Mom and I trade amused looks before she answers. “Fate runs on its own unpredictable kind of magic.”
Every supernatural being has a fated mate. Whether lucky enough to live in a hidden sanctuary or hiding in the human world, we can Recognize our destined one.
“I like him,” the customer explains. “We’ve been together for a while now. But am I ready to commit? It’s a huge decision, especially since we aren’t fated. I would know by now if we were, right?”
“Likely,” she answers. “Though some people take longer than others to open up.” She sprinkles a pinch of powdered moonstone into the cauldron. The pink powder dissolves and the liquid inside starts bubbling.
What mysterious power transcends even magic and reveals soulmates? Love, of course.
Some claim it’s basically love at first sight. But notvisualsight. Glimpsing who a person really is matters more than appearance.
See them in their element, during an important moment, or around what they care about. Things like that. Genuine, real moments let soulmates Recognize each other. My stepfather Recognized my mother when he saw her give me a quick hug before ducking into work.
Soulmates don’t always Recognize each other right away. Some people hide their true selves and don’t open up easily. Others aren’t open to love or fate, which also complicates things. But with an open heart and a mate who lets their guard down, it will happen.
“What if the perfect man is out there and I’m not even looking for him because I’m busy wasting my time on somethingthat won’t last?” The customer’s fretting ends as the liquid in the cauldron changes from a dark crimson to a pale pink. “Whoa, cool.”
Mom adds some of her magic, and the potion froths and then goes still. “Do you want it to last?”
He fidgets, wringing his hands together. “I don’t know. I mean, shouldn’t I wait for true love if he’s not the guy for me?”
“You may be waiting for someone who will never arrive or who has already chosen someone else.” Her eyes fall on me for a moment as she smiles. “And even the wrong person can be the right choice. My relationship ended with the man I chose for myself, but I wouldn’t change a thing since it brought me my son.” Mom stirs the cauldron and pours the now shimmery pale liquid into a teardrop-shaped bottle. “This should give you clarity.”
“This will tell me whether my boyfriend is my destined partner?”
She shakes her head. “Soulmates happen in their own time. Trying to rush things with magic almost never works. This potion will help reveal what’s in your heart. When you understand your desires, the answers will decide where you go from there.”
Figuring out his feelings is all the customer can do. Too many variables are involved to guarantee everything will line up and you’ll meet your soulmate, Recognize them, and live happily ever after. Not everyone waits for their true mate or even meets them. It happens fairly often in Concordia, but even here some people don’t put much stock in the concept and would rather make their own choice.
I understand where this guy’s coming from. Iamhoping to find the one destined for me. If there’s a place I belong, it’s by that man’s side. Whenever I feel lost and find myself on the outside looking in, I long for the person fate has chosen for me.
Mom hands the potion bottle to the customer and writes out instructions for its use while I ring the man up. He watches after my mother like she’s a genius. ‘Follow your heart’ isn’t exactly earth-shattering advice but the cliché does have more power when paired with a magic potion.
The customer leaves, and I’m restocking the novelty charms by the register when my mother calls out to me. “Josh, can you come here? I have an important job for you.”
If only.
Helping customers reveal their heart’s desires and brewing up magical potions in a cauldron aren’t my job. The guy with no magic does all the grunt work around here. By ‘important,’ she means some task that must be donerightnow.
Sure enough, she hands me a dark-purple bottle with a long stem. “Special delivery. It needs to go out now.”
“Is this why you aren’t at the bonfire?”
“Heading there now.” She sighs, exasperation creeping into her voice. “But Thaliapromised one-day delivery. And if you promiseElias Blackwoodone-day delivery, you follow through.”
Oh. That explains why the assistant manager left and Mom’s still here. “Except that wasn’t a promise she could follow through on.” If the Iron Pack Alpha personally places an order, only the head of the coven can fill the order. Only the best for Elias Blackwood.
“Exactly.”
The Fern Coven rarely fills orders from the Iron Pack and never from the Alpha. Not with my mom the high priestess married to a prominent wolf in the Clover Pack. Whatever Elias Blackwood requested must be important. This is a delicate transaction. Everything needs to go smoothly.
“I’m trusting you, Josh. Make sure Mr. Blackwood receives the potion. Only hand it over to the Alpha.”
“Got it. No dropping it off at the door.”
She gives me a stern look. “This is serious.”
“I know, and I’ll take care of it right now.”
