I head down to Melissa's room (she hadn't been able to convince anyone to switch with her so she could be next to me) and knock on her door. I have to wait quite a while before she finally opens up, beaming.
"Hiya, cutie! Time for breakfast?" she says brightly.
"Yep!" I say, just as brightly. After forcing Zane and Garroth into the same room, they'd come to terms with what happened last night and agreed never to mention it again. We'd all hugged (or rather, I threatened to tell Mummy and they awkwardly patted each other) and we'd all left happy. (sort of.)
I notice Kawaii~Chan heading downstairs towards the tantalizing smell of pancakes, and Melissa sniffs long and hard. "My snooter has picked up the scent of pancakes!" She says. "ONWARD!" she charges downstairs and into the lobby instead. She picks up her phone and swipes it open, her face falling when she sees no notifications.
"Darn it!" She walks into the kitchen, me trailing behind her. "I swear, Aaron and Aphmau better pick up their phone soon. I need to know what they're doing!!"
"Probably making out." I say, just to make her feel better.
She giggles. "Ya think? Huh?" She looks at Kawaii~Chan. "Kawaii~Chan...?"
"GUH!" Kawaii~Chan jumps a foot in the air. "Y-yes?" She turns to us.
"WHOA!" Melissa says in surprise. "A little jumpy there, huh?"
"N-no!"
Melissa laughs. "Okay. You're a little off. Chill out girl, you look like you just got caught cheating on your boyfriend with his brother."
I choke on my own oxygen. "WHAT?!" Garroth, Zane and I yell.
"Huh? Are you all okay?" Melissa asks, looking like she wants to feel my forehead. "You're all acting weird."
"Umm...Melissa, maybe I can help you get ahold of Aaron and Aphmau, come on let's go outside and talk!!" I shriek, pulling her along.
"Whaaaa? Acting so weird..." Melissa mutters, but she follows me outside anyways. "Violet, why couldn't we just go to the living room?"
"Ummm, b-because! It was getting very... uhhhh.... Hot inside!" I say.
"Uhh, it's hotter outside." Melissa says, looking very suspicious.
"Is it?" I give a fake laugh. "Whoops, my bad! I'll go get us some ice cream! Anything to get away from this awkwardness..." I mutter, sprinting for the house. I grab random containers (though taking care not to grab chocolate) and sprint back outside, only to find Melissa gone.
"Whew!" I sigh in relief, setting the already-melting peppermint ice creams on the sidewalk. Who brings peppermint anything to a summer getaway theme park?
"Travis' father?" I hear. I look over and see Lucinda and a guy with wild white hair and a red shirt (covered in what looks like ash) talking on the beach.
"Travis' father?" I repeat, heading over. "Hi, Lucinda!"
She looks over, and I'm surprised to see she looks on edge. "Oh! Hi, Violet!"
"Ohhh, Violet Ro'Meave!" The guy says.
I flinch. "Um, how do you know my name?"
"Your dad and I were buddies! Used to work together... he brought you and Garroth to our business place a lot so you could see what we worked on!" the guy says. "Forgive my manners. I'm Terrence! Travis' dad!"
"Woah, Travis' dad?" I repeat yet again. "I didn't realize you were the Terrence Mummy and Dad spoke of so often."
"Sure am! You can call me Terry for short!" he says cheerfully.
"I wasn't even aware that Travis was here." Lucinda says. "I must have missed the memo or something."
"Yeah, sorry, I forgot to tell you." I mutter. "Been kinda busy."
"Well, it didn't sound like he knew you were all here either." Terry says. "I mean, I did bring Travis here on short notice after all. I was planning on coming here alone, and probably should've given him a warning ahead of time, but what can I say? I take after my dad, and he popped things out of nowhere! I mean, what can ya do? What about you guys? Who brought you?"
Lucinda doesn't answer, apparently lost in thought.
"Hellooo?" Terry asks. "Ma'am?"
"Oh!" Lucinda starts. "S-sorry."
"Mind if I ask your name?" Terry winks at me. "Don't need yours, sugar plum."
Oh, please. As if that wasn't planned the moment he saw my eye color.
"Um, it's Lucinda." Lucinda says hesitantly.
"What a beautiful name." Terry says. "I also see you're a witch, and your powers---quite impressive, too. The very fact that you launched such a blast at me, that should've taken me out! But you control it like a champ."
"You did WHAT?" I ask, laughing. "Let me guess. You thought he was Travis?"
"Yes." Lucinda says tightly. Then she turns back to Terry. "I am very good at witchcraft. I've been practicing since I was three."
For some odd reason, that sounded like a threat.
"Three?" Terry exclaims. "Well. Most kids can't even begin until they're seven. That is impressive."
"Lucinda is very special." I say proudly.
Terry doesn't laugh. "Well, I'd love to talk more about you, but I was wondering---have you seen Aaron around?"
"Aaron?" I repeat suspiciously. Now I'm on edge. "Why are you looking for Aaron?"
"Oh! Well, you see, he and Aphmau were at my place the other day---"
"AHA! So THAT'S where they hid!" I yell triumphantly.
"---and she left her bag in what I think was the kitchen." Terry says. "My place is an utter wreck, so it took me a while to find it."
"S-sorry, they're not here today." Lucinda says.
"Aah, then they must still be out camping." Terry says, his tone a little off. "Wonder what they're up to? Anyway, I'll come back another time." he turns to leave, and hesitates. "By the way, I must compliment you again on your use of spells. It has been such a long time since I've seen someone who can wield them so easily. You remind me of someone I used to know." He seems like he wants to say something else, but he just turns and gives an unconvincing, cold smile. "Maybe I'll see you guys around the island. Goodbye, Violet Ro'Meave and Lucinda the witch. Violet..." His gray eyes focus on me and he barely moves his mouth when he whispers it, so part of me wonders if he said it at all:
"Say hello to Irene for me."
Then he walks away.
"That was... odd." Lucinda says. "He's been on this island, and yet... I haven't felt his presence." She sighs, still muttering to herself. "I should have felt it sooner. What's going on?? He's got me on edge!" She growls to herself. "No, no, Lucinda! I need to stop, and relax. Just... remember his face. Maybe I've been in the sun too long..." She turns to pack her bag, looking troubled, and sees me. "Oh! Um, Violet! Um, did you hear all that?"
I cross my arms, giving her what I hope is an intimidating glare. "Lucinda. What are you thinking? Why does Terry freak you out so much?"
Lucinda chews on her lip. "Violet, I... I don't think---"
"Lucinda, I promise, if you don't want me to tell everyone else about whatever it is you're freaking about, I won't. I just need to know. Is something wrong? What is it about Terry? Because, he's freaking me out too, especially what he said to me before he left."
"What did he say?" Lucinda asks. "I didn't hear anything besides him saying I reminded him of someone."
A chill crawls up my back. "You... didn't hear him?"
"No. What exactly did he say?" Lucinda's eyes spark with a fearful glare.
"Um... he told me to say hello to Irene. Any idea what he meant by that?"
Lucinda looks troubled. "No. he can't have meant... but how would he know in the first place? You never told anyone but the ones who were at the lodge with you... Unless Travis heard about it somehow and told him..." Her eyes slide out of focus until I clear my throat and she snaps back to attention.
"Care to explain?" I prod gently, sitting down on the sand and paying rapt attention.
Lucinda sighs and sits down on her chair, pointing to the one next to her. I scramble up and sit criss-cross on the beach chair, and Lucinda takes a deep breath.
"Okay, Violet, you have to swear not to tell anyone. Not Garroth, not your mom, not Zane, no one."
I nod.
"Okay, I... I have some suspicions about who stole the book. Last winter." Lucinda says slowly.
"You think it's Travis."
She looks surprised. "Y-yes. How did you---"
"I'm pretty good at reading people's emotions. I knew you were holding something back last winter, and I knew Travis had been at your house earlier, asking about the lodge, so I guessed." I admit shyly. Lucinda looks impressed.
"Well! Yes. I think Travis took the book." She goes on to explain the weird moment when his voice changed, and he told her creepy things, and then her suspicions about Terry.
"What did you think the Irene thing meant?" I ask when she's done.
"I think... he may have been talking about what you said about... how you broke out of the potion's effects." Lucinda says carefully, not meeting my eyes. "The purple wind? I think he may believe you have contact with Irene."
"Irene?" I demand, then giggle. But Lucinda's dead serious. "Wait. You actually think I may have contact with Irene?"
"This is just what I believe Terry thinks." Lucinda says. "And I think he may try to use you to contact Irene. Something about Terry is just... off."
"But he's Travis' dad." I say. "He wouldn't hurt us. Would he?"
Lucinda looks troubled. "I really don't know any more, Violet. But you have to promise to keep this conversation between us."
I nod. "I promise."
"And, Violet?"
"Yeah?"
Lucinda smiles, a little less than normal, but still a smile. "Try to still have fun here, okay?"
I swallow the lump in my throat and hug Lucinda. "I'll try."