Cassia: On my way. Aero says a change occurred with Narla’s candles?
Dahlia: It’s 8pm here, I can video call in 10 minutes. Everything okay?
Avine looked up from her phone. “They’re coming. All of them.” She paused, studying Narla with those perceptive innkeeper eyes. “Whatever this is, we’ll face it together.”
Narla’s throat tightened. She’d been facing everything alone, carrying secrets that could destroy her, protecting people who didn’t know they needed protecting. Wearing a mask of calm while terror ate her hollow.
Maybe it was time to stop.
EIGHT
NARLA
Junie arrived first, because, of course, she did.
The chaos witch burst through Avine’s door twenty minutes later, arms loaded with a coffee carrier, a bag that clinked with glass bottles, and enough nervous energy to power the entire bed-and-breakfast. Her red hair was pulled into a haphazard ponytail, her clothes looked like she’d grabbed whatever was closest, and her eyes were bright with the particular intensity that meant she was already mentally cataloguing potential disasters.
“Okay, I brought coffee, two different calming draughts, an anti-hex potion in case someone cursed you, and—” She stopped mid-sentence, taking in Narla’s disheveled appearance. “Holy shit. You look terrible.”
“Thank you, Junie.”
“I mean that with love.” Junie dumped her supplies on Avine’s coffee table and dropped onto the sofa beside Narla. “Seriously, though, what happened? The group chat made it sound like an emergency, and I’ve been trying to figure out what could possibly make unflappable Narla Wright show up at Avine’s asking for wine.”
“She hasn’t told me yet.” Avine poured Junie a glass of wine. “She wanted to wait for everyone.”
“That’s ominous.” Junie took the wine because Junie never turned down wine. “Is this about the candles? Because Leo mentioned reports this morning about flames showing visions, and I tested one of the ones I bought at the festival, and?—”
“You saw Leo.” Narla’s voice held no inflection.
“Clear as day. His stupid handsome face right there in the fire.” Junie’s expression softened slightly. “It’s the surge, right? It altered your magic?”
Before Narla could answer, the door opened again.
Cassia swept in with storm energy crackling around her—literally crackling, tiny sparks of electricity dancing through her dark hair. She looked like she’d been awake for hours, probably dealing with the same candle chaos that had been consuming Narla’s phone since yesterday.
“I already talked to Wyatt.” Cassia’s gaze found Narla’s immediately. “He was at the station when I brought him one of your candles. Showed him exactly what they do.”
Narla’s heart stuttered. “What did he say?”
“Not much. He went silent when I asked if you’d tested one yourself.” Cassia settled into an armchair, accepting the wine Avine pressed into her hands. “Did he drive to your cottage?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“And I didn’t let him in.”
Junie’s head swiveled between them. “Wait, Wyatt went to your cottage? The same Wyatt Gentry who’s been watching you like you’re a case to be solved? The one who shows up at every town event like he can’t decide whether to arrest you or?—”
“Junie.” Avine’s voice carried a quiet warning.
“What? Everyone’s noticed! Sue Tidewell has been running a betting pool for years about when they’d finally?—”
“A betting pool?” Narla’s voice cracked.
“Oh, yeah. Half the town is in on it. Current odds are three to one that resolution happens before the winter solstice, but there’s a side bet about whether it’ll be a public confrontation or a private—” Junie caught the look on Narla’s face and stopped. “You didn’t know about the betting pool.”
“No.”
