Chapter 13 #3
Talula popped down to the floor to be eye level with the sorcerer.
“You’re one of the most powerful magic-wielders in existence.
Wasn’t it you who tamed the haunted wildebeest of the sacred mung bean fields?
And…” Talula scrambled to remember all his other qualifications.
“Made accidental improvements to Stonehenge?”
“Of course I am.” Simon straightened his posture like a thoroughbred at a dog show.
“Which begs the question”—Talula paused for dramatic effect—“are you really deferring to a book written by people not nearly as mystical or extraordinary as you?”
Simon’s jaw popped open, but no sound came out. Talula watched him turn over the thought slowly in his mind, examining it from this new angle.
“You have a point,” he said finally. “After all, taming that haunted wildebeest took plenty of cunning.”
“I’m sure it did.”
Simon began to pace. “Let me think about this some more.”
Talula stood up and gave him a grateful smile. “That’s all I could ask.”
Spirits lifted, Talula put on a Halloween playlist and started drafting her apology to Dahlia on an order pad.
Suddenly, three loud honks interrupted Simon’s and Talula’s concentration.
Talula peeked out the window. A truck carrying a massive horse trailer pulled up in front of the café.
All the horses inside the trailer had sparkling, snowy white coats. Talula squinted, confused.
Wait a minute…
“Nimue’s eldritch elbow,” Simon swore. He rose on his hind legs to get a good look through the window. “I forgot the Council was sending the unicorns today.”
Talula turned to him, aghast. “How could you forget unicorns?”
“There’s been quite a bit of, you know, drama around here!”
“Simon!” Talula groaned. “How do we get a herd of unicorns into the café without anyone noticing?”
“I was hoping you’d have a better handle on your illusory skills by now!” Simon snapped.
Talula glared at him.
“Sorry.” Simon’s ears drooped. “It’s fine. I can create an illusion to cover the unicorns. You go down to the portal and set the destination for the Council’s Foula base.”
“What’s Foula?”
“A Scottish island where wild ponies outnumber the human population.”
The driver honked again. A unicorn whinnied.
“WE’RE COMING, LEONARD!” Simon shouted. To Talula, he explained, “Leonard is our unicorn man.”
Of course he is. Talula would have laughed if it hadn’t been for the person who’d just turned the corner onto the café’s street. Talula bit her lip, her pulse quickening into a panicked rhythm. “Someone else is here.”
“What? Who else? I told them not to send the wyverns yet!” Simon braced his forelegs higher on the window ledge to get a better look. Then, he stilled.
A familiar figure drew closer and closer to the café. Dahlia’s dark halo of curls quivered with purpose. She looked mad.
“Oh,” Talula breathed. “Fuck.”
“Quite.”
“Any ideas?”
Simon stamped his paws nervously. “I can put a quick comatose spell on Dahlia—”
“Absolutely not!”
Simon groaned. “Then how would you like to hide the sparkly magic ponies?”
Talula looked at Simon, then looked through the window at Dahlia, who was still about a block away. Talula tightened her apron strings.
“Illusion yourself invisible and go tell Leonard to keep his unicorns in his pants.” Talula ran outside, apron flapping around her like a backward superhero cape, until she was right in front of Dahlia.
A very, very angry Dahlia. “We need to talk.”
Talula nodded, half-heartache, half-hope. It was just so good to see her. “Yes. We do.”
“I have some things to say first.” Dahlia hitched one hip and crossed her arms over her chest. “The things you said to me were awful and fucking hurtful. I didn’t deserve any of it.
I was only trying to help.” Dahlia’s gaze searched Talula’s.
“I feel betrayed and frustrated and like a bag of shit that you tried to throw away. But after a lot of thought, I decided our friendship was worth coming here to tell you how badly you fucked up so we can give it another try. If you want to be my friend, you’re going to have to do better.
But if you ever treat me like that again, we’re done. ”
Talula felt the words like knives through her heart.
Dahlia gestured at Talula. “Okay, your turn.”
Shame burned Talula’s face as she took a steadying breath. “I’m sorry, Dahlia. You’re right, I treated you badly and you were trying to do something wonderful. Your friendship means—” Talula swallowed. “It means so much to me.”
“Then why’d you do it? It wasn’t like you at all!”
“There’s no excuse.”
“Nuh-uh.” Dahlia shook her head. “If we’re going to be okay, I need open communication. I know something’s going on; tell me what’s up.”
Talula chewed her lip. She couldn’t tell Dahlia the whole truth, but she could tell her the truth around the truth.
Talula anxiously rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “This petition is bringing up a lot on top of a lot. I’m worried about being good enough for this town and for our Samhain community.
I’m worried about my mom—” Talula clamped her lips closed.
“Whoa, what’s going on with your mom?” Anger vanished from Dahlia’s face.
Talula’s brain scrambled, searching for something close to the truth.
“She’s…helping out some friends who are in trouble.
It’s complicated and not my place to share, but there’s real danger involved.
That’s why she’s not here helping me with all of this.
That’s part of why I didn’t tell you what’s going on. ”
Dahlia’s eyes softened. “That sounds really scary, Talula.”
“It is. But that doesn’t mean I get a free pass to be a bad friend.” Talula ran a self-conscious hand through her hair.
“No, it doesn’t,” Dahlia said with a shrug. “But it does help me understand you more. And that’s really important to me.”
Talula felt such a deep rush of tenderness for Dahlia.
Her words started spilling out, as true as anything she’d ever said.
“You’ve been amazing and supportive. You’re the best part of my day.
I’m so sorry for what I said and for hurting you.
I didn’t mean any of it. I was lashing out.
I’ll try to be a better friend and open up more.
I get it if you’re still mad and if you need time.
Just tell me if I can do anything to make it up to you. ”
“Do you have any suggestions?” Dahlia’s face was grave, but there was a lightness in her voice that made Talula feel weightless.
“Dozens.” Talula glanced over Dahlia’s shoulder at Leonard, the unicorn man. Leonard was conspicuously squatting on the ground, talking to a spot of empty air about Simon’s height. Talula continued, “I was thinking of starting with an apology brunch?”
Dahlia gave her a huge smile. “Brunch sounds great.”
“How about this…” Talula thought fast. She still needed to make sure Dahlia wasn’t near the café in case the unicorn transport went sideways. “I’ll close up shop and bring the ingredients to your place.”
“Oh! Sure.” Dahlia seemed surprised at Talula’s change in venue, but not in a bad way. She laughed. “Wow, this fight went a lot better than I expected!”
Talula hung her head. “I’m still sorry.”
“I know.” Dahlia pulled Talula into a hug, sending a whoosh of soft, pomegranate-scented warmth through Talula’s whole body. After a second, Dahlia pulled away and added, “I’m glad we’re friends again.”
Talula gave Dahlia a meek smile. “Me, too.”
Then Dahlia waved goodbye and walked away, leaving a dazed Talula on the sidewalk.
“If you’re done with all of that?” Simon growled.
“Jeez!” Talula jumped, looking around for her magical tutor.
“Come,” said the invisible dog. “We have seventeen unicorns to send through a magical portal in a filthy basement. And they’re not happy about it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means watch the horns.”