Page 12 of Ancient Magic

“Spending the afternoon with an old woman?” Clarissa protested. “You should be with a boyfriend.”

“I’m happy.” Skye concentrated on arranging the fresh fruit and warm muffins on the table. “Why spoil my life with a man?”

“Why do you assume a man would spoil it?”

“Why do you assume one would improve it?”

The older woman grabbed the fork Skye had provided and dug into the salad. No doubt it was her first real meal in days. “I had a special one.”

Skye arched her brows in surprise. They’d discussed Clarissa’s colorful past a hundred times, but she didn’t remember her mentioning a man in her life.

“Really?”

Clarissa continued to work her way through the food spread in front of her. “It was a long time ago.”

“Did he work in the carnival?” Skye was genuinely curious.

The older woman shook her head. “We both worked at a small Renaissance fair. I told fortunes and he juggled fire. We were dirt poor and outrageously happy.”

Skye paused, absorbing the echoes of joy that filled her friend at the memory.

“What happened?” she finally forced herself to ask.

Clarissa sighed. “We’d just celebrated our first-year anniversary when he died in a car accident.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” Clarissa glanced up, her expression wistful. “But the time we had together was wonderful. I want that for you.”

“Perhaps one day,” Skye said, even as she silently dismissed the possibility. Her ability to sense emotions, along with her visions, made it difficult to maintain an intimate relationship. Nothing like knowing your date is lusting for the woman at the next table to put a damper on the evening. “Right now I want to make sure you eat a decent meal.” Skye studied the circles beneath Clarissa’s eyes. “You look tired.”

“I haven’t been sleeping well,” the woman admitted, nibbling on a muffin.

“Is something wrong?”

“I’m not sure. It feels like...”

Skye leaned forward as the woman hesitated. “Feels like what?”

“A thunderstorm.”

“In October?” Skye considered the possibility. There were some witches who were sensitive to the weather.

“I’m sure it’s nothing.” Clarissa broke into her thoughts, clearly embarrassed she’d shared her concern. Then, with an obvious effort to change the conversation, she gathered up the empty dishes and placed them back into the hamper except for the fruit and bread that would no doubt be her dinner. “Thank you for this, but you should get back home.”

Skye nodded, grabbing the basket. Today she couldn’t linger. “I’ll be back in a few days.”

Clarissa reached out to grasp Skye’s hand. “You’re a good girl, Skye. I...”

Without warning, the woman’s eyes widened and her grip tightened until she was crushing Skye’s fingers.

“Clarissa.” Confused, Skye tried to pry her hand free. “Clarissa, you’re hurting me.”

“Thunder,” the woman rasped. “Do you hear it?”

“What thunder?” Skye demanded, her heart racing as a green fire briefly consumed the woman’s blue eyes.

“It’s under our feet. Rumbling. Stirring.”

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