Chapter 28
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
Iawoke to the smell of waffles and bacon. My eyes adjusted to the light, squinting against the sunlight through the partially opened blinds. Last night’s events came back in a flurry of memories, and a furious blush hit my cheeks.
But there was no warmth on my calves and no Lord in my bed. Letting out a sigh of relief, I got out of bed and pulled my duster cardigan on.
The kitchen and living room proved empty, but there was a sticky note on the oven that said, Look Inside in Caelan’s heavy scrawl.
I grabbed a pair of potholders and pulled the tray out. A stack of still steaming waffles, fresh bacon, and warm maple syrup looked up at me.
My heart went mushy.
I set the tray on the countertop and found another note.
Breakfast is in the oven, and the coffee is fresh.
Thank you for trusting me.
I swallowed to get rid of the lump in my throat. My friends knew what had happened to me, all the things I could bear to say aloud, but Caelan was the first person I’d told outside of them. I felt raw this morning, a little unsteady on my feet.
A sense of freedom settled inside me, slipping past the battered permanent bruise currently acting as my heart. If I could get through everything that had happened to me and still thrive…maybe it was time to trust someone else with the biggest secret I had.
With that thought in mind, I ate every single thing Caelan had made me, failing to notice all the extra bacon he’d included as I inhaled the food.
A few hours later, I was putting the final touches on a bridal bouquet, discussing Rhona’s visit with everyone.
“She looked at the necklace. It should be impossible, but I had a feeling she suspects what’s inside.” I trimmed a woody stem from a white rose and carefully inserted it into the foam.
Ash’s lips tightened. “I’m not familiar with a Chimera’s magic. Cliona would have already been here if the seed was still traceable. But it’s possible Rhona might be able to sense its power even with the safeguards we put into place.”
“Any tips on dealing with her if she shows up again?” Moira asked, handing me a pristine piece of baby’s breath.
“I don’t even know what a Chimera can do,” I said dryly. “Finn was a master at glamour, as most Chimeras are. I know I can shift into anything, but I haven’t tried plant life yet.”
I tried to remember everything I’d seen him do. “They can break and pass through wards. Rhona was in my greenhouse. Cliona hasn’t tried to break the wards, though I suspect she could if she tried hard enough. She’s played nice lately.”
“Maybe that’s it. The pendant isn’t glamoured. Not exactly. It’s disguised by our magic and an old spell. Rhona might be able to see through it.” Ash reached over and pulled the pendant away from my neck to study it. “I’m not sure what else we can do to prevent her from sensing it.”
“Should we move the seed to a safer location?” Moira asked.
She slapped my hand away when I was about to slide a piece of greenery next to the white roses and handed me a burgundy piece of foliage. I put it up to the bouquet and nodded.
“Good call.” I wiggled my fingers for a few more pieces.
We brainstormed for a while before I realized Tess was missing. She must have floated away sometime during our conversation. “Where’d Tess go?”
Ash pointed to the back. “She has a test in Calculus she has to study for.”
“School already started?” I groaned. Time was flying these days.
“A week ago,” Ash confirmed. “She has two semesters left before she’s done.”
“Oh,” I breathed. “Does she know what she’s going to do when she finishes?”
Ash shook his head. “She’s mulling over a lot of things these days.”
“Well I hope she mulls staying with us. I’m happy to offer a pay raise once she graduates.”
Ash gave me a grateful smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Thanks. She’s going through some things, but I’ll talk to her.”
I reached out and touched his hand. “Are you guys okay?”
“I hope so,” Ash said. When he said nothing else, I nodded.
“Okay. I’m here if you ever want to talk.”
“Thanks, Evie.”
I put the final touches on the bouquet, activated the preservation spell, and passed it to Moira to tuck in the fridge to hold for the bride.
Ash headed over to his alcove to work on his next bonsai project. The bell over the door jingled, announcing the arrival of a group of older women.
“Evie!” Marnie, half owner of the Thistle and Thread Cafe, entered, holding a basket that I hoped was full of goodies.
Twila, her sister, came in behind her, followed by Sirena, the owner of my favorite gelato food truck.
Marnie and Twila were hedgewitches, who made the best soup on the planet. Marnie was the smaller and more boisterous of the pair.
She made a beeline for my worktable. “We brought you some things!”
“I’m already drooling,” I assured her.
Twila waved shyly, and Sirena winked. Out of the three, I was most wary of Sirena. She was a Siren, and like all Sirens, she had a way with men and women. But in addition, she was somewhat of a foreseer.
I didn’t like anyone diving into my future because the future revealed secrets, and I liked mine untold.
Marnie’s pale blue eyes twinkled. “Can I use your table?”
“Of course.” I moved the clippers and supplies out of the way.
She unpacked a small, still steaming pot pie, four containers of soup, and a large portion of sliced bread.
“Oh my goodness,” I breathed. “Marnie!” The bounty before me smelled like heaven. “How much do I owe you for all of this?”
Marnie scoffed and waved a hand. “Since you asked for none of it, you don’t owe me a dime.”
She jerked her head at Sirena. “This one said you might be busy for the next few days and could use some fortification. I brought enough to last you a few days. Twila made the soup.”
“It’s country potato,” the quieter sister said, her light brown eyes kind and happy.
“And the pot pie is beef and mushroom.” Marnie frowned. “Sirena said to add a lot of extra beef. I hope that’s okay.”
I swallowed, carefully not meeting the Siren’s eyes. “Umm. Yes. That’s perfect. Thank you.”
Did she know about me?
“I’m a little anemic these days,” I said quietly. “A little extra red meat is just what I need.”
Marnie clicked her tongue. “It’s hard being a woman, especially when you hit your thirties. Everything goes wild down there.”
Ash couldn’t cover his snort in time.
She grinned and turned. “I brought you something too, you handsome man.”
Ash blushed and ducked his head.
“Marnie,” Twila groaned.
The hedgewitch scoffed. “Please. If we talk about it, we don’t get surprised by it. And our mothers weren’t talkers, we all know that, don’t we?”
Sirena shrugged. “You’re right. Though some of us don’t experience those changes like others may.” Her eyes lingered on me.
She had to know something.
“We have a couple of weddings coming up, so I will be busy, but hopefully not enough to be cooped up inside eating all this pot pie!” I smiled at Marnie. “Thank you so much for thinking of me.”
She patted my hand and closed her basket. “It’s nothing, dear. We noticed you haven’t been visiting any of the shops and we wanted to make sure you were okay more than anything.”
My cheeks colored. “I’ve had some personal things going on,” I confessed. “But I’ll do better.”
“No worries. Just try not to be a stranger. There’s an entire magical community out there you have yet to meet.” Her eyes softened. “You’ve been here for a long time, my dear. Don’t you think it’s about time you got to know the rest of us?”
Guilt flooded me. “You’re right,” I said softly. “I’ve gotten way too comfortable at the shop and at my house and rarely venture out these days.”
“Or date,” Moira muttered as she came out from the back.
“I sense things will change on that front,” said Sirena. Her eyes glittered with amusement. “Whether you want them to or not.”
Sirena was gorgeous but really annoying sometimes.
Twila reached over and touched my arm. “We have a new dish coming next week made especially for autumn, not to mention the apple pie. Stop by and have a slice on the house.”
I smiled and rose. “I have a new variety of pothos I created. Would you like a cutting?”
Twila gasped. “Yes! I would love one.”
“Marnie? Sirena?”
Marnie nodded with enthusiasm. Sirena dipped her head. “I’d be honored to have such a gift.”
And then she said things like that and made me feel guilty. I thought she was annoying.
Once I’d given everyone a pothos cutting and pushed a bag of peony bulbs on Marnie, they loaded Ash up with food and left with a cheery wave.
“She’s right,” Moira said.
“Ugh. Is it beat up on Evie week again? I know she’s right. I’ve had things going on and needed some time to get my shit together.” I rubbed my temples. “If you haven’t forgotten, my magic was a little weird there for a while, too.”
Ever since the greenhouse incident, things had settled down, but I felt that insistent pricking at the back of my mind telling me I needed to siphon more magic than I ever had before. Taking care of it at the shop would no longer cut it.
“We know,” Ash said. “But it doesn’t mean you should close yourself off from everyone who cares about you. Doing so is bad for people like us. Mages and paranormals need groups. They keep checks and balances on our power.”
I never thought about it that way, but it explained how they were always able to bring me back to normalcy when my power wanted to rage. “Alright. I hear you. I’ll do better. I promise.”
I’d run over to Marnie’s for lunch next week and actually sit and eat at the table instead of hoarding my food back in my office like Gollum.
After repacking the bounty Marnie brought, I carried the basket toward the back. “I’ll be in the office for a little while.”
“Hogging all the pot pie?” Ash called.
“Don’t be jealous, she loves you more than me!” I grinned and waved before disappearing through the door.
A belly full of delicious comfort food was not conducive to staying awake during work hours. I stretched out on the couch for just a minute to get ready for the second half of the day and nodded off within seconds.
I stood in a dark and twisted garden, black vines and an enormous burned-out tree in the center. The land pulsed with malevolence, all of it coming from that tree. I turned to see Caelan walking up behind me.
“You couldn’t stay awake either?” he quipped.
“Pot pie. How about you?”
Our eyes met. “Worry.”
My heart banged against my ribcage. “Oh? Everything okay?”
“It will be,” he promised. Whatever that meant.
Caelan jerked his head toward the tree. “Any idea what we’re looking at?”
I had a terrible idea I did but slowly shook my head. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m more worried about you being in my dream.”
“Until we figure out that seed, I don’t think either of us will stay out of the other’s dreams.” He glanced over. “And how are you so sure it’s your dream and not mine?”
Because my mother was here. I could feel her. No wind blew, the air unnaturally stale. I bent and touched my palm to the ground, sending a seeking pulse of power into the earth to try to find any semblance of life.
Nothing lived in this place. No buried seeds or earthworms or grubs. The land was devoid of anything living except for us.
Cliona’s presence loomed like a cancer. I turned, my gaze sweeping the desolate plains to find her. There wasn’t anywhere physical to hide. She managed it, nonetheless.
You will never be enough, Evangeline, a mocking voice whispered in my mind.
There you are, I sent back. On the winning track for Mother of the Year once again.
Rage brushed over my skin.
What is this place? Not expecting an answer, I walked closer to the tree.
What will be if you don’t relinquish the seed.
This is Yggdrasil?
Our tree. The bridge between the worlds.
I know you better than you think, Mother. You won’t use the seed for everyone.
You know nothing about me.
Daughters always know their mothers.
Her mocking laughter surrounded me.
Caelan was staring at me, a quizzical look on his face. He couldn’t hear her.
You aren’t strong enough to hold its power. Give it to me.
I don’t have what you seek.
Your human body will burn alive.
I stilled. Was it possible she didn’t know Cernunnos had fathered me?
“Evie?”
I held my finger up to my lips.
I’m far more powerful than you think I am.
It doesn’t matter. A demigod is not meant to wield such power.
Oh man. Cernunnos and I were going to discuss some things next time he showed his face.
Give it to me, Evangeline. Walk away to tend your little flower shop.
And that was exactly the reason why I wouldn’t.
I may not be powerful enough to wield the seed, but you are not worthy of such power.
She hissed in rage.
I awoke with a start, burning pain between my breasts. Hissing, I rolled over, the necklace falling away from my chest.
I picked the pendant up by the chain and stared.
The obsidian was smoking.