Belle’s face puckered, and tears formed in her eyes. “How can you say that? If the garden’s not magical, then does that mean Santa Claus isn’t real either?”
The corner of his mouth twisted with exasperation. He looked away as he said, “This doesn’t have anything to do with Santa Claus.”
Belle persisted. “It does. It has to do with magic.”
“Who’s Santa Claus?” Iola asked.
The man’s steely eyes cut into her, and there was bridled anger in his voice when he said, “Come on. I’m going to put an end to this farce.” He grabbed hold of his daughter’s hand and marched her over to another clear door.
Iola nearly had to run to keep up with them as they crossed the grass and headed toward the garden. A moment later, they were at the spot where Iola had stood for many years. In her place was a pile of stone dust.
The man’s shock was palpable. “I don’t understand. What’s happening here?”
Belle let go of her father’s hand and skipped around the pile. “What’s happening is I was right. The garden is magical, and I have a new friend. Right, Rosie? We’re going to be best friends, aren’t we?”
Iola smiled at the little girl. “I certainly hope so.” When she shifted her attention over to Belle’s father, the expression on his face was unreadable. “I don’t mean either one of you any harm.”
The man’s stare wasn’t quite as hostile now, but it was still full of disbelief. “We need to talk,” he said in a clipped tone, then to his daughter, “Belle, please run inside and ask Maggie to make us a pitcher of lemonade.”
The girl hesitated, and Iola wasn’t sure whether or not she’d obey, but then she shrugged and raced off in the direction of the palace.
Once she was out of earshot, the man said, “Okay, I want the truth, and I want it now. Who are you, and what are you doing here?”
Iola’s throat suddenly went dry, and she cleared it before answering. “Belle is partly correct. I was the statue, but it was not the type of magic she was referring to that brought me back to life. It was a curse put on me by the goddess Eris.”
The man raised a brow. “Daughter of Zeus and Hera. I know something about Greek mythology.”
“Then you should be able to follow what I am about to tell you.”
He folded his arms across his broad chest. “I’ll try.”
She took a deep breath and began telling her story. “I was a healer when I lived in Greece many centuries ago and was well-known for my powers. King Parlion summoned me to his castle to cure his son of an illness. I had used my remedy on many, and it had always helped those in need, but something went wrong, and the young prince died. I know it was not my fault, but Eris blamed me and wanted me to suffer. She put a curse on me that would last for three thousand three hundred and fifty-one years. After that time, I would come back to life, but only temporarily, unless I cured someone by the first full moon. If I am not able to do that, I will become stone again, and this time it will be forever.” She tried to remain emotionless, but her stomach churned with anxiety, and her eyes misted with tears at the thought of what the future might hold for her.
His steady gaze made her nerves tense even more. “I can see that you are not comfortable that I am here. I will go somewhere else.” She looked from right to left, trying to decide in which direction to head and chose left, thinking it best to stay in the wooded area she saw off in the distance, at least until she had decided what to do.
“Wait!” he yelled as she walked across the soft, lush grass. “Where will you go? What will you do? I assume you have no money, and you can’t go wandering the streets in a tunic. You can stay here for now.”
She stopped and turned to look at him. “You’ll let me stay in your palace?”
His dark brows drew together into a straight line when he frowned. “Palace? You must mean my home. All the more reason for you not to go. It seems you have a lot to learn about the twenty-first century.”
“Thank you,” she replied softly.
“Come. I’ll show you where you can stay, and it’s not in my palace.” He smiled for the first time, revealing even white teeth. “I’m Carter, by the way. Carter Johnson.”
She smiled back at him. “I’m Iola. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Carter Johnson.”
They walked to the far side of the property, stopping in front of a pretty yellow house with white trim and a red front door.
“No one lives here?” she asked, nervous that he might intend to have her stay with strangers.
He smiled again. This time more broadly. “No. It’s a guest house. That’s where people who come to visit stay. I just purchased this property and only moved in yesterday, so you’ll be my first guest to use it.”
“I know.”
He arched a brow at her. “Know what?”
“That you just moved in. This place has been vacant for some time. I know that because you and your daughter were the first people to visit the garden for many days, other than the workers who have been tending to it.”
She could tell by the strange way he was looking at her that he was confused. “Although I was stone,” she explained, “I could hear, see, and feel.”
A look of sadness passed over his features. “That must’ve been awful.”
“It was unbearable.” Just thinking of it tore at her insides, and she was thankful that he chose this moment to open the door to the guest house.
Chapter 5
Carter was glad that he’d decided to have his crew clean the guest
