The Curse Keepers Collection (131 page)

I put down my fork and sighed. “We both know it’s a hopeless cause to try and keep it open. I quit the New Moon, but I’m still struggling to keep the inn going with my other . . . activities.”

She frowned. “Hasn’t Becky been stepping up?”

“She’s been a huge help, but she can’t work seven days a week like you and I did.” I paused, close to tears. “I think that the best thing would be to close the inn and sell it.”

Myra stared at me for several seconds. “Ellie, I think this is an impetuous decision. You need to wait. The Dare Inn . . . well, it’s been in your family for over one hundred years.” Her expression softened. “I would hate for you to make a decision you’ll regret.”

“Myra.” I reached across the table and covered her hand with mine, still amazed by how warm her hand was. “Look me in the eye and tell me that you think the inn can be saved.”

She stared into my eyes for a moment, but then looked down. “You can probably hold on to it for another six months, possibly a year.”

“Not if I keep paying Becky’s salary. That’s a strain too.”

“It would give you time to adjust to the idea.”

“I’ve already adjusted to it. I’m ready. I just wanted to talk to you about it before moving forward.”

Her gaze returned to my face, but her face had hardened slightly. “It’s a huge job, Ellie, dismantling the house and the inn. I don’t have time to help you right now, and it wouldn’t be fair for you to do it on your own. I think you should wait.” Her tone made it clear she didn’t approve.

My mouth gaped in surprise. “I can close the inn and take a month to sort through everything. Of course, you’re welcome to anything in the house you want, Myra. It’s your home too.”

“There’s nothing there I want.” She shook her head and sounded angry.

Tears strangled my throat. “I’m sorry. I thought you’d be on board with this. You know the inn’s been in trouble for ages. This shouldn’t come as a surprise.” I tried to swallow the burning lump in my throat. “Please don’t be upset with me. I’ll keep it for now if you feel that strongly about it.” Myra was the only family I had left. I couldn’t lose her too.

Her face softened. “I’m sorry I’ve been so harsh, Ellie, but I do think you’re being hasty.” She leaned forward. “Maybe it’s being immersed in the history of the university that’s made me appreciate the history we have at the inn. Once you sell it, you can’t turn back. I think you should wait a little while.”

“Okay.” I disagreed, but there was so much turmoil in my life that I couldn’t bear to fight Myra too.

“That’s a good girl.” She stood and headed for the kitchen. “Let me get you more coffee.” She brought over the pot and the creamer and set them on a placemat in the center of the table. “But this brings up the real reason I wanted you to come alone.” She paused. “I’d like to talk to you about David.”

My back stiffened. “What about him?”

“As I said, I’m very fond of him, but I’ve also made it clear that I think things are moving much too quickly with you two. I have a feeling he’s influenced you in this decision about the inn. Am I right?”

“Well . . . yes . . . ”

Anger filled her eyes. “Frankly, he’s making decisions he has no right to make. I think you should slow things down, and the first step is for him to move out.”

My chest tightened. “How can you say that?” Myra had disapproved of several of my previous relationships, but she’d never been this forthright. “You know I need him. And not just because we have a relationship.”

“All the more reason to put some distance between you two. I think you’re still upset over your father’s death and you’re transferring those feelings onto David. You’re confusing your need for information with your need for someone to take care of you.” A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “You’ve gone from one man to another since your father became ill. Anyone with any sense can see that, and I’ve allowed your behavior to go on for far too long.” Her back stiffened. “As your mother, I’m telling you to end your relationship with David and learn to stand on your own two feet.”

I gasped at her bluntness. “I can’t do that, Myra. I love him.”

She shook her head. “You only
think
you love him. It’s not real, Ellie.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out to see if David was calling. When I saw Claire’s number, I declined the call and set it down.

“You were checking to see if it was him, weren’t you?” There was a snotty tone in her voice I’d never heard there before. “See? You can’t even have a conversation with me without letting him interfere with it.”

I wanted to cry, but I was too shocked and dismayed to let any emotion slip through the massive fissure in my heart. “I can’t believe you’re doing this, Myra. You’ve never been . . . hateful before.”

Her expression softened. “I don’t mean to sound hateful, Ellie. I just worry about you. With all the responsibilities of the curse . . . ” Her gaze landed on my right hand. “I see you’ve taken to wearing the ring. Do you think that’s a good idea?”

“I . . . David . . . ”

Myra’s eyes narrowed. “Ellie, do you hear yourself? All you can say is
David this
and
David that
. You are a grown woman, and you need to make your own decisions without his influence.” She stood and picked up her plate. “You said you’re not working at the New Moon anymore. I take it that you quit because of your horrid new boss?”

I numbly nodded.

She set her plate on the counter and smiled. “Perfect. I think you should leave the inn in Becky’s care and come stay with me for a while. Maybe we can get you enrolled in some classes. I know how much you regretted not going to college. It could be a fresh start for both of us.”

I shook my head in confusion. “But just a few minutes ago, you said I shouldn’t sell the inn. And the semester has already started. Not to mention the fact that it’s
Duke
, Myra. I’d never get accepted.”

“I didn’t say sell it. I said leave it with Becky and come stay with me.”

My phone went off in my pocket again. I glanced at the screen and saw that it was Claire again. She wasn’t usually this persistent. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take of Myra’s planned reboot of my life, so I decided to use Claire’s calls to my advantage. I stood. “Myra, I hate to leave like this, but Claire has a crisis going on and I need to go help her.”

“You’re going back to Manteo?”

I didn’t want to lie to her, but I needed to get out of there as soon as possible. “Yes.”

She emerged from the kitchen and walked closer to me. “Ellie, I beg you to consider what I’ve said. I think if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll see that I’m right.” She pulled me into a hug. “Just know I care about you and my door is always open.”

“Okay.” Her body felt piping hot next to mine, and no matter how upset I was with her, I was still worried about her health. “Are you sure you’re not sick? You feel like you have a fever.”

“I’m fine. It’s just hormones. I’ve been having hot flashes, embarrassing though that is.” Her smile tightened. “You scoot and take care of Claire.” She moved toward the front door and opened it.

“Okay.” My breakfast weighed ten pounds in my stomach. I couldn’t bear to leave with things like this between us, but I wasn’t sure how to fix the situation. “Take care, Myra.”

“You too.”

I walked through the door and my hand burned again as I passed through the threshold. I turned around to mention it to Myra, but she’d already closed the door.

Whatever was on the door was messing with my mark.

I pulled out my phone and took multiple pictures to show David, then practically ran out to the car and slid behind the wheel. Once I had the door shut, I gave in to my storm of emotion and let the tears flow freely down my cheeks. I wanted to dismiss everything she’d said, but the problem was that I could see some truth in it. But how much was truth and how much was overprotectiveness?

My phone buzzed again.

I answered this time and Claire sounded beyond irritated. “Ellie, I’m sorry, but she’s bugging the shit out of me. She won’t leave me alone until I talk to you.”

I shuddered in confusion. “Who’s bugging you?”

“My ghost.” I could practically hear her roll her eyes. “The one that thinks you need to move out. She won’t leave me alone until I tell you something.”

I wiped the tears off my cheeks and started the car. “And what’s that?”

Claire paused. “She says you need to leave your house and you need
him
.”

“Him who?” I asked as I started to pull out of my parking space.

“David. She’s very upset. She insists that you need him.”

My head grew fuzzy, so I pulled back between the lines, shifting the car back into park. “How did she know?”

“Know what?”

“That Myra was giving me a huge guilt trip about selling the inn and being with David. She asked me to move to Durham with her and start taking college classes.”

“
What?
That’s the craziest idea ever. That doesn’t sound like her at all.”

“I know . . . ”

“She’s probably lonely, Ellie. Sure, she’s got an exciting new job and a boyfriend, but she’s left her entire life behind. I bet she misses you and this is her way of trying to get you back.”

“Maybe . . . ”

“Plus, my ghost is adamant that you need David.”

I laughed even as tears burned my eyes. “Too bad your ghost isn’t Myra.” I sucked in a deep breath to get control. “Can you see your ghost yet? Do you know who she is?”

“No.” She sounded frustrated. “And I still struggle to understand her. Her words are often garbled. But I do know it’s a
her
, and she’s quite persistent in regards to you.”

“And you think we can trust her?”

“Yes. I can feel her concern for you. So put Myra’s words out of your head.”

“Easier said than done, Claire. She’s my mom.”

“I know, but she’s still human like the rest of us, which means even Myra is fallible from time to time.”

I smiled. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks.”

“What’s a BFF for?”

I filled her in on everything that had happened since I’d talked to her last, which took up the whole twenty-five minute drive to Chapel Hill.

David wasn’t home yet, so I resumed packing but wondered if I was overstepping my bounds. He sent me a text saying one of his friends had dropped him off at the library and he’d call me to pick him up later.

My encounter with Myra, along with everything else that had happened over the weekend, had been overwhelming. After I heated up a can of soup for lunch, I went into David’s room and crouched next to the bed, pulling out the sword Tsagasi had given me from between the mattress and box springs. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, I held the blade in my hands. It needed to be sharpened, although I had no idea how to do that, but it had proven effective nevertheless. Still, I couldn’t ignore how quickly I’d gotten worn out in my fight with the Raven Mockers. If I was going to start using a sword regularly, I needed to learn how to wield it. And build up my upper-body strength.

But first I needed a nap. I lay down, setting the sword on the comforter next to me. Then I grabbed David’s pillow and wrapped my arm around it, breathing in the scent of him—the clean smell of his shampoo, with a hint of musk. Myra’s admonishment was still fresh on my mind, but so was the message from Claire’s ghost. Did I trust the woman who had been my mother for the last ten years or some nameless ghost?

I roused out of my dreamless sleep and blinked my eyes open as I felt movement on my arm. “David?” I murmured.

He was sitting on the bed next to me. “Hey.”

“How did you get home?” I asked, still groggy.

“I ran into a friend who gave me a ride. How was your visit with Myra?”

I rolled onto my back to face him. “Don’t ask. Moving to Durham has changed her in a lot of ways.”

“I’m sorry.”

I told him about the whole incident, and when he heard what Myra had said about him, pain flickered in his eyes. “It’s not you, David. She thinks it’s all me.”

“What do you plan to do about her advice?”

I sat up and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “I’ll hold off on selling the inn for a few months. But I’m not giving you up. Even Claire’s ghost agrees that I shouldn’t.”

A grin spread across his face, even if his eyes were slow to catch up. “Well, there you go. It’s a good thing this ghost likes me since you follow her lead so much.”

I shook my head and smirked. “It just so happens Claire’s ghost and I think a lot alike. Anyway, I wanted to show you the marks on Myra’s door. They’re really different.” I dug the phone out of my pocket and pulled up the photos. “Have you seen anything like this before?”

He enlarged the photos and scrolled through the images. “I can honestly say I don’t recognize any of the marks. Forward them to my phone, and I’ll see what I can dig up.”

“Thanks.” I texted them to him, then put my phone on the bed. “Now tell me about your day.”

David had spent several hours with his friends, helping Allison’s parents arrange for her body to be moved to her hometown of Asheville for her funeral, and then Phil had dropped him off at the library.

“I read the letter Penelope recommended, and it helped confirm a lot of what we know.” It was written by a man claiming to be part of a group of Keepers whose duty it was to watch for a curse to break. The man spoke of a gold ring and a spear that could be used to rid the world of demons. Both objects had been lost for over fifty years, but he’d discovered that the prominent Middleton family in Charleston, South Carolina had gained possession of them. He had gone to the plantation to confront the current heir, but had never made it past the caretaker. He’d tried to talk to the sheriff in Charleston, but the man had refused to listen because the Middleton family was so respected, not only in Charleston but in the entire nation.

“Middleton,” I said. “I’ve heard that name before.”

“Are you sure? Could it have been from a history class or book?” He winked. “Or perhaps a
People
magazine story about Kate Middleton?”

“Very funny.” I shook my head. “It’s a memory, trapped in my head. I’m sure it’s associated with the Ricardo Estate. I don’t know how, but I am.”