Chapter 3 #2
Passing the buck to my boyfriend is smart. Wylder’s been a devoted volunteer and magical mentor at Arcana for years.
“All right, I’ll speak to him.”
“Good. Please do let me know what you decide, and be assured, your sisters are in good hands regardless of your decision. I will update you the moment we have anything concrete regarding Violet’s affinity situation."
"Thank you, Headmistress."
The line clicks off.
I sit with the phone in my lap for a moment, the muffled rise and fall of Miss Edna holding court seeping through the door to the dining room.
Was Headmistress Briar actually assuring me that my sisters will be safe regardless of my decision, or implying they won’t be safe unless I give her the mirror?
Ugh… why can’t people just say what they actually mean? I hate all this political bullshit.
With nothing to do about it now, I pocket my phone and head back out to finish my shift.
“Everything all right?” Marty asks as I check on my tables and get back into the groove.
“Yeah, it wasn’t about my sisters. Everything is fine.”
I hope.
But honestly… I have no idea. Of course I want to help the rescued witches in their recovery, but heirloom enchanted objects are a big deal. Letting someone else take possession of it, in another plane, no less, is not a small ask.
The rest of my shift passes in a blur of rote actions and a buzz of mental warring. From one minute to the next, I’m flip-flopping with my decision.
And despite the prompt from Headmistress Briar, I really do need to speak to Wylder about it.
By 2 p.m., the lunch rush is over, and I hang my apron on my hook in the back hall.
The kitchen is a wall of heat and fills the air with the familiar scents of grilled meat, onion rings, and all things comfort food.
Tanner stands at the grill, one hand on the spatula, the other reaching for a ladle. It’s the kind of easy multi-tasking that only happens when someone has mastered the job of his heart, and it lives in their body instead of their head.
He glances up the second I pass the door. “You off, Poppy?”
“Yeah. Do you mind if I grab the last couple of pieces of berry pie? Asher’s been too busy with his training to bake, and he gets frustrated without reward desserts.”
Tanner chuckles and tips his head sideways. "Not a problem. Can you come here a second before you go?"
I step out of the hall and lean against the metal prep counter on the near wall. “Sure, what’s up?”
His focus stays on the grill while he plates a double banquet burger and surrounds the bun with fries. When he sets it on the serving ledge of the pass-through window, he hits the little brass bell and turns to give me his full attention. "How are the two of you doing?"
I’m not sure why, but the question lands with more weight than it usually carries. By the calm steadiness of Tanner’s expression, I decide this is not small talk. “In what way?”
“You’ve both had a wild ride over the past months, discovering a different world and the place you both hold in it. I’m asking how you’re coping.”
I consider that and try to give him an honest answer.
“Well, it’s mostly felt like we’ve been sucked into a whirlpool and have been circling and clawing to get to calmer waters.
There have been moments on both ends of the spectrum, but mostly we’ve been overwhelmed and holding on to each other to keep from getting sucked under. ”
He nods. “You hide it well.”
“What choice is there? A lot has been happening, and people are depending on us getting it right.”
“That’s both very mature and very depressing.”
I laugh. “We feel like we’re always fighting to keep up, but look where that’s gotten us: I’ve reclaimed my life, Laurel’s been exposed, and we found my sisters. It’s hard to complain when there have also been blessings along the way.”
“But you can’t just keep running full-tilt trying to outrun the bad stuff. You’ll burn up.”
I shrug. “What do you suggest?”
“Just to ask for help when you need it and to keep in mind that you’re not alone. You’ve got people in your corner, kid. And you know Marty and I love Asher, too.”
I press my palm against the fullness in my heart. Nothing fills my soul with more warm and fuzzy than people seeing how amazeballs Asher is. “He’s going to rock the whole guardian angel thing.”
Tanner smiles. “He’s been that for you for years. Now it’s just official. You mentioned the blessings you’ve gathered along the way, and I think Asher is one of the biggest.”
“He absolutely is.”
“So, how is he doing with his new status in the empowered world?”
I chuckle. “How do you think? He’s basically convinced he’s a superhero and is more protective of me than ever before.”
He seems pleased with that answer. “And what powers has he manifested?”
“Consistently? So far, just teleportation.”
He blinks. “Teleportation?”
“Yeah. He’s mostly been working on objects, but last night he brought me home from Wrenhaven. He says it’s easier coming home because he can feel the pull of Hallowind House to guide him.”
Tanner nods. “Anchoring is very important. If he needs help, let him know I’d be happy to give him a few pointers.”
Why am I not surprised he knows about teleportation? Tanner seems to know about everything.
The Oakly family are Emberwood Elites, just like the Hallowinds, though I’ve never had the nerve to ask what magical sect his family belongs to.
In magical circles, asking is considered rude.
In friend circles… maybe I could get away with it. After all, he did just open the door by offering magical mentoring, didn’t he?
“Thanks, I’ll tell him. But… um, how do you know? It just occurred to me that I don’t know how the Oaklys fit into the Emberwood Elite.”
He smiles and turns toward the large stack of washed potatoes in the corner. He grabs a couple and starts pushing them through the dicer to cut fresh fries. “No, I suppose you don’t."
I pick up a large stainless-steel bowl and join him. “Are you open to changing that, or shall you remain a man of mystery?”
He's quiet for a beat. Not uncomfortably so, just measuring the moment before he nods. “I’m what’s called an Ancestral Guard.
We're a protector race, bred specifically to watch over paranormal bloodlines and sacred places.
My post is Emberwood. The families here. The ley lines. The empowered folks."
I stare at him. "Bred to watch over us? By whom?"
"That's a very long conversation." He stops shoving potatoes through the blades and places the cut fries into the bowl. “What matters is that I exist so places like Emberwood continue to thrive. I'm duty-bound not to tip the scales of what's meant to happen. I protect, but I can't redirect."
The entire history of every interaction I've had in this diner reshuffles itself in my head. Every cup of coffee. Every bit of quiet advice slipped between orders.
"Can you do magic?"
Marty barks a laugh, setting a tray of dirty plates on the passthrough ledge, but doesn’t say anything.
Tanner chuckles, warm and low. "I've got a few tricks, yes."
"Care to share?"
Out front, the bell above the door chimes.
“Not really, no. But I will say that while I can’t overtly help you with what you're navigating, Asher’s situation is different. I might be able to help him."
Something in my chest loosens. “If you could help him stay safe, that would be huge. He keeps ending up in random places. Last week it was a greenhouse. The week before, a car park somewhere. He doesn't really know how to direct it. Well, other than coming home. He’s pretty good at that.”
Tanner grabs the tray of dishes and the order slip Marty sends back. "Transportation gifts are tricky at first. Tell him to reach out. We'll work out a schedule."
I stare at him. "Can you teleport?"
He arches a brow. "Tell Asher to reach out.”
“Okay, I get that you’re ending the conversation, but I gotta ask… just how powerful are you?"
He sets the plates beside the sink and then gives his full attention to the grill. “That's a story for another day. Now, get your pie and get home. It’s supposed to snow this afternoon.”
I take the hint, step into the hall and lift my fists to my temples before exploding my fingers out into the air.
Mind blown.