Jennifer knew they were trying to sound lighthearted, but their concern was evident in their eyes.
Rory held the black puppy she’d followed into the woods. The ball of fur struggled to be released. Rory obliged, and the scamp bounced playfully in her direction. His tag wagged so hard that it jerked his hips into the excited gesture.
“Oh, hey, hi, uh…” she greeted the dog.
“Jim,” Rory supplied.
“Hi Jim,” Jennifer finished, leaning over to pet the dog’s head. He instantly tried to nip at her fingers.
“That’s a stupid name for a dog,” Maura said.
“Maura’s a stupid name for a sister,” Rory quipped.
“You’re stupid,” Maura taunted, mimicking a child.
“Ya are,” Rory countered.
“Ya both are. Don’t make me separate ya.” Bruce grumbled as he moved to sit on the bed.
Maura stuck out her tongue and scrunched her nose.
Rory lifted his hand. This time his magick was yellow as he threatened his sister. “Don’t make me freeze ya like that.”
“Do, and I’ll tell ma ya broke the rules,” Maura answered. “They said no more petrifying spells. All ya boys up at the manor house couldn’t handle your magick. They had to take it away from ya.”
“Ya both realize Jennifer is witnessing this childish display.” Bruce leaned against the headboard and folded his arms over his chest.
“By all means, continue.” Jennifer stood. “I find it highly entertaining.”
Rory’s fingers grew brighter.
Maura held up her hand in warning. “No, don’t!”
Rory laughed and extinguished the magick.
“Why did ya give them this serial killer suite?” Bruce looked around the room. “Ya know, just one door down, I just finished a new design.”
Jennifer stiffened and looked around. “Serial killers stay here?”
“He’s joking,” Maura dismissed before turning a pointed stare at Bruce. “Ya are joking, right? Ya haven’t hidden weapons or body parts in the walls or anything creepy like that?”
“No body parts,” Bruce answered. “Ya know how the neighbors of the killer are always interviewed afterward, and they talk about how normal and boring the guy was? That’s what this room is. Normal and boring. But if ya look at it, it’s a little too normal and too boring, like it’s trying too hard to convince us it’s not what it really is.”
“They do say it’s the quiet ones you have to look out for,” Jennifer agreed. “Maybe it’s the quiet rooms you have to be wary of, too.”
“Exactly!” Bruce pointed at her. “Thank ya, Jennifer. It’s nice to have someone with a brain to talk to.”
“Well, I’m not putting serial killer suite on the brochures,” Maura said. “In fact, I’m regretting going into business with ya on this place.”
“That’s because ya lack vision,” Bruce answered, unconcerned.
“And ya lack business sense. This is Green Vallis, Wisconsin, not a Hitchcock movie.” Maura turned to Jennifer, effectively ending the conversation with her brother by asking, “How are ya feeling, Jennifer? Ma said ya had a bit of spell.”
“I’m under a spell,” she corrected. “Or possessed with like a demon or something.”
“What?” Maura looked between her two brothers. “I thought they said Jenny Greentooth. No one mentioned we were dealing with a demon—”
“No,” Rory interrupted. “Not a demon.”
All Jennifer got out of that little exchange was that actual demons were real. She hugged her arms against her stomach and tried not to think about it.
“Bog witch,” Rory picked Jim up off the floor and then sat on the end of the bed near his brother’s feet. He released the puppy to play on the mattress.
“Oh, well, at least that’s something.” Maura sat down in the pastel chair next to the table. “I can’t handle another apocalyptic battle. I don’t remember the bog witches ever wanting to take over the world, just collect a few souls.”
“How did ya escape the bog witch when ya were in Ireland?” Bruce asked.
Rory averted his eyes.
Jim started digging at the comforter, trying to bunch it up. He walked in a tight circle several times before plopping down in the nest he’d tried to make for himself.
“Tell me ya didn’t seduce her.” Maura silently gagged. She held up her hand toward Jennifer. “Sorry. I know the two of ya are…something.”
“In love,” Rory answered.
Jennifer’s mouth opened in surprise at how easily he claimed to be in love with her.
“Uh, I think maybe that’s a conversation ya should have with your girlfriend when we’re not around. It seems to be news to her,” Bruce said.
Rory looked at her and gave a light shrug. “I’m not ashamed of my feelings.”
“I…” Jennifer wasn’t used to talking about these things, especially not in front of an audience. Jim was the only one in the room not staring at her. She slowly sat on the foot of the bed, bending one leg so she could face them while keeping one foot on the floor. “I want to know what happened with the bog witch in Ireland.”
“It was what…?” Rory looked at his brother.
“Mid-1600s, maybe?” Bruce guessed.
“Aye, something like that.” Rory sighed. “I can’t recall how I escaped. I remember seeing someone who I thought needed help. She lured me into the bog. Or maybe I’m remembering stories I’ve heard told over the years. It all happened such a long time ago.”
Four hundred years ago.
Jennifer looked at Rory anew, studying his face.
Maura laughed. “Look, she’s calculating how old ya are.”
“No, I…” Jennifer chuckled. “Yeah, I was.”
“A woman lured ya into the bog,” Bruce prompted his twin to keep telling his story.
“I must have been stuck at that point. I’m guessing my magick didn’t work to get me out of there and…” Rory scrunched up his face.
“Remember.” Maura gestured to her brother with both hands. A light pink trailed from her fingers like smoke-snakes.
The trails entered into Rory’s eyes. He inhaled sharply.
“Aye, I was stuck in an enchanted bog. My magick wouldn’t work, and I couldn’t save the woman I followed,” he said, his accent becoming a little thicker. “A child circled me, not falling in, and then pushed me deeper so that I was trapped.”
Rory rubbed his eyes and shook his
