Lilac Valley

Rosh Hashanah, Spiders, and A Talent Show, Oh My!

Marty and Eddie always spend Rosh Hashanah with their mother.

Winter and Aquamarine play, while Autumn and Marty watch.

Eddie helps his mom clear the table.

"You need to find yourself a nice Jewish girl," Ms. Rosen says. "Or boy. I worry about you bubbeleh." She pinches his cheek.

"At least I'm a dentist," he points out.

"You could've been a doctor," Ms. Rosen reminds him. "Maybe you can marry a doctor." Eddie laughs.

"Mom," he says.

"I know, I know," she says. "I was married to a doctor and look what happened. I haven't heard from him in three decades. I want you to be happy."

"I have my work," Eddie says.

"But you're all alone," Ms. Rosen says. "Look at your brother. He's so happy. I know you want a family. At least when you were living with Con, you weren't alone. He doesn't mean to do the things he does."

"He has slept with three of my exes," Eddie reminds her.

"He did not sleep with Sabrina," Ms. Rosen states. "Why don't you believe him? You always give him another chance."

"I can't anymore," Eddie admits. Ms. Rosen sighs.

"Because you still like him," she says.

"What?" Eddie asks.

"A mother knows these things," she says. "If you have to date a non-Jew and you always do, except for Roger, I like Con."

"Well, I don't," he snaps.

~

"You think I know?" Secretary Wilkinson asks. "I'm a vampire."

"There has to be information at the White House," Amber says.

"Look, here's Carter," Secretary Wilkinson says. Carter enters, wearing a visitor's pass. "Well?"

"Isabella gave me some information to track down the people," Carter says.

"And?" Amber asks.

"Two are dead and one I can't find," he answers.

"What do we do now?" Amber asks.

"Give me the name," Secretary Wilkinson says. "I'll have someone here track them." Carter hands over the index card. "Huh."

"You know the name?" Amber asks.

"It's a pseudonym," he says. "Her real name is Aster Graves."

"My mom?" Amber asks. Secretary Wilkinson nods.

"The Spiders do protect magical towns," he explains. "They will attack humans and half-humans, but there aren't many left."

"Why haven't they done anything yet?" Carter asks.

"They're waiting for the right time," Secretary Wilkinson says.

"This has been building for five years," Carter says. "What are they waiting for?"

"I don't know," Secretary Wilkinson answers.

"Where is she?" Amber asks. "Where's my mom?"

"Harper's Cove," Secretary Wilkinson answers.

~

Kyle sits on a stool on the stage in the high school auditorium with his guitar. He plays "Simple Man" and sings along.

Con cheers the loudest.

Amber is on the other side of the room.

Amber lets Con take Kyle to the Amethyst Café.

"It would've been cool if I was a quarter warlock too, don't you think?" Kyle asks.

"Don't be ashamed of being a werewolf," Con says.

"I'm not," Kyle says. "But I think about Winter and Aquamarine. They're witches, fairies, vampires, and humans. Could you imagine someone who is a little bit of everything? How much power would they hold?" He looks at his dad. "What's wrong?"

"Things are not going well in the search for your grandmother," Con explains. "I shouldn't be telling you this."

"I'm fifteen," he says. "I'm not a child." Con laughs.

"All teenagers say that," he says. "Apparently, she uses aliases all the time and she never stays anywhere for too long. She's always on the run. She's careful. She makes the deaths look like gunshots or drug overdoses or car accidents. Human things that happen. No one knows the Spiders are active again."

"Can't you arrest her?" Kyle asks.

"The crime has to be committed in Lilac Valley," Con points out.

"Maybe you should've stayed with the NYPD," Kyle says.

"I need to protect my home," Con says. "I need to protect you."