2. Fiona
2
FIONA
T he salt-laden breeze ruffled Fiona's red hair as she strolled down the cobblestone streets of Saltwater Grove, her new home. A smile tugged at her lips as a young witch zipped past on a floating skateboard, purple sparks trailing in her wake.
"Now that's something you don't see in Boston," she muttered to herself, adjusting her messenger bag. The leather strap had started to warm beneath her touch – a common occurrence when she got excited.
The afternoon sun painted long shadows across the historic storefronts, their window displays featuring everything from enchanted wind chimes to self-stirring cauldrons.
Fiona smiled as she walked, her steps lighter than they'd been in months. "No more hiding spark-shooting fingers in my pockets," she whispered, letting a small flame dance across her palm. Rather than causing panic, a passing shifter simply nodded in greeting.
The scent of cinnamon and magic wafted from Cauldron & Cup ahead. Through the window, Fiona spotted a barista levitating multiple coffee cups.
"I could get used to this," Fiona said, pausing to watch a group of kids playing hopscotch. Their chalk lines glowed different colors as they jumped.
The sound of waves crashing against the shore provided a constant backdrop to the town's magical chaos. In the distance, the Saltspire Lighthouse stood proud against the blue sky, its beacon already beginning to pulse with protective enchantments as sunset approached.
A shop door opened nearby, releasing a cloud of multicolored butterflies that scattered into the air. "Sorry about that!" called out the shopkeeper, an older man with pointed ears. "New shipment of wish-wings got loose again."
"No problem at all," Fiona replied, watching the ethereal insects disappear into the afternoon light. "Actually, this is perfect."
Fiona decided to turn around as she was pretty thirsty. She headed straight for Cauldron & Cup. The bell above the door chimed with a melodic tinkle. Fiona stepped inside the cafe, where the aroma of fresh coffee mingled with something distinctly magical – like starlight and sea spray bottled into a perfume.
The menu board floating above the counter shifted and changed, the chalk letters rearranging themselves every few seconds. Fiona squinted at offerings like "Moonbeam Macchiato (Warning: May cause temporary levitation)" and "Siren's Song Smoothie (Contains real merfolk scales)."
"First time?" A warm voice drew her attention to the counter where a woman with laugh lines around her eyes and silver streaks in her dark hair stood waiting. Her apron sparkled with what looked like actual constellations.
"That obvious?" Fiona asked, heat rising to her cheeks.
"Only because you're reading the menu like it might bite. I'm Nina, and don't worry – none of our drinks actually bite. Well, except the Dragon's Breath Hot Chocolate, but we warn people about that one."
A tiny flame flickered between Fiona's fingers – her nervous tell. "Any recommendations?"
Nina's eyes caught the flame, and her smile widened. "Ah, a fire witch! Try the Phoenix Rise Latte. It's got a kick that might suit you."
"Sure, why not?" The words had barely left Fiona's mouth when Nina's hands began dancing through the air, conducting an orchestra of floating cups and ingredients.
Cinnamon and cardamom swirled through the air as Nina worked, the coffee beans grinding themselves while steam rose in spiral patterns. The finished drink glowed with an inner warmth, topped with foam that shifted like aurora borealis.
Fiona took a cautious sip, and her eyes widened. The drink tasted like liquid sunshine and possibility, warming her from the inside out. Her hair lifted slightly at the ends, small embers dancing between the strands.
"Oh wow," she breathed.
"Good, right? It's enchanted to enhance natural talents. For fire witches, well..." Nina gestured at Fiona's now gently smoking fingertips. "Let's just say you might want to be careful with any spellwork for the next hour or so. Your magic will be a bit... enthusiastic."
Fiona traced the rim of her cup, her bank account balance flashing through her mind like a warning sign. "Any chance you know who's hiring around here? I've been looking, but..."
"Ah, job hunting." Nina wiped down the counter with a cloth that seemed to absorb spills before they happened. "What did you do before?"
"Wedding coordinator in Boston. Specialized in magical ceremonies." Fiona's fingers sparked at the memory of her last event - a vampire-werewolf union that had required careful seating arrangements and three different menu options. "But I haven't seen any event planning positions here."
"Hmm." Nina's brow furrowed as she sent a dirty mug floating toward the sink. "You know, the Eclipsed Moon pack has a community center. Just heard they might be looking for someone to manage it."
Fiona perked up. "Really? That sounds perfect-"
"But," Nina held up a finger, "they usually keep things in-pack. Wolves can be particular about territory and trust."
"Of course they are," Fiona muttered, a tendril of smoke curling from her hair. She patted it out quickly. The Phoenix Rise Latte was still working its magic.
"Don't let that stop you though." Nina's eyes twinkled. "Sometimes the best opportunities come from pushing boundaries. The center's just past Moonstone Street, can't miss it - big red brick building with a silver moon mosaic over the door."
Fiona straightened her spine, determination settling in her chest. "Thanks, Nina. I'll give it a shot. Worst they can say is no, right?"
"That's the spirit." Nina chuckled, then called after her, "And honey? Maybe wait an hour before you go. You're still trailing sparks."
Fiona glanced down at the tiny embers falling from her fingertips. "Right. Good call." She wiggled her fingers, watching the magical residue fade. "I should probably avoid looking like a walking fire hazard when asking for a job."
"Might help your chances," Nina agreed with a wink.
Fiona kicked off her shoes and let her toes sink into the cool sand of Starlight Cove. The waves lapped at the shore, their rhythm soothing the residual magical buzz from Nina's coffee. Tiny sparks still danced between her fingers, but at least her hair had stopped smoking.
"Well, Fiona, you wanted a fresh start," she said to herself, watching a group of selkies splash in the distance. "Though maybe running across the state wasn't exactly the most mature response."
The salt air carried memories of her last wedding in Boston – an elaborate affair between a vampire countess and a werewolf duke. The ceremony had gone perfectly, right up until the moment someone had slipped a silver fork into the groom's cake. The ensuing chaos had required three memory wipes and one very expensive tablecloth replacement.
"Not my fault," she muttered, drawing patterns in the sand with her finger. Where she touched, the grains crystallized into delicate swirls of glass. "I triple-checked everything. Someone had to have..."
She cut herself off, not wanting to revisit that particular theory. The same way she didn't want to think about the string of "accidents" at her other events. The floating candles that had nearly set fire to a mermaid's hair. The enchanted doves that flew into the wrong ceremony. The love potion that had somehow turned into a truth serum.
A seagull landed nearby, eyeing her hopefully. "Don't look at me like that," she told it. "I know when I'm being sabotaged. I just couldn't prove it."
The bird cocked its head.
"And yes, maybe I should have stayed to fight it out, but..." She gestured at the peaceful cove, where the water sparkled with actual magic rather than just sunlight. "Sometimes running away is actually running toward something better, right?"
The seagull squawked and waddled closer.
"Oh, fine." She dug in her bag and pulled out a slightly squashed muffin from earlier. As she tossed crumbs to her feathered companion, she watched the lighthouse in the distance.
"At least here I can be myself," she said softly. "No more hiding what I am. No more pretending to be just another 'normal' wedding planner for the mundane clients."
Fiona brushed the sand from her skirt and gave her feathered friend a final wave. The seagull squawked, probably disappointed there weren't more muffin crumbs forthcoming.
"Time to go adult," she told herself, checking her reflection in a shop window. Her red hair had finally settled from its earlier Phoenix Rise-induced pyrotechnics. "You've handled bridezilla vampires. You can handle this."
The community center rose before her, its red brick facade warm in the late afternoon sun. True to Nina's description, a silver moon mosaic sparkled above the entrance, catching the light in hypnotic patterns. Through the windows, Fiona glimpsed groups of people – mostly wolves, given their territorial auras – going about their business.
A pair of teenage shifters exited, deep in conversation.
"I'm telling you, Marcus, that's not how you howl at the moon-"
"Whatever, you sound like a choking chihuahua-"
Fiona slipped past them, pushing open the heavy double oak doors. The interior smelled of wood polish and something distinctly lupine – like forest after rain. Activity buzzed around her: a yoga class with mats floating slightly off the ground, a group of elder wolves playing what looked like magical mahjong, and kids racing through the halls with partially shifted ears and tails.
At the front desk, a harried-looking woman juggled three phones and a stack of floating papers.
"No, Mrs. Henderson, the full moon pottery class is next Wednesday- Yes, I know it's usually Tuesdays, but- Hold please." She spotted Fiona. "Can I help you?"
"Hi, I heard you might be looking for a new manager?" Fiona kept her voice steady, though her fingers tingled with nervous energy.
The woman's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're not pack."
"No, but I have extensive experience coordinating events and managing facilities." Fiona pulled her resume from her bag, proud that it didn't burst into flames. The Phoenix Rise Latte was definitely wearing off. "I specialized in supernatural ceremonies in Boston."
"Boston?" The woman's eyebrows rose. "That's quite a change."
"Sometimes you need a fresh start." Fiona gestured at the organized chaos around them. "And this looks like exactly the kind of challenge I'm looking for."