Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Ramona was three hours into her shift at Mystic Moon when the woman with the perfectly highlighted hair walked in.
After getting ready for the day, she’d told the fox that she hadn’t quite figured out the whole work thing, and it’d be best to not figure out Marcus’s thoughts on foxes in the store just yet.
The fox had trotted off into the alley, and she’d left her window cracked just in case.
“I need something for clarity,” the woman announced, surveying the shop like she was inspecting a particularly suspect produce section. “My life coach says I have blocks.”
Ramona pasted on her customer service smile. “We have several options for clarity work. Are you looking for meditation aids, or—”
“Something that actually works.” The woman picked up a rose quartz, squinted at it, put it down. “I’m willing to invest in quality.”
Which meant she was willing to spend money. Ramona pulled out the display case key. “Our Reveal Hidden Truths bundle might be what you’re looking for. It’s a curated collection — black tourmaline for protection, labradorite for insight, clear quartz for amplification—”
“I’ll take it.” The woman didn’t even look at the price tag. “Does it come with instructions?”
“There’s a card with suggested uses, but these are more for intention-setting than—”
“Great. I’ll activate it now. Make sure it works before I leave.”
Ramona blinked, trying not to actively roll her eyes. “That’s not really how—”
But the woman had already opened the velvet pouch, dumping all six crystals into her palm. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said in a voice that suggested she’d taken exactly one yoga class: “I call upon the power of these stones to reveal all hidden truths in my presence.”
Ramona watched, thankful the woman’s eyes were closed, because her ability to hide a smirk was nonexistent.
Nothing happened.
The woman opened her eyes. “I don’t feel any different. Are you sure these are real?”
“Well, crystals don’t usually cause immediate physical sensations—”
Then Ramona felt it.
A tug. Sharp and sudden, like someone had hooked a fishing line directly under her ribs and yanked.
She gasped, stumbling forward into the counter.
And between her chest and the wall separating Mystic Moon from the café next door, a line of golden light materialized.
It wasn’t thick — barely the width of twine — but it glowed with a steady, pulsing luminescence that was absolutely, undeniably visible. The thread ran from somewhere beneath Ramona’s sternum, through the air, through the wall, in the direction of—
Oh.
Oh no.
“What is that?” the woman asked, eyes wide.
From next door, she heard the scrape of a chair, a muffled curse, rapid footsteps.
“Totally normal!” Ramona’s voice came out too high. “We’ve been testing our new lighting system. Isn’t it pretty?” She grabbed the credit card reader, practically shoving it at the customer. “That’ll be forty-seven fifty, here’s your receipt, thank you so much for shopping with us—”
“But what is the light—”
Ramona was already ushering her toward the door. “Thank you, have a blessed day, namaste!”
She practically shoved the woman out onto the sidewalk and locked the door behind her, flipping the sign to Back in 15 Minutes.
The thread pulsed. Once. Twice. Like a heartbeat that wasn’t hers.
Ramona yanked at the thread. Her fingers passed through it, but she could feel it. Warm. Solid in a way that had nothing to do with physical matter. It didn’t budge. Didn’t even flicker.
“Ramona!” Zara’s voice, muffled through the door. “Ramona, open up!”
Ramona unlocked the door, stepping back as Zara walked in.
Zara burst in, eyes wild, one hand pressed to her own chest. She was wearing jeans and one of Ramona’s hoodies — civilian clothes, nothing glamoured — and her short dark hair was sticking up like she’d been running her hands through it.
The golden thread ran directly to her, disappearing somewhere beneath the hoodie.
“What the fuck?” Zara asked.
“I don’t know! A customer activated a crystal bundle and it just… appeared!”
“Crystals don’t do this.” Zara stared at the glowing thread between them. “Mortal crystals don’t have this kind of power.”
“Well apparently, these ones do!” Ramona gestured frantically at the thread. “Can you make it stop?”
“I don’t… know. Let me think.” Zara pulled out her HellBerry, already swiping. “There has to be a reversal protocol for magical activation—”
The back door opened. Marcus walked in through the back office, took one long drag, then slowly lowered his vape pen as he stared at the glowing golden rope connecting Ramona to a stranger in his shop.
“Ramona,” he said slowly. “What’s going on?”
“Marcus! Hi!” Ramona’s voice cracked. “This is my friend, Zara.”
Zara’s head snapped up from her HellBerry.
“We were just…” Ramona gestured frantically at the thread. “Testing out our new costume.”
“It’s February,” Marcus said.
“We’re getting a head start.” Ramona’s smile felt manic. “Very elaborate costume. Lots of prep work. You know how it is.”
Marcus took another drag from his vape pen. Exhaled slowly. The artificial mango smell intensified. “A Halloween costume?”
“Couples’ challenge,” Zara added, not looking up from her HellBerry. “Trust exercise.”
“In February.”
“We’re very committed to the relationship,” Ramona said.
Marcus was still staring at Zara, his expression thoughtful in the way that meant he was about to say something he thought was deep. “You know, I like your energy. Very grounded. Protective.”
“Thank you,” Zara said absently, still scrolling through her HellBerry.
Something in her voice shifted. Dropped lower.
Became smoother, more compelling. “But don’t worry about the light.
In fact, you don’t even see it anymore. And, you know, you’re lucky to have Ramona.
She’s an excellent employee. You should give her a raise.
And you should close the store tonight and let her leave early. ”
“You’re absolutely right,” Marcus said immediately. “Twenty percent. Starting last pay period.”
Ramona’s mouth fell open. “Marcus, you don’t have to—”
“No, she’s right. You’re undervalued here.” Marcus smiled benevolently, gesturing with his vape pen. “The universe is telling me to invest in good energy. Consider it done.”
Zara’s head jerked up. She stared at Marcus, then at Ramona, her eyes wide. “Sorry,” she mouthed. “Habit.”
“That’s very generous,” Ramona said carefully to Marcus, though her eyes remained on Zara. “Thank you.”
“Of course. I’m going to go meditate on this vibration shift.” Marcus pushed off the doorframe, still vaping. “Go home, I’ll close.”
He wandered back toward the stockroom, trailing artificial mango behind him.
The moment he disappeared, Ramona rounded on Zara.
“Did you just use some kind of demon influence on my boss?”
“I didn’t—” Zara looked stricken. “It wasn’t intentional. I just wanted to make sure he didn’t start questioning the tether, but then the words came out and then—”
“You magically convinced him to give me a raise.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” Zara was back to frantically scrolling through her HellBerry. “It was instinct. I wasn’t thinking. You were upset and he was asking questions, and it just came out.”
Ramona wanted to be angry. She should be angry. But Zara looked genuinely distressed, her fingers shaking slightly as she swiped through what looked like demonic reference materials.
“Can you undo it?” Ramona asked quietly.
“The raise? Why would you—”
“Not the raise. The thread.”
“I’m looking. There’s nothing in the standard protocols for—” Zara stopped. Squinted at her screen. “Wait. This says manifestation of metaphysical bonds typically lasts twelve to twenty-four hours depending on the catalyst strength.”
“Twenty-four hours at most.” Ramona looked down at the glowing rope. “I have to walk around like this for a full day.”
“We both do.”
“What am I supposed to tell people?”
“The costume story seemed to work.” Zara finally looked up. “I’m sorry. About the influence. I’ll be more careful. I promise.”
Ramona studied her face. The genuine remorse there. The way Zara was holding herself like she expected to be yelled at.
“Okay,” Ramona said.
“Okay?”
“You apologized. You’ll be more careful. And honestly, I could use the raise.” Ramona managed a weak smile. “Just… try not to magically compel anyone else today?”
“Noted.” Zara looked back at the thread. Reached out slowly and touched it. Her fingers passed through just like Ramona’s had, but she shivered. “Does it feel any different to you? Stronger?”
“No. Same as always.” Ramona frowned. “Can you feel it normally? The tether?”
“Not physically. It’s just… there. Background presence. Like knowing someone’s in the room with you.” Zara’s hand hovered over the glowing line. “But this is… I can almost feel it now. The heat of it.”
Ramona held her hand out, the light glowing above her open palm. “Strange.”
“Very.”
“We should go home,” Ramona said. “Maybe everyone will be out.”
They weren’t out.
Felix, Posey, Kashvi, and Cammie were all sitting on the couch and around the coffee table in the living room when Ramona opened the door. All four heads swiveled toward them in perfect synchronization. Eight eyes dropped to the glowing thread connecting Ramona and Zara.
“Don’t ask,” Ramona said before anyone could speak.
Posey’s eyebrows were somewhere near her hairline. “Of course.”
“Crystals,” Zara added.
“Crystals and a glowing magical rope,” Kashvi said slowly.
“So, this is the tether? How romantic,” Cammie said. Zara took a step closer to Ramona, farther from Cammie.
“Uh-huh.” Felix was grinning. “And how long does this last?”
“Could be until tomorrow afternoon,” Zara said, holding some of the tether slack in her hands. It seemed the longer the tether was visible, the more tangible it had become.
“Oh, this sounds like fun,” Posey said. “Do you have to stay close together? What happens if you have to pee?”