Page 16 of The Witch & the Tiger

“We proved it,” Eva continued. “So, you’ll now be able to get the help you deserve unless you’d rather keep searching for the coast alone until it eventually traps you and kills you like the others.”

That was harsh but necessary for him to hear. “Yeah, okay. I was… I am a little obsessive about it and maybe not thinking clearly.” That would also make sense if he had a glamour. They didn’t allow clear thinking. Perhaps things might be simpler if it wasn’t Willow who invited him to lunch and smiled at him, all the while knowing that his drink was tainted.

It really, really bothered him that it came from Willow.

“If you want, we can explain this all to our parents.”

“Let the teachers do that,” he said sourly. “They didn’t want to get involved in any of this. I don’t see why that should change.”

He stalked past his sister, still annoyed, as he wrestled with the chaotic thoughts swirling in his mind.

The next day brought a little more relief, a little more acceptance of the whole situation. Plus, he got a message from Willow.

Willow: Good morning. Hope you’re feeling better. Sorry about… yesterday, too. It was kind of a shitty thing to do, and you didn’t deserve that.

Martin: Morning! Thanks for saying that. It wasn’t great, but I do see where everyone was coming from, what with the dangers of an enchantment. Do you know what happened after the professors took me away?

Willow: They sent that email. It included everything you’d said about the coast location appearing.

Ah, right. They were planning to share that with everyone.

He spent a couple of minutes getting dressed before responding again.

Martin: I’m happy at least that now I’ll be taken more seriously. I just wish it hadn’t taken so long.

Willow: I’m worried about all this Unseelie Court drama. Why couldn’t it just be something simpler, right?

Martin: Oh yeah. It’s completely getting in the way of a nice, normal day.

Willow: I wouldn’t mind spending a nice, normal day with you, to be honest.

He grinned, reading those words. A growing kind of warmth infused his body, and he found himself glancing more and more at his phone, eager for her response. A small whisper of disappointment still lingered from the unsolicited Truesight potion, but it still wasn’t enough to make him not want to talk to her and spend time with her.

He wondered if she was feeling the way he felt. If she, too, felt that warmth, that little surge of happiness whenever he texted. They messaged each other some more, complaining about the Unseelie Court, wondering how the hell they’d be able to pinpoint such an elusive location and whether or not any of the people they might get to assist would be famous investigators.

Willow: Imagine if they got that woman who saved the president. I heard she spoke with some students from our school last year! All the alumni seem to be on a kind of contact list, which is really cool.

Martin: Nah, they wouldn’t send someone like that, no way. Maybe Grish – he’s pretty big in Washington, and he’s an alumnus of Dreadmor.

Willow: Oh, I didn’t know that! I see him in the news all the time!

Martin: By the way, there’s something I want to say. It’s nice to be believed when I was sure I never would be. I was worried about that with you as well – I really wanted to talk to you, but well…

Willow: Yeah, I get it. Though now I’m thinking – were you hunting for students who might have my type of magic?

Martin: Honestly, I was visiting the spot where my friends used to hang out. Finding someone with powers hadn’t really occurred to me, but the moment I saw you playing with the water, I just knew I needed you.

He paused after that last message, semi-aware of how… intense it might seem. It didn’t feel that intense when he texted it, but now, staring at it, it seemed to swell in his mind, becoming more dramatic as if it revealed something hidden.

I’m overthinking it.

Plus, not responding straight away didn’t mean anything. People were busy. They didn’t look at their phones twenty-four-seven.

Another five minutes later, the phone buzzed once more.

Willow: I hope I can help. Truly. You deserve to have closure. To be rid of whatever the hell those evil fairy people put on you. Have to get ready for lessons now, talk to you later.

She added a little x at the end. He stared at the whole sentence, re-reading it a few times. Strange how such a simple little syllable made his heart stutter.

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