Loch

mother.
Holly couldn’t help but smile at someone as large as Garret hugging someone as small as Grace.
“There better be.” Grace took her seat in the booth.
Garret slid in beside her. Jess urged Holly to sit next to her on the other side.
“Holly,” Grace said. “Let me say, I’m so sorry for your loss. Pearl was such a wonderful woman. I miss her every day.”
“Were you friends?” Holly asked.
“Oh, yes!” Grace brightened. “We were in the same book club and knitting club. She loaned me the use of her kitchen and dining room more times than I can count. Half of my functions would’ve gone under if it hadn’t been for Pearl.”
“Pearl babysat me all the time when I was a kid,” Jess added.
“From what I hear, there isn’t a single person in this town whose life she hasn’t touched,” Holly said quietly.
“That’s true.” Grace smiled. “But we don’t have to talk about it if it makes you sad.”
“It’s all right,” Holly said. “I like talking about Pearl. I wasn’t close to her when she was alive. I only ever met her once.”
“Oh.” Grace drew her slender brows together. “Well, ask anything you want. I’ll tell you whatever I can.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you have enough supplies?” Jess asked. “If you need me to lend you anything else, just let me know.”
“You lent me enough to restock my closet ten times over.” Holly chuckled. “Actually, I’m planning on stopping by one of the shops today. I’ll be able to get your things back to you soon.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Jess waved her off. “You can keep everything. It’s not stuff I wear.”
“Jess likes to keep getaway bags at the ready,” Garret said.
“You make me sound like one of those nutty doomsday preppers when you put it like that.” Jess frowned.
“You are one of those nutty doomsday preppers.”
“There is nothing nutty about being prepared. You know as well as I do that things can go south for us.”
Holly’s mouth dropped open as she recalled something Garret had told her a while back. Garret’s adoptive family had shifter blood on his mother’s side. Grace was a shifter. Holly was willing to bet Jess was, too.
The idea of someone as small as Grace shifting into a bear almost made Holly laugh.
“Nothing’s going to happen to us,” Garret said in a hushed tone. “I’m working on it.”
“Is that why you’ve all but disappeared?” Grace asked.
“More or less.” Garret’s gaze shot to Holly.
“Do they know?” she asked.
“Know what?” Jess looked from Holly to Garret. “What don’t we know?”
“They don’t,” Garret said. “But I think they should. Do you mind?”
“Not at all.”
“What are you talking about?” Grace drummed her manicured fingers on the tabletop. Nervous light danced in her eyes.
“Holly is the Maiden.”

CHAPTER TEN—Holly
Jess looked like she was either going to laugh or cry. Holly couldn’t tell for sure.
“Are you sure?” Grace asked, stone-faced.
“Yes.”
“Prove it.”
Now, it was Holly who bore the weight of Grace’s piercing gaze.
“I hear her voice,” Holly offered.
“What?”
“The Maiden,” Holly explained. “I’m not a reincarnation. I’m a vessel, just as the first Maiden was.”
“A vessel?” Jess said. “Like, the Maiden possesses you?”
“If only it were that easy,” Holly muttered. “It’s closer to indentured servitude if you ask me.”
“I can’t imagine…” Grace trailed off.
“No, you can’t.” Garret’s voice took on a grave tone. “Holly was kidnapped last week. Shifters are gathering near the silver mines. They want to return to the dark ways.”
“I knew my getaway bags weren’t insane,” Jess said pointedly. “Who are they? Are they from Silver Spruce?”
“I don’t know,” Garret replied. “Holly didn’t see much.”
“Why didn’t they kill her?” The ice in Grace’s voice sent a chill down Holly’s spine.
“What?” Garret’s brows pulled together. His upper lip curled up in the slightest of snarls.
“Don’t bare your teeth at me,” Grace warned. “Think about it. The Maiden is what stopped dark shifters last time. Why would they hold her for a week when they could just kill her and eliminate the threat altogether?”
Holly felt like she was going to be sick. She knew exactly why she wasn’t killed in the silver mines.
“I don’t want to think about what was going through their sick minds while they held her,” Garret shuddered. “What’s important is that we got her back, and nothing like that is ever going to happen to her again.”
“Whose child will you carry?” Jess asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement once again.
It was obvious to Holly that Jess hoped her brother would be the chosen one.
“Jess!” Garret hissed. “Can you not?”
“What?” Jess shrugged. “We all know the prophecy. She’s bound to have thought about it.”
“Actually, I haven’t,” Holly admitted. “I’m not sure if you know, but I didn’t know anything about shifters until after I got here.”
“What?” Jess exclaimed so loud that half the diner turned to look at them.
“You’re the master of subtlety, Jess,” Garret groaned.
“I’m sorry! I just—” she stammered. “I don’t understand how that’s possible. No one told you? Not even Pearl?”
“Pearl planned how she wanted me to find out about all of this,” Holly explained. “It was an extensively elaborate plan that, unfortunately, went to shit in the early stages.”
“Pity.” Grace frowned. “I’m sure Pearl knew what she was doing. Her gifts were invaluable.”
“I’d give anything to talk to her now.” Holly sighed. “It’s not fun making all this up as I go along.”
“I don’t envy your position.” Grace bit the inside of her cheek. “If you need anything, I’m happy to help.”
“Me, too!” Jess chimed in.
“Thank you.” Holly smiled. Her gaze locked on Garret’s, who’s smile was soft and sweet.
“Shall we order?” Grace said, breaking the silence.
“Yes.” Holly nodded. “I’m so