Page 38 of Morning's Light

CHAPTER 9

The sturdy tree trunks holding Aisanna instantly returned to their incarnation as chair legs, ornately carved and curved like the necks of swans.

Finally free, she scrambled to her feet. “Elon? What the hell are you doing here?”

Incredibly round eyes took in the scene, blooms disintegrating and gemstones falling to the floor. “I…oh boy, I—” Elon did the only thing he knew to do. He turned to run.

“He’s your employee? The one who works in your botanical shop?” Thorvald questioned, staring sternly at the empty air Elon had occupied seconds earlier. “You better go after him right now and bring him back.” He let his head hang back, staring at the ceiling. “Dear God, there’s going to be hell to pay if he panics. Take care of it, Aisanna. Now.”

“He won’t. I’ll handle this.” Aisanna bounded toward the door to catch Elon before he left.

“If the Claddium finds out about this…well, shit on a shingle, Leo…”

Thorvald’s speech trailed off. Aisanna raced down the hallway and out the front door, left conveniently open after Elon’s flight.

“Elon?” she called after him. “Wait. I said wait! Your legs are longer than mine and I can’t keep up.”

He continued on as though he hadn’t heard her, forcing Aisanna to pick up the pace and catch him before he drove off.

“Why did you come by?” she asked, her breath rushing out in a whoosh. She reached out a hand to grab his coat and missed by millimeters. “Why didn’t you call first?”

“I wasn’t thinking. I clearly wasn’t thinking,” he mumbled. The quality of his voice had changed. It was different, softer. Panicked.

“Dammit, man, turn around and talk to me. I deserve a chance to explain. I know you’re upset by what you saw.”

He stopped in the driveway without making it to his car. Keys shook in his hands and he kept his back to her, head bowed. “Insane,” he stated firmly. “I must be completely insane. Or drunk. Can you get drunk from one beer? I swear I only had one beer earlier today. I waited a good two hours before I drove over. Shouldn’t it be out of my system?”

“Elon, calm down.”

“I’ve finally done it. I’ve gone completely over the edge!”

Her left eye began to twitch when she approached him. “You’re not insane.” She reached out to him and he jerked away.

“Don’t touch me!”

“Ooo-kay.” She drew out the vowel and dropped her hands to her sides. “Maybe you have gone completely nuts. Because the Elon I know would never tell me not to touch him.”

She was taking a chance by calling his affection into question and was rewarded the moment she saw his shoulders lose some of their stiffness.

“Take a deep breath,” she continued, “and tell me what you saw.” She kept her tone tranquil and light.

Elon turned to her, wide-eyed. “You know what I saw!” He clutched his coat against his chest, his eyes darting around. “Have I been drugged? Did someone sell me a bad six-pack of Heineken and this is what happened? I swear to God, I just saw you do magic.” He dragged in a hysterical breath. “Real live fucking magic. You materialized flowers out of thin air. Your chair was an oak tree. I-I-I’m…I’m going out of my mind. I only had one beer!”

“You’re not drunk, and you’re not drugged. This is crazy, I know. But I need you to calm down and explain to me what you think you saw.”

Instead of running away, Elon paced. He shoved his hands through his hair, mussing the dark strands. He wore a suit, probably the best one in his closet, pressed pants and neat shirt and tie.

“I saw you. I saw them! Plants whipping mashed potatoes and necklaces slapping people in the face.” Tension lined his features and a muscle convulsed in his jaw. “Vines from your mother’s fingertips. Her fingertips!” He paused for breath, and when he spoke again, his voice was low and hoarse. “What am I supposed to say?”

“I don’t suppose I can convince you it was all an act?” she asked, stunned that she’d made any sound with the way her lips felt rubbery and thick. We are not talking about this, she thought. Because if they talked about it, it would really be happening, and it would change everything.

Everything.

Elon shot her a look, accompanied by a spurt of maniacal laughter. “I know what I saw. I have eyes, Aisanna. Working eyes.”

“Elon.” She sounded too sweet, cajoling. “Calm—”

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” he interrupted hotly. Gravel flew when he skidded to a stop, his breath creating large white gusts of mist. “Magic. I saw magic.”

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