“June’s in the back, trying to restock the calming draughts. August is out helping with deliveries.” She gestures to the chaos around us. “It’s been non-stop since dawn. Everyone’s jittery after last night.”
“I bet,” I murmur, my eyes scanning the crowd. “What needs to be done?”
Tessa pulls out a clipboard, her fingers shaking slightly. “We’ve got about twenty orders for protective charms, a dozen calming draughts, and someone special ordered a dreamlesssleep potion for their kid who’s having nightmares about the Rift.” She bites her lip. “I’ve been trying to keep up, but…”
“It’s okay,” I say, taking the clipboard from her. “We’ll handle it together.”
She lets out a breath, her shoulders slumping. “Thank you. I was starting to think I’d have to close up shop and hide in the supply closet.”
I laugh, but it comes out hollow. “We’ve all been there.”
We get to work, our movements falling into an easy sync. I measure out dried herbs while Tessa grinds crystals with a mortar and pestle, the sound a steady counterpoint to the chatter of customers. The air hums with magic, a low thrum under my skin that makes my teeth ache.
“Clive’s order is ready,” Tessa says, pushing a small paper bag across the counter. “Just needs sealing.”
I nod, grabbing a stick of wax and a stamp. “I’ll take care of it.”
As I work, my mind drifts back to last night, to Damon’s hands on my skin, his voice in my ear. A flush rises to my cheeks, and I have to shake my head to clear it. This isn’t the time or place.
“Everything okay?” Tessa asks, her brow furrowed with concern.
“Fine,” I say, maybe too quickly. “Just thinking.”
She nods, accepting this without question. “Well, try not to think too hard. We’ve got a lot to get through.”
I force a smile, turning my attention back to the task at hand. But my thoughts keep straying, my body remembering the ache of him, the way he filled me, the way my magic responded to his. It’s been hours and I can still feel him, a ghost of a touch that makes my skin tingle.
I make a mental note to brew a proper Plan B potion when I’m alone tonight. Something stronger than the aftercare tea,something that will erase any trace of him, any possibility of… well. Anything. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to let him fuck me like that, without protection, without thinking about the consequences. But in the moment, with the Rift surging and my heat raging, it felt like the only option. The only way to survive.
“Caroline?” Tessa nudges me, pulling me back to the present. “You with me?”
I blink, realizing I’ve been staring at the same jar of rose petals for who knows how long. “Yeah. Sorry. Just… tired.”
“June told me that it was all because of the Rift. It messes with your head. Makes it hard to focus.”
“That’s one way to put it,” I mutter, turning back to my work.
The hours pass in a blur of grinding and measuring, of sealing and packaging. Customers come and go, their faces a mix of fear and relief. Some thank us profusely, others barely acknowledge our presence before rushing out with their purchases. Through it all, Tessa and I work side by side, our movements growing more synchronized, more efficient.
“You’re good at this,” she says as we pause for a brief moment to catch our breath. “June and August said you were, but… wow.”
“I’ve had a lot of practice,” I say, wiping sweat from my brow. “This place has been my second home since I was sixteen.”
“That’s when you got Thistle, right?” she asks, her eyes bright with curiosity. “June seems to be very fond of your familiar.”
I nod, a smile touching my lips. “Yeah. He’s sleek and black and too knowing for his own good. Been with me ever since.”
“Lucky,” she says wistfully. “I’ve been waiting for my familiar for years. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever get one.”
“It happens when it happens,” I say, echoing the words I’ve heard so many times. “You can’t force it.”
“I know,” she sighs. “But it’s hard, you know? Seeing everyone else with their familiars, their partners. Feeling like you’re missing something.”
I nod, my chest tightening. “I get it.”
Before she can respond, the bell above the door chimes again, and a new wave of customers pours in. We exchange a look of shared resignation, then turn back to our work.
Spell Against Gossip:
