Page 57 of Rewitched

Luckily, he seemed to get the message. “That’s very kind.” He smiled. “But unfortunately I have to get going, business calls. I’ll see you, Belle. Thanks for sharing my chips.”

“Great. Brilliant. Cheerio.”

Cheerio? Giving her a final, unfathomable smile, Rune turned on his heel and headed back the way they’d walked and into the commuter crowds. Only Belle’s eyes were tuned to notice the transference, a faint glimmer of gold trailing on the pavement, wisps of magic left in his wake as he headed to…wherever it was that he went. Strange, really, that he’d chosen to spend time walking her home when he could have transferred them in a fraction of a moment.

Belle turned back to Ariadne with her eyes screwed shut in anticipating dread.

Ari wore an expression of complete and utter glee. She turned towards the flat and called back to her friend. “I shall prepare the torture devices to extract the details.”

19

Bonnie Come Back

“YOU’RE NOT GETTING away with it that easily,” Ariadne nudged as they both clutched coffee mugs in the kitchen. Jinx wove her way through their legs, pleased to have everybody convening at home. “I need a hot love story to live vicariously through.”

“I’m caught bickering with a guy outside and it’s big news, while your calendar is constantly filled with gorgeous people taking you out for delicious meals and them being grateful for the chance. I think you’re still winning.”

“Are you joking? You know better than anyone that I attract lunatics. Last week I spent an entire evening hearing about a woman’s lifelong dream to live on her grandfather’s DIY barge.”

“That sounds like a pretty appealing plan. Maybe we should live on a barge. Sail far, far away and live off the land. A diet of only potatoes.”

“Not sure the cat would love a life on the seven seas.”

Jinx let out a loud, disapproving meow as if to agree.

“There’s still nothing to tell,” Belle tried to assure her best friend once again.

Ariadne raised an eyebrow. “At least tell me he’s being good to you.”

“He is. He’s…protective.”

“Sounds like delicate code for ‘psycho.’ ”

“Not in that way. He’s…looking out for me?”

“I don’t like how secretive you’re being about it. It’s weird for us. You’re making it weird.”

“It’s not that I’m being secretive. I’m trying to give it some time, see where it goes. I owe it to myself to give it a proper try and put my all into something for once.” Ariadne didn’t need to know that Belle wasn’t strictly referring to a relationship.

“Fair enough,” Ariadne replied a little shirtily, staring down into the bottom of her mug.

“I promise, by the moon and the stars and the sun, that I still love you the most forever and ever, amen.”

Ariadne seemed appeased. “He did seem nice. Sensational hair, if nothing else.”

Belle nodded, conceding that perhaps he did have good hair. “Yeah. He is nice. A little big for his boots sometimes, maybe.”

Ariadne scoffed. “He’s massive. The boots must be enormous.”

ALMOST TWO WEEKS down and still all six of the grimoire’s allegories remained unlit. The lack of sleep was beginning to take its toll, so Belle had indulged in Rune’s expertly brewed revitalising potion. She had to hand it to him, he was a talented alchemist. Maybe not entirely beauty over brains after all. The generous gift brought her back from the brink of burn-out and gave her a renewed determination to build momentum. She was resolute that she would see some strides in her magic before the next moon rose.

On the night of the thirteenth moon, Artorius insisted on whipping up an enormous midnight “snack” to build her strength. It was becoming clear that the old man believed in the restorative power of food as a separate kind of magic, and to be fair, it usually worked. That night, he’d guided her through to the kitchen on his arm as though presenting her to a ballroom, and with a small flourish of cookery spells, a perfect feast had appeared. She’d practically dove head first into the steaming porridge drizzled with honey and the towering bowls of fresh fruit before downing what could only be described as a vat of hot chocolate.

“We shall return to Incantation work for tonight’s lesson. Improvement in Earth Sorcery and Clairvoyancy feels satisfactory for the moment, to revisit as our deadline approaches. For now, we shall…mix it up, as you say.” He grinned.

“Let’s go back to transference, Arty,” Belle said, reaching for a pain au raisin. The old warlock had been insisting that she use the less formal nickname. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the friendliness felt right, and he was pleased that it made him sound “rather hip.”

Artorius seemed surprised, glancing up from the enormous newspaper which he held out in front of him, one leg neatly crossed over the other. He peered above the top of his glasses at her words. “You’re sure? I was going to suggest something less taxing.”