Enough people gasped at her bold claim that it sounded as if the entire room exhaled at the same time. Flint returned to his seat, unable to conceal his scowl.
Tucker fidgeted in his chair. “I think what she means is that any observations should be reported to any of us on the council. Right, Leonora?” He raised his eyebrows at his mother-in-law, waiting for her to read the room.
My aunt stopped arguing with the gnome long enough to register the stupefied scrutiny of the audience. She lifted her long, pointed nose in the air and sniffed again. “For now, bring any concerns to any of the council members, as Mr. Hawthorne clarified.”
I relaxed into the back of my chair, ready for the meeting to be declared over. We waited for any of the council members to dismiss us, but Aunt Nora straightened in her seat with renewed energy.
“One more thing,” Aunt Nora said, placing her agenda to the side and pasting that fake smile on her lips again. “Since the council recognizes that there are problems in our community, then I think it’s time we address the issue of the high seat.”
“Oh no, she wouldn’t dare,” I hissed, poking my brother’s shoulder.
Our aunt continued with more enthusiasm. “With Vivian Goodwin unable to fulfill her duties, I’d like to propose that one of us take over her position.”
“It isn’t time for an election,” Flint commented.
“Do you deny that you yourself presented information to our residents that there are power fluctuations in our town’s barriers? Or that the owner of the spell phone company admitted to his product having issues functioning properly?” challenged Aunt Nora.
The gnome refused to back down. “Those things have been recognized, Nora. But I fear you are overreaching right now. Much like you did with my security team.”
My aunt’s cheeks flushed with anger. “It is not my fault if you were not prepared to stop any more strangers from entering into our town.”
“But that’s never been our way,” Flint responded. “We’ve always welcomed any of our kind who sought sanctuary.”
Aunt Nora stood so she towered over the gnome. “But most of them aren’t our kind. And you failed to add in your report about the newcomers how many have experienced chaos due to their presence. The list of complaints grows almost daily.”
Although I’d had some issues with Mug, Nug, and Bug, I wouldn’t have reported the incident as an official complaint. Scanning the audience, I wondered who’d been reporting to her.
Lucky stood. “If one of them was the skirmish at The Rainbow’s End, Deputy Goodwin could tell you that it was much ado about absolutely nothing. A couple of pixies got a little too far into their cups, ’tis all.”
Aunt Nora grinned like a predator at the leprechaun. “Did they not break some of your property, endangering your other customers?”
“Pfft,” Lucky dismissed. “There have been worse incidents at The End with far more damage. As the proprietor of me own business, I have the right to decide what is and what isn’t a reportable nuisance. And those pixies have been working off their debt to me in fair trade.” He wiped his hands together twice and held them up in a gesture of no ill will. “Done and done.”
Matt leaned back in his seat to talk to me. “Okay, you may get to perform your I-told-you-so dance after all. Aunt Nora’s getting out of hand.”
While I might have been right about our aunt’s disposition, being correct didn’t fix the situation. Most of the room murmured in uncertainty at the chaos Aunt Nora bred by challenging Lucky.
“Still,” she said, attempting to win back control. “I have heard other examples of problems with the newcomers. Add those difficulties to the other technical issues Mr. Hollyspring brought to light, then I reiterate that someone should be placed in the high seat. At least until things are back to normal.”
“Or my grandmother returns,” Matt spoke up.
Startled by my brother’s outburst, Aunt Nora’s arrogant assertion faltered. “Yes, of course. I would gladly step down when Vivi feels up to the task.”
“Wait,” Flint interjected. “There are three of us capable of taking on the challenge. Why would you automatically take the position?”
“Because I am the senior council member, having held the position far longer than either my son-in-law or you,” Aunt Nora replied, failing to hide her contempt for the gnome.
“I’m afraid I must interrupt, madame.” Lady Eveline strode down the aisle toward the stage, her red high heels clicking on the floor. “It is my understanding that the high seat position is one chosen by election. Is that not the case in this situation? Should the residents not have a say who shall lead them in absence of the true leader?”
The regal vampire stood at the end of our row of seats with a blank expression settled on her face. However, a quick flash of her eyes in my direction alerted me. Perhaps her bold interruption held more significance than a simple objection.
I’d learned of her relationship with Uncle Tipper while trying to solve his murder. Maybe she had been with him long enough that he’d let a lot of the inner workings of the town’s leadership slip while together.
Aunt Nora did her best to dismiss the vampire’s claim. “I would say that the state of the safety of our town warrants a quicker decision than to hold an election.”
“But you called Flint’s report about security rabble-rousin’ and exaggerated the scuffle at my bar,” Lucky said. “You cannae make up your own mind on the degree of trouble.”
My aunt refused to allow the challenge to sway her sudden campaign. “Still, with Vivian unable to be here, things would function better with someone at the helm. Someone with great experience.”
“Or killer ambition,” I added under my breath.
The next person who stood in opposition shocked me to my core. Clementine rose from her seat in the front, gaining the attention of every single resident in the hall.
“Might I suggest that you
