devices, but then that is fine. I wouldn’t want to have to explain this to him.”
“Why wouldn’t you?”
“It’s a new phase, Mary Jane. You might say it’s witchcraft in our generation. It’s got nothing to do with Julien or Michael or Rowan and the way that they would have solved things. It’s something else altogether.”
“Yeah, I see.”
“You do, don’t you?”
“Yep. You’re really sleepy. I’m going to go get you some milk.”
“Oh, that would be divine.”
“You just lie down and go on to sleep, darlin’. Your eyes look really bad. Can you see me at all?”
“Sure, I can, but you’re right. I’m just going to sleep right here. And, Mary Jane, take advantage of the situation.”
“Oh, you’re too young for that, Mona.”
“No, silly, I didn’t mean that,” said Mona, laughing. “Besides, if I’m not too young for men, I’m not too young for girls either. As a matter of fact, I’m curious about doing it with a girl, or a woman perhaps, a beautiful woman like Rowan. But what I meant was, the boxes are opened. Take advantage of that fact, and read what you can out of them.”
“Yeah, maybe I’ll do that. I can’t really read his handwriting, but I can read hers. And she’s got stuff here.”
“Yeah, read it. If you’re going to help me, you have to read it. And down in the library, Mary Jane, the file on the Mayfair witches. I know you said you read it, but did you really read it?”
“You know, Mona? I’m not sure I really did.”
Mona turned over on her side, and closed her eyes.
And as for you, Morrigan, let’s go back, way, way back, none of this foolishness about invaders and Roman soldiers, way back to the plain, and tell me how it all began. Who is the dark-haired one that everyone so loves? “Good-night, Mary Jane.”
“Listen, before you fly away here, darlin’, who would you say is your very best trusted next of kin?”
Mona laughed. She almost forgot the question, then woke with a start.
“Aaah, you are, Mary Jane.”
“Not Rowan and Michael?”
“Absolutely not. They must now be perceived as the enemy. But there are things I have to ask Rowan, I have to know from her, but she doesn’t have to know what’s going on with me. I have to think out the purpose for my questions. As for Gifford and Alicia, they’re dead, and Ancient Evelyn is too sick, and Ryan is too dumb. And Jenn and Shelby are too innocent. And Pierce and Clancy are simply hopeless, and why ruin normal life for them? Have you ever put much of a premium on normal life?”
“Never.”
“I guess I’m depending upon you, then, Mary Jane. ’Bye now, Mary Jane.”
“Then what you’re saying is, you don’t want me to call Rowan or Michael in London and ask their advice.”
“Good heavens, no.” Six circles had formed, and the dance was beginning. She didn’t want to miss it. “You mustn’t do that, Mary Jane. You absolutely mustn’t. Promise me you won’t, Mary Jane. Besides, it’s the middle of the night in London and we don’t know what they’re doing, do we? God help them. God help Yuri.”
Mona was floating away. Ophelia, with the flowers in her hair, moving steadily downstream. The branches of the trees came down to stroke her face, to touch the water. No, she was dancing in the circle, and the dark-haired one was standing in the very center and trying to tell them, but everyone was laughing and laughing. They loved him, but they knew he had a habit of going on and on, with such foolish worries….
“Well, I am worried about you, Mona, I should tell you …”
Mary Jane’s voice was very far away. Flowers, bouquets of flowers. That explains everything, why I have dreamed gardens all my life, and drawn pictures of gardens with crayons. Why are you always drawing gardens, Mona, Sister Louise asked me. I love gardens, and First Street’s garden was so ruined until they cleared it and changed it, and now, all clipped and kept, it harbors the worst secret of all.
No, Mother, don’t …
No, the flowers, the circles, you talk! This dream was going to be as good as the last one. “Mona?”
“Let me go, Mary Jane.”
Mona could barely hear her; besides, it didn’t make any difference what she said.
And that was a good thing, too, because this was what came out of Mary Jane’s mouth, far, far away … before Mona and Morrigan began to sing.