Leaving Fiona's shop, my head was spinning. I had seen the glint of the arcanite, but I did not know what it meant. But something felt different in the air. I felt different, as if the shadows were creeping over the cobblestones and everything felt off balance.

I felt like I was being watched. Looking over my shoulder, and saw movement. Was someone following me? I picked up my pace and pulled my cardigan around me. I was certain I could hear footsteps, but when I turned, there was no one there.

I walked past the market and felt as if I was a stranger, distant from the rest of the villagers. Earlier I had been greeted with smiles and friendly chatter, but now it was different. The stallholders stopped packing up, and conversations stopped as I approached. People looked at me and then glanced away, whispering in twos and threes, like children sharing secrets.

The smell of fresh bread and wilting flowers from an abandoned stall didn't make me feel any better. The market lost its friendly atmosphere. It felt more like an arena, with every look a judgement and every word a potential accusation.

I heard a soft whisper on the breeze. "That's her..." I heard someone say. I strained to hear the rest. "The one who found the body," said another.

I pushed my way through the crates and canvas, still feeling like I was being followed. If anything, it was even more intense.

I looked behind me again as I reached the edge of the market. I saw a shadow disappear behind a wall. My heart was pounding. Whoever it was, they were good at keeping out of sight.

Each step made me breathe faster, each whisper from the closing stalls made my anxiety worse. I was about to turn around and run back to Willow Grove when suddenly—

"Boo!"

I jumped, and a small scream escaped my lips as Oli and Bella appeared from behind a fruit stall, grinning.

"You should have seen your face!" laughed Bella, her camera swinging from her neck as she captured my moment of terror.

Oli ruffled his hair, looking sheepish. "Sorry, Evie. We couldn't resist."

I chuckled, despite my frazzled nerves. "You two are going to give me a heart attack one of these days," I said, but their company was already melting away the fear that had gripped me. They were looking at me expectantly, as if they were looking for another adventure, some new mystery or story to add to their collection of Llyncroft lore. And here I was, supposedly the adult in this situation, jumping like a spooked meerkat.

The role Gran had left for me as owner of Willow Grove Inn was a host, a friendly one, to anyone who walked through its doors or found its garden paths, and I felt like I was failing. Time to pull my big girl pants on and step into that.

"Well," I said, shaking off the last of my fear, "I guess I'd better make sure you two are suitably entertained then."

Bella's eyes sparkled. "We're always up for fun," she said.

"And we thought you might need some company," said Oli.

I smiled. "Let's go back then," I said. "We can do something less scary at the inn."

We walked to Willow Grove, the Pembrooke siblings' chatter a pleasant backdrop to the cooling evening air. I was still feeling uneasy, but I wanted to know about their investigations.

"Have you two learned anything about this paranormal activity?" I asked. "I know the earthquake was a bit of a shock, but I'm sure there's more to it than that."

Oliver's brow furrowed. "It's been a bit frustrating, Evie," he said. "No one seems to know why there was an earthquake. We've been asking around, but it's like everyone is just as much in the dark as we are."

Bella pouted. "We thought coming here would be like one of those adventure books," she said. "You know, where there's a mystery around every corner and a ghost behind every door."

I laughed. "Llyncroft is definitely full of mysteries," I said. "And as for ghosts, I think we've had enough excitement without them."

Oliver adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder, and I could see the edge of a gadget poking out. "We were hoping to find some sort of spectral anomaly or unexplained phenomena," he said. "But it's all been disappointingly normal."

I nodded towards his bag. "I didn't know those things worked."

"They don't," said Bella.

"It was a birthday present. Who would give me something that didn't work?" Oli said, dismissing her.

I could understand their desire to find something out of the ordinary. "It's weird though," I said as we approached the inn. "I mean, with everything that's happened since I arrived... the murder, the earthquake... you'd think there would be more clues or rumours about what's really going on."

Bella brightened. "There's been a murder! What if people are keeping secrets? What if we are detectives and find out who the murderer is?" she said.

I groan inwardly. I'd forgotten that we hadn't told them what happened at Willow Grove before they arrived.

Oliver looked thoughtful. "Or maybe they're scared," he said. "Scared of waking something up they can't control."

I wondered. Sometimes knowing a little and not the full story can be dangerous. Were people trying to stay out of something they didn't understand, or was there a story the entire village knew which they weren't sharing?

Bella skipped ahead, her boots crunching on the gravel path to the inn. She was full of life even as the Llyncroft twilight settled around us. She looked back at me with eager anticipation.

"Evie, guess what Oli and I found today?" Bella's voice was a mix of excitement and pride.

I smiled. Her enthusiasm intrigued me. "What is it?"

She reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small object cradled in her palm. It was a stone, about the size of a walnut, with a warm, golden glow.

"It's not just any stone." Bella continued, showing it to me. "We found it near the old oak tree in your garden. Oli thought it was just some rubbish at first, but when we cleaned it up, look how it shines! It's like a little piece of sunshine."

She was wide-eyed with wonder. I took the stone from her and turned it over in my fingers. It felt warm, as if it held the day's sunlight deep within it.

"It's beautiful," I said. Bella nodded. "And there's more. We're going to go to the library tomorrow and look it up in the geology books. He thinks it might be copal something or other."

"Copal amber," said Oli.

"Yeah!" She bounced on her heels. "It's like young amber, not fully fossilised yet. The book says that copal is connected to the earth and trees and stuff because it comes from tree resin that's millions of years old! Isn't that amazing? After tea, Oli and I will search for more.

The stone warmed my hand, its glow lighting up the dusk. I let myself get caught up in the wonder of Bella's enthusiasm before giving the stone back to her, wondering if it was something else.

The sense of being watched crept back over me as we reached Willow Grove. A shadow lurking at the edge of my consciousness.

"I reckon we should ..." The words caught in my throat. The familiar shadow I had sensed earlier in the day coalesced into a solid form, or at least a hand.

The hand, pale and swift, snatched the stone from Bella's open palm with speed and grace. It left only a whisper of cold air in its wake.

"Bloody hell!" I gasped, instinctively trying to get the stone back. The hand disappeared into the twilight, as if it never existed.