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"Okay, okay, I get it. Fuck. I'll go and see Mara soon."
"Good. She is the key according to trees."
Augustus rubbed at his cheek. "I know she is."
"Then where's your hesitation coming from? You've wanted to close the magic gap since you broke it." Flynn frowned, looking him over. He sniffed. "Oh Jesus, you're in love. With the saint?"
"Yes. It's made things more complicated," Augustus said, and after a pause added, "And more wonderful."
"And she knows that you solving this could kill you?"
Augustus nodded. "Yes."
"But she knows you have to do it anyway?"
Another nod.
"You really don't do anything the easy way, do you?" Flynn blew out a breath. "Look, magic isn't going to wait for you to get your heart together. At least you got to feel the rush of love again. Not many people get it once in their lifetimes, and you have gotten it twice. Maybe it just needs to be enough."
Augustus crossed his arms, nausea turning his stomach at the thought of losing Mara. She had been under his nose for over eighty years. He couldn't help but think of the time he had wasted.
Flynn poked him in the shoulder. "You're getting that face, sorcerer. Stop blaming yourself for whatever is going on in your head. Go and see your saint. Fix magic."
"Are you so sick of my company that you're sending me to my death?" Augustus teased.
Flynn shook his head. "I'm choosing to think you're not going to die."
"You and Mara both."
Flynn smiled, and because he had a strong streak of bastard in him, he said, "If you do die, I'll make sure we find comfort in each other."
"If I live, I'm pouring pesticide on the back garden for that," Augustus threatened.
Flynn caught him up in a hug before Augustus could fend him off. "Live first, old friend.Live."
Twenty-Three
"Saints should never interferewith the business of the world and the politics within it. They should be set apart, to help the individual, so the individual can help the collective." — Sayings of the Blessed Crow.
Mara arrived at the teashop to find Athanasius prowling about the front windows with his tail fluffed up.
"There you are! God and his angels, girl! Do you know how worried I've been?" he demanded, swatting at her legs.
"You saw me leave with Augustus. You knew where I was, so stop being so dramatic. I'll feed you now so you don't die," Mara chided. She was in too good of a mood to have him bring her down.
"I'm not concerned about food. I was worried the miracle had come out of you, and you were a pile of feathers somewhere," Athanasius hissed, following her into the kitchen. "Last time you went out with the sorcerer, it almost overtook you."
"It was the ambrosia. Augustus had nothing to do with it." Mara tipped out some tuna into his bowl on the counter.
"Augustus haseverythingto do with it." Athanasius's fur stood on end when he brushed past her. "You stink of him. Please tell me you didn't mate with the beast."
"I'm not talking about my sex life with you," Mara replied, snagging an apple from the fruit bowl.
"That's a yes. God, of all the men."
"Stop pretending you don't like him."
"Youlike him, so I have no choice," the cat grumbled and ate some of his tuna. "I suppose he will be around soon. The storms smell like his magic."
