Chapter One

Gazing through the time-fogged window of his cabin, Marco imagined the generations of indigenous families who had lived within the vast wilderness of the majestic Adirondack Mountains. Brilliant rays from the setting sun gave the distant snow-capped peaks an orange glow as the light cascaded over the rocky slopes.

Anita would love this view, he thought as he took a sip of wine, reached for his phone, and pressed her number.

***

Eliza slept on Carolyn’s lap as Carolyn and Anita sat on the front porch watching the sunset.

Carolyn pulled the edges of the quilt closer to her chest. “What a gorgeous evening!”

“Cool evenings are some of my favorite times when I’m camping. There’s something comforting about being snuggled in a blanket outside in the chilly air,” Anita said.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Carolyn replied as Anita’s phone buzzed.

Out of habit, Anita kept her phone nearby, although since she’d moved to Dancing Valley, she didn’t often need it. When Anita saw the caller’s name flash, a smile lit up her face, and Carolyn figured it must be Marco.

“Hope I’m not interrupting your dinner,” he said.

“Not at all. Carolyn and I are sitting outside enjoying the fall breeze.”

Eliza mumbled, “There are three of us out here.”

Eliza was a telecat, pure white except for an oblong patch of black on her left side. A supernatural feline who appeared no different from an ordinary domestic cat, she could communicate telepathically with select people.

“Eliza’s here too.” Anita chuckled as Carolyn rolled her eyes and stroked Eliza.

“Do you remember my telling you about the grant project in the Adirondacks?”

“Sure,” she replied. “It sounds like an exciting opportunity.”

Several months prior, a scuba diver had found a dugout canoe buried in Lake Placid. Likely passed over by hundreds of others, the canoe looked like a log partially buried in the muddy bottom of the lake. After he and a friend spent a couple of days working to free it from the silt and hauling it to land, the diver, an archaeology student, contacted Professor Langford, who drilled out a small section of wood and evaluated it for age.

The result showed the canoe had been built over three centuries before. Although it hadn’t been the first dugout found in the lakes of the Adirondacks, it was one of the few and raised eyebrows within the archaeological community. The discovery had been featured in an archaeological magazine and had prompted discussion about its value and the possibility of other relics in the area.

“I’m in New York now, but the dig isn’t set to begin until the first of next week. Chase and Maria agreed to help with the project. They’re on their way here now. I was wondering if you’d be interested in spending a few days in the mountains. I’m staying in a cabin with a gorgeous view. It has two bedrooms. Well, one bedroom and a pullout in the living room. I promise to be a perfect gentleman.”

“Hang on a second.” She looked at Carolyn. “Will you be alright alone for a few days?”

“I’m not alone. Besides Eliza, I’m surrounded by dozens of little friends. They’ve been my companions for a century and a half.”

Eliza murmured, “You’re only a hundred and forty-one.”

Ignoring the telecat, Carolyn continued, “Stay as long as you’d like. Viki and Vianna will help look after the plants in the greenhouse.” A pixie and an elf, respectively, Viki and Vianna were frequent visitors to Carolyn’s herb garden.

After a thumbs-up at Carolyn, Anita smiled and told Marco, “I’d love to join you.”

Anita and Marco had met after she’d hired him to guide her on an expedition in the Amazon rainforest. A botanist, she believed she might find plants growing in the jungle that could lead to major breakthroughs in medical research.

Although he didn’t realize it, the seeds Marco had collected for Anita were from plants with mystical properties. They cured the infrequent viruses that could infect supernatural entities, including the little people who lived in the forest surrounding Anita’s home.

She glanced toward the greenhouse. “Nothing is more rewarding than being able to share our plants with the little ones who need them.”

Carolyn nodded. “If not for Marco, we wouldn’t have them to share.”

“I worry about what he’ll think if he ever finds out I’m a witch.” Anita smiled wryly.

“It worked out for Chase and Maria. Those two have known each other for years. Chase realized Maria had a special way with animals, but he had no idea about the magic of the forest or Maria’s abilities until a year before their wedding.”

Anita sighed. “You’re right. My relationship with Marco isn’t far enough along to worry about it, anyway.”

Carolyn raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly. “It might be farther along than you realize.”