Chapter 2 #2
“Oh, yeah, I know,” Morven said. “I forgot to tell you about that. Somebody came in and said they’d come from The Arcane Attic and described you as ‘that beautiful woman that owns The Arcane Attic.’”
Fiona smiled at that.
“But yeah, nothing else. So, that’s me checked in,” Morven said, looking at Cat.
Cat smiled, put her glass down on the table and clapped her hands together. “Have I got news for everybody?”
The rest of the group groaned and laughed.
“I think we have found two amazing guys. They come into the coffee shop nearly every day. They’re workies on a building site over on Byres Road.
And they are funny, good-looking, hunky.
If I was into that type of thing.” She grinned.
“And I think they would be perfect for you,” she said, looking at Rowan, “and you,” looking at Orla.
Orla and Rowan exchanged glances and shook their heads.
“It’s okay, Cat,” Orla said, taking a sip of wine. “We can set ourselves up with dates and stuff. It’s all good. We’re not in a hurry.”
“No, no, but these guys, you know, I don’t try and set you up?—”
Rowan interrupted her. “What do you mean you don’t try and set us up? You’ve tried to do it twice already in the last month.”
“Oh. Well. Maybe a few times,” Cat said.
“Cat, you’re trying to set us up on average once every two weeks. That’s quite often,” Orla said.
“Okay, okay. I just, I’d love to see yous in a relationship. And I know you’re not averse to it. Just think about it.”
Rowan knew that Cat would go on and on about it, so she acquiesced. “Okay. We’ll think about it,” she said, winking at Orla.
“Yep. We’ll definitely think about it,” Orla said.
“Okay. That was my news, relationship-wise. Beautiful, gorgeous, sexy, fucking brilliant as always with Morven,” Cat said, raising her glass. “I couldn’t be happier.”
Morven raised her glass back, smiling.
“Magickal. Nothing magickal for me. I didn’t feel anything this week. I’ve been doing my practice, as Rowan’s been teaching us. Connecting with you all and saying a silent prayer and protecting you all as well,” Cat continued.
“Oh, that’s lovely,” Elspeth said.
Cat looked at her. “Do you not do the same?”
“Yeah, but I’m just saying it’s lovely. Especially coming from you,” Elspeth said in a low tone.
Cat punched her on the arm. “Business-wise, business is going brilliant. Especially because of the work getting done on Byres Road. Loads of people coming into the coffee shop. It honestly couldn’t be any better.”
Cat took another sip of wine and looked at Fiona.
“Since everybody’s leading with their love lives, for goodness knows why, myself and Robert are doing perfectly well, thank you very much. We’re just living in a world from the 1930s. It’s so on my wavelength, it’s unbelievable. I’m just having the best time with Robert.”
Orla touched her on the arm. “Oh, that’s brilliant, Fiona. Really glad to hear that.”
“Thanks, Orla.”
“Something wonderful happened this week, though. Somebody brought in some artefacts for me to sell, and I did my usual psychometry. A beautiful little trinket from the 1920s and a gentleman’s cigarette case.
Lovely thing. I bought them from her, and I touched the cigarette case, and I saw a man coming home from the First World War to his wife.
The case was in his pocket. And I saw the moment they connected.
It was just beautiful.” She smiled. “It’s not really a magickal moment.
But kind of is. I just love doing this job. ”
“What a beautiful story,” Elspeth said.
There was a softness to Fiona now that hadn’t been there six months ago. Robert had done that. Or maybe Fiona had done it herself, and Robert just gave her permission to show it.
All eyes were now on Orla.
“You know I’m not romantically involved. But I did kind of have a one-night stand.”
“What?” Cat said.
“I was just on a night out with some of the shop assistants. We hit the pubs in Partick. And I saw this guy who always comes into The Witch’s Mark.
He’s always had a thing for me. I kind of knew that.
But I wasn’t really romantically attracted to him, if you know what I mean.
” She took a sip of wine. “But he is a sexy guy, I have to say. And one thing led to another, and we just had a one-night stand.”
“You’re not interested at all?” Isla asked.
“Not really,” Orla replied. “He’s just sexy. But there’s no substance there, if you know what I mean.”
“What do you mean? As thick as mince?” Cat asked.
“No. Well. He’s okay. He’s just sexy. That’s all.
That’s all I’m saying,” Orla said, getting frustrated, trying to close the subject down.
“Anyways. A one-night stand, and that’s it.
Magickally, nothing. I’ve been practising as well.
Nothing at all. And business is ticking over.
We’ve got a batch of new books in that I think should do quite well as they have a good sales on Amazon.
The series is about witches, so I think it should sell well, and I’ve been speaking to the author too as he lives locally. So, nothing else major to report.”
All eyes were now on Rowan.
She’d been thinking as they went around the group whether she should tell them about the man or not. Her instincts said not to. Not until she had more information.
“Okay. So romantically, or sexually …” she paused, laughing and looking at Orla.
“Thank you very much,” Orla said, nodding.
“… there’s nothing for me. Still nothing.” She smiled. “Magickally, still saying a silent prayer for all of you every single morning. Some more so than others,” she said, nodding toward Cat.
“I’ll take that,” Cat said.
“Business-wise, going okay. I’m thinking about relocating somewhere else.
Clarence Drive is nice. I like it. But you can’t really park outside it.
It’s difficult to get to. I know there’s a parking space across the way, but you have to pay for that.
So, I don’t know. I’m thinking about moving, but I haven’t seen anywhere good yet. ”
She paused.
“Oh,” Fiona said. “What is it?”
Rowan took a deep breath and let it out again. “Okay. I was debating whether or not to tell you this.”
“Yeah?” Morven said.
“In twenty years, I’ve never met a single person I couldn’t read.
Not once. But a guy came into the shop this morning, and I couldn’t read him at all.
I tried reaching out to him. Normally when I meet somebody I just feel their energy.
It’s natural. I can read their energy; I can read the type of person they are.
Nothing from him. When he first came in, when I was speaking to him, when I was at the back of the shop I reached out to him, and nothing at all. ”
The room was quiet now.
“And then he bought something. A silver candle holder with a symbol on it that I got from the Veil, when we were doing all the magick stuff. I saw this symbol and I just thought it was beautiful, so I had it etched onto some candle holders. I think I showed you all them in the group.”
“I remember them,” Isla said. “They were beautiful.”
Rowan nodded. “He bought one. And I asked him, kind of nonchalantly, if he knew what it meant. And he told me straight away. Exactly what the symbol meant.”
Nobody spoke for a moment.
“How?” Isla said. “How would he know that?”
Rowan shook her head. “I have no idea.”
Cat sat forward. “And you couldn’t read him at all? Nothing?”
“Nothing. Like trying to tune into a station that isn’t there.”
Morven looked at Elspeth. Elspeth looked back at her. The same thought was passing between them, and Rowan could see it happening even if they hadn’t said it yet.
“I felt a dent in the Veil,” Elspeth said quietly.
“I felt off all week,” Morven said.
Rowan nodded slowly. “And I’ve been feeling an echo during my morning tending. Something on the other side. Like a heartbeat.”
The room was very still. The wine glasses caught the light. Outside, a car passed along Princes Terrace, its headlights sweeping briefly across the ceiling.
“Three of us,” Rowan said. “Three of us felt something this week. And a man I can’t read walked into my shop and knew things he shouldn’t know.”
She looked around at the faces of the six women she had sworn to protect. Cat had stopped bouncing. Orla’s wine glass was frozen halfway to her lips. Isla had set down her sandwich. Fiona’s hand rested on Elspeth’s arm. Morven sat perfectly still, her eyes on Rowan.
“I don’t know what it means yet,” Rowan said. “But I think we need to pay attention.”
The candle on Morven’s mantelpiece flickered once, though no window was open.
Nobody mentioned it. But everybody saw it.