Crescent Legacy Nicole Taylor (top young adult novels .TXT) 📖

“Good, I only have one left.”

Mairead pouted and walked back toward the main street, her boots clomping in the snow. It wasn’t fair to dump all my magical poop into her human lap. This was a fight I had to face alone. As a witch and as a descendant of the Crescents who had gotten me into this mess in the first place.

Sighing, I walked toward the cottage, knowing my ass was completely caked in mud and soaked through to my undies.

“Skye?” Mairead called out.

I glanced over my shoulder and found her standing at the edge of the garden, looking worried.

“Are you sure you’re goin’ to be okay?”

“I have to be,” I replied. “The world doesn’t stop spinning for one broken heart.”

It was New Year’s Day when I finally got out of bed and put on some normal people clothes. My Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pajamas were starting to stink, and I was almost sure I’d forgotten how to walk. If it weren’t for my bodily functions, I wouldn’t have gotten up at all.

After seeing Boone almost every single day since I’d arrived in Derrydun, his absence was like a tear in the space-time continuum. It was unnatural and wrong, but I had to keep reminding myself who he was. Who or what? I wasn’t sure which of those two words to put into that statement.

Molly McCreey’s was a bubble of warmth as I entered.

The fire was roaring in the hearth, and a dozen villagers huddled around it. Sean McKinnon sat by the bar, nursing a pint of beer, his woolly jumper looking ratty and worn, and the scruff on his face not faring any better. He looked like he had a broken heart, but that wasn’t anything new. Ever since his wife died, he’d been in mourning, but at Christmas, he’d made a declaration of love at Maggie’s feet. Seeing him now, I wasn’t sure who he was pining over anymore.

When he turned and saw me approaching the bar, his eyes lit up and not in a welcoming way. It was as if my presence had stoked the fires of Hell.

“Hey, Skye,” Maggie said. “You don’t look so good. Are you feelin’ okay?”

I glanced at Sean, whose scowl deepened. Either he knew or he had latent magical talent. He was always calling me a witch like he knew something everyone else didn’t, but I was sure it had more to do with being Boone’s best friend than anything supernatural.

“Boone’s gone,” Sean declared, erupting like a volcano. “He hasn’t shown up to work in three days. I’ve had double the work on the farm, chasin’ eejit sheep across the hill and slippin’ over in piles of shit. Want to know why?”

“Three days?” Maggie asked, ignoring his rant. “That’s not like him. He’s supposed to work the kitchen tonight.”

“The last time this happened, it was because of her.” The farmer jabbed an accusing finger at me.

Anger welled in the pit of my stomach, bringing the familiar sensation of golden light with it. My Legacy was tied to my emotions after all. Emotions, instinct…it was all the same in the end. If I lost it, the whole pub might turn into a pile of matchsticks before the minute was up.

“Skye drove him away,” Sean went on, totally oblivious to the pressure cooker inside me. “I told him not to marry her. Cailleach feasa.”

Understanding flowed through me even though I was useless at learning Gaelic. In all the months I’d been living here, I’d learned a handful of swear words, and that was it even though most of the villagers spoke it fluently.

Cailleach feasa… Sean McKinnon was calling me a witch! And not in a nice way either.

“Boone left because I found out he was a lying scumbag!” I screeched.

The entire pub fell silent, except for the dulcet tones of some traditional Irish music playing on the stereo. A tin whistle trilled, and I almost flung a bolt of magic across the room to shut it up.

“Ní mórán thú!” I exclaimed.

“Am not!” Sean shouted at me. “I am not worthless! Take that back!”

“Since when does Skye speak Gaelic?” someone by the fireplace asked.

“Since now, looks like,” another man replied.

“Should we get under the table?”

“Wouldn’t hurt.”

Maggie and Sean stared at me, both their mouths hanging open.

“If you knew half the things I’ve done… If you knew…” The talisman hummed against my skin and then flared, scalding my flesh. Slapping a hand over it, I cursed and sank down onto a stool, hiding behind my hair.

“Crow’s curse on you,” Sean grumbled.

“Shut up, Sean McKinnon!” Maggie exclaimed. “Can’t you see Skye’s heartbroken?” She rushed around the end of the bar and bent over me. Placing a hand on my back, she rubbed soothing circles. “Do you want to talk about it, Skye?”

I shook my head, brushing my hair away from my face and the tears that had escaped despite the tight hold I’d had on them.

“He wasn’t who he said he was,” I muttered. “That’s all.”

“He did show up out of nowhere,” Maggie replied. “Never talked about his past. Not even to Aileen.”

“But he was good,” Sean said. “Everyone knows it.”

Maggie clucked her tongue and helped me to my feet. “Drinkin’ will do no good for you, Skye Williams. How about you go home, and I’ll send over a hot meal for you? I promise I won’t get Sean to deliver it.”

“No. It’s fine,” I said. “I’ve got some work to do at the shop. I’ll… I’ll be fine.”

“Said every woman with a broken heart,” I heard her murmur as I walked away.

Another dusting of snow had fallen while I was inside Molly McCreedy’s.

Making my way carefully across the icy road, I unlocked the door to Irish Moon and shuffled inside. The crystals hummed merrily as I stood among them, and the talisman around my neck harmonized. I’d almost blown my top at Sean McKinnon and blasted him with my magic. Go hIfreann leat.

Rummaging underneath the counter, I took out