Whether she had lost him or not, there was a chance Elinor might see Edward, so she dressed carefully. She knew she didn’t have Marianne’s flair for fashion, but she could still hold her own. Today she looked really pretty, with her hair loosely braided and wearing a crisp, white shirt and her best figure-hugging jeans. If she couldn’t have him, she sure as hell wanted him to feel what he was missing.
Marianne was on the same page and wore a gorgeous blue sweater that made her eyes pop. The Dashwood sisters were set to turn some heads, that was for sure. Elinor had a good feeling. Surely dressed like this, nothing could go wrong.
Elinor was the last out of the Uber. Anne had rabbited on throughout the whole journey, but at least that kept Lucy quiet, which suited Elinor just fine. The only thing she had whispered of interest was that she’d texted Edward earlier and had high hopes of seeing him sometime in the afternoon, though she was kind of vague about when. Elinor hoped she could find a way to be elsewhere if that came to pass.
Though she kept her gaze fixed out the window of the car, Elinor could feel Anne’s close examination, taking in her appearance. Ha, take that, succubus. My dump truck ass brings all the boys to the yard, it’s better than yours. Elinor tried not to smirk.
The Magic-Con was buzzing; paranormals from all over the world had come, some in regular clothes, some in traditional dress such as full wizard robes or dryads in plantwear. Elinor was already regretting she hadn’t brought hers. It looked so much fun, and apart from holidays like Yew Day, she rarely got the chance to dryad up. But whatever they wore, one thing was clear—everyone at Magic-Con was there to have fun.
There were bursts of flames and screams of delight as mages showcased their more dramatic magic; stands showing new innovations such as magical cell phones where you didn’t just Skype with your friends, you could literally sit in a room in cyberspace with them; and vacation tours where for a few magic bucks you could transport to the destination of your dreams without leaving your sitting room, so you could still take care of your cat while enjoying the sun in Hawaii.
They stopped at a stand decorated with some robust saplings, where a very sharp-looking dryad in a woven plant-fiber business suit was handing out flyers.
“Well, hello,” he cried. “My kinda people at last! How are you? Did you just arrive?”
Elinor, who hated being sold anything, instantly stiffened.
“Yes, thanks.”
He handed her a flyer, and she noted his perfect smile and the high-end vulcanized plant leather on the soles of his shoes. From the look of them, she suspected he was very good at what he did. For a moment she imagined him in tight swimming trunks on the beach, dribbling sun cream over her back and massaging it into her skin with his strong hands.
The flyer had a picture of a glass vial decorated in sparkles, with a test tube vial next to it. It read:
The Amazing Magical Grow Tube
Accelerate your saplings’ growth by 333%!
Only $39.99
Plus shipping and taxes.
Limited Time Offer!
It looked interesting, but Elinor was against messing with nature and preferred to grow her trees the old-fashioned way. In any case, she had read about this, and though these saplings did well, they tended to be weaker as they aged. She smiled politely, and though she held onto the flyer, she moved pointedly on.
Unperturbed, the young salesman turned his charms on the next passerby.
“Well, hello,” he cried. “My kinda people at last! How are you? Did you just arrive?”
Her fantasy about tight swimming trunks and a sun cream massage evaporated. Elinor tossed the flyer in the first available trash can.
There were stalls showcasing practical magic for its use in the kitchen to miniaturized solar systems showing how magically generated forcefields could help with global warming. Elinor smiled at the simulated glacier that looked perfectly cold and frosty, not melting one bit as a blazing purple field arced over it.
Marianne and the others were a little ways behind her, still fascinated by the wares on a simple herbal stand. Just ahead was a stand for ParaWand, the global paranormal bank chain of which Fanny’s family were major stockholders. It was decorated in purple and gold banners, each one depicting a leprechaun waving a wand over his pot of gold as it sparkled, filled to the brim, overflowed, then started over. As well as the banners, there was a large cut-out of several uncommonly attractive goblins standing in front of some impressive houses and exotic-looking flying carpets. It read:
Finance your dream today!
Failure to repay may result in forfeiture of your soul.
Elinor spotted Fanny and John at once, who were inspecting the stand and talking softly to the young goblin attending it, so she surmised they were talking shop. Fanny’s figure was back to normal, though there was no sign of a wee goblin-snotling or a buggy or anything. Not that Elinor would have called the child a snotling out loud; John had told her goblins hated that name.
“Oh gosh, I didn’t know you two would be here or I’d have phoned to say we were coming!” Elinor said. “Where’s the new, um, baby?”
“Well, hello!” John said, smiling warmly and treating Elinor to a stilted hug. “How lovely to see you. I had no idea you were coming either. The little demon child is back at home with the nanny. We thought he was little too young to travel just yet. And Fanny said she needed a break, so here we are. Look at you, all nice and suntanned. The cottage life seems to agree with you. Are you here all on your own?”
“No, no,” Elinor said. “I came with some others.” She pointed behind her.
Fanny looked neither pleased nor annoyed to see Elinor there, though she did arch her eyebrows in surprise. No doubt she was wondering how Elinor could afford it, since her brain was wired solely for dollars and cents. Fanny looked around her, as did Elinor, and she pointed out Marianne and the others who were still a little ways off.
“Who is that with Marianne?”
“That’s Betsy Middleton––she invited Marianne and me down. The two younger ones are Lucy and Anne Steele. They came down with us too. The wizard is Chris Brandon, a friend of the Middletons.”
A strange look came over her brother’s face, like someone had hit him over the head with something heavy and he was waking up dazed.
“I’ve seen that succubus girl before.
Oh, for an hour alone with her, or more!”
As soon as the words escaped his lips, he clamped his hand over his mouth looking guilty.
Fanny gave him a sharp, threatening look, so John looked away in case his mouth should get him in any more trouble.
“Lucy?” Elinor asked. “You know her?” She wondered what kind of spell must have been placed on John; was it succubus magic? Where could he have met Lucy, and more importantly, why would he have met her? No doubt Fanny was wondering the exact same thing. Her sister-in-law looked positively fit to explode.
At that moment, Marianne must have spotted them, because she dashed over and greeted them warmly. “Well hey, fancy meeting you all here. Let me introduce you to Anne and Lucy Steele, our new friends.”
Elinor looked behind her to where Betsy was talking animatedly to the dryad salesman. She looked happy enough, though the salesman looked like he might fall asleep at any moment. Chris, bless his heart, remained at her side, patient as ever. Still, Elinor had to conceal a grin. Poor Chris.
Lucy locked eyes with John, but before she returned the greeting, she took his hand and seemed to hold it for a little longer than was socially polite. As she did so, the funny, dazed look returned to his face. Elinor braced herself, not sure how Fanny would react if….
“Are you well?” she asked, still not letting go.
“I, um, yes, I’m fine,” John said. “Um, nice to meet you.”
“Have we met before?” Lucy asked.
“Um, I don’t think so,” John said.
Thank Gaia, he’s dropped his embarrassing rhyming couplets, Elinor thought.
Fanny was critically looking Anne and Lucy up and down, and Elinor suspected she was checking out how affluent they were and whether they were worth getting to know.
“Nice to meet you all,” Fanny said. “Where are you staying?”
“At the beach. Betsy has a house right on the ocean,” Marianne explained.
If little dollar signs could have popped into Fanny’s eyes, they would have. “Oh, very nice. Anywhere near Cocoa Beach?”
“Slap bang in the middle of it.”
From her tone, Elinor knew Marianne had enjoyed that, just to see the look on Fanny’s face. But then a thought seemed to occur to her, and she was suddenly less cheeky.
“Lucy says your brother is supposed to be coming to the Con,” Marianne said, stealing a glance at Elinor. “Is he about?”
The superior, smug smile returned to Fanny’s face as she said, “Why, yes! I saw him just a minute ago. Let me see.” She stood up on tiptoe, looking over the heads of the other visitors. “Why, yes. There he is, over by the bar. Figures.”
Her brother must have felt her gaze because he looked over. Fanny began to frantically wave. Elinor stood frozen, her heart pounding like a drum, yet ever conscious of Lucy, whose eyes were boring into her like daggers.
Be calm, be calm. Don’t let her get to you, Elinor thought.
“Why, hello,” said a friendly male voice. It wasn’t Edward’s. Masking her surprise, Elinor took a deep breath and turned. She had never seen this other man in her life.
“This is my other brother, Robert,” Fanny said with some delight. “You won’t have met him, Elinor. Robert is just back from Europe and wasn’t at my wedding, naughty fish. Robert, these are my sisters-in-law, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood.”
Robert’s ears pricked up at their names, and his smile faded a little.
“Oh yes, I’ve heard of you, um, ladies.” He glanced at Fanny as if confirming something, and Elinor caught a discreet nod pass between them. “Um, very nice to meet you both.” His weak smile wasn’t reflected in his eyes.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Marianne said. Elinor didn’t respond. She could not bear people who thought themselves above others. She treated him to a frosty smile instead and didn’t much care how he took it.
“Oh? And exactly what have you heard of us?” Elinor asked, trying to sound as upbeat as she could.
“Oh, nothing bad, I assure you,” Robert greased.
“And these,” Fanny interrupted, “are...um? Sorry, please remind me again. I’m afraid I have a memory like a sieve.”
“I’m Lucy Steele, and this is my sister, Anne,” Lucy said, putting herself forward and shaking Robert’s hand eagerly.
Hmm. Elinor was surprised Lucy didn’t look the least bit sorry this was Robert and not Edward. But who knew what she was thinking or feeling? Elinor was pretty sure Lucy would make full use of any chance to ingratiate herself with the family. She felt a little pang of jealousy that Lucy was the favored one, and not her.
“Ooh, at last, a handsome beau come to join us,” Anne said. “I was beginning to despair of meeting anyone good-looking at this Magic-Con. Really, what’s the point of coming all this way if there are no men to play with. It’s been all rush, rush, rush since we got here, not that I’m complaining, mind you, oh no. I’m sure it was very kind of Betsy to invite us, yes it was. Is my hair straight? He-he.”
“Anne! Hush now, you’re babbling,” Lucy exclaimed. “Please forgive my sister. She gets overly excited when she meets new people.”
“Not at all,” Robert said, his eyes transfixed on Lucy as she smiled demurely. “Have you been here long? I’d be more than delighted to show you around. Both of you, that is. My, my, two succubus sisters together. Now there’s a wicked thought.” He chuckled to himself.
Whatever that wicked thought was, Elinor was not destined to find out, because without another word, Robert linked his arms to both sisters and led Lucy and Anne off into the crowd. Elinor thought she ought to feel slighted; however, he’d done her a favor of sorts. Any time spent without the luscious Miss Steeles in tow was a bonus. She felt as if she could breathe again. They really were a pair of sour dill pickles.
Fanny smiled her approval, though Elinor suspected that came more from the snub to Elinor and Marianne than from any particular like for Lucy or Anne. But then Fanny caught sight of her husband, who once again was staring all googly-eyed after Lucy, and she elbowed him sharply in the ribs.
“Ow!” he cried. “That hurt.”
Fanny’s smile returned.
“Is Edward not here?” Marianne asked as soon as the others were gone. “Lucy said he would be.”
“Yes and no,” Fanny said. “He was here when we set up the stand this morning, but he didn’t hang around. He got a text from someone and decided to cut out short. Probably a friend or something. Edward has soooo many friends. Anyway, he went back to the hotel as soon as he was done. From what I gather, we probably won’t see him for the rest of the day.”
Poor Edward, Elinor thought. Had he gone and bound himself to a woman he didn’t love? Is that why he’d made a quick getaway? She would be heartily sorry if that were true. Lucy, she didn’t give a fig about, but the thought of Edward being miserable for the rest of his life cut her to the quick.
“Well, well, must mingle,” Fanny said. “We’re here to network, after all. Maybe we’ll see you all later?”
She wandered off without another word.
“We’re staying at the Cauldron,” John said over his shoulder as they were leaving. “I’ll text you later.”
Elinor nodded.
Marianne, who had been looking about for Willoughby ever since they’d arrived, suddenly froze solid and clutched Elinor’s arm.
“Oh Gaia, Elinor, look! He’s here.”
“He is? Where?”
“Over there, just ahead. Has he seen me? Is he looking this way?”
Elinor scanned the sea of faces, but it took her a while to spot Willoughby in the crowd. She saw him at last, standing a little farther along the bar where they had first seen Robert. But he wasn’t alone. He was drinking with some companions, and Elinor froze. Was that…a demon? From where she stood, she couldn’t see his features too clearly, but there was no mistaking those horns and that aura.
Whoever it was, Willoughby had his head bowed and was laughing. But there was something affected in his laugh; it didn’t sound like him at all. He looked like quite another incubus altogether.
Marianne looked like she was going to bolt over to him, but Elinor grabbed her arm, stopping her just in time. “Wait, Marianne, think. Did you send him a text this morning, telling him we’d be here?”
“I did.” Marianne wrenched her arm free but couldn’t take her eyes off him.
“Did he answer it?”
“No.”
“Has he answered any of your texts?”
“No. You know he hasn’t. And dammit, Elinor, I have a right to know why, don’t you think? You can’t just shut people off like that. Something awful must have happened, and I deserve to know what it was. Maybe it was a misunderstanding. Whatever it was, I need to speak to him now. I didn’t come all this way just to look at him.”
“Oh Marianne, I just don’t want to see you hurt any more than you already have been. He’s an incubus, dammit. I know you hate me bringing that up, but it’s what he is. You could never have been a couple. You’re too different, like…like cosmic and elemental magic. Like the stars and the earth. Don’t hurt yourself anymore, please?”
But she saw her words had fallen upon deaf ears. Her sister was too emotional, too distressed to think straight. This time when Marianne set off, Elinor let her go. Elinor was wise enough to know there was no stopping her. And Marianne did have a point. To abandon her like that was just plain cruel. If Marianne could get some sense of closure from this, then good luck to her. She was entitled, after all. What was the worst that could happen?
Hating every step, Elinor followed her. Marianne was marching into battle against the unknown and needed a friend at her side. Oh Gaia, if only this could have been handled privately, that would have been Elinor’s choice. But that was never Marianne’s way.
As soon as Marianne was close, she called out. “Willoughby!”
The excitement in her voice was unmistakable. For a split second, when Willoughby turned to see her, Elinor thought he looked just as excited too. But then he seemed to remember the company he was in, and his face hardened.
“Hello, Marianne. Elinor. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Willoughby, by Gaia! Didn’t you get my messages? I sent enough. I told you we were coming.”
“I read a couple.”
Elinor’s attention drifted to the demon by his side. Now that they were this close, she could plainly see the demon-slit eyes and the red hair. More annoying than anything, he had a dry smile on his face, like he was enjoying himself. And beside him was a young nymph. She looked perhaps a little older than Marianne and Elinor, but not by much. She oozed money. Was that what this was about? Had the slimy SOB gone and better-dealed her sister?
“Why aren’t you answering them?”
“Come on, Marianne,” Elinor said. “I think we’d better go.”
“No, wait,” Marianne said. Her face had turned a nasty shade of pale, and suddenly Elinor remembered her sister hadn’t eaten a thing all day. Elinor took her hand, and it was trembling. This was not good. “I want him to answer me.”
“I’ve been rather busy,” Willoughby said.
“Busy?” Marianne repeated. “I thought we were…friends. I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong? What did I do? Tell me!”
Marianne could contain herself no longer. Her emotions got the better of her, and she began to sob violently. And it wasn’t the delicate kind of polite, dainty weeping Elinor sometimes saw on the Hallmark channel. This was full-on, body-racking convulsions. People began to turn their heads to watch and wonder what on earth was going on.
The more upset Marianne became, the more the demon smiled. He was just lapping this raw outpouring of emotion up. And then Willoughby did the nastiest thing. He turned his back on Marianne, dismissing her from his thoughts. Right there, in front of everyone at Magic-Con, he left her sister dangling and in tears.
Elinor wanted to grab Willoughby by his wings and turn him around and demand he explain himself. No way could Marianne have done anything to deserve this. But before she could do anything, Marianne began to hyperventilate, and she would have fallen to the floor if Chris hadn’t come out of nowhere and caught her in his arms. Chris and Elinor exchanged worried glances, and with a hostile glare at Willoughby, Chris gently walked her away, back toward the exit. Elinor gave Willoughby a final scathing look, just catching his eye as she did so. He had been chuckling, but when he saw Elinor’s look, his smile faltered a little and was replaced with something like shame. But not enough of it. After what he’d just done to her sister, Elinor wished he would rot in hell, along with the demon now laughing beside him.
“Trust me, you can do a lot better than these two, sweetie,” she said to the nymph, whose eyes widened in shock. Elinor turned, and as quickly as she could, hurried after Chris and Marianne.