Page 56 of Waltzing With Witches

I tug at the neck of my shirt. It’s stuffy, and I can’t wait to take it off.

At that moment, Lou walks across Sycamore toward Higher Grounds, the coffee shop. She appears lost in thought, thin arms crossed over her chest. She mutters something even I can’t make out under her breath.

Dirk, Arkan, and I all watch her in silence. She must sense us staring, because she pauses in the street and turns. Mahogany eyes flick to Dirk, and she purses her lips.

When I look at the big sylph, his blue eyes are firmly cemented on her, his gaze intense. His muscles quiver slightly when she walks up the street toward us.

When she reaches the group, she plants a hand on her hip and wags a finger at Dirk. “Are you following me again?”

Arkan and I turn as one to look at the big sylph. He glances at us as if he doesn’t have a care in the world. “I’ll follow until yeh let me take yeh for a coffee, my sweet.”

Lou rolls her eyes. “Not happening, blue man.”

Dirk pretends like someone’s stuck a knife in his heart, stumbling back a step and crashing into Arkan.

Arkan chuckles and kicks Dirk upright with a front leg. Lou watches impassively, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Everything alright, Lou?” She’s frowning but also looks to be hiding a smile. Still, there’s a strained edge to the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

She shrinks from me, eyes going shuttered as she nods. “Just fine, Keeper. Thank you.” Her eyes narrow when they fall on Arkan’s shirt. “Oh my gods, that is fabulous. I don’t know where you got it, but if a troll version exists, Wren needs one. She has an obsession with crazy tees.”

Arkan smiles. “I’ll comm you the info. I’m Arkan, by the way.”

I notice he doesn’t introduce himself as our secondary Keeper. I should probably do it, but I’m feeling protective of my haven. I don’t want another Keeper here meddling, no matter how pleasant he is.

My comm watch pings, Morgan’s name popping up above the strap. Relief floods me. I’m not accustomed to that bodily response, and I find it uncomfortable the way warmth spreads up my chest, my cheeks heating. It’s illogical, and therefore, not useful.

Lou’s eyes drop to her niece’s name, then move back up to meet mine. She grits her jaw.

Stepping away from the group, I answer the comm. “Morgan, everything alright?”

“Where are you?” she asks.

“Sycamore. I’m with Lou, Dirk, and the new Keeper.”

After a moment of silence she responds, “I’d really like to talk with my sisters and Lou about what’s going on. I know you asked me to keep certain things a secret, but would you be willing to flex on that?”

Indecision wars inside me. Part of being the Keeper means being dependably trustworthy. If she tells her sisters, they’ll undoubtedly tell their mates. Will my leadership group lose trust in me if they learn I’m ill?

But fuck it, there’s already another Keeper here to back me up.

And Morgan needs this. I can hear it in her tone.

“Of course,” I murmur. “Want me to send Lou your way?”

“No. Come get me. I’m ready to go home. I’ll make a lunch date with the girls tomorrow. Today was a lot.”

“On my way.” I click off, turning to find the trio standing in the street staring at me.

“Everything okay?” Lou asks. “Does Morgan need me?”

I shake my head. “Nope, all good.” I turn from the trio and head back up Sycamore toward Celset’s cottage.

Afew minutes later, I arrive at the base of Celset’s tree to find Morgan already there. She leans against the thick trunk, both arms casually crossed over her chest. When she sees me, she gives me a sad smile.

I knew what Moira would tell her, and it crushes me that I can’t make it better for her. If I could, I would.

“Are you alright?” I close the distance between us, planting a hand above her. I want to be close, even closer than this, but I can’t imagine how she’s feeling after the conversation with the harpies.

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