Page 16 of They Were Broom-Mates

“I…” Amelie stuttered, looking over at Hestia, who was standing at the door, hiding a smile behind her hand. “I’m sorry, Hestia.” She finally decided upon. “I know you two are involved and…”

“Oh, it’s fine.” Hestia shook her head, padding over to the bed and settling on the edge of the mattress. “Like I told you before, Regina and I are non-monogamous."

“Right, but… there’s a difference between flirting and… well, you know… right?” Amelie desperately wanted to reply with something a bit more well-thought-out, but everything had happened in such quick succession, her brain was still trying to catch up.

“Hestia and I are together,” Regina piped up. “But not ‘just’ with one another.”

“Oh.” Amelie shook her head, embarrassment beginning to clear. “So…”

Amelie gestured between herself and Regina.

“Not a problem.” Hestia laughed before her expression turned sultry. “Just let me know if you want me there next time, and I will make that happen.”

Amelie felt a flush climbing up her neck and onto her face as she covered her eyes with her hands. She had no idea what her expression looked like right now, but if the scenarios playing in her mind were any indication… she could guess.

“Alright.” Regina patted Amelie’s knee. “Let’s leave poor Amelie alone for a minute; otherwise, she might combust. What were you saying when you came in earlier, Hestia?”

Amelie peeked through her fingers as she felt the bed move. Hestia pulled her legs up underneath her, her dress falling effortlessly over her lap.

“Right.” Hestia pulled her long, red hair over her shoulder. “Salem found me and seemed distressed. Were you having another vision?”

Then, as though she had been summoned by her very name, Salem jumped up onto the bed, pausing to allow Hestia to run her fingers through the black cat’s fur before allowing her to continue across the sheets, settling into Regina’s lap. Reaching across the bed, Hestia scratched Salem behind the ears, and as Amelie watched, she felt her cheeks heating up again as she found her gaze drawn once again to the two nicely manicured, short nails on Hestia’s right hand.

Luckily, she wasn’t given the opportunity to spiral as Regina spoke up.

“Yes. It was a big one too; Amelie actually walked in on me as it was happening.”

Pursing her lips, Regina turned back toward Amelie. “How did you know to come in at that moment? Or was it a coincidence?”

Embarrassing spiral forgotten, Amelie furrowed her brows.

“It was strange. Truffle seemed distressed, so I…” Pausing for a moment, Amelie realized that the pair likely had no idea exactly how the cathedral worked, not that she really did either, but…

“After I moved in, I sort of became… connected to the building, like you were saying with the ley lines, Hestia.” Amelie closed her eyes and extended the magic tendrils. “It’s like… I can feel everything and everyone on the property. If I focus, I can even differentiate who’s who and what they’re doing to a certain extent.”

Opening her eyes and looking back at the other two witches, Amelie shrugged.

“Your energy surged just as I reached out in a way I’d never felt before. So I came running.”

“What does it normally feel like?” Regina hummed in question.

“Like water.” Amelie replied. “Cool but not cold, always moving and soothing even.”

“Oh! Oh! What does mine feel like?” Hestia piped up, practically bouncing up and down on the mattress.

Amelie tapped her chin in thought. “Your energy is warm, spirited.”

A grin broke out across Hestia’s face as she replied. “Are you calling me hot?”

Amelie chuckled, caught off guard by the question. “Maybe I am.”

Hestia’s eyes sparked at the confirmation as a smile grew across her face. Amelie was sure that Hestia was going to hit her back with something equally flirty, but the very next moment, that smile faded from the Illusion Witch’s face, replaced by a furrowed brow.

“What is it?” Regina paused petting Salem and tilted her head in Hestia’s direction.

“I…” Hestia paused. “I don’t know. I just had a strange feeling come over me… I think it’s related to the illusion.”

Spurred into motion, Hestia rose from the bed and tilted her head slightly to the side, almost as though she was listening for something. Amelie watched as Regina’s lips pursed in concern.