Mirage

By Molly Lavenza

A hidden menace?

The summer semester class trip promises adventure as well as an escape from the confines of Larkspur's spells and secrets. But will Moon Lake lure me into a false sense of security, putting those I care about in unforeseeable danger?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Molly Lavenza
• Release date: Sep 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005239305

Molly Lavenza

Molly Lavenza is a student at Kent State University. She loves her home state of Ohio, her cats, little sister, and her boyfriend, whose dark, curly hair and obsession with Converse sneakers was the inspiration for Declan, the hero in The Changeling Covenant.

Book preview

Chapter One

Sunny is so heavy.

I’ve managed to drag her halfway up the stairs when she starts kicking and rolling around, and I let her go, keeping my arms curved around her body so she won’t tumble back down.

What’s going on?

She sounds sleepy, her disorientation obvious as she blinks, turning her head from one side to the other until she catches my gaze.

We stare into each other’s eyes for a moment until she grabs my arm and pulls me close to her.

My mother.

She stands up so suddenly I’m worried we’ll both fall, but she’s steady on her feet, looking down at the pocket doors, now tucked neatly closed.

I've made a big mistake, all because I wanted to do something good for my sister.

I’m wrapped up in the past, in the tragic events that left us both without mothers.

Me, once.

But for Sunny, twice.

As soon as Leah smiled at the girl she planned to raise as her own, my sister fainted, dropping to the hardwood floor like a dead weight.

And Leah disappeared behind the door once again, shaking her head at me with a gentle sigh.

Would it have been too much to ask her to help me get Sunny back up the stairs?

This is my fault, so I guess I shouldn’t have expected any assistance, and Leah did tell me earlier today not to tell anyone.

I have to get better about keeping other people’s secrets, even if I have good intentions for revealing them.

You passed out. Why don't you get some rest, like you were telling me to do earlier?

She glares at me, her eyes narrowing and she looks from the pocket doors to me and back again.

"I did not imagine that, Mina."

When she points at the doors, I look away, unsure if I can keep lying to her when she’s pushing me like this.

Let’s go. We have to get ready for Moon Lake tomorrow, and Abby will be annoyed if we’re too tired to be anything but trouble for her and your dad.

She lifts her chin when I mention Abby, who is like a big sister although they don’t act like they’re close at all.

But the picture she and Abby both have displayed prominently in their personal spaces tells a different story.

A story of two girls who needed a home and found a family.

Is someone down there?

An all too familiar voice calls out from above us, and Sunny pushes me to the edge of the steps so we aren’t as visible as we would be in the middle of them.

She holds her finger over her lips, as if I don’t know to be quiet.

I pout, and her lips twitch into a tiny smile.

Georgia lurks somewhere close, but she must not come too far to the railing because she doesn’t say anything else, and after a few minutes, I hear her footsteps move in the other direction.

Now, my sister yanks at my hand and I’m the one being pulled up the remaining stairs.

I stumble, trying not to fall and attract anyone else’s attention.

Once we’re near our rooms, she pushes me towards mine with a shake of her head, and I know I’m going to have to come up with an explanation for what just happened.

Not now, but tomorrow, unless I can keep her busy and distracted with Moon Lake preparations.

Mina! Georgia was here looking for you, and she left a sleeping back you can use for the trip.

Sadie speaks as soon as I step into the room, and I remember Georgia did mention this, and I forgot to thank her in advance.

If we’re in cabins, why do we need sleeping bags?

There’s a lot about our summer semester I don’t understand, and any detail would help considering I have to maneuver through the usual school expectations along with any spellbinding situations that crop up.

And they will, if my experience here at Larkspur for the last six weeks is any indication.

We have a few nights where we sleep outside, in tents.

Sadie offers this information, and Hannah adds to it, as the two of them usually converse in this manner.

Even if we don’t want to, and I sure don’t. Bugs, anyone?

Hannah shivers dramatically before pushing her red-framed glasses up on her nose, and her floppy bun tilts dangerously close to falling into her face.

But she doesn’t seem to notice.

So, Hannah, I’ve been meaning to ask if anything happened between you and Kane during movie night. My memory is . . . hazy.

I try to ask this as nonchalantly as possible, since hazy doesn’t quite cover the condition I’ve been in for the past few weeks, enchanted by my mother’s celestial jewelry.

Although I don’t know why.

Kane?

Hannah sputters my best friend’s name in surprise, and Sadie smiles, tilting her head down to hide it.

When Hannah throws a pillow at her, I laugh, the tension of the day releasing with this simple action and the way my roommates are behaving.

Like regular teenage girls, which I long to be.

For these few hours, tucked in our room with just the three of us, maybe I can be.

Hannah denies any connection to Kane at all, either that night or ever, but I caught them smiling at each other during today’s graduation ceremony and I know she’s lying.

But I won’t press her, not when it’s a delicate situation.

I want the two of them to get together, so I wouldn’t do anything to make her want to avoid him.

Will Moon Lake offer a romantic atmosphere for them to spend time together?

It was romantic enough for my sister and Gavin to kiss, and even if they were thirteen when it happened, it was only three years ago.

Does Gavin have any feelings for her anymore?

Mina?

I look from Sadie to Hannah, unsure who spoke my name as I was lost in thought.

Sorry, I’m tired, I guess, like everyone else.

Yeah, whatever, Hannah grumbles. If you’re going to ask about boys, how about you and Gavin?

I frown, wondering if she somehow could sense I was just thinking about him.

What about Gavin? He’s back, so that’s good.

When I shrug, she and Sadie both shake their heads in perfect unison, making me laugh again as they take turns questioning me further..

So that display with Nicholas today was about what?

Seriously, Mina, do you know how many girls are after Gavin?

I know most of the girls here at Larkspur have crushes on Gavin, so remembering how Nicholas offered to fight him for me today in some medieval display of hormonal imbalance, I cringe.

I know, Sadie, but I had nothing to do with the Nicholas and Gavin Show this afternoon. They have some history, and it seems like Gavin didn’t know Nicholas was here, so . . . it was a nasty surprise.

Honestly, I’m not sure what sort of history they have, but I can’t imagine any history with Nicholas would be good.

Even my sister’s interest in him seems forced, probably because she only wants to go through with their arranged marriage to unite their power genetically and produce children who will have stronger spellbinding magic than I do.

Not the kind of relationship I would want, but to each his own, I suppose.

It’s so weird to go to bed without studying, Hannah mutters when we finally duck under the blankets in our beds, knowing tomorrow night we’ll be in cabins at Moon Lake.

The only students in our class who have been there before are Sunny and Gavin, who is my self-proclaimed rival and my . . .

What?

No matter what he is, I’ll have to rely on him and my sister for help navigating Moon Lake, so I don’t miss any clues another book has gone blank and in need of sealing.

Do you know if there’s a library at Moon Lake, like for research purposes?

Hannah rolls to her side in bed and props herself up on her elbow.

Looking to add to your collection?

She points to my closet and I shake my head, concerned she or Sadie will ask questions about the two books I have on a shelf in there.

The Hobbit and Fahrenheit 451.

Two-thirds of the spark that lit more than one fire here at Larkspur, figuratively and literally.

Both with my name written inside the front cover to keep them from doing so again.

Hopefully.

No, just curious. I don’t have anything to read for fun while we’re there, and I thought there might be some books for us.

Sadie snorts and tucks her pillow around the back of her head so all I see is her tiny face and cute pixie cut dark hair peeking out from the middle.

As if Dr. Reed and the teachers would let us have enough time to read for pleasure.

She had a point, but I know we've had some time here for movie night and shopping trips.

Samantha was kind enough to buy me a navy blue messenger bag and red-framed reading glasses the first weekend I was here, when I was supposed to go shopping but managed to get myself into trouble instead.

Maybe, but a library wasn’t one of the aspects of Moon Lake the older kids wanted to talk about, so who knows? I’m guessing Moon Lake has some surprises for us, which means we’re in for an adventure.

Hannah’s smile is tired but happy, and I’m glad she is looking forward to the trip, like so many other students.

I’m not sure how I feel about it, not with my dad in state prison and my spellbinding skills unclear.

Not with Georgia waiting to pounce on Gavin, and Nicholas and Gavin at each other’s throats.

And my Aunt Leah downstairs right now, hiding from us all.

Even from my sister, who fainted at the very sight of her.

I want to sleep for a day, to escape all the unknowns in my life and those yet to come, but when Abby comes knocking at seven am, which is later than we usually rise for breakfast, I wake up immediately.

Sadie and Hannah groan, although Hannah is already dressed, so I suspect her complaint is solely to commiserate with her friend.

With our friend.

I smile as we pack up, directed by Abby and the teachers who will be coming with us to Moon Lake, as older students stop by to advise us.

Helena squawks in the hallway as she struggles with her sleeping bag, a goofy pink beast that won’t roll up.

Why did you unroll it in the first place?

Taylor sits on it, trying to mash it down, and Sadie, Hannah, and I laugh as we offer to wrestle it into submission.

It’s so pretty, and I wanted to try it out, Helena protests, answering Taylor’s question.

Abby walks by, shaking her head but remaining quiet as she moves from room to room, asking if anyone needs help.

A charter bus, fancy by anyone’s standards, rolls up in front of the school.

Usually, we would be able to see from our dorm windows, but since we’ve been relocated to the North Wing, we don’t know the bus is here until a few boys run into the stacks of suitcases and duffle bags lined up outside of our rooms, announcing the arrival.

Sorry!

Julian hurtles over Helena’s enormous sleeping bag, finally tucked together, and slams into a row of suitcases, knocking them over like a set of dominoes.

Everyone busts out laughing, and I look around for Taylor, hoping she’s watching, but she’s nowhere in sight.

One of my goals for our time together at Moon Lake is having a talk with her and finding out what exactly is going on between her and Julian, and why she never seems happy about it.

Chapter Two

I know Taylor and Julian’s mothers dislike each other, so it makes sense that the two of them, who obviously have fallen in love, are under pressure to keep their relationship under wraps.

But there's more at work here, and I want to help.

If Taylor will let me.

I wish she could see him faltering in the midst of everyone’s belongings, his sheepish expression a front for how much he loves the attention.

Which might be an act itself, if the way he behaves around Taylor is any indication.

I assume you’re ready to go, Julian?

He waves at Abby as she asks.

Sure, of course. I wanted to let you all know the bus is here, and the driver said he can take our luggage any time.

Several girls in the ninth grade like us, or I suppose it’s safe to say the tenth grade since we’ve completed the school year successfully, squeal, and Julian smiles at them, happy to be the bearer of good news.

I can take some suitcases.

Gavin walks up behind Julian, and Julian frowns while Gavin ignores him.

I look away, ducking back into our room to grab my backpack, which carries all of my small collection of clothes and shoes.

The sleeping bag Georgia loaned me is easy enough for me to carry myself, too.

When Gavin steps up as soon as I return to the hall, everyone grows silent.

I wish he’d approach one of his fan club members instead of me, but he’s determined to take my backpack if not my sleeping bag, so I let him just to keep us from making a scene.

See you on the bus, Mina.

Hannah calls out to me as I walk by, and I roll my eyes at her knowing smile.

There is nothing between Gavin and me, at least nothing I can define.

Sunny meets us on the stairs to the side door, unmoving as she fists her hands at her hips in her trademark stance.

Can you move out of the way, Sunny?

Gavin’s request is met with a snort, and he shifts to one side as she mirrors his movement, blocking his way.

Seriously?

She sticks her tongue out as he protests, but as I open my mouth to ask her the same, she waves a hand in front of my face.

I’ll be keeping an eye on you, Mina, and on this guy, too. Remember what I told you.

I glance at Gavin, who stares straight ahead as if he hasn’t heard her words.

But there’s no way he hasn’t.

She told me he was playing me, and he would use me for spellbinding purposes while he worked to fulfill his family’s desire to take the role of Spellbinder from the Reeds.

He’s admitted to this, so it isn’t as if he’s hiding his endgame from me.

But there’s more to it.

More to us.

I shake my head against my confusing thoughts, then nod as Sunny narrows her eyes at me.

When we reach the bus and find the mob of students hurrying to feed their possessions into the belly of the charter, Gavin laughs.

Every year, someone is upset because they can’t take ten suitcases with them. Who needs forty pairs of shoes at camp?

He shakes his head, and as if on cue, a loud wailing rises from the group and three girls, along with two boys, emerge with extra suitcases in hand, pouting and complaining.

Who even has forty pairs of shoes in real life?

Gavin nods to encourage me to walk closer to the bus.

You’d be surprised. Fashion affection is not limited to the Kardashians, especially when money is no object.

He’s right. Some of these kids have more money than I can imagine, and while I can survive on one pair of shoes and an extra pair of jeans in spite of my own secure upbringing, they might have been raised to think they can’t.

Maybe a summer at Moon Lake will cure them of that.

Did Sunny warn you about me, again?

I’m not sure why Gavin would bother to ask me this, except for Sunny’s comment on the stairs, because of course she did.

I nod and offer my backpack to the bus driver, thanking him when Gavin hands over Georgia’s sleeping bag.

My goal for the summer is to learn to swim.

When we move away so other students can get their suitcases and sleeping bags loaded, Gavin stares at me, as if he can’t believe my declaration.

Really? That’s all?

Unlike the usual Larkspur attendee, I don’t have grand plans for my future, or insane goals to meet in order to get there.

Travel after high school, figure out college and career after.

So for this summer, to learn a life skill, as Sunny referred to swimming, is quite enough for me.

You should think about it, too. I mean real learning, not getting tossed in by my uncle.

Gavin’s story about my uncle’s swimming training isn’t lost to me, as I think of a young Gavin struggling in the water as lifeguards rush out to pull him from the lake, victimized by Uncle Reed’s tough and ineffective methods.

I wonder if I’ll be a casualty of this mindset, and if he’ll realize sooner than later I might not be the best fit to represent the Reeds in the power play to be the Spellbinder.

Yeah, no. I have enough on my plate, Mina, and so do you. I’ll see you later.

Without another word, Gavin walks away, heading back into the building.