Page 32 of Commanding Chaos

“I normally do, yeah.” I strolled down the closest aisle.

He followed. “We don’t have time for that. There are far more pressing matters, like finding Mayhem’s skull and ending your curse. Or have you forgotten the true cause of your coven’s turmoil?”

Nothing magical occupied these shelves, so I started down the next aisle. “It won’t take long.”

He clutched my hand. “Use your power. Tap into your magic and sense. If something is here, you will be guided to it.”

“I…I’m not very good at it.” I slipped from his grasp. Imposter syndrome was a real thing.

“Which is why you should practice.”

Oof. He had a point. This would be the perfect place to practice. I nodded and closed my eyes, focusing on the fire in my being. Opening my senses, I reached out into the room, my intention set on finding anything magical. My chest tingled. It spread upward to my head, tugging me toward the far aisle.

I opened my eyes. “This way.”

Chaos followed as I paced to the location I felt pulled toward. The closer I got, the greater the tingle, until I stopped in front of a cameo brooch. A magical aura shimmered around it, though I couldn’t be sure what power it contained until I did some spell-casting at home.

I grabbed it from the shelf and handed it to Chaos.

“I told you that you could do it.” He lifted the cameo, examining it. “Anything else?”

Closing my eyes, I sensed again, but nothing called to me. “I think that’s it.”

“Very good.” He carried it to the cash register, and I paid for both items.

“See you soon,” Betty called as we exited the shop.

“What did you detect on the brooch?” He took the bag from me, holding it by the little brown handles.

“I don’t know. It’s enchanted, but I’ll have to do some spell work to see what it does.”

My phone buzzed in my back pocket, so I tugged it out and found a text from Ember that read Got another rift. Bring the van and the demon. It buzzed again, and a pinned map came through.

“Eff me.” I picked up the pace. Two more blocks to go.

“I would be happy to.” Chaos shifted the bag to his other hand. “But from your tone, I sense you didn’t mean that literally.”

“You sensed correctly. There’s another rift. We have to meet Ember.” I unlocked the back door, and Chaos carried the bag inside.

“What are we battling this time?” he asked.

I paced to the library to grab the extra set of keys, and Chaos set the bag on my desk. “She didn’t say. Just to bring you and the van.” My sigil studio lay ten feet away, and I looked longingly at the door. I missed the days when the threats weren’t immediate, and I could work my ink magic instead of battling beasties and sealing rifts.

I grabbed my travel kit, and we headed out back and climbed into the van. With the directions on my phone, I pulled onto the street, and we made our way toward the location Ember pinned. “I hope they’ve got their weapons stocked in here. I didn’t think to ask.”

“If they weren’t, she would have said so.”

“No, she wouldn’t.” I pulled to the side of the road and put it in park. “She’d expect me to check, because that’s what I do. I make sure the big kids have everything they need to fight the monsters.” I crawled into the back seat and opened the hatch. Whew. It was stocked.

“Your power is far too great to be an errand girl.”

I shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

“You deserve respect.”

“The only person who disrespects me is Shade, and we’ve discussed why he does. It’s fine. I promise.” I returned to the driver’s seat and pulled onto the road.

He pursed his lips, his face saying he didn’t believe a word of it.

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