Chapter 17 Sky
Sky
Whatever. The good thing was that there’d probably be somewhere to go in and sit in an hour or an hour and a half, even if it wasn’t Witch’s Brew. In the meantime, we’d at least walk to that general vicinity since there were little grassy areas down the street where we could pop a squat.
“You doing okay?” King looked over his shoulder and asked.
Our companion, who’d been staying several steps behind us, with Patchy by his side but about six feet away, mumbled back an affirmative, and I squeezed King’s hand.
We’d been so concerned about this man, been so eager to help him, that I didn’t think it had occurred to either of us that he’d have no idea who we were and no reason to trust us.
I couldn’t imagine that trust came easily if you were living on the streets, making your way on your own with no one to support you or have your back.
That sucked so freaking bad, and I hated it.
I’d thought about running away from home several times as a teenager, but as bad as my dad was, I knew Ego’s was worse, and I’d wanted to make sure he had a place to stay if he ever couldn’t deal with it at home anymore.
When that day came—and it did—I wanted to make sure he had somewhere to go until we made a plan for him.
Thankfully, it had all worked out for him, then for me, rooming with Chance and finding a BFF, a ride or die until the end, and it had brought us all to the here and now.
To magic and ghosts and Dreamwalkers and soulmates and who knew what else.
Our lives were beyond anything I’d ever imagined or hoped for.
But this guy was alone. I didn’t know if it was by choice or if he’d been kicked out of somewhere or what, but those details didn’t change the outcome, which was him living on the streets and being attacked by some kind of malicious entity while he had nowhere to go and no one to turn to.
So, that left the big questions. How did we earn his trust?
How did we get him to stay here in Willowhope while we figured this out for him?
Did we beg him to stay and then let him keep just surviving out by the boardwalk, hiding at night, trying to get some rest?
What he did from here was up to him, but at least he followed us and was willing to talk.
When we were one shopfront away from the Witch’s Brew, its door opened and Carli stepped out onto the sidewalk. “Oh, good. You made it.”
King and I stopped short, but the little blonde breezed right by us, holding her hands out. “I knew today was the day.”
The guy stumbled backward, and Patchy moved to his side like he wanted to offer him comfort. His eyes moved around frantically like he was trying to figure out where to run—to escape.
Carli kept talking like nothing was amiss. “I’ve had a knowing for days that we needed to open up a little early for a special visitor. I’m assuming it’s you since you’re with them.” She hitched her thumb over her shoulder in our direction.
“I just met them,” he said.
“Of course you did, silly, or you’d have already been here.” Then like the force of nature that I was coming to understand she was, she looped her arm through one of his and pulled him effortlessly toward the coffee shop.
As he passed us, he shot us wide eyes like he didn’t understand what was happening.
I had to agree with him on that front because I had no idea either.
King shrugged at me, and we followed them into the homey store where the delicious aroma of fresh coffee permeated the air.
Carli shoved our new acquaintance into a chair near the counter and planted her hands on her hips. “There.”
Licking my lips, I approached her and placed a hand on her forearm. “I’m not sure I understand what’s happening here, but before you fill us in, can we have a few cups of coffee?”
She patted my hand without looking away from the young man. “Of course, Sky. But I think our new friend would enjoy something else. Am I right?”
His frightened gaze moved from her to me to King and back again. “T-t-tea, if you have it.”
She beamed at him. “Of course.” Then a pretty flower-patterned teacup on a saucer with a thin line of steam rising from the middle moved from behind the counter to rest softly on the table in front of him.
“Uh, Carli?” I questioned. Why was she showing him her magic? Was she trying to freak him out even more than he already was? And how did she do that? Could I do that? I mean, I knew how to start a fire with the brush of my hands, so surely…
“Honey, quit showing off,” Cassi said as she came through the doorway that separated the front and back of the shop.
Carli’s lower lip came out in a pout. “I’m not. Why should we hide our magic if everyone in the store knows about it? It’s not like we have any other customers. We’re not even technically open yet.”
All of us knew about magic? My gaze moved back to the guy who stared open-mouthed at Carli. “Don’t you like your tea, dear?” she asked.
“Uh,” was as far as he got when King shook himself out and spoke up.
“Okay, maybe we should all sit down.”
Cassi shook her head. “I have to finish prepping for the morning rush. Y’all can go ahead and get started. I can hear you from here.” Her gaze moved to the new guy. “I’m Cassi, and the whirlwind in front of you is my wife, Carli. It’s very nice to meet you.”
“B-Booker,” he managed to get out.
“Your name is Booker?” I asked, sliding into the seat next to him. “That’s an amazing name.” I grinned over to King. “He’s got a cool name, too.”
Carli laughed and joined us. “You three really do all have unique names.”
King swiped his hand down his face like he wasn’t sure what was happening here, and I didn’t either, but it seemed like we should just roll with it at this point. What else was there to do?
I patted the seat next to mine. “Come on.”
Patchy, who’d stayed at Booker’s side, jumped up onto his lap with a yip. “Oh shoot. Sorry, Carli. Cassi,” I said. “Should I make him leave?”
Cassi waved me off. “He’s your familiar, right? He goes where you go, I imagine. Just ask him to hide himself once the customers start rolling in, if you don’t mind.”
No, I definitely didn’t. How would I explain a dog made up of a patchwork of colors like a quilt like he was? Yeah, no. Better to just have him go wherever it was he did. “Did you hear that, boy?” I asked, reaching over to scratch behind his ears. “Once the people come, you have to hide.”
He yipped happily and licked my fingers, so I assumed that meant he understood me.
“So…”
Cassi came from behind the counter and set two steaming mugs in front of me and King.
His had cold foam on the top, and mine had a big puff of whipped cream with sprinkles.
We hadn’t asked for anything other than coffee, but I guessed we were both in here enough that they knew what we liked.
Or there was the witchiness of it all. Maybe they just knew what we needed in this moment.
Although, from the look on King’s face, a stiff drink might suit him better.
Carli inhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and hummed softly. “This is nice.” She opened them, reached over, and patted King’s hand and then Booker’s knee. “Isn’t it wonderful when things come together?”
The poor guy looked scared out of his mind. I felt for him, but I wasn’t sure what to do to ease his fear. When Carli sat up straight in her seat, her posture becoming ramrod straight, I recognized instantly what was about to happen.
“Cassi,” I yelled, panicked.
King looked at me surprised by the urgency in my tone, and Booker’s gaze narrowed on me like I’d grown ten heads until Cassi came running and words that weren’t her own began streaming out of Carli’s mouth.
“Son, your journey has been hard. It’s been long.
I’m sorry we couldn’t make it easier for you.
Kinder for you. But you are right where you’re supposed to be for such a time as this.
Plant yourself on this land and let your roots grow deep.
You will be fed here, watered, nurtured, and you will bloom.
Past all your circumstances, beyond what anyone in your old life could ever imagine.
Here you will bloom and flourish. You will rest, you will train, and you will lead, young sorcerer.
So it was preordained before your birth. ”
Then Carli slumped in her seat, and Cassi pulled her head into her side, smoothing her hair back in a soothing manner. She smiled at Booker. “Well, isn’t this an honor.”
“I told you someone big was coming,” Carli mumbled.
Cassi shook her head fondly, stroking Carli’s head again. “You did. I never doubted you. I just didn’t expect it to happen so fast.”
My gaze slid to Booker where he sat pale, clutching at Patchy, who seemed more than happy to give the young…sorcerer comfort. Holy crap. Booker was a sorcerer.
“He needs to meet the High Priestess.”
Turning to my boyfriend, I bit back a snort.
He didn’t look much better than Booker, but he’d never seen Carli in action either.
Watching the goddesses or gods or who-the-heck-ever it was use her as a mouthpiece was pretty freakin’ cool.
Both of these women were pretty awesome.
I was glad they’d ended up moving to Willowhope, too.
Though, it was definitely starting to feel like nothing about any of us ending up here—including Booker—was a coincidence.
We’d all been drawn here by fate or destiny or whatever, which was either completely epic or absolutely terrifying. Why now? Why us?
“H-h-high P-p-priestess?” Booker stammered.
I had this one. “Yes. Rosie! You’ll love her. She’s King’s grandma.” I leaned into the big man by my side.
Booker’s gaze jumped to him. “She’s really…she can…but you’re…do you?”
King shook his head. “No, I don’t have magic.” But didn’t he? Maybe it wasn’t like any of ours, but wasn’t inheriting the title of Dreamwalker its own type of magic? I’d have to talk to Rosie and Elyse about that. “But my gran does. She always has.”