Page 105 of Spring L.A.W.
“It’s Beltane,” Magda said. “Sexy is the theme.”
“Then the theme is exhausting.”
A sudden ripple passed through the guests. Heads tilted upward. A few people pointed.
High above the lawn, an owl glided over the clearing in broad daylight, silent and pale against the hard blue sky before landing on the lower branch of a maple at the edge of the meadow.
Everything paused.
Well. Not everything. Reginald kept eating.
Crystal frowned. “Why is there an owl out during the day?”
Sahara followed everyone’s gaze. “That is unusual.”
Magda went still. “Bit ominous, isn’t it?”
Brianna’s face changed. Not dramatically. Just enough.
Joell caught it at once. “Why do you look like you just remembered a body in your trunk, Brianna?”
Brianna folded her arms. “Because I’ve seen that owl before.”
Rayna turned. “That exact owl?”
“Yes.”
“How many times?” Victoria asked.
Brianna made a vague motion. “A few.”
There was a beat of silence.
Then everyone spoke at once.
“A few?” Crystal repeated.
“You never mentioned this?” Sahara asked.
“Why would you ignore an owl stalking you?” Magda demanded.
“Because,” Brianna said, now clearly regretting having opened her mouth, “seeing an owl during the day is supposed to be bad luck.”
Lioness snorted. “That is your defense? You’ve been getting haunted by a bird and your response was basically la-la-la, not listening?”
“It wasn’t haunting me. It was just… there.”
“Repeatedly,” Joell said.
“Yes.”
“In multiple locations?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
Brianna hesitated. “Long enough that at this point it feels rude to put a number on it.”
