Page 43 of Magic Potions and the Merman's Lure

Chapter 27

Keri

I frown at the email from my mother and read the few short lines she sent yet again. I just barely refrain from rolling my eyes at her response. I don’t know why I even bothered asking her to look into the situation when I have Adiele helping me. Yet, my friend insisted.

What sort of answer is “the sea will provide, look to the west and the cup of life?”

Of course, what I need is from the sea. That is given. The nonsense regarding the cup of life is a clear alchemical terminology once again referring to water, as is the westward direction. So, look to water to solve a water species dilemma... no kidding, ma. Overall, this is just useless to me.

And once more, divination in my life mocks me.

Sitting back in my chair, I delete the email as Adiele glances up from the book she’s been squinting at for the last hour.

“Anything useful?”

I shake my head and repeat what the email said as I rub my temples with two fingers. “I don’t know why I expected or hoped for anything different. I should be grateful that she made the effort after basically refusing to acknowledge me as her daughter ever since I refused to go along with yet another idea to attempt crack open my non-existent divination abilities after I made the decision to move on, but I don’t. All I feel is disappointment.”

Adiele rests her elbows on the open book and nods sympathetically. “No doubt she is upset that you won’t be the resident diviner for the coven-town Katherine and Adeon have decided to build around the Durmont coven house.”

I look up at her in surprise. “Where do you even hear this stuff? You aren’t even a Durmont but are better informed than I am. I didn’t even know that this was happening.”

A secretive smile curls her lips though she shrugs nonchalantly. “You know me. I do love gossip, and everyone comes to the Emporium.”

I laugh despite myself. “Trust you to use your job to fuel your true passion.”

She smirks back at me, her eyes dancing with sly amusement. “Hey, we both know that divination itself is simply information gathering. I don’t know a diviner alive who doesn’t enjoy a good bit spilled tea. Your cousin Jillian passed through a few days ago brimming over with excitement.”

“Jillian is excited over a town being erected?” I echoed, my eyebrows rising. I love my cousin dearly but that doesn’t sound like her. “I didn’t think she got excited over anything except the next social event that would help her locate her perfect man

Adiele snorts merrily at my comment but doesn’t refute it. “Actually, I think her exact words were along the lines of ‘maybe with a central town for people to move into that will improve the dating pool.’”

“Of course,” I chuckle. “I guess I will have to visit but if mother’s hope is to have me out there, I would have had to disappoint her regardless of my divination ability. Even if we work out a replacement for his supplement, Ro would be uncomfortable being that far inland away from the sea.”

“Ro would, huh?” Adiele observes, her brows winging up to her bangs. “I didn’t know that you were that serious about him.”

I blush and turn toward the stack of books to pick up the first one sitting at the top of the pile. “I don’t know if I am or not. Things are a little new between us.”

“Things...” my friend repeats, her grin growing wider. She hastily glances around to affirm that we are alone and leans in closer over the table. “What sort of things, Keri? Has something ‘popped up’ that you didn’t tell me about?”

“Oh gods... shhhh,” I hiss as my cheeks burn even hotter. “Nothing ‘popped up.’ It was actually all very sweet. I told you how we found Gryn, right? Well, technically he found me first at the beach house and then we tracked him down at the docks... but anyway, it was just afterward. Ro came over and things just kind of... happened.”

“Oh no. Don’t tell me that he seduced you with his song because if he pulled that shit again with you, I will track him down and show him how talented I am at removing fins and descaling a fish with a pocketknife.”

Ouch.

I throw my hands up in protest and laugh. “No need to threaten violence, Adiele. Geez. It just happened for both of us, the singing didn’t start until were in the middle of things and at that point, I don’t think he could have stopped it if he wanted to. But getting to that point was all us... and, well, I like him. A lot. And he likes me. He said he prefers me to everyone else.”

Adiele gives me a long, skeptical look but suddenly laughs. “Oh honey, of course he likes you. You’re mate compatible with him which makes you his ideal mate. Ro has been head-over-heels for you since you met. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t getting forced into anything you didn’t decide for yourself that you want.”

I stiffen and stare at her in shock. “I’m what?”

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