Page 9 of Feathered Web

Bryan nodded. “I’d love to get some ideas for building one of my own.” He followed Rowan toward the kitchen.

I turned to Kerris. “My grandmother taught me to garden, but it’s not my biggest passion.” I paused, then said, “I’d love to pick your brain. I’ve dealt with a number of hauntings and ghosts, and I feel like there’s more I could learn about the dead in order to effectively work with them. I’ve had to exorcise too many spirits who were causing havoc.”

Kerris leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “The truth is, there are far more Haunts than I ever thought. And then there are the dead that get twisted up with astral creatures and become something entirely new. I’m still learning, even though I’ve been in Whisper Hollow for quite a while now.”

“Did you ever think about giving up the post?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Oh, I’ve fantasized about it, but I’ve always known I can’t escape what I was born to be. My mother only escaped because she was murdered. But the lineage of my family…there’s no choice. One way or another, I would have ended up back in Whisper Hollow. Which is why, when the Crow Man summoned me home, I knew there was no escape. So I answered.”

“You’ve been there awhile now, haven’t you?”

“Nine years. I was thirty-three when I arrived there. I’m forty-one now. I suppose I’ve just accepted my part in life.” She met my gaze, and I could see a certain weariness in her eyes. “But it would have been nice to have a choice. I live in a world of bone and ash, of shadows and death, January. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. I’m supposed to produce an heir—a daughter, so she can pass on the lineage.”

There wasn’t much I could say to that, but it seemed so unfair to me. “You said you’re trying?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “We are. I’ll do my duty if I can. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against having children, but if I have a daughter, she’ll be brought up to take my place. And I’ll feel so conflicted about raising her to the same fate with which I’m bound.”

I started to ask her what would happen if she just let her daughter run off to do whatever she wanted, but at that moment my grandmother and Bryan returned. I glanced at Killian, who was fiddling with his phone. He caught my gaze and gave me a subtle shake of the head.

“We’d better go,” I said. “We’ll see you tomorrow, Rowan.”

I gave her a hug and then she paused, and gave Kerris one, too. “I’ll meet you at your work,” she said, her voice unusually soft.

As we left, Kerris and I said goodbye, and I thought about her position all the way home. She was trapped in a world of death. I shuddered, grateful that I was “just” a witch, and not born into the spirit shaman families.

CHAPTER FOUR

Next morning, I ordered from the nearest chicken place for lunch. Caitlin was over with Wren again, and Tad had let Wren know that we would cover any funeral expenses so at least that was one less worry for her. I had sent flowers, and I texted Wren that I was here if she needed to talk, but I didn’t want to push too hard at this point. I’d see her soon, but right now she would be too overloaded.

“Kerris will be in around noon,” I told Tad. “Then I’ll be taking off this afternoon to help her.”

“What happened?” Tad asked.

I frowned. “The Gatekeeper—you know who that is?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I do keep up with things in Whisper Hollow. Penelope’s the Gatekeeper, right?”

“Right. The Covenant of Chaos is working with Cú Chulainn’s Hounds, and they’ve managed to kidnap Penelope. She’s being held here in Moonshadow Bay. Kerris needs my help to rescue her.” I told them where we were going and why.

“The Wildcat Cove Pest House?” Tad asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Yeah, why?”

“It’s dangerous, January. I’ve got half a dozen reports of cryptids being seen down in that area recently. We haven’t looked at them yet because we’re going through in the order we receive them. But I remember seeing at least five reports that something’s lurking around the Pest House. Let me dig them out.”

Tad crossed to his desk and brought up the folder we kept reports in. We had an online form people could fill out, and the reports were filed in order received, but Tad printed out a summary of them.

“Here we go. There have been five reports over the past month of people being stalked near the Pest House. It’s inside the park, though on private property, and some of the park trails lead past it. One woman says something was following her. She said it looked like something between a coyote and a wolf, but she saw it stand on two legs at one point. She managed to get away when she ran into a big group of hikers.” He flipped through the pages.

“What else have you got?” I asked.

“Someone thought they saw what they called a zombie. They said it looked like a walking corpse.”

“That could be one of the Unliving,” I said. “Or maybe some kid in a costume?”

“I don’t think so. Her dog freaked out and she ran off. Whatever it was, was slow, so she got away. Two people claim they saw ghosts, which would make total sense. And yet two more women report seeing a creature they could only describe as a demon. I’m not sure what that means, at least to them, but they report a bipedal being with reddish orange skin, scales, and glowing eyes. It jumped out at them from behind a tree.”

“That sounds scary.”

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