Chapter Thirteen
‘I believe the words you’re looking for are “thank you”,’ Orion said, while languidly sprawled on the stool in the Treasure Trove kitchen.
‘Thank you?’ I asked, aghast, with my hands wrist-deep in dough. ‘You cheated.’
‘And? You needed an opportunity,’ Orion explained, and pushed himself off the stool. ‘It worked, didn’t it? You and the wolf have got your little study date together this weekend, right?’
‘Yes,’ I said, grinning down at the dough while thinking of the text from Silas, inviting me to his house.
‘And now you’re smiling at dough. Charming,’ Orion said, markedly unimpressed. ‘What are you making anyway?’
‘Glazed dough-knots,’ I said, moving the dough to the countertop. ‘Spelled to soften arguments; meant to be shared between two people.’ I glanced up at him. ‘You and your dad should have one of these.’
I shouldn’t have said it, but the words tumbled out of me without thought.
Orion sighed. ‘Soft and my father don’t go together when it comes to me, Reverie.’
‘If you don’t want to be a detective, what do you want to be now?’ I asked, twisting the dough.
‘You already know,’ Orion said softly, and I paused for a moment.
I did know. Or I thought I had. Back when we used to tell each other things. But I’d spent so long trying to force the memories away, I couldn’t tell what had been real and what hadn’t.
‘Being a thorn in my side?’ I responded lightly, but something in Orion’s gaze dimmed and he stepped back to let me work.
Soon, I was done with the knots, and Melodie came in from the shop floor, practically vibrating with joy. Behind her, the Treasure Trove wasn’t exactly teeming with customers, but it was fuller than before.
‘Once these go out,’ Melodie said with a grin, ‘everyone who loved the tarts will come flying back. I mean, not that the usual bakes aren’t brilliant too, but those tarts on your first day? They had all the dragon’s buzzing.’
At the end of her breathless declaration, Melodie paused, her gaze flicking between Orion – who was pressed against the corner of the kitchen, still looking irritated – and me. Some sort of understanding dawned upon her, because she suddenly said: ‘Orion.’
His head snapped to her.
‘Think you could take those out to the shop floor for me?’
Without a word, he grabbed the first batch of my freshly glazed knots and left the kitchen.
‘You know, Orion’s not a bad guy.’
I looked at Melodie – our relationship was built on the mutual understanding that I was here to help her and most of our chats were confined to baking. Me helping Melodie learn the ins and outs of the craft, and Melodie encouraging me to do the bakes that I considered risky at times.
But we’ve never discussed Orion Hawthorne.
‘I’ve known him since he was eight,’ I told her, my mouth tugging into an awkward grin.
‘Probably as your best friend’s brother, right?’ Melodie probed.
‘We were friends once,’ I replied, suddenly feeling defensive. As if I had to prove to Melodie that I knew Orion. Truly knew him. Like that even mattered.
‘Then you know Orion’s got a good heart,’ Melodie offered, lightly. ‘You know that he’d help someone in a heartbeat – even someone who’s bitten off more than they can chew with their family’s bakery. Or someone who is struggling in class. He’s the guy you call when you want to move furniture.’
I suppose it was true. Still, I didn’t want to think of him as anything but the guy who broke my heart and got me the second point on my licence.
‘I’m just saying,’ Melodie softened her voice. ‘He didn’t have the easiest time at MAC, I know that much. He was miserable, and he wanted to come home. Now he is, and he’s helping me and helping you. I think he’s trying to find his place here again.’
Her statements left me strangely breathless.
‘And that’s the last time I’m going to butt into whatever –’ Melodie waved a hand in the air – ‘is going on between the two of you. In fact, I’m going to relieve him from my job out front.’ She paused at the door. ‘Just, think about what I said, OK?’
Orion and I were closing up the Treasure Trove after he’d insisted that Melodie leave early. I was midway through re-sorting all my measuring cups – an infuriating task really – when Orion spoke.
‘Would now be a bad time to start on another spell?’ Orion asked.
I looked over my shoulder to see that the task he’d taken on – dishwashing – was done.
I sighed and looked at him sardonically.
‘What?’ he said. ‘I’m just living up to the task you gave me.’
‘There’s no performance bonus, you know,’ I retorted, turning back to my station.
‘Lucky for you, I’m just dedicated,’ he said, and walked over to me.
Hanging from his middle finger was a locket – a gold chain, with a heart-shaped pendant at the end.
The pendant was made of red rubies with gold thorned vines twisted around it.
I couldn’t tell if he’d spelled the locket out of thin air, or if he had it in his pocket the entire time and only just decided to take it out.
‘I saw it in the Curiosity Shop, and it seemed fitting for you, Reverie,’ Orion said, and there was nothing to his tone. No teasing, no mocking, no probing.
I knew dragons liked gold and gems; it was in their nature to seek treasure.
I didn’t find it surprising that the glinting jewellery had caught Orion’s eye.
The part that threw me off wasn’t his voice, but the fact that he was right: this pendant felt fitting for me.
It was something I would have chosen. And that unnerving feeling of being so clearly seen by someone overwhelmed me.
I always thought I saw Orion too, but, since returning to Maple Falls, I couldn’t help but catalogue all the differences. The streak of rebellion, the easy way he smiled, helping me just because I asked.
This wasn’t the Orion I knew, even though he walked like him, talked like him and looked like him. This was a virtual stranger.
‘Right,’ I said, nerves bundling in my stomach. I stared at the necklace like it was a cursed piece of jewellery, but I didn’t grasp it. Orion didn’t look even slightly offended, as if he expected my hesitation. ‘What kind of spell are we trying today?’
‘You’ve mastered the summoning spell,’ Orion replied, and then grinned. ‘My head is grateful for that.’
I rolled my eyes and pointed my dough-marked finger at him. ‘Go on.’
‘We’re going to do a protection spell,’ Orion replied, and he held the necklace between us. ‘It’s a simple one, commonly done on jewellery.’
‘And if it goes wrong?’ I asked, eyeing the ruby pendant and gold vines. It would be such a shame if it burst into flames or melted into a puddle. Or blew up the Treasure Trove.
‘Stop focusing on the possibility of the spell going wrong,’ Orion chided, dangling the necklace a little. ‘Now, my arm is getting tired holding this. Test the enchantment. Please.’
I didn’t reply to him, or his bossiness. There was a buzzing noise filling my head, my nerves tightening even more in the pit of my stomach. I tried to tell myself it was a simple spell, done on jewellery all the time. You’ve got this.
But it wasn’t as loud as the noise in my mind.
I reached over and grasped the pendant. The cool jewelled metal pressed into the flesh of my palm, my eyes fluttered shut and I whispered the spell.
‘Guard from evil, day or night, protect the wearer from every fright.’
I waited for my magic to awaken the way it did when I baked; for the familiar warmth to buzz at my fingertips like an electric current. I even waited for the pull that came when I was doing the summoning spell. But nothing happened.
I opened my eyes slightly, and I saw Orion’s confused expression. A sudden urge to cry made my throat ache.
Determined not to be a disappointment after all the help he’d given me, I tried the spell again. This time, a little louder.
‘Guard from evil, day or night, protect the wearer from every fright.’
Still, nothing happened. It was like the soulmate cookies all over again.
I tried again. And again. And again.
Until Orion gently pulled the locket out of my hand. Tears welled in the corners of my eyes. I couldn’t look at him, unwilling to see the disappointment on his face. I blinked furiously, jaw setting tight. I downright refused to cry in front of him.
‘So, it’s not just about feeling comfortable,’ Orion said softly. ‘You’re getting better, more comfortable with spellcasting. Something’s just blocking you. But the fact that you tried again – that’s improvement.’
I swallowed roughly. ‘My head just gets loud.’
Orion bit his lip and nodded. ‘Then I’ll find a way to channel that. But this wasn’t a failure, believe me.’
I tried to, I really did. ‘I’m just worried I’m not going to have progressed enough by the time we get to the autumn moon.’
Orion’s gaze softened, and he let out a breath.
‘Let’s progress with another part of our plan in the meantime then.
In your study session with Silas, make sure you be respectful to his brothers but don’t be overly nice.
He’s the youngest and had to fight for attention among all his raucous siblings. ’
I gaped at him. ‘How do you have this information on him?’
‘I’m a detective’s son,’ Orion shot back, all liquid confidence. ‘I may not want the job, but I know how to do some digging.’ I was still staring at him when he continued. ‘Also, a little homework for you.’
‘Homework?’
‘Talk to Rowan Hale,’ Orion said, and then leaned back against the counter. ‘Who better to give you an insight than the big bad wolf himself?’