Witching Time (The Wild Hunt #14) - Yasmine Galenorn Page 0,32

around to look at the rows of corn again. “We saw some shadow streak by a few minutes ago.”

Kipa frowned. “I’m going to lead you two out of here, then I’ll come back in and search my way through. Evie, you might want to keep this closed for now.”

“I can’t. My mom would want to know why and then she’d blow up.” Evie looked around nervously. “I don’t want anybody to get hurt in here. I’m not sure what to do.”

I looped my arm through her elbow as we followed Kipa. “Marigold seems to have undergone a personality change,” I said. “Ever since they bought the farm.”

“Do you think there’s something out here haunting the place?” Kipa asked.

“I don’t know, but there’s definitely something off-kilter. I know there’s a ghost, but this isn’t her. I’m not sure what it is. Possibly one of the sub-Fae, or maybe something else that we haven’t encountered yet. There are a lot of creatures who aren’t from the spirit world that can pack a punch of danger.”

Evie scooted closer to me. “The past few months I’ve actually found myself afraid to walk out alone at night. When we first moved here, I was fine. Everything seemed fine. As we renovated the house and began to spruce up the land, that’s when the energy changed and that’s when my mother—Marigold—began to change.”

“I’d like to look into this,” I said. “I’m not sure if I should, though, without your mothers’ permission.”

“Can you talk to both of them? Or maybe talk to Rain first. I don’t know why, but she doesn’t seem to be affected.”

“All right, I’ll start with her. Meanwhile, there has to be some way we can shut down this maze for even an hour while Kipa looks through it.” I looked around. “There was a lot of wind last night. Maybe we could break a few of the stalks and say that the maze needs to be tidied up first?”

Evie shook her head. “Mom would send me in to fix it, and frankly, I have no intention on setting foot in this maze again.”

At that moment, we found ourselves at the entrance to the maze again. I took a deep breath, feeling a rush of relief as we stepped out into the open. It was nearly eleven, and people were starting to line up at the entrance, waiting to pay.

Marigold was walking by and she caught sight of Evie and Kipa and me. “Where the hell have you been, Evie? I’ve been looking all over for you. Get your ass over there and start letting people in. Honestly, sometimes you’re so damned lazy that I’m ashamed to be your mother.”

I stared at Marigold as Evie burst into tears. I had known the family for over a year and I had never heard Marigold sound so bitchy toward her kids.

“Evie was helping me out,” I said. “It’s my fault she’s late.”

Marigold frowned, staring at me for a moment, and by the look on her face, she couldn’t decide whether to yell some more or let it go. Finally, she shrugged. “Well, don’t just stand there. People are waiting.” Then, stalking off, she muttered something under her breath that I couldn’t quite catch.

I turned to Evie. “I’m so sorry—but damn, girl.”

Evie nodded. “She never used to act like that. I can never do anything right anymore.”

“Well, run along. I’ll see what I can do. Kipa, start hunting through the maze. If anybody comes in there, try to encourage them to leave and visit one of the other exhibits instead.”

“Will do.” He took off back into the maze as Evie slowly moved toward the entrance. I glanced back at the maze. Even in the sunlight, the thing looked ominous to me and, as I headed over toward Llew’s booth, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were all being watched.

Chapter Seven

Llew took one look at me and knew something was wrong. “What’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you in a moment. First, I need caffeine. Is Jordan here yet?” I scanned the vendors, looking for the A Taste of Latte’s booth. It was across the fairway, two booths down, tucked between a stand selling fresh vegetables and a leather worker’s booth. “I’ll be right back. Do you want anything?”

“Get me a bear claw and a large coffee, would you? Jordan knows how I like it.”

I hustled across the way and leaned on the counter. Jordan, Llew’s husband, was a good-looking tiger shifter. He was tall and lanky, and his