Every inch of me was shaking as I threw open the door to the Willow Harbor Inn and stepped inside. An entire room of people turned to stare, wine glasses frozen in their hands.

I forced a smile and tried to steady the wild beating of my heart.

“Hi,” I said nervously. “Sorry to barge in like this, but I was hoping I could get a room for the night.”

At first, no one said a word, and I worried maybe I’d just barged into someone’s house instead of an inn, but finally an older gentleman no taller than a preschooler hopped off the glamorous velvet sofa and held his hand out to me.

“Oh, my goodness, child, you are more than welcome,” he said. “I’m Chester Finnygood, and my wife and I run this place. What on earth brings you to Willow Harbor? I would have recognized someone like you if I’d seen you in town before.”

I glanced around, noticing no one else had gone back to their game of cards. They were openly staring and listening. There was a woman with shockingly white hair and a black dress with long pearls sitting on a high-backed antique chair near the fire, an elderly black man in a brown suit with one hand resting on the handle of a large umbrella, and a woman who looked to be just as small as Mr. Finnygood all staring straight at me.

In the corner closer to the fire, a set of perfectly identical twins wearing matching blue dresses paused in their game of chess, their elbows resting against the table in exactly the same manner as they raised an eyebrow my way.

Flustered, I searched for an answer.

“I honestly can’t say what brought me here,” I said, unable to come up with anything better than the truth. “I was up all night driving and must have fallen asleep for a moment when I crashed my car into a tree near the docks last night.”

“Well, my word, child,” the small woman said as she stood and rushed over. “It sounds like fate brought you here to us. We are absolutely delighted when that happens. Just delighted. What’s your name, child?”

The whole place was a bit overwhelming with its dark wood and massive fireplace. There were antiques and paintings everywhere I looked, giving it a cluttered, but homey feel. Not to mention the fact I’d just left Nik standing in the street after the single greatest kiss of all time. I couldn’t get my thoughts straight, and I ended up just standing there, unable to say a word in response.

“I think you’ve scared her,” the black man said. “Give her some space, Coraleigh. Give her some room to breathe.”

“Oh, hush, Cooper,” the woman said. “She’s not scared. She’s just a bit taken aback, and can you blame her? She’s had a car accident recently, although I can’t say that I see any wounds in particular. In fact, it looks like she’s been for a swim today.”

“A swim?” the woman in black said. “In this weather? Nonsense.”

“Well, just look at her hair,” Mr. Finnygood said. “She’s definitely been swimming, haven’t you girl? Are you a mermaid? You don’t have the look of a mermaid to you. Or a siren for that matter. Of course, if you were a sea-dweller, you wouldn’t have come here by car, now would you?”

They were talking about me as if I wasn’t even standing here, listening.

“You all need to hush,” one of the twins said. “You’re fussing over her too much. Poor girl probably just needs a bed to rest in for the night. She didn’t come in here expecting to get the third degree, and here you all are asking her about mermaids and such. Shame on you.”

I cleared my throat, unable to get a word in.

The small woman, Mrs. Finnygood I assumed, put her hand in mine and turned me toward a dark mahogany desk in the entryway.

“Come, child, let’s get you registered,” she said.

She left my side and walked around to the back of the desk where she climbed up a stool that put her at even height with me. She picked up a colorful feather quill and dipped it into an ink pot as she opened a hefty leather book filled with beautiful calligraphy.

“Now, give me your name, first and last,” she said, looking up at me expectantly.

“My first name is Eva,” I said. “Eva McKay.”

“There we are,” she said, writing my name in her book. Her handwriting was mesmerizing. She dipped the pen again. “Affiliation?”

I tilted my head. “Excuse me?”

“Affiliation,” she said again. “Clan, coven, family?”

“Oh,” I said, flustered. “I don’t know.”

She shared a glance with her husband, and he raised an eyebrow.

“Human?” she asked, but then shook her head. “Possibly human, yes, but not a typical human. You’ve got an energy coming off of you that screams of ancient magic.”

I suddenly wished I hadn’t run away from Nik so fast. He might have been able to warn me about the questions they would ask, or at least guide me through them. I had no idea how to answer. Or if I should answer.

“Do I have to tell you?” I asked. “That seems awfully private.”

“Uh oh, here we go,” the woman in black said. “She’s done it now.”

“Well, I’ll have you know it’s not every person who can open their home to supernaturals of all types in this world,” Mrs. Finnygood said, setting her pen down quite hard on the table. “Do you think it would do for me to place a vampire next to a werewolf upstairs? Or have a siren and a succubus sharing a bathroom? No, it would not, I tell you. I take pride in my work, and it’s a very serious thing to come in here expecting to keep your heritage a secret.”

Her wrinkled face was nearly red by the time she finished talking, and I had no idea how to respond to her. I hadn’t meant to upset her, but I also hadn’t expected her to call me out on being a witch five seconds after I stepped inside.

I wanted to just turn around and leave, but where else would I go? Nik had said it could be dangerous to be out there alone tonight, and I really didn’t want to make the trek back to Drifter’s right now by myself. I wasn’t even sure he’d want to see me after the way I treated him.

I was going to have to just tell this woman who I was and hope it was the right thing to do.

“I’m sorry,” I said finally. “I’ve never been to a place like this before, and I didn’t mean to offend you. This is all new to me.”

“I should say so. I have half a mind to kick you out right now, but I can see from your eyes you’re a sweet girl,” she said. “And I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I put you out on the street so close to Hallow’s Eve. Shall we try this again?”

I nodded, thankful she was willing to let me stay, even if this place was the weirdest place I’d ever been. This couldn’t be farther from a Vegas hotel if it tried.

“My name is Eva McKay. I have no idea what my affiliation might be, because I’m the last of my particular line,” I said. “But I’m a witch, I know that much.”

“I could have told you that,” the woman in black muttered.

“Now, that wasn’t so hard now was it?” Mrs. Finnygood asked. “What particular type of magic is your affinity?”

Another question I had no idea how to answer. Nik had said the Tillmans around here were earth witches, so what did that make me?

“I don’t know,” I said, but when she nearly put down her pen again, I quickly added, “I’m very good with different types of energy. Electricity in particular. Machines, that sort of thing.”

“Is that so?” she asked, tapping the feather against her lips. “Not something you want to be saying too loud, I imagine. A rare gift, indeed.”

Rare, yes, but hopefully not as high demand in a town like this, thank goodness.

I relaxed, hoping that was the last of the invasive questions. She wrote a few things in her ledger and closed it up with a heavy thump before rummaging around in a box below the counter.

After a moment, she set an antique brass key on the counter. The handwritten tag attached to it read Room 3.

“I’ve decided to give you our best room with a view of the willow tree,” she said. “I can tell it speaks to you, and for some reason, it’s the tree that’s brought you here, child, and that’s good enough for me. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like. You’ll have your own private bathroom, but just let me know if you need any extra towels. We don’t typically do meals here, but if you’re hungry and I’m awake, I’ll happily round something up for you.”

“Thank you,” I said. I was nervous to ask about the price. I wasn’t sure I could afford their best room. “I’m sorry to ask, but how much is this particular room? I would be willing to take something smaller or share a bathroom if need be.”

“Nonsense,” she said, waving her hand in front of her face. “This is the room you are meant to have, and I’ll hear nothing about a different one. I can let you have it for ten dollars a night, if that suits you.”

I blinked, sure I had heard her wrong. She must have said one-hundred-ten dollars, but I could have sworn it sounded like ten.

“Excuse me,” I said. “Did you say a hundred and ten?”

“Oh, good gracious, I could never ask that much from a sweet girl like you,” she said. “The tree would never forgive me. Ten dollars, child. Ten.”

I shook my head, nearly wanting to cry. This day had been crazy enough without this strange gift from such a strange woman.

“Thank you,” I said. “That’s incredibly generous of you.”

“Yes, yes, hush child,” she said, stepping down from her perch on the stool and coming back around to stand beside me. “Don’t you worry about it at all. Now, my husband will just take your things up for you, and you can settle right in.”

She placed her hand on her hip and looked around, shaking her head.

“Where is your suitcase, child?”

“Oh, I don’t have one,” I said, hitching my purse up higher on my shoulder. “I don’t have much of anything at the moment, to be honest.”

“Goodness, that simply will not do at all,” she said, pulsing her index finger against her lips. “Chester, go into the storage and see about some nightclothes for our new guest. And get some fresh shampoo, conditioner, soaps, a toothbrush and some toothpaste while you’re at it.”

“Will do, my sweet,” Mr. Finnygood said. He disappeared into a room on the other side of the stairs.

“While we are waiting for him, why don’t you come meet my dearest friends,” Mrs. Finnygood said. “I’m Coraleigh, and of course, you met my husband, Chester. This is my good friend, Victoria Lunshire.”

The woman in black nodded as her name was spoken.

“This fine gentleman here is our local accountant, Mr. Cooper Burbank.”

The black man with the umbrella stood and bowed to me, offering his hand. I placed my hand in his, and he brought it to his lips in a soft kiss. “Very nice to meet you, Miss McKay.”

I smiled. “You, too, Mr. Burbank.”

“Oh, you can call me Cooper,” he said.

“The twins in the corner there are Maisy and Paisley Valentine,” Mrs. Finnygood said. “But no one can ever tell which is which.”

The twins, who looked to be about my age, smiled and waved before going back to their game of chess.

“It’s nice to meet you all,” I said. “Sorry I was a little overwhelmed when I first came in. This town takes some getting used to.”

“Indeed, it does,” Mrs. Finnygood said. “But it will come in due time. The tree only brings those who are meant to be here, whether for a short time or for a lifetime. While you are here, you are family, child. Please make yourself at home.”

“Thank you,” I said, feeling close to tears. It had been a really long, emotional day.

Mr. Finnygood reappeared with a small bag that seemed to be stuffed full of clothing and toiletries. He motioned toward the stairs.

“I’ll show you to your room,” he said. “Come now. I’m sure you’re anxious to be settled.”

“We’ll have coffee for you in the morning when you’re up,” Mrs. Finnygood said. “If you don’t find me here in the parlor, simply come back to the kitchen and feel free to pour yourself a cup.”

“I will, thank you,” I said, I followed Mr. Finnygood up the stairs, which were smaller than usual to match his height.

The hallway leading to the rooms was decorated in a striped brown and gold wallpaper and expensive, antique rugs covered the polished hardwood floors.

Room 3 was just to the left of the stairs, the third room down. I placed the brass key into the lock and opened the door. It was dark inside, but Mr. Finnygood snapped his fingers and light filled the room on command.

I gasped at the furnishings. A large, canopy bed took up most of the room. It was covered in layers of pure white that looked as soft as a giant cloud. Two large wooden side tables anchored the bed and matching blue and white lamps sat on top. The legs of the bed were carved to look like lion’s feet.

Windows ran from floor to ceiling along the far wall with billowing white curtains that pooled on the gleaming floors.

The word that came to mind was extravagant, and I could hardly believe I was staying here for just ten dollars a night. It felt like a dream.

In fact, the past few days felt like one long dream, and I wondered if I’d fallen asleep at the wheel and never woken up.

“I trust you find the room to your liking,” Mr. Finnygood said. “And don’t let my wife intimidate you. Her bark is worse than her bite, but she does take her ownership of this place and the safety of her guests very seriously. And that temper.”

He whistled, and I laughed.

“It’s beautiful,” I said. “Thank you for taking me in. I love it.”

He opened a door to my left and pointed out the bathroom and clawfoot tub inside. The vanity was made of white marble that sparkled in the light.

“I found a few things for you in the storage room that will hopefully help to make your stay here a bit more pleasant,” he said.

“Thank you,” I said again, but I felt I couldn’t say it enough. For all the dangers of a town like Willow Harbor, there were also immeasurable kindnesses.

“I’ll leave you to your privacy,” he said. “Hope to see you in the morning. Have a nice rest, child.”

“You, too,” I said, closing the door behind him as he left.

When he was gone, and I was all alone, I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and climbed into the soft, heavenly bed made of clouds. It was just as comfortable as it looked, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before I was sound asleep.

As I drifted off, I let my fingertips dance against the surface of my lips, finally allowing myself to think of Nik and my first ever kiss.