In Moonlight - Ch 27 - The Death of Genevieve Villareal

"She never came home," Uncle Hugo repeated softly.

Sitting on his couch, Genie could see her uncle's palpable grief. Even nearly thirty years later, the loss of his mother still haunted him. His mother, Genie's grandmother. Genevieve Villareal. The woman Genie's own mother had never spoken of, but who she'd named Genie after. The reason, Genie realized, her mother insisted on calling her Genevieve.

"What happened?" she prompted gently.

"I... don't really know," Hugo sighed. 

"After her fight with Luna, she left with your grand-père Jacques for a Halloween ball," Hugo continued. "It was a masquerade, one of those gaudy society things full of aristos, politicians, business people... the rich, the powerful and the beautiful. I think one of the things Luna was so angry about was that she'd planned on going. It was the kind of thing she and your grandmother did together. 

"This one was hosted by Baron Charm... the old Baron Charm I mean. Baron Augustus Charm IV. My mother drilled the names and titles of the nobility into my head," he added with a wry smile.

"Anyway, she... died... at the party," he sighed, his voice suddenly heavy with grief. "She had gone out into the garden at Stoneridge House. When my father found her she was... just... gone. Just gone. She was healthy. She wasn't even forty... but she just... died."

"No one knows what happened?" Genie asked.

"There is no official explanation," Hugo said grimly. "There were plenty of theories, mostly rumors and gossip. There was a police investigation, of course, and it brought all my father's organized crime connections out in the open. The press latched onto the idea that he was responsible. That he'd poisoned her for her fortune... except, my grandfather had tied everything up in trusts, so he couldn't touch the money. In the end, the police couldn't prove anything. No one could even figure out how she died. There was no sign of poison or injury. She was just dead."

Something in Hugo's eyes made Genie ask, "What happened?"

"It was a few days after," Hugo said. "I overheard my father talking with one of his... associates."

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"They killed her!" Jacques snarled. "There's no other explanation. The fucking autopsy says she was in perfect health... apart from being dead. Who else could it be?"

"Yes, you're right, my lad. There can be no doubt, the Council killed her," Count Vladislaus Straud IV said softly. "But now is not the time for careless action."

"They killed my wife!" Jacques shouted, tears shining in his eyes. "Now is the time to rip their hearts out! Like they've done to me!"

"This is what they want, Jacques," Count Straud insisted, his voice strangely full of compassion. "To provoke you into acting without thinking. They will pay for this, I promise you... but you need to trust me. You need to be patient."

-----------------------

"I don't know who they were talking about," Hugo said. "I never wanted anything to do with my father's world, and after that... I blame him for your grandmother's death, Genie. He didn't kill her, but it's obvious some underworld rival killed her to get at him."

Genie said nothing. The horrified look she shared with Jenny said enough. Her grand-père had been talking to Count Straud, a master vampire of the Dark Court, and Straud had blamed her grandmother's murder on the Witches' Council. Her grandmother was another casualty of their shadow war. It all comes back to the damn war, Genie thought.

"Anyway, I'd had enough," Hugo continued. "I'm sorry to say I walked out. I didn't want to have anything to do with my father or with the Villareal family. I know I should have stayed... for Luna and for Max... but I didn't. I'll aways regret that."

"Looking back, I understand now that we all reacted very badly to my mother's death. 

"Like I said, I left. I moved out, finished school and went to culinary school. I tried to keep in touch with Luna and Max but honestly, I didn't do a good job of it. Our father, I realize now, just checked out too, in his own way. At the time, I just saw him throwing himself into his crooked deals and criminal syndicates. Max was pretty much left to run wild. I didn't find out until much later, but I guess that this was about when he started his little gang, terrorizing Bath de Rill. At the time, I thought Luna was the one who handled it best of all of us. I realize now, I got that completely wrong too. Hindsight is a bitch."

"You see, Luna just stepped up. Fifteen years old and she took over running the house. She managed the servants. She handled the household accounts and paid the bills. She even tried to make sure Max went to school, though I'm pretty sure he out-maneuvered her on that one. I didn't know it at the time, but she was the one who made all the arrangements for our mother's funeral. All while keeping up with her own studies.

"She stopped being my goofy, annoying little sister. She stopped playing games with Max and she sold off her Voidcritter collection. She cut herself off from the few friends her age that she had. Instead, she threw herself completely into being the Lady VonWindenburg - quiet, polite, presentable, and always camera ready. I never saw her shed a tear or lose her cool. No matter what happened, she just put on a polite smile and carried on.

"I probably should have known she was screaming inside, but I was too busy with my own screaming to notice."

"God," Genie shuddered. "She never came back from it, did she?"

"I think that's the worst part," Hugo replied. "There were a few years there when she did.

"When she was eighteen, she went off to Britechester, to attend university. I don't know if it was her idea or our father's, but it was what she'd said she wanted. After all, I had gotten my culinary training and refused to claim the VonWindenburg title. So, Luna went after her Economics degree, planning to get a seat on the Bank board and really claim the role, if not the title, of Lady VonWindenburg. 

"I don't think she expected to meet someone, much less someone like Gwen Silveroak."

"I don't think there is anyone else like Gwen," Jenny said with a little smile.

"She never did tell me me how they met," Hugo continued. "But somehow they just clicked. Gwen had recently lost her mother as well, and I think they bonded over that. Gwen introduced your mother to Cassie Goth and to your father, Rohan. Through their first two years at University, they were inseparable." 

"So I've heard," Genie groaned. 

"I don't want to go there," Hugo chuckled. "Let's just say they were all very close. I saw them all a few times, during those years, usually around the holidays. Luna was... happy. She was my goofy little sister again. It was like Gwen brought back something fun and playful inside her, and Cassie and Rohan encouraged and supported them both.

"Unfortunately, something changed in their last year. Their little group just fell apart. Cassie and Gwen went their separate ways. Rohan stayed with Luna... but when I saw her after graduation, she'd shut down inside. She was the Lady VonWindenburg again, through and through. She started working at the Bank. She and Rohan got married."

"Why did they get married?" Genie asked. "I mean... they don't even like each other."

"I think Rohan loves your mother, Genie," Hugo said gently, "and I think she genuinely cares about him too. Their marriage... I don't really know Genie. We haven't had a real, honest conversation for years... and the closest to one that we did have..."

"What?" Genie prompted.

"It was a little after they'd gotten married," Hugo said. "I ran into your mother at a nightclub, of all places... 

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"Everyone, raise a glass," Luna shouted over the music. "To the late Baron Augustus Charm IV... may the smug bastard rot in Hell!"

"Luna, what the hell," Hugo said, pulling her aside.

"Hugo," Luna grinned drunkenly. "It's my big brother Hugo! Did you hear? Did you? 'Ding dong, the witch is dead!'"

"Yeah, I heard," Hugo nodded. The news had chilled him to the bone. "He died in his garden, during a dinner party. Just like..."

"He deserved it!" Luna spat, her eyes suddenly wild and shining with unshed tears. "He got exactly what he deserved... "

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"I almost think I could have gotten her to talk," Hugo sighed. "To really talk about your grandmother, that night, but she ran off. She's never let her guard down like that around me since."

Genie searched her uncle's face, looking for the elusive horror, the unspoken fear, that had flashed in his eyes and vanished a moment ago. She refused to meet Jenny's eyes. Refused to see the suspicion she knew was in her friend's eyes. That she knew was in her own.

"I'm sorry, Genie," Hugo sighed again. "I don't know if any of that was helpful at all."

"It was," Genie nodded, shocked. "I... I think I understand now. At least a little..."

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Special thanks to OrangeYams who created for me the custom pose of Jacques holding Genevieve in this chapter's second picture. - L

In Moonlight - Ch 26 - Uncle Hugo

"You should have told me your Uncle Hugo was Chef Hugo," Jenny said as they approached his house. "Chef Hugo! From Hugo's Haute Cuisine. He's a legend."

A legend who had made Genie wait two days before finally agreeing to talk. She supposed it had been unreasonable to just show up at his eponymous restaurant, Hugo's, just before lunch and expect the celebrity chef to drop everything. He was a busy man, after all. 

A busy man she'd only really seen during political events, galas and charity fundraisers her parents hosted. A busy man who Genie thought of so rarely, he'd genuinely slipped her mind.

At least, after two days, Uncle Hugo had finally agreed to talk. 

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It had been a long two days. 

Two days spent avoiding her mother, which was fortunately easy to do. The estate was large. Her mother was often away and, after all, Genie had years of practice.

Avoiding Kassidy, however, had been impossible in the end. Especially after Jenny had gently pointed out that Genie had been trying to avoid her little sister. 

Genie had wanted to say she'd just been busy. She was working on a draft article for her editor. She had to go through her notes and her mother's records about Crossing, trying to come up with something that somehow presented enough facts to tell the story, while leaving out details too unbelievable to print (or too difficult to face). She wanted to insist that she hadn't really been avoiding Kassidy. 

Mariah had always told her that the best lies were true.

In the end, she'd faced up to it. She couldn't avoid her sister any more. 

So, she'd sat down with Kassidy and told her at least some of the truth. It was enough to say that Shannon had, in fact, been killed as part of a conspiracy tied to the land deal they had been protesting.  Much like her article, Genie had left out the parts about witches, werewolves, vampires and aliens. She'd also left out the part about their mother's involvement... about how Kassidy's own mother had ruthlessly suggested her friend's death. 

Genie had, at least, admitted to Kassidy that there was more to the story. Things she wasn't ready to share yet. She just needed to dig a little deeper, to find out a little more, to really understand what had happened and, most importantly, why. 

The best lies were true.

Kassidy's shock and anger helped Genie remember why she'd started this. Why she needed to find the whole truth, for both of their sakes.

-----------------------------

Genie's cousin, Jon, answered the door of Uncle Hugo's modern-style house, which sat on the beach on the other side of Crumbling Isle from the sprawling Von Windenburg estate. Genie was certain she'd met Jon before, probably at some family function, but she mostly knew him as the co-host of Hugo's Haute Cuisine, where he played the part of 'everyman' to his father's gourmet.

"Hi, Genie, right? Welcome to..." the young man said, his eyes going wide and his dreadlocks swinging as he saw Jenny and made an almost comic doubletake. "Oh my God. Babette!? You're Babette from the Urbz. I mean, you're..."

"Jenny Poole," Jenny said with her brilliant 'for the fans' smile. "You must be Jon."

"Stop flirting," Genie muttered, though she recognized that she may as well be talking to herself. 

"They never should have killed you," Jon said.

"Hey dad, Genie's here!" Jon yelled as he led them into the house.

"Thank you for making sure the entire island knew that," Hugo Villareal sighed. The neatly dressed man, whose round face was synonymous with fine dining for countless television viewers, gave his son a long-suffering look.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going to go check on the script for the next show," Jon said. "Leave you guys to talk. Amazing meeting you, Jenny, and good seeing you too, Genie. Call me. We'll catch up later."

"Um, sure Jon," Genie said, a little thrown by her cousin's everyday casual manner. She reminded herself that most people weren't spending their week dealing with murderous conspiracies. Jon probably had no idea that his Aunt Luna and Uncle Max were involved with organized crime. He certainly had no reason to believe they were involved in a secret war between witches, vampires and aliens, at the cost of who knew how many lives. He had no reason to doubt himself. Some people had all the luck.

"Please, sit down, both of you," Hugo said, gesturing toward a couch. "I'm sorry, I'm not being a very good host. I'm still a little thrown by all of this. Can I get you anything? Something to drink? Or eat?"

"No, thank you. We're fine," Genie said quickly. She caught Jenny's brief look of disappointment, but she really felt that her uncle's famous canapes would just be a distraction.

"Alright." Hugo nodded politely, taking a seat between them. "Your message said you wanted to talk about your mother and your grandmother."

"I do," Genie said seriously. "You know... Do you know? That my mom is involved with some..."

"Questionable people. Questionable things," Hugo sighed. "Yes. I'm sorry to say she followed in your grand-père's footsteps after I rejected that particular inheritance. I know enough to have read between the lines in your articles about the fall of Alto family a couple of months ago."

"I need to understand why she's doing this," Genie said, willing herself to use her 'interview' voice. "Why she's like this. Someone told me that I needed to understand her relationship with Genevieve, with her mother, and that I should ask you."

"That someone would be Gwen Silveroak, I assume," Hugo said. "Yeah, that shocked look on your face is nothing to how shocked I was when she called me, a little after your articles came out. Called to remind me that she had told me we would need to have this conversation... to remind me that she told me more than twenty years ago, just after you were born. Naturally I'd forgotten all about it until she said something."

"She's kind of like that," Jenny said. "We're both friends with her daughter, Miranda," she added, which at least explained how they were familiar with Gwen's uncanny prescience, Genie supposed. 

"Cassie Goth's daughter. We really are coming full circle," Hugo mused, half to himself. "I have to tell you, some of this... it's hard. It's things I haven't talked about in years."

"Please," Genie pleaded. "I need to understand. I don't even know what I should be asking. Gwen said I needed to understand her relationship with Genevieve, but I don't know anything about her. I didn't... I didn't even realize I had her name. Please, what can you tell me about my grandmother?"

"Where do I even start?" Hugo mused. Genie could see old sorrow and regret rising in her uncle's eyes. The warm, round face that made gourmet food accessible for countless viewers fell into a look of grief and pain that had never fully healed. "You know, it's been nearly thirty years, but I still think about her. Especially at this time of year, near Halloween. Near when she... Well, the anniversaries always hit me. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

"Your grandmother was a lot of different things, to different people. I think what most people saw was the Lady Von Windenburg. The head of one of the wealthiest and most influential noble families in Windslar. The face of the Von Windenburg Bank.

"We certainly got our share of that side of her, Luna, Max and me," he continued. "She was very clear about what was expected of each of us, as members of the Von Windenburg family. In public we were to be quiet, be polite, be presentable and, of course, always be camera ready. We were never to show the public what we might actually be feeling, no matter what that might be. Just put on a polite smile and carry on."

Genie shuddered, hearing her own mother's expectations echoing from another generation - be quiet ("this is a very important meeting, Genevieve"), be polite ("he is a very important donor, Genevieve"), be pretty ("you have to do something about your hair, Genevieve"), sit still for the cameras ("this is for your father's campaign, Genevieve"), paste on a false smile ("You mustn't be so emotional, Genevieve") and carry on ("You must be strong, Genevieve"). 

"It was difficult, for me especially because I was the eldest child. The heir," Hugo said ruefully. "It was expected that I would follow in my family's traditions. I had other plans. We had more than a few arguments about that but, looking back, maybe not as many as you'd expect. 

"You see, in private, my mother showed us a different face. She understood that being a Von Windenburg was demanding. She always said that we each had to find a balance between our obligations to the family and our obligations to ourselves. 

"In my case, it was absolutely expected that I would become the Baron Von Windenburg, taking our family's seat in the Upper House and on the board of the bank. Unfortunately, I couldn't care less about politics or banking. I loved food. Not just eating it, though I've always enjoyed that part," he said, giving his round belly an amused little pat. "I loved the craft of it. The art and science of really great cooking. Your grandmother tried to convince me that I could have both. She said a well-rounded gentleman could certainly be a gourmet. She encouraged me to pursue it, but as a hobby, rather than a career. Obviously, I wasn't convinced. 

"Now Luna, on the other hand, never seemed to have a problem with those family obligations. She wanted to follow in your grandmother's footsteps. She idolized her. Some of my earliest memories of your mother are of her trying to look and sound like your grandmother. Even as a teen, she'd put on a public face that was every bit the proper little Lady Von Windenburg. She could be annoying about it sometimes, but that's what little sisters do I guess.

"Still, your mother did have her softer side. My goofy little sister, who was so serious in public, still played with dolls at fifteen and could trip over her own two feet," Hugo chuckled. "She got along especially well with our little brother, Max. You know, hard as it may be to believe, back then Max was just a kid whose biggest goal in life was to collect all the rare Voidcritter cards. Luna shared Max's enthusiasm for them. I remember our father, your grand-père Jacques, would always bring them cards when he came back from his business trips."

"I'm sorry," Jenny put in suddenly, "but I have to ask. How did your mother end up with your father? I mean, how does the proper Lady Von Windenburg get married to a... I'm sorry..."

"A gangster? Trust me, I know who my father was," Hugo said wryly. "I don't know the whole story, but I do know that my mother wasn't always the proper Lady Von Windenburg. Her older brother, my Uncle Karl, was the original heir. I've heard enough to know that she was a bit of wild child during the '70s. I like to think she met Genie's grand-père at some seedy discotheque, but I'm not sure. I do know that at some point, he became friends and business partners with Genie's great-grandfather, Baron Henry."

"Then things changed," Hugo sighed, turning to Genie again. "My Uncle Karl was killed in the Tomarang Wars and your grandmother became the heiress. Shortly after that, your grandparents got married. I know your great-grandfather didn't approve, but he wasn't able to prevent it. I don't really remember your great-grandfather very well. He died when I was young, but I remember he didn't get along with your grand-père. He did do everything he could to cut your grand-père out of the family money or any involvement in the bank.

"The funny thing is, I don't think that bothered your grand-père at all," Hugo smiled. "Despite the rumors I've heard my whole life, I don't believe he married your grandmother for her money or position. I really believe they genuinely loved each other.

"Anyway, whatever his reasons were, your grand-père managed to keep his shady dealings out of the public eye, and away from all of us, in those days. Your grandmother was the public face of the family."

"But, you wanted to know about Luna," Hugo continued. "Like I said, she idolized your grandmother, and your grandmother doted on her. Luna would follow her around, attend galas and charity events with her. Luna even convinced her to take her to a few board meetings and once or twice to the Upper House. Your grandmother had to remind Luna sometimes that she was still a young woman. That she should spend some time with other teens. I guess we should always be careful what we wish for..."

"What happened?" Genie asked softly.

"It was October, 1998." The look of deep grief and pain returned to Hugo's face. "I was near the end of high school, preparing to go to university..." 

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"Hugo, we've talked about this. For you to take a position at the Bank, you need to study Economics," Genevieve said patiently.

"Maman, I've told you a hundred times, I don't want a position at the Bank," Hugo groaned. "I want my own life. Why should my entire future be decided because of who my family is?" 

"I can do it," Luna said, stepping into the room. "I mean, since Hugo really doesn't want it, I'll study Economics and work at the Bank. Then Hugo can go be a gourmet chef or whatever."

"Children, that just won't do," Genevieve sighed. "Hugo is the heir and that means..."

"Hugo doesn't want to be the heir, maman!" Luna cried.

"Hugo has obligations to the family," Genevieve said firmly, "and you have obligations of your own. You should both enjoy being young while you can, especially you, Luna, because very soon you will also have to live up to those obligations."

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"But the real blow-up happened a few days later," Hugo continued. "On Halloween. Your grandmother and grand-père were preparing to go to some big society party..."

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"Young lady, I am very disappointed in you!" Genevieve shouted. 

"But you said I should 'enjoy being young' while I could," Luna sneered. "So, I did!"

"I didn't mean that you should go to some wild, unsupervised teen party," Genevieve sighed. "I certainly didn't mean you should drink and do who knows what."

"Doing who knows what?" Luna shouted. "Do you mean smoking pot, maman? Or the other things I did! Because let me tell you, everything I did felt great. Every. Single. Thing."

"Luna Villareal!" Genevieve gasped. "That is not the way a daughter of this old and honorable noble family should behave! You presume that you could be the future Lady Von Windenburg? Let me tell you, if you behave like a common tramp that will never happen!"

"You're such a hypocrite!" Luna yelled. "I know the stuff you did when you were young! If I'm a tramp, you're a fucking whore!"

"That is enough!" Genevieve snapped. "Go to your room. We will discuss this tomorrow."

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"They never did," Hugo said, a silent tear sliding down his cheek. "My mother never came home."

In Moonlight - Ch 25 - Moonlight and Spies

"Seriously though, I need to talk to you about your wand," Etta said.

Miranda was still blushing furiously, remembering certain things she had done with Etta years ago. Things she was not going to talk to Mariah about, no matter how strangely understanding her often jealous wife was being at the moment. Really, she thought, I can forgive Etta without it meaning I want to relive the past.

"OK," Miranda said, firmly putting those memories out of her mind. "What about my wand?"

"Do you still have it? The one you had... in school? The one Jake Volkov gave you?" Etta pressed.

"Yes, I do," Miranda said. "I have it right here."

She pulled out the wand she kept tucked in the back of her pants. It was narrow length of old, dark wood, tipped with a crescent piece of crystal. As it always did, the wand felt warm in her hand, like something alive. 

"Do you know what that is?" Etta asked with something very like awe in her voice.

"The Moonwood Wand. Beth and I think it was the wand of one of the original Mooncasters. That's what Beth called them, anyway," Miranda replied. 

Miranda remembered sitting in Moonwood Mill, years ago, with her friend Beth, who was now Jake Volkov's wife, looking through old notebooks, papers and even pottery shards, trying to piece together the history of the werewolves. 

"The Circle of the Moon," she continued, tucking the wand away again. "The ancient coven of witches who became the first werewolves. Beth found a mention of the wand in an old journal and Jake was able to track it down in the tunnels under Moonwood Mill."

"You know it's not an ordinary wand, right?" Etta prompted.

"I know it's ancient and beautifully made," Miranda said, not quite willing to say how the wand felt like a part of her, a living extension of her arm, her heart and her magic. "In the end a wand is a tool, in this case an elegant tool. We use wands to guide and focus our magic, but the skill and power come from the witch. You know this."

"Gwen never told you," Etta said, half to herself.

"Well, you're talking about Gwen." Miranda rolled her eyes. "I think you can safely assume that whatever you think she should have told me, she told me in some cryptic way. Since I probably wasn't willing to look at her words in a mirror while standing on my head, you can also assume I didn't understand her. I usually don't. I kinda figure out the stuff she says later, usually right when I need to... or right after."

"OK, well, you're right. Most wands are tools, but some wands are more than that," Etta said. "Some wands are... I guess 'keys' would be the best word. In this case, the key to the power of the Moonwood."

"What are you saying?" Miranda whispered, already half knowing the answer.

"We know that the Moonwood is a magical nexus, a place of immense power," Etta explained. "But not just anyone can access it. It's as if the Moonwood itself guards that power jealously. The werewolf pack leaders, as spiritual heirs to the Circle of the Moon, can access it in their own way. It makes them stronger as werewolves. In some cases, like with Kristopher... before he left, it makes them immortal.

"I don't know what the svartalves mean do with that power," she continued, "but they're spending millions, and are willing to kill, to learn how to use it. I do know that my father wants it. That he tried to conquer the Moonwood to get access to it. I know that a witch with access to that power can do incredible things... because you have."

"I... I don't..." Miranda looked shocked.

"Miranda, at sixteen, with that wand in your hand, you defeated Count Straud, one the Elders of the Dark Court," Etta said firmly. "He might actually be the oldest and most powerful surviving vampire in the world. Defeating Straud would be hard for all three of the Sages of the Council working together... and you did it. Alone. At sixteen!"

"I... I didn't... I got lucky," Miranda stammered. "He... he thought I was down. He... he beat me, Claudette. He..." Her voice dropped into a whisper. "He killed me. He killed me."

"You... you never told me that," Etta whispered.

"Well, I got better," Miranda said, forcing lightness into her voice, a smile onto her face. Enough years had gone by now that she could pretend it was just another part of that crazy adventure from her youth. She could pretend that the nightmares didn't still haunt her sometimes.

"Of course, Gwen would have made you a resurrection potion for you," Etta nodded. Miranda knew Etta had been a gifted alchemist. She would know about that difficult and delicate potion that could keep body and soul knit together against all but the most grievous injury.

"Actually... no," Miranda said, a little surprised at that herself, now that she thought about it. "I just..."

She remember dying. Mostly, she remembered the cold and the dark... and then the bells.

Miranda, get up, the fairy she knew as Bluebell chimed. You need to stop him.

How? He's too powerful. Straud was so strong. So much stronger than she was. She couldn't resist him. He'd overpowered her, mind and body. He'd ripped into her, taken her blood, her magic. Taken everything. She had nothing left.

Use the moon's magic! Bluebell cried.

There is no moon, remember. Just clouds and snow. Only darkness and cold, swallowing her up.

The moon's magic is part of the wand, and the wand is part of you. Get up!

"The moon's magic is part of the wand," Miranda breathed, echoing the memory of the fairy's words. "and the wand is part of me."

"The power of the Moonwood," Etta nodded. "What my father has been trying, for years, to seize. What the svartalves are trying to unlock. You have it. You are the Keeper of the Moonwood Wand. You might be the first new witch of the Circle of the Moon in a thousand years. I just... I thought you needed to know that."

"Fantastic," Miranda breathed. "I've been walking around with the One Ring in my pocket for five years..."

"Not really," Etta said. "I mean, the One Ring was inherently evil. The Moonwood Wand is just..."

"Why am I attracted to wounded tough-girls who are secretly nerds," Miranda muttered to herself. "Is there anything else? Am I actually the lost heir to the throne or something?"

"Not that I know of." Etta smiled encouragingly.

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"I think that's Candice," Genie said. 

Sitting there outside the coffee shop, it occurred to Genie to wonder how many secret meetings and shady deals happened in places like this. It was perfect - public, open, easy to see if someone is listening in, lots of different ways to enter and leave, and a perfectly innocent place to meet someone.

"Looks like Candi," Jenny nodded, clearly respecting the spy's commitment to a role. "Do you think I could pull off that outfit? And, who's the hot guy?"

"You look great and you're dating Orange, remember," Genie sighed.

"I can date and still think other guys are hot," Jenny smiled.

"Jenny! I'm so glad you called!" Candi bounced and bubbled as she approached the table. "You have to tell me just everything about what you've been doing. Oh, this is Felix. I thought you just had to meet him."

"Hi," the big man said with a grin and a booming voice. "Wow, Jenny Poole... I loved you in the Urbz. It's a crime they killed you off."

"Oh, thanks," Jenny smiled back.

"Now that the theatrics are out of the way, tell me what you've got," Candice said, the bubbly bimbo dropping from her voice and attitude as she sat down.

"Hang on," Genie said, looking at the big man Candi called Felix. "I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?"

"This is Agent Light," Candice said. "I guessed that Jenny didn't mention aliens by chance, so I asked him to join us."

"So you're, what, some kind of alien expert?" Genie asked.

"Kind of... I'm an alien," Light said with his broad grin. "We prefer the term Settlers, by the way."

"Wait, you're an alien?" Jenny blinked. "But you've got..."

"Rugged good looks? Hair?" Light said, brushing his hand across his head. "Yeah. This appearance is what we call a bio-mask. It's an outward transformation we can do to better fit in. It takes practice, and growing hair isn't easy for us. Most don't bother with it, unless we're really committed to fitting in. Me, I like humans."

"So, this is what we know," Genie said. "They call it Project Crossing. A group of svartalves... or aliens, or Settlers, or whatever... is working with the Evergreen Development Corporation. They're buying up land in the Moonwood, where they plan to build some of kind of giant research facility. One of their leaders is a svartalf called Mr. Hand. He's the go-between for the svartalves and Evergreen Development. They're using local gangsters, led by our mutual friend Mr. Grey, to pressure people into selling their property to the project. My mother is also working with them, providing financing for the project. 

"When Shannon Charm got the Speak for the Trees group to protest the project, they had one of their agents - Mallory Errant - kill her," she continued. "Partly to stop the protests and partly because she was a witch. They worried she might figure out whatever it is they're really up to. They also thought her death would increase tensions between the Witches' Council and the vampire Dark Court, distracting them."

"They're using Mallory," Light sighed.

"You know her?" Jenny asked.

"In a way," Light said with a wry grin. "Mallory Errant is a clone of one of their former top agents. I worked with the original, years ago. She was brilliant. She was also a genetically enhanced hybrid, combining the best traits of human and Settler. Mallory has those same hybrid traits, along with high level covert training of her own. If she's involved in this, they've pulled out the big guns."

"Genie, do you have evidence of any of this?" Candice asked. "Something I can show to people in the Agency I trust."

"I have copies of project plans, supporting documents, financial records and emails that I downloaded from my mother's computer to support all of this," Genie said, forcing her voice to stay level, her eyes to not waver. "We also have a witness - Bess Stirling, the head of Evergreen Development - who can testify to what she knows. She's the one who told us about their involvement in Shannon's murder.

"Finally, Bess told us that Mr. Hand and Mr. Grey are planning some kind of attack on the town of Moonwood Mill, to get rid of people there who they expect to resist," Genie concluded.

"People who are werewolves," Jenny pointed out.

"Yeah," Genie nodded. "So, that's what we know. Can you do something about this?"

"What do you think?" Candice asked, looking at Light.

"It all tracks," Light nodded seriously. "Hand is part of a faction of extremists. Officially, they're out of favor with our Leadership, but they've got more support than they should. They also don't play well with others, especially not with what you call witches, werewolves and vampires. Whatever they've got planned... whatever their endgame with this research center might be... it won't be good for any of us."

"Alright," Candice nodded. "Genie, give me copies of all the files you have. Light and I need to make some arrangements. Among other things, we'll want to take your witness... Bess Stirling, was it... into protective custody. Where is she?"

"She's in Evergreen Harbor, with some friends of ours," Genie said. "I'll talk to them, but I don't think that should be a problem." Passing a memory stick to Candice, she added, "This is everything I have."

"Good, we'll be in touch," Candice nodded.

"Ok, that either went really well or she's playing us," Genie sighed.

"We wouldn't even know about all this if she hadn't gotten us started," Jenny pointed out. "So, I don't think she's playing us. Plus, you've got copies of everything, for your article."

"Yes I do," Genie nodded.

"You didn't tell them about the video call. About your mom," Jenny said. It wasn't a question, but it wasn't an accusation either. Genie had the feeling Jenny understood.

"No, I didn't," Genie sighed. She hadn't included the recording in the files she'd handed over either. 

"Well, the murderous conspiracy and possible alien invasion stuff is out of our hands, at least for now," Jenny said with a supportive smile. "You ready to deal with your family drama?"

"No, but I think it's time anyway," Genie sighed again. "Let's go talk to my Uncle Hugo."

In Moonlight - Ch 24 - Paths Forward

"What did you mean 'Bess's testimony'?!" Bess Stirling said hotly. 

Sitting in the back room of the Caboose, the entrepreneur looked panicked. Mariah was pretty sure Bess had told her story - laying out the plan of a shadowy, alien-backed tech company to buy up land around the Moonwood by any means necessary, ultimately including the murder of Shannon Charm and the impending attack on Moonwood Mill - as honestly as the shady developer was able to. She obviously wasn't expecting the response she'd gotten.

"Mandy... it's Mandy, right?" Bess gestured at Miranda. Mariah blinked, realizing the entrepreneur didn't know their real identities. "You said testimony?" Bess continued. "Like, in court? I never said anything about testifying!"

"Where did you think this was going, Bess?" Knox said, stunned. "Did you think you were just going to tell us and... what? Everything would magically be OK?"

"I mean, I told you what Grey and Hand are planning," Bess said earnestly. "You can warn Rory and the Volkovs and everyone. They can... I don't know... be safe... get out or... or something. No one has to die!"

"Because everyone in Moonwood Mill is going to tuck tail and run when they hear about this, right? Then you can have the land and finish your deal. Your conscience is clean and you still come out on top. Was that the plan?" Demarco scoffed.

"Yes!" Bess cried, her eyes wide.

"What about Shannon?" Knox growled.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry about Shannon. I really am, but I can't fix that," Bess insisted.

"Yes, you can," Miranda said with her implacable calm. "You can testify. You can hold the people who did it responsible and see justice done."

"But I'm responsible!" Bess shouted. Her eyes went wide, horrified, as she heard her own words. Mariah wondered if Bess had ever admitted that to herself before this moment. 

"I'm... I'm responsible," Bess repeated in a whisper. "It's my fault. It's my fault Shannon died."

"Yes," Etta said, her voice soft but unyielding. "It is your fault. You did something horrible and people got hurt. Shannon died. You can't change that... but you can decide what you're going to do now, who you're going to be now. You can stand up with us and try to do some good, or you can go back to Hand and Grey and be a murderer among murderers."

"That's if they don't just kill you," Mariah pointed out with sarcastic humor. "Because they don't really need you anymore, and once they find out that you us warned about Moonwood Mill..."

"There is that to consider too," Etta agreed.

-------------------------

"So, we've got mountains of evidence and a witness now," Jenny smiled, obviously trying to be encouraging. "That's good, right."

"It's good," Genie nodded, not really feeling it.

"I mean, now we can prove to Baron Charm that it really wasn't the Dark Court who killed Shannon.  So, he won't do all the bad stuff Miranda was talking about... breaking the Witches' Council and making the secret war worse and everything," Jenny pointed out.

"Yeah, I don't know how I feel about telling the angry wizard who already hates my family that my mother ordered his daughter's death," Genie sighed.

"Oh, that's a point," Jenny said gently. "So, what do we do now?"

"Well, I guess I can take everything we have, plus what I can get out of this Bess Stirling person, write a hell of an expose, and send it to my editor," Genie said. "He'd run with it, because of the Baron Charm connection. He's a public figure, after all. I'd just have to cut out, or gloss over, my mom's involvement... again. Of course, I'll have to cut all the parts about witches, vampires, werewolves and aliens."

"That doesn't really leave much, does it," Jenny mused.

"Murder, coverups and corruption. I can probably spin Grey as the last major crime boss in the Republic. It's a story, but is it a top story? I don't know," Genie sighed. "I just don't know if it will be enough. Does it really get justice for Shannon? Maybe if I can dig deeper into the money trail, find out about these investors... Brighter Future and Gateway... we can work to dismantle the whole conspiracy, without bringing out all the other stuff. The thing is, that will take time and, with what Bess apparently said about them planning to attack Moonwood Mill, it doesn't sound like we have time. God, we need to stop them."

"What about Candi?" Jenny asked.

"Stephens probably still keeps some in the kitchen," Genie said, distracted.

"No, Agent Candi," Jenny chuckled. "Candice Barnett. You know, the spy who gave us the police files and pushed us to investigate deeper to begin with. Maybe she can help with the whole stopping them part."

"Do you know how to get ahold of her?" Genie asked.

"Yeah, that's a point," Jenny said, looking at her phone. "I didn't exactly get her contact info when we... oh, hey, would you look at that. It's here in my contacts. Candi, with a little heart on the 'i' even. I don't remember putting that in there..."

"She probably hacked your phone or something," Genie muttered. "Do you think we should..."

Jenny had already dialed. 

"Candi, sweetie! How are you?" Jenny said, her voice bright and bubbly and just touching on bimbo. "Yeah. Hey, like, you remember that role we talked about at the park the other day? Yeah, I totally talked to those guys about it. It's just... wow... I mean, you were so right. It is like totally me! I know, right? But Candi... wait for it... I think they've got a part for you too! Yes! We have got to talk about it! Can you do lunch? You're going to be in Windenburg? Sweetie, it's kismet. There's this cute little coffee shop... You know it? Awesome. I will totally see you there. Oh, Candi, one thing... how do you feel about aliens?"

"I fear you," Genie said, stunned.

-------------------------

"Ok, I get that Bess has to hide. Believe me, I get it," Mariah said. "But why does she have to stay in our house?"

After having what had turned into a couple of lengthy conversations with Genie and Jenny, they had all returned to the little house Mariah and Miranda rented under the names Mary and Mandy Cavaliere. The house that had hidden them for months, giving Mariah a taste of a quiet, almost normal, life.

"Because Grey still doesn't know we're here," Miranda pointed out. "If he did, his goons would have kicked in our door and tried to kill us already."

"What about..." Mariah started.

"She can't stay with Knox," Miranda pointed out, "and do we really want to get Missy and Clay more involved in this than they already are? Besides, it's probably only for a day or two. Once Genie and Jenny talk to their Agency contact, we'll know better what the plan is."

"Fine," Mariah groaned.

"Oh my God, was someone watching KPop Demon Hunters?" Bess chuckled from the couch, turning on the TV.

"Yes, I was!" Mariah wheeled at her. She'd liked her quiet, almost normal, life, damn it!

"Don't kill the witness," Miranda said softly.

"I'll have you know it's a fantastic movie with amazing songs. It's won multiple awards," Mariah continued hotly. She was hideously embarrassed that she loved that movie, that she cried at the end every damn time, but she wasn't going to let some crooked land developer dis it!

"OK, sorry," Bess blinked, shocked. "Do you mind if I watch the Financial channel?"

"I'm going out to the garden. Don't kill the witness," Miranda repeated.

"I'll come with you," Mariah sighed.

-------------------------

They had some time before lunch. Time enough to grab a shower and a change of clothes. 

Standing in the steamy bathroom, Genie looked at the scar on her arm. The bullet wound, only recently healed, ached. The ache reached right down into her soul. 

She remembered the dark, grimy street. She remembered Uncle Max, standing under the flickering streetlight, pulling the gun from under his jacket in one smooth, almost graceful motion. She remembered the gun, the cold dark metal of it and the gaping cavernous barrel... Heat and light and sound and pain. Such sudden, shocking pain.

Is there just something evil about my whole family?

Is there something evil about me?

"Hey, are you OK," Jenny asked gently.

"No," Genie sobbed. "No, I'm not. Jenny, I... I need answers. Not just for me. I need to be able to explain all of this to Kassidy. She needs to know why... why her own mother ordered the death of her friend. We both need to know why."

"We'll find you your answers," Jenny said seriously. "We'll talk to Candice and hand things off to her for a little while. Then we can take a little time and find your answers."

"How?" Genie moaned. "Gwen said I should talk to my uncle, but even if I wanted to talk to Uncle Max... and I don't... I don't know how to find him!"

"I was thinking about that," Jenny said. "See, the stuff Gwen says never makes any sense until it makes sense. She said you needed to understand your mom's relationship with Genevieve. We thought she meant you, but now I think she meant your grandmother. So, when she said you need to talk to your uncle..."

"I have two uncles," Genie gasped.

-------------------------

"Miranda," Etta said, then hesitated. "I... I need to talk to you about something."

Miranda looked up from her plants to see Etta and Demarco coming through the garden gate. They'd been circling the house while Bess got settled in. Checking the perimeter, Demarco had called it in a way that reminded her of Mariah. 

"About damn time," Demarco snarled, wheeling on her heels and marching back out the gate. "I'm... going to patrol the neighborhood. Tell her what you have tell her," the werewolf called over her shoulder.

"Lux, wait, I..." Etta cast panicked looks between Miranda and her departing partner. "I... I'll be right back," she said to Miranda before chasing after Demarco.

"What was that about?" Miranda asked, perplexed.

"Demarco's jealous," Mariah said. 

"Jealous? Jealous about what?" Miranda blinked.

"Madonna. You know, for a wise and powerful strega, you can be really dense sometimes," Mariah chuckled.

"Sorry about that," Etta said as she returned. "It's just... Demarco. She...."

Etta hesitated, looking around. She was obviously surprised to see that Mariah had gone back inside, leaving her alone with Miranda. Not as surprised as Miranda had been. Her wife had made it perfectly clear she still wasn't comfortable with Etta, but she'd left them alone to talk. Miranda wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Mariah thinks she's jealous," she said with forced lightness.

"She... she might be a little jealous," Etta admitted. "Not that... I mean... oh, Outer Dark."

"I forgive you," Miranda said, deciding to just skip all the dancing around and get straight into the important stuff.

"I mean, I really need to... wait, what?" Etta stammered, flustered.

"Claudette. Etta. I forgive you," Miranda said firmly. 

"I betrayed you." Etta said. "I used magic to... oh hell, I basically raped you. I..."

"Ok, let me stop you right there," Miranda said, with a deep breath. "Yes, you dosed me with a potion that increased my attraction toward you and lowered my inhibitions. Yes, there are serious consent issues there... but trust me, that part wasn't traumatic. Traumatic was the whole knocking me out, kidnapping me, and dosing me so I couldn't use my powers while your father schemed to have me killed by vampires."

"OK, yes, I have a lot of feel guilty about," Etta sighed, somewhat missing the point, Miranda felt. "Believe me, I remember it all."

"Well, why don't you remember that you also rescued me?" Miranda asked, unrelenting. "In the end, you were the one who got me, and Jenny, out. You helped us escape. You stood up to your father. You actually dueled him, which was amazing."

"I lost," Etta pointed out. "If Gwen and Cassie hadn't show up..."

"It doesn't matter," Miranda insisted. "You tried... and when it was over you didn't run or try to excuse what you did. You stood before the Council and submitted to their justice. You gave up your magic and went into exile. I don't know that I could have done that."

"You would never have to," Etta whispered.

"And since then, you've been working with the werewolves, protecting people and doing good... all without your powers," Miranda continued. "You said to Bess she had a choice, about who she was going to be. I know what choice you made... and I know that you're still beating yourself up for what you did. So, I'm telling you - I forgive you. Let it go."

"I... you... oh gods," Etta felt tears on her face. 

Before Miranda knew what she was doing, Etta had thrown her arms around her. With a sigh, she pulled the other woman close, holding her gently, soothingly.

"I forgive you," Miranda repeated. "Just to be clear though, I'm not going to sleep with you again."

"Ok, that's... that's ok," Etta smiled.

"Or shower with you," Miranda added as the hug ended. She still wasn't sure how much of what had happened between them years ago had been Claudette's potions and how much had been a couple of randy teens discovering each other, consequences be damned.

"Well, it saves water," Etta said with a little grin.

"I don't think it did," Miranda said. She really shouldn't be thinking about these things. "As I remember, we were in that shower for a really long time."

"Well, we did a lot of... cleaning," Etta said.

"Which we're never doing again," Miranda said with a nervous glance back at the house. 

"Right," Etta smiled. "I know that. I just... Anyway! There was actually something else I needed to talk to you about... about your wand."

"We are definitely not doing that again!" Miranda said, blushing hotly. That had definitely been the potion! Hadn't it?

"'This one time, at band camp...'" Etta quoted. At least she looked just as embarrassed at the memory as Miranda felt.

"If you repeat that to anyone, I will turn you into a frog and you can hop back to Moonwood Mill," Miranda said stiffly.