Cosmo,” I said, softly.
His ears twitched. That was the only reaction.
“I’ve never seen him like this,” Ms. Vine worried.
I picked up a soft ball Cosmo loved chasing around when he was in a playful mood. It had been one that my aunt had bought for him. Now it lay in a dusty corner, which I’d neglected to clean.
He stayed limp when I put the ball next to him and stroked his back.
“Would you like a cup of tea?” I asked my guest.
“Lovely. An ordinary one, please.”
Right, I’d established that she knew about the enhanced versions.
She followed me into the kitchen. I left the door to the living room with Cosmo in it open, so he could eavesdrop if he wished.
“You said you’re a conduit. What does that mean?” I reminded her while I prepared a pot of lemon verbena and ginger tea and added a handful of chocolate chip and pecan cookies to the tray.
I carried it through to the living room. Cosmo hadn’t changed position at all.
“It was my task to amplify your aunt’s protective spells. I’ve been doing my part almost as long as she did.”
“Is that another inherited thing?”
“No. My predecessor selected me as the one most suitable for the task. She said I had the necessary strength of mind, but what really set me apart was the existing connection to Willowmere’s new guardian. Violet and I had been friends since we were teenagers. She was a few years older than me, but we bonded over our love for books, andThe Carpenters.”
“My aunt used to sing along whenever their music was on the radio.”
“We were heartbroken when Karen Carpenter passed away.”
I stirred a spoonful of sugar into my tea and sipped it. “I assume you knew straight away that I’d been the one who took over the mantle.”
“We’d both hoped it would be you, one day. Only, that day came much too soon.” Her shoulders sagged. Suddenly, the unflappable, smart woman in the sparkling outfit who intimidated the strongest men with a withering glance, appeared old and tired.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I could have done with your help, to boost my powers and to teach me.”
Cosmo’s whiskers twitched and he shifted his position a little, a sign he was listening as intently as I was.
“That’s exactly why your aunt didn’t want her successor to know.”
