Page 20 of Of Bone and Ash

Earth Witch. All the flowers and small plants suddenly make a lot more sense.

Marjorie rings up my items as I look out the small window over her head. I see a group of students making their way up the path toward the shop. There are eight of them: three girls and five boys.

I pull out my wallet and set some cash on the counter as my attention moves back to the students outside. The girls wave at the boys and head up the short path to the cottage while the guys smile and continue toward the sports fields, but suddenly, one of them in the back pulls up short. Hazel eyes clash with mine, holding me hostage as his surprised expression turns to one of victory, his lips tugging into a smug smile.

“Don’t...” I whisper, my heart dropping as Teos yanks his gaze from mine for a moment, leaning toward his friends to whisper something before pivoting on his heel and rushing up the path toward Marjorie’s shop.

“Fuck,” I groan, snatching my items off the counter as my heart feels like it's about to explode from my chest. “Keep the change!” I tell the sweet older woman, who blinks up at me in surprise as I make a mad dash toward the back room. “Adam!” I shout the moment I cross the threshold, my eyes scanning over the workbenches and shelves full of herbs and other random things.

Adam is leaning over one of the workbenches, looking at the tiny uniform bars of soap with a small smile. “Oh! Serafina! You have to come and smell these soaps. Marjorie used a blend of lavender and sage with the lemon, and it smells delightful.” He grins, then frowns as I run over to him.

“Uh, yes. Very nice. I need you to teleport me to my apartment,” I whisper in a panic when I see no backdoor to escape.

“What?” he asks, running a hand through his bright red hair as he stands to his full height to look at me. “Are you ok?”

“Yes. But I need you to teleport me out of here… please,” I tack on as I juggle the food in my arms, trying to shove it into my bag. I hear the door's small bell and curse as I give Adam a pleading look.

“Uh… I'm not the best at teleporting people,” he admits nervously, shuffling on his feet as he looks around us. “I can escort you back to your apartment if you want,” he offers, and I shake my head, shoving the last sandwich in my bag.

“Full disclosure…” I offer, and he nods. “There is someone out there”—I thumb over my shoulder at the tiny door leading to the shop's front—“that I really don’t want to see right now. I need you to get us out. Now,” I add with urgency as Adam’s eyes widen.

“Uh, would that person happen to be a big rugby player?” Adam asks, his voice hushed as he leans closer to me. His long fingers wrap around my arm as he stares over my head. I feel it then, the warmth from a certain magic I have tried to forget—and I close my eyes.

Shit.

“Bella,” Teos' deep voice chides, and a shiver runs down my spine. “You can keep running, but you’re not going to lose me this time.” His soothing voice courses over me as I slowly open my eyes and look at Adam, who is… shit… he’s glaring at Teos.

“Is he stalking you?” Adam asks, a cold tone in his voice I have never heard before. I shake my head as Teos chuckles, his larger-than-life presence filling the room until I feel like it's stifling me. The urge to shake Adam’s hand off me and go to Teos calls to me, making me grit my teeth. God. I missed him.

“Yes. Yes, I am. Who are you, and why are you touching what's mine?” he asks, making Adam's eyes practically bug out of his head.

“Yep. I can see why you were panicking,” he says, hand tightening on my arm as an odd brush of magic circles me.

“I suggest you let her go,” Teos growls, and I can hear the first heavy footfall as he steps into the room with Adam and me. Adam tsks under his breath, lips pursing as his eyes fall on me.

“Hold tight,” he warns, just as my world shifts. I hear Teos shout my name, then everything spins, and my stomach lurches. On instinct, my hand darts out, wrapping around Adam’s arm, as the feeling of weightlessness has me slamming my eyes shut. Then we fall through the air, and I can't stop the shout of surprise that leaves my lips as Adam and I crash onto the hard floor of my apartment.

NINE

Serafina

Igroan as the world around me slowly stills, the spinning room settling as my ears continue to ring. Long fingers wrap around my wrist and yank me to my feet, making bile climb up my throat at the sudden movement. As Adam's mouth moves, I clamp a hand over my mouth, and I realize he’s talking to me. I shake my head, wincing as it causes my head to throb and my vision to blur for a few moments.

“Serafina? Hey! Shit… I broke her. Crap, crap, crap.” Long fingers move to my neck, pressing there to take my pulse as Adam’s panicked blue eyes stay on my face as my vision slowly clears. “Hey, I need you to respond so I know I didn't break you,” he says between gasping breaths, his voice so squeaky I have difficulty understanding him.

Damn… his face is turning red, and his breath is coming in rapid succession.

“Uhh,” I say, taking a moment to formulate the right words. I feel like I'm in a fog, but it's slowly dissipating the longer I stare at Adam.

“Uhh? Uhh, what?! Ah fuck!” Adam groans, facepalming himself as he stares at me with devastation. “I’m sorry for frying your brain,” he whispers as his eyes become wet.

“What?” I whisper, then shake my head and groan as pain lances through my brain. “Oh damn. Don't let me shake my head. I’m good… I think,” I add as Adam inhales sharply, his long fingers grabbing my chin and forcing me to look at him as he nods.

“Yeah?” He asks, and I nod.

“Yeah. It's just a headache,” I reassure him as he releases my chin and presses a palm to his chest, bending at the waist as he blows out a breath in relief.

“Holy shit! I thought I broke you. I don't typically transport people besides myself. The last time I tried, I left behind my brother's arm,” he admits, and I blink at him in shock. Excuse me, what?

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