Page 17 of Board Games and Broomsticks

‘I—Oh, ah!’

The soft look Elowen wore quickly turned into one of pain as she glared down at the bundle of fur in her lap, whose claws were currently extended as she kneaded Elowen’s thighs.

‘Nyx, no!’ Nyssa grabbed the cat off Elowen’s lap, ignoring her yowls of protest and placing her firmly but gently back on the floor. ‘I’m so sorry, she does that when she really likes someone. Did she pierce the skin?’

Nyx bumped her head against Elowen’s calf in apology. The elf laughed gently, a soft, lovely sound that Nyssa wanted to hear again. ‘No, no, I was more surprised than anything.’

‘Oh, good … that’s … good.’

Now that the moment between them was broken, Nyssa wasn’t sure what to say. She was still searching for the right words when Elowen said, ‘It’s getting late. I should be heading home.’

‘Oh. Yes, of course. I’ll see you out.’

Doing her best to hide her disappointment, Nyssa followed Elowen to the front of the shop. There was an awkward moment where Nyssa wasn’t sure if she should attempt to hug Elowen or not, but the elf was already opening the door, her voice a little breathless as she uttered a simple, ‘Goodnight.’

Alone again, Nyssa turned back to glare accusingly at her familiar.

‘I love you, Nyxalia,’ she said with a sigh, ‘but you have terrible timing.’

CHAPTER SEVEN

Nyssa couldn’t stop anxiously pacing back and forth behind the counter, straining her ears to hear if anyone was coming down the street outside. After weeks of renovating and decorating, it was officially the day of Teas and Tales’ grand opening.

Nyssa had been so busy finishing off preparations in time for the opening that she’d barely had a chance to be alone with Elowen again, and whatever tension had been between them had lifted back into an easy, comfortable kinship (and the occasional lingering look) as they’d worked alongside Liora to get the space ready for opening.

The elf stood by the main shop window now, the sunlight catching in her green eyes as she peered out into the morning-lit street beyond.

‘Do you see anyone yet?’ Nyssa glanced at the clock: 10.15. They’d officially opened at 10 a.m., the precise time that Liora had printed on the flyers she’d handed out to pretty much everyone in Nighthaven.

And yet the café was still empty.

‘Not yet, but it’s still early.’ Elowen offered a reassuring smile that made Nyssa’s heart flip. ‘Most Nighthaveners are late risers. I wouldn’t worry.’

Liora, who was busy brewing a large pot of one of Lisabeth’s recipes (a blend of chamomile, lavender and rosehip that Gwen had dubbed ‘Calm Morning Tea’), let out a small ‘mmm’ of agreement. ‘El’s right, there’s still loads of time! Besides, people seemed super excited when I handed out the flyers; as soon as word starts to spread, this place will be a hit! All we need to do is get a few people in to see just how amazing it is.’

It was amazing. Soft sunlight trickled in through the two large, bay windows, each fitted with a reading seat adorned with dark purple and blue cushions and blankets. Beside the large, black painted fireplace were two long velvet sofas, each one placed at opposite ends of a refurbished oak table with a board game mat atop it. There were other tables of various sizes dotted around the rest of the open space, each surrounded by either smaller sofas or plush armchairs, and the wooden floor had been partly covered by a huge moon-and-sun rug to reflect the engraved ceiling. Nyssa had enchanted more fairy lights to weave around the shelves lining most of the walls, so that each board game or decorative piece was constantly lit up with magical, shimmering light.

Nyssa had done some other small enchantments, too. Simple things like bewitching the teapots and cups to constantly keep the liquid inside warm, and a basic darkening charm on the ceiling to make it always look as if it were really the night sky overhead, no matter the time of day. As she glanced up now, she smiled at how pretty the twinkling fairy lights looked against the deep indigo and inky black that swirled above. She’d even performed some privacy enchantments around some of the booths for anyone who might wish to play in a quieter environment.

It was everything Nyssa had imagined when she’d first envisioned making the place her own, and combined with the familiar scent of tea brewing and the freshly baked cinnamon buns on the counter, the café felt more like home than anywhere had in a long while.

Just then, the bell above the door rang as it swung open, revealing the smiling faces of Alaric, Amelia and a handful of people Nyssa had seen once or twice in the tavern.

‘Damn, we made this place look good!’ Alaric grinned. ‘Smells good, too – are those cinnamon buns?’

Nyssa smiled, warmth pooling in her chest as, one by one, the group Alaric had brought with him began to look around her café. ‘Sure are – if you find a game to play, I’ll bring you and your friends some along with today’s special tea!’

‘Deal.’

Liora and Nyssa quickly busied themselves with pouring the tea and placing buns on plates while Elowen talked the druid siblings and their friends through the collection of games. By the time their treats were ready, the group had settled into the booth by the fireplace, the game Potions Master placed on top of the table. On paper, the game was simple enough: players moved along the board according to the number their dice fell on, and would either get a ‘boon’ if they landed on a potion or an ‘ailment’ if they landed on a curse. The magical twist Lisabeth had added, however, meant that certain ailments manifested in real life – players suddenly breaking out in boils or suffering incessant sneezing fits – a twist that had brought endless laughter for Nyssa in her childhood.

‘Great choice,’ Nyssa said with a pang of nostalgia – Potions Master had been one of the last games she’d played with her grandmother before she’d become too busy studying to join the coven to make time for such things. ‘The games are all enchanted to play out a quick example game if you recite the trigger word on the instructions, but let me know if you need any more help.’

Nyssa was just finishing up handing out the group’s tea and cinnamon buns as the bell above the door rang again. Another group of Nighthaven citizens, including the flower shop owner Azalea, quickly demanded Nyssa’s attention, followed by Cain, the owner of The Pixie’s Grove, and his husband Emrys.

Between chatting with her customers and casting enchantments to help clear the tables of used cups and plates, Nyssa barely noticed the morning go by. It was already past midday when, with an overexaggerated gasp, Mr Lefton entered the shop.

‘Good afternoon, Mr Lefton.’ Nyssa wiped her hands on her apron, her smile wide but nervous. She shouldn’t care what the estate agent thought of her café, but the part of her that always wanted to please members of authority was eager for his approval. ‘What do you think of the space?’