“I have no idea,” I said. “Though this town seems really small to have a train station.”
We caught sight of the town square where colorful stalls were set up. In the middle, a band of about six played a jaunty tune. Dozens of people flocked between the stalls while thousands of twinkle lights glittered in the trees. The clouds were heavy enough overhead that the day was fairly dark, letting the twinkle lights really glow.
The mountains on the other side of town were daunting—black slate covered with patches of scrubby grass. Since most of the buildings were made of the same dark slate that formed the mountain, the place would be very bleak if it weren’t for the colorful tents and sparkling lights.
Roarke parked the car on the street near the square and cut the engine. “We’ll do the rest on foot. Poke around, ask the locals. It’ll probably be faster than driving aimlessly.”
I shoved the map back into my pocket and climbed out of the car, grateful for my warm hat and puffy coat. Though I hated to give up my black leather, Roarke had been right in suggesting the warmer alternative. North Wales in the winter was chilly.
We made our way toward the village square, passing warm pubs and closed teashops. The few people we passed were clearly supernaturals, though which type I couldn’t determine. They looked human, except for their jewel-toned eyes and the magical signatures that hung heavy in the air.
We passed a few stalls before Roarke stopped at one selling hot cocoa out of a gleaming silver carafe. The chocolatey scent made my mouth water. A woman with rosy cheeks and a colorful patchwork coat smiled at us. She was about sixty, with the look that everyone recognized as friendly mom. I might not have had one of those, but even I knew what they looked like.
“From out of town, are you?” Her accent was thick as butter, and it took me a moment to figure out what the heck she had said.
“We are.” Roarke grinned his most charming smile. “It’s a lovely village.”
The woman grinned back, and I had to admit, his smile worked on me too.
“It is, isn’t it?” she said. “What can I get you?”
“Could we have two, please?” Roarke asked, nodding toward the gleaming silver carafe.
I glanced at him. The hot chocolate sounded divine—even now, my nose was freezing into an ice cube—but we were here to work.
“But of course you could, you handsome devil.” The woman laid the flirt on thick as she prepared two takeaway cups, then passed them to us.
Roarke handed over the money and asked, “I don’t suppose you know where the Eastern Railway is?”
The woman’s gaze turned thoughtful. “No, dear. I’m sorry to say that the railway closed down about seventy years ago, so you’re a bit late to catch a train.”
“Really?”
“Oh yes. And anyhow, it didn’t carry people. It carried slate from that mountain over there.” She pointed toward the massive black mountain that crouched over the village like a dragon.
Maybe that’s why I couldn’t find the station. I’d been imagining a train full of people, not a train full of slate.
“But say we were interested just in seeing it,” Roarke said. “Historical inquiry. How would we get there?”
He sold it so well that I totally bought it. We were definitely here on historical inquiry. Why wouldn’t we be? Who wouldn’t come to this lovely town to search for an old railway?
“Well now, that’s an interesting subject. After the quarry closed down, so did the rail. Though you could find the remnants of the old track by the gin distillery. Very popular, that stuff. Making a real comeback. Artisanal gins.” She nodded knowingly. “Just go around the building to the back, and you might be able to find remnants of the track. But be careful of the pixies, dear. They’re liable to steal your hat.”
“Which way is the distillery?” Roarke asked.
She pointed down the street. “Three blocks down, one over.”
“Thank you.”
She smiled. “You come back when you’re done. Another chocolate on the house.”
“Thank you,” he repeated.
I grinned bemusedly at her, then up at Roarke.
He pointed down the street, the way the woman had directed, and said, “This way, then.”
We hurried off, the warm cup of chocolate heating my hands. I took a sip and almost groaned at the chocolatey goodness.
“You bought the chocolate to make her friendlier, didn’t you?” I asked.
“And because it smelled good.” Roarke took a sip. “But yes. We didn’t want to have to poke around too much, and you never know with tiny towns like these. Sometimes they don’t like outsiders.”
“True.” We passed stalls selling savory meat pies, sausages, cakes, cookies, nuts, crafts, wooly hats, jewelry, and books. Everything you would want at a local fair.
“Do you have any idea what kind of supernaturals these are?” I whispered as we passed a group of shrieking schoolchildren who all had distinct jewel-toned eyes.
“No idea,” Roarke said. “Strong magic, though.”
We turned at the third block and went down one. The distillery was a small building with an artfully designed logo. It was quiet for the day no doubt the distillers having gone to join the party in the square.
We hurried around the building to the back. It butted up right to the woods. In the distance, the mountain glowered.
I almost groaned.
I’d bet big money that we’d be climbing that mountain before the day was over. I chucked my empty paper cup in the rubbish bin near the distillery’s back door and set off toward the woods.
Roarke and I searched through the trees and bushes, our eyes glued to the ground. Finally, I caught sight of a burnished orange color. I leaned closer.
“I found it!” I poked the old iron track with my toe.
Roarke came to my side, and I pointed into the woods. “It leads that way. The map says it joins the Lake-So-Deep.”
“Oh, good. Doesn’t sound ominous at all.”
I laughed, and we set off down the tracks, having to push our way through the bush occasionally. I could hear the chattering of the pixies in the forest around us, a high-pitched noise that was almost pleasant but wasn’t. Warily, I reached up and held on to my hat. Tiny glowing eyes peered at me from the trees.
“I sure hope these are friendly pixies,” I said.
“I’ll scare ‘em off.” Roarke glowered at them, giving them his best scary face.
I laughed. “That was terrifying!”
We stepped through the trees a half second later to see something that actually was pretty terrifying. A mirror black lake with the black mountain looming behind it.
“Oh boy,” I breathed. “You were right. It is ominous.”
We made our way quickly across the clearing to the edge of the lake and looked out at the water. Snow began to fall, white and pure until it was swallowed by the lake, which looked a heck of a lot like oil. A hazy gray mist rose from the surface, floating high into the air.
I pulled the map from my pocket and peered at it.
“It says that a boat will take us across.” I looked up, searching for a boat of any kind.
Roarke did the same. “I see nothing.”