"Jake, you're back," Demarco said, "but... no Kristopher? Did you not find him?"
"No, yeah, we found him," Jake said, sounding slightly dazed. "He... uh... he named me leader of the Collective and said that Rory and I, together, were the leaders of our people now. Then he... kinda... disappeared. I think he might have... like... ascended into pure spirit or something. I... I don't really know."
"Oooook," Demarco nodded. "I... I, I have no idea how to respond to that."
"Yeah," Jake smiled sadly. "Same."
"Alright guys," Cassie said, in firm, motherly tone. "It's getting late. Everyone inside. You all need to eat and get some rest."
"No," Jake shook his head. "We... we have to get going. We have to get back to Moonwood Mill, stop Faust... free everyone. We can't..."
"From what you've all said, Etta and Demarco have been up and on the run since before dawn," Cassie said, "and, Jake, I know you're a working farmer with an infant child. So, if you try to tell me you got up any later than they did, you're a liar. It's evening already and it would be well after dark by the time we got to the Moonwood, if we left right now. None of you will save anyone if you're falling down tired.
"Besides," she continued, "Gwen and I have things we need to prepare if we're going have the best chance when we face Faust. You all may as well use the time to eat and try to catch a little sleep. We'll leave as soon as we're ready."
"But..." Jake started.
"No buts. Inside, wash up, sit down," Cassie commanded. "I'm making fresh pasta."
With a sigh, Jake nodded and followed her inside, Etta and Gwen just behind him. Demarco struggled to contain a grin. She knew she should share Jake's concerns about Moonwood Mill, but all she could think was - I'm having dinner with Cassie the Raven Witch!
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Returning to the table, Jake, Etta and Gwen started to discuss further their plans for confronting Faust. Demarco knew she should be listening, but she realized that Cassie had been right. It had been a long day, and she was tired and hungry.
She found herself once again looking around the old house, which was both not at all what she'd expected the home of an international musical superstar to look like and yet somehow fit the motherly raven-haired woman, currently making pasta from scratch in the kitchen, and her eccentric wife perfectly.
It wasn't long before Gwen gently pointed out that Jake was repeating himself. The limits of what they could plan ahead, not knowing the exact situation in Moonwood Mill, had been reached. Now, she said, agreeing with her wife, their time would better spent on food and rest.
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"Can I ask you a question?" Demarco said to Etta.
It was after dinner. Gwen had disappeared upstairs. Cassie was looking through shelves of old, leather-bound books and Jake had gone for a walk in the garden.
"You just did," Etta teased lightly.
"Well, you see... here's the thing," Demarco started.
"Lux, I think I should stop you," Etta flushed.
"Yeah, right, totally," Demarco nodded. "I mean... we didn't kiss. We've never kissed... and you said, back when we met, that you weren't dating right now... and I'm a total mess at relationships. I mean, my last boyfriend was a total creep and then I had my not-relationship with Annie and managed to screw that up... so, yeah... I get it. But Cassie Goth just made me homemade pasta... and I am sitting in her home, like ten feet from her... so I'm kinda in an 'anything can happen' place and... I... am an idiot. Never mind. I get it."
"You don't," Etta said sadly. "Lux, I... I've never had a real relationship with someone. Never. Father taught me how to use relationships... to use sex... as part of a mission. To manipulate, to control, to trick. That's all I've ever done. You are just about the first person my age I have ever had something... anything... real with... and I'm terrified that I'll screw that up, just sitting here and talking to you."
"OK. You're not, you know, screwing this up," Demarco said. "Believe me, I am an expert on screwing up relationships and you're not doing that. Also, next time I see him, I am going to kick your dad in the balls so hard you will feel it... so, sorry for that, in advance."
"OK," Etta laughed. "Lux, maybe someday I'll get myself figured out... and if you're still interested... maybe?"
"OK, I can work with that," Demarco replied.
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The kids were asleep at last.
Cassie smiled to herself. She was trying very hard not to think of them as "the kids" but it was hard, knowing that Jake and Claudette... no, Etta now. She seemed to have earned her reinvention... were the same age as her own daughter. Demarco couldn't be much older. Cassie knew she might not look much older than them, thanks to Gwen's alchemy, but she was old enough to be their mother. Tonight, she felt those years.
Not for the first time, she wondered how Gwen, who was simultaneously young and centuries old, felt. Not for the first time, she set that thought aside. She loved her wife desperately, but she had accepted that trying to understand her was the path to madness.
Cassie turned her attention back to the book she was reading - an old and rather long-winded treatise on Trickster magic, but which touched on powers that, while not strictly forbidden, were certainly not considered respectable. Understanding them might help her in countering Faust's magic.
Gwen, she knew, was in the tower, brewing up potions that would help them survive the day to come. They had used that powerful alchemy before, to bind flesh and spirit together strongly enough to cheat Death itself. At least this time, Cassie thought, she'd know in advance that she'd taken it before she almost died.
A sound, like a ringing bell, drew her attention. Outside the window, surrounded by brilliant blue, a tiny winged figure tapped against the glass. Bluebell was a fairy spirit, longtime friend of Gwen's family and her daughter's familiar.
"Gwen," Cassie called, knowing she could hear her anywhere in the house. "It's Miranda!"
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"I should have known," Cassie snarled. "I should have known they'd pull something like this."
Bluebell had just finished delivering Miranda's message, telling them of the would-be master vampire, Ms. H's attack and infection of Miranda's girlfriend. Clearly, their daughter needed their help. Just as clearly, knowing as they did of the alliance between Faust and Ms. H, this was no coincidence but a coordinated attack. (Miranda's message had also blamed Glimmerbrook's notoriously poor cell phone coverage for her sending Bluebell instead of using a phone "like a person who doesn't live in the 14th century.")
"Faust strikes at the Moonwood," Gwen mused, "while his vampire allies strike at the holder of the Moonwood Wand. He gives himself a chance to win both... and, more likely, expects to distract or divide us. He's playing the game well."
"We can't leave her to face the vampires alone," Cassie snapped, "but we can't abandon the werewolves either. What are we going to do?"
"We don't play his game," Gwen said confidently.
"We make our own choices," Cassie said, drawing in a deep breath.
"Are you counting Miranda in that?" Gwen asked gently.
"Ooohh," Cassie groaned. "You know, this whole Wise White Witch of Glimmerbook thing is really annoying sometimes... and overly heavy on alliteration."
"So you've said, dear," Gwen smiled.
"Bluebell," Cassie said to the waiting fairy, "by the time you reach her, we'll be in Moonwood Mill dealing with... something. Tell her that we'll have everything under control and that I can be there the instant she calls us. Do not say Faust's name or mention anything about the Wildfang troubles."
Bluebell chimed in agreement.
"If she needs me, I have to go to her," Cassie said. "I have to."
"Of course you do," Gwen said, embracing her. "If it comes to that, I can handle Faust alone. She'll be alright."
"Our little girl is off fighting vampires, all by herself," Cassie sobbed. "She's all grown up now."
"And you're so proud of her," Gwen smiled.
"So proud," Cassie agreed.
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Author's Note: Firstly, there will be a new chapter tomorrow (Thursday, 12/7) and Friday (12/8) this week.
Secondly, I labeled this "chapter" as an Interlude because it isn't strictly necessary for moving the story forward and has the strongest link yet back to the finale for Wyrd Girls: College Years... being the other half of the messages Bluebell carries between Miranda and Cassie in Chapter 48: The Weird and the Wild and Chapter 49: The Fourth Volume (which is where the idea for Bad Moon Rising came from in the first place).
I also took this opportunity to directly address some fan questions about the romantic tension between Demarco and Etta. Despite my romantic heart longing to bring those two together, this isn't the right time for them.
-Leo
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