"Oh, back to being a smooth talker, I see," I said, amused by how she could turn the charm on so easily.She was adorable."I take it you're feeling better then?"
Faye sipped from her coffee and pointed her wand back at the shelf, summoning more stuff from it."Did you come because you were worried about me?"
"We talked about heavy stuff last night.I want to make sure you're okay," I said, looking up at the shelf."What are you trying to find?"
"I thought we had some doorknobs up there but I must've been mistaken."With a sigh, she made all the antiques float back up on the shelf where they clattered down in no discernible order.
I held back a smile.No wonder they were having trouble finding things if that was how they put it away.
Faye sheathed her wand and turned to look at me."And I promise I'm okay.Apart from wishing I hadn't brought down the mood on our first date by talking about your ex."
"It was bound to happen.I just need you to know I have no desire to be with Agatha.None, whatsoever," I assured her, hoping she could tell how much I meant it.
"I believe you.My insecurities just got the better of me but I'll work on it."
I reached for her hand.It was slightly smaller than mine and yet they fit perfectly together.They always had, if my memory served me correctly.
"We'll work on it together.As long as we keep talking, we can fix anything," I promised her.
Faye gave my hand a squeeze."I'll remember that."
"Good.Now, speaking of talking about things, what was Balthazar doing here?Is he working for the antique shop now?"I asked, wondering how long that had been going on and why neither of them had mentioned that to me.
"Oh."Faye's gaze darted away, a telltale sign that she was hiding something."I can't tell you.It's a surprise."
"A surprise?"How mysterious.
She nodded, pulling me away from the shelf to the counter."That reminds me, I have something for you."
"A gift?"This was getting more and more mysterious by the minute.
"Something of the sort."She grabbed a gift bag from the shelf behind her and presented it to me with both hands."Congratulations.I hope you and Balthazar will be happy together for a long time."
I accepted the bag, still a little confused about everything.Why was Balthazar being secretive about coming to the antique shop and why did Faye look so excited about this gift?Were the two related?
"Thank you?"I gave the bag a light squeeze, hoping to gain some information from it but it remained a mysterious shape."Can I open it now?"
"You can."Faye's smile got even wider.
Suspicious.
I reached into the bag, finding something heavy, smooth, and metal.I pulled it out, not fully sure what I was looking at.It was a contraption of sorts, made entirely of brass and wood.It had prongs and strange bits sticking out.
"This isn't for the bedroom, is it?"I asked, almost touching one of the shafts but deciding against it last minute.
Faye cackled."No!You're holding it the wrong way up.The base goes against the wall and then these prongs are for a familiar's collar or bowtie.It's so a familiar can get dressed on their own."
"Ooooh, it's a collar hook," I said, finally recognising the contraption in my hands.Mostly.It looked different than the one we had at the coffee house for Betty.
"This is an older model.Wayyyy older," Faye said."It's like the one Viktor had at the Bureau but in much better shape."
A few things clicked in place.Maybe this was why Balthazar hadn't put his new bow tie on.I had assumed that he was using the collar hook in the kitchen but maybe it was not done to use another familiar's hook.Maybe he didn't even knowhowto use it.Betty barely used that thing, she always got Gran or me to dress her.
If Balthazar was used to an older collar hook model or relied on Viktor, I could see how giving him a new bow tie had caused some unintended stress.
I put the hook back in the bag."Thank you, this is really thoughtful.Is this why Balthazar was at the shop?"
Faye chuckled."No, that's for something else.You'll find out soon enough."
