Chapter 23
Tori caught Ha Na’s arm with a laugh, doing the now requisite do-si-do to switch places with her.
The distance between the tables was technically wide enough to walk by, even two abreast, but Ha Na insisted on this dance-style switch off when they had to change places.
And since Tori had basically fallen in love with this seventy-year-old grandmother with outrageous hair, he played along with a smile.
Ha Na was amazingly fun. He could see where both Cameron and Cassie got their personalities from. Tori would give his eye teeth to have Ha Na as a grandmother.
She giggled, as she always did, her empty bowl clutched in the other arm. There was a sparkle in her dark eyes, happiness in her face, and he smiled helplessly back at her. This woman’s charm was lethal.
“Tori!” Cassie called from her comfortable perch in the window. “Stop flirting with my grandmother! You’re going to make Big B all insecure and jealous.”
“It’s too late for him,” Tori called back. “Ha Na’s already stolen my heart. There’s no turning back now.”
That earned him another giggle, and she closed in for a hug. “You’re the most precious thing. You play with me. Those useless grandchildren of mine don’t play with me.”
“Hey!” Cassie spluttered in protest. “I play with you all the time!”
Ha Na soundly ignored her, still hugging Tori with one arm around his waist. “You be my grandson from now on, alright?”
“Done,” he said and meant it more than words could express. He knew Ha Na was mostly joking, but he wished she actually meant the offer. She’d love him as a grandmother should. His own grandmother couldn’t even bring herself to look at him.
“It’s a wonder we got done, considering how much you two play.” Melissande reached over the packaged shampoo bottles and poked Tori in the shoulder with a pen. “Come back here, you. I’m not done with you yet.”
Tori flashed her a smile as he disengaged from Ha Na’s hug, resuming the task that sent him over there to begin with. Namely, fetching the labels from the printer.
Cassie had taken over setting up the labels and such to print, as she could do that from her laptop and not move from the chair.
But the printer was not near her, instead perched close to the ingredients table, leaving someone else to fetch them from the tray.
Tori picked up the stack and returned to Melissande to help her put on the many, many labels.
It was quite the array of things they’d made this morning. Shampoos, lotions, hair tonics, facial cleansers for acne.
One of the products, he’d helped tweak—the willow bark topical salve. It would be far more effective for sore muscles than before.
Lisette mentioned they made something along those lines for Alric, but more powerful and infused with magic in a way they didn’t dare sell openly on the market. It was the first hint Tori had that the king was suffering from some old injury. The way he acted, it wasn’t at all obvious.
They were done brewing for the day, the bottles lined up neatly. Everyone was a little tired from moving and standing for so many hours but satisfied, too, with a job well done. Tori wanted to sit for ten minutes, but they were so close to being finished, he chose to push through it instead.
Cassie had printed out a stack of invoices, and their job now was to get the labels on the right jars.
Apparently, the dragons took it from there, as they were the ones in charge of shipping and handling.
It was a fair division of labor, and another sign that this clan really knew how to support each other.
Tori looked around the room, still marveling at it all, despite being in here for seven hours. Eight mages, all working harmoniously together, and enjoying the work.
Nine, including him, and they had very much included him. Welcomed him with open arms and smiles and never once made him feel awkward for being there. If this was any indication of what the clan was like as a whole—and Tori bet it was—then it was an amazing place to be.
How had Tori ever feared these people? How had he ever thought of them with hate? Now that he knew them, he’d give anything to be one of them.
“I’m really excited about the new lip balm line,” Carla said, pulling him out of his thoughts. She joined the sticker assembly line on his other side, tackling the shampoo bottles. “I think it will sell really well.”
Tori shot the mage with pale blond hair a shy smile.
The lip balm was something he’d made for himself, a protection against the bitter cold of Finland.
It healed chapped lips quite well and required little in the way of magic to work.
Perfect for the everyday human. “I’m glad you were willing to try it. ”
She nudged him with an elbow, a playful expression on her face. “It’s obvious you know your craft. Why wouldn’t we? And really, sometimes we’re stumped for ideas of what to create next. You can’t offer the same products all the time. The market goes stale on you.”
“That’s very true,” Lisette agreed, picking up the temporary containers for the lip balm. New containers needed to be ordered for the new product before it could be packaged and shipped. “With Tori’s help, we’ll be able to take on more orders, perhaps start offering customized packages.”
“Ooh, that’s a great idea,” Cassie enthused. “Customized packages are the bomb! Everyone likes those.”
Elissa showed up with a wooden crate and loaded in the products already labeled, her movements quick and efficient.
But then, everything the mage with the wide brown eyes did was done efficiently.
Tori had figured that out over the course of the day.
“You’re all assuming that Tori wants to stay with us. ”
He swallowed hard, the motion painful. Working here would be a dream.
Being able to do magic freely and have it as his everyday occupation was a fantasy he’d never entertained because it was too painful.
Just today had felt surreal. But if they were seriously talking of him staying....
Doubts reared their ugly head, and he really didn’t want to know. But he had to. “Is that my choice?”
All the women looked at him blankly, then at each other.
“Has no one told him?” Gisa demanded, outrage blooming over her face.
“Apparently not.” Lisette sighed, already looking resigned. “Why did I trust Alric to say something to him?”
“You really should not have.” Shaking her head, Jana put a hand on Tori’s arm to draw his attention to her.
There was kindness on her pretty, narrow face, but mostly determination.
Her bow-shaped lips were flattened in seriousness.
“It is entirely your choice if you want to stay here. Baldewin and Warin would not have brought you to the clan if they didn’t already like you and think you’d be a good fit here.
After spending the day working with you, I think I can speak for all of us when I say we’d love to have you.
Not just because you’ve got good spellcraft and knowledge of herbs—”
A flush heated Tori’s cheeks. Did she really think so? It didn’t sound like empty flattery to him. Oh god, had another mage ever said that to him? Those words felt like a benediction.
“—but because you’re fun. And if you want to stay, then please stay.”
“Even if you and Baldewin don’t work out,” Carla threw in. “You don’t have to marry into the clan to stay.”
That was reassuring, although Tori hoped for the best when it came to Baldewin because the man was sexy as sin and incredibly sweet. He’d be an idiot to pass up the chance of having him as a lover.
But still, knowing he was wanted on his own merits tugged hard at his heartstrings.
He looked at all the women once again, and felt tears burn his eyes.
“Cameron had said I could leave any anytime. But staying…I wasn’t sure…
” Tori paused and flashed them a bright smile.
“You’re all amazing. I’ve loved working with you today. ”
“Then stay,” Lisette encouraged him. “And I’ll poke Alric, get him to issue a formal invitation to you.”
Tori wasn’t sure how to feel about that. “Is that alright? For you to do that?”
“Already poked,” Cassie cackled, her phone in both hands.
He whipped around to stare at her, jaw dropping. “You did not just text a king.”
“And tell him to get his ass in gear? I totally did. It’s my prerogative as a sister.”
Lisette threw her head back on a laugh. “I love how forthright you are with him. Don’t worry, Tori. Alric didn’t grow up with siblings, so he’s still learning how to handle his new sister, but he more or less takes her in stride. And spoils her.”
“I enjoy the spoiling very, very much,” Cassie assured the room brightly.
The door opened and speak of the devil, there were both Alric and Baldewin. The king lifted his mobile phone as he stepped inside, expression bemused. “I have been reliably informed that I need to get my ass in gear. Apparently, I have failed to express something correctly?”
“You’re quick,” Cassie approved.
“I actually came to speak with Tori about something else, although I’ll speak with him about this, too,” Alric admitted to her. He turned, spotting his quarry, and gave Tori a slight smile. “If you have a moment?”
“Sure.” His heart in his throat, he slipped around Carla.
Alric indicated for him to take a seat on one of the couches on the far side of the room.
It was meant to be a mini breakroom for when the mages needed to sit down for a moment.
Tori’s nerves were stretched taut as he perched at the edge of the comfy, worn-in leather cushion.
Alric took the chair across from him, settling with a sigh, and for just a moment, another emotion slipped out. Fatigue, maybe. He no doubt had a great many things to juggle, so it said something that Alric took the time to come and speak with Tori directly.