Chapter 8 #2
I fight the reflex to roll my eyes. I don’t want to have to play this card, but I am fit to be tied, and she leaves me no choice.
“As you may have heard, I was attacked recently by a fae. Mysterious gift giving is not exactly welcome right now. I recommend you tell me who it was or I’ll have to take this matter to the constabulary. ”
It’s such a waspish threat, but Mother Earth needs to grant this female some common sense.
She blanches, finally understanding her blunder. “Of course. I’m not sure about his name, but he was tall with light blue skin and white hair with a voice as deep as the ocean.”
She says that last part a little too appreciatively.
I grumble out loud in frustration. Apparently, I wasn’t clear enough with that pompous jerk yesterday and he lied to me to boot. Just shows I still can’t trust him as far as I can throw him.
“Much appreciated,” I reply curtly before marching out of the store.
The gift basket with all its contents sits obnoxiously in the passenger seat of my Wagoneer.
I brought it with me after some doubt about it sprung up in my mind this morning.
Now I want it out of my sight. Cara could make use of it.
She will enjoy these items meant for relaxation.
That ship has now sailed for me. After I drive to her place and drop it on her front porch, I send her a quick text letting her know the details about it.
She’ll be more than happy to take it off my hands.
I’ve felt achy and exhausted since I woke up this morning.
Nights of poor sleep are catching up with me.
More caffeine is a must, so my next stop is Midnight Mystic for a monster-sized coffee, pun intended.
The large twenty-four-hour café is an unofficial social center.
Tables fitting every size of Whispered Folk fill the space.
Artwork on its walls changes regularly to showcase local artists.
When I step inside, my friend Thea waves me over to her table with Zinnia, another good friend from the coven, and Selene, a shifter in the local wolf pack.
“I just happened to come in here during my break and ran into these two. And now you’re here? What a treat! Come sit down!” she exclaims.
“Absolutely! I’ll be over after I order my coffee,” I respond, unable to delay my caffeine fix any longer.
When I have a very tall paper cup of coffee in hand, I sit with my friends, chatting about nothing serious. It feels blissfully normal. When Thea announces she’s needed back at the clinic, I let them know I’m heading to my shop. We say our goodbyes and Thea and I walk outside together.
Her gaze narrows at me, making me a little self-conscious. “How are you feeling? Not to sound like a cliched healer, but you look a little peaked today,” she observes.
I sigh. “I’m just worn down. Not much of an appetite. I’m ready to have my house back to myself, and it’s only been a couple days.”
She gives me the side-eye. “Kick that undeserving male out from under your roof. Healer’s orders. I’ll even write you a note.”
“Maybe there’s a potion I can take to repel exes?” I joke.
“If I could make that, I’d have a vacation home in every continent,” she chuckles.
She walks me the rest of the way to my shop, then continues toward the clinic.
During my shift, I spend the day alternating between helping customers and ordering inventory from our suppliers, mostly Whispered Folk, but some human as well.
A few customers were uncomfortably nosy about my situation.
Before I even had a chance to clap back with a bless your heart, Sunny was on hand to nip that in the bud right quick, calling me back to the workshop area for some urgent reason or another she made up on the spot. Luckily, it worked like a charm.
After work, I drive back to Ben and Cara’s.
They invited me and Clancy over for dinner.
It’s a welcome reprieve from hanging around the house.
As I step out of my automobile, the clopping of heavy hooves announces Clancy’s presence just as he rounds the corner.
He waves enthusiastically and trots a little faster.
“Stars above, it’s good to see a friendly face,” he greets me while leaning his torso forward to give me a hug.
“I’ve been fending off every variation of ‘where are the warlocks?’ and ‘is that fae going to break out of its cell or get sprung by its fae buddies?’ all day long.
I know people are upset, but it’s exhausting fielding questions all day that I don’t have answers to.
It’ll be quiet for a day and then someone gets riled up and the cycle starts over. ”
“Niven won’t keep the fae around longer than necessary,” I empathize.
“It’ll be a relief to have it gone, one way or another,” he remarks darkly.
We walk up to the front door and Cara opens it when we knock. “I’ve been looking forward to this all week! Come in!” she effuses in high spirits.
Cara appears surprisingly recovered. Her physical injuries from the fae’s attack are healed, her pale skin unmarred from the deep cuts she suffered.
Her large hazel eyes look clear and untroubled, no sign in them that less than two weeks ago she experienced significant trauma and lost a dangerous amount of blood.
Instead, she looks refreshed. Her outfit, a light pink pointelle knit dress, fits her beautifully, emphasizing her curvy figure that’s looking even more buxom than when she first arrived.
Her dark brown wavy hair is piled on top of her head.
She looks at ease in Ben’s house where she permanently moved after the fire.
I really enjoyed having her live on the property with me.
But I couldn’t be happier that she and Ben are embarking on a new life together.
“The star jasmine growing on the ironwork really does look beautiful. And the fragrance! Lovely,” I say to Cara.
“It was all Ben’s idea. Luckily, I made some good memories on Samhain. That was one of them,” she says wistfully. I pull her in for a hug. It was a good night until the end.
The rest of us settle into the living room while Cara opens a bottle of wine in the kitchen.
Ben has a record playing, some old human musician who they both like.
He shifts forward a large, reinforced bench designed for Clancy from a cleared corner of the room.
Ben built it when he moved into this house after his grandparents passed away.
Clancy lowers the back of his equine body onto the bespoke bench with practiced ease.
I tuck my legs under me on a plush, oversized chair and get comfortable.
Cara comes back with glasses of wine on a tray, passing them around. With her own glass in hand, she sits on the sofa with Ben, who wraps his tail affectionately around her ankle.
“So, is that big blue son-of-a-bitch overstaying his welcome at your house? I told him to keep away from you. Let me know if he breaks his promise to me and Madge about not bothering you. I’ll tell Bran at the inn to clean out a maintenance closet.
He can sleep standing up.” Clancy doesn’t pull any punches.
“He seems to think he is now my knight in shining armor. It really puts a burr in my saddle!” Clancy guffaws at my pun. “He gave me pastries and a gift basket yesterday. Nothing too extravagant. But I don’t want anything from him. Cara graciously took the gift basket off my hands.”
“It was nice stuff. I don’t mind wasting that guy’s money,” she quips. “Walt had said at our lunch the other day that you could try to date again. Maybe if he saw proof you’ve moved on, it would help get him off your back?”
“It’s hard to say. I certainly don’t pretend to know what motivates Norrell.
Plus, no one in town really interests me in that way.
I’m forty-two already. I know I’m not old, but I’m certainly not a young witchling with hearts in my eyes.
I doubt I’ll ever find another male who would make me want to try,” I admit.
“I date plenty, so no one would bat an eye if you’re seen on my arm,” Clancy chimes in.
“I will sacrifice my allergy to commitment and fake date you for however long you need. Just think about it. We could have fun going out as friends, but with the right amount of carefully orchestrated public displays of affection we could easily sell it.”
I giggle at his enthusiasm. “We can’t ruin your reputation as a Casanova with the females in town.
Ashes, I should have asked Niven when he got here.
We get along so well it could have been convincing.
But the idea is not worth getting a bee in your bonnet about.
The ruse would require too much duplicity to keep going.
More than I care to engage in when we have so much else to worry about right now.
Norrell is not worth the effort. Plus, I wouldn’t want to embarrass Niven if anyone else noticed. ”
“No, that male is far too busy leading the investigation to be courting anyone while he’s here. Though I guess you could stage him sneaking out of your bedroom so Jack Frost sees him. Niven would certainly agree to that,” Clancy jokes, no doubt delighting in the notion of sticking it to Norrell.
“I’m not sure I want to add to the tension at the house.” I sigh loudly. “You want to know one of the worst parts about having him under my roof? My cats adore him. They treat me like a stranger nowadays unless it’s mealtime. I guess I’m not good enough company anymore,” I intone sarcastically.
Ben replies matter-of-factly, “Cats are not known as human or Whispered Folk’s best friend for a reason. A dog wouldn’t do that to you.”
“It’s true. I set myself up for this. I should mention, it’s not just Norrell.
They have lit up like never before since everyone arrived.
They started scratching at bedroom doors at night wanting to sleep in the guest rooms. But it’s so infuriating that Norrell is their favorite.
Aurelia made them sausage this morning, but they still went straight to Norrell.
Those traitors constantly weave around his legs or jump on his lap when the opportunity presents itself.
Too bad that even if I had my magick, I couldn’t tell them he’s not the prize they seem to believe he is.
That he’ll leave the moment things get tough,” I gripe, hurt threatening to spill over as tears.
“Those little dinguses are choosing him over you? They need to remember the hand that feeds them.” Clancy snorts in disbelief.
“Oh, the little princes don’t care. They will do as they please,” I say, not without a little resentment.
“Forgive me, Ada. I don’t remember the names of your cats. I only ever saw them in passing. And then with everything that happened...” Her voice trails off.
“The boys are Earl Grey and Vanny, short for Vanilla Paws,” I answer.
Cara’s eyes light up. “You named them Earl Grey and Vanilla Paws?” She scrunches her hands to her heart. “Those sound like the names of cute internet cats!”
“Hon, you really think I don’t watch cute cat videos like everyone else?” I tease.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d get sucked into them like humans do. I don’t know!” She throws her hands up and laughs.
“When the safety council disperses and I get my house back to myself, I will have you over to meet them properly. If you’re okay with coming to the house, that is. I don’t want you to do anything that will make you uncomfortable.”
“I appreciate that. With the carriage house gone, I think I’ll be fine. I can’t let my fear get the better of me,” she says, squeezing Ben’s hand and giving him a tentative smile. He leans in to kiss the top of her head.
“Despite everything, I miss that carriage house. Some days I walk outside and I’m surprised by that big empty space,” I say, grief clawing my chest.
“Do you know if you’re going to rebuild? Come by my office and I’ll help you draw up plans for a new carriage house or guest house when you’re ready. No charge, just helping a friend,” Ben offers. His company, Guardian Construction, has expertise in all types of construction projects.
“Thanks. I haven’t decided yet. Barely had time to think at all, to be honest. But I appreciate it,” I tell him with a melancholy smile.
“Are the guests asking too much of you? Can we take care of anything for you while they are here?” Ben asks, sounding concerned.
“No, it’s been alright aside from Norrell.
They don’t need much of anything. They’re all so busy anyway, I hardly see them.
I’m trying to spend more time at the shop, get everything squared away while I’m…
blocked. But I think I have everything handled at home too.
I raked the leaves and debris in my yard by hand the other day, a good arm workout so I’ve discovered,” I say, trying to lighten the mood.
“Oh, I just started a raised bed garden in the backyard, and I can’t believe how many muscles it works that I didn’t know I had.
I cheated just a pinch and used some magick fertilizer, so the vegetables grow out of season.
It’s early in the process, they’re still sprouting, but I’ve loved it so far.
Tending to the garden is so relaxing. Very zen for me.
Once we have our first harvest, I’ll bring some over! ” Cara gushes.
“I think it’s been helpful during your recovery, my belle,” Ben remarks, his eyes searching Cara’s.
“Yeah, it really has,” she agrees, her eyes turning bright.
As the night progresses, everyone solicits little ways to help me.
They are so wonderful, and I’m honored to have such good friends.
But I’m still left betwixt and between. So much hinges on my magick.
It’ll be smart to plan for a life without it regardless.
The world is moving on without me, and I shouldn’t let myself fall too far behind.