Page 6 of Morning's Light

“I tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t listen. She said if anyone could do it, it’s you. She’s willing to pay a little extra for the inconvenience. I explained the last-minute change and the likelihood of finding those particular flowers in those particular colors. I even suggested several perfect alternatives. You know how Mrs. Ulrich is when she sets her mind to something. She refused to make the change. If anything, she dug her heels in deeper. She’s like a mule.”

Aisanna listened to his soft-spoken words. Beyond the fact that she would have to go outside conventional means to get those flowers, the colors together simply didn’t work. They might if she did something to blend them. Well within her ability, sure. Totally outside the scope of a normal florist. It would take a lot of finagling.

Elon kept eye contact with each word and forced a smile into his voice to reassure her. “It won’t be too much of a problem, will it? I told her you could handle it. You always do.”

“Leave it to me,” she told him. “I’ll figure out something while you finish the peonies.”

He regarded her thoughtfully. “I’m sure you will. No one in the city does it better than you.” She raised her eyebrow and he stammered to correct his unintentional choice of words. “Does flowers better, I mean. You are the best at flowers. And…and bouquets and…”

She sent him a small grin for his show of faith. She could have told him she knew plenty of witches with greater skill than hers, her mother and sister included. Not to mention the vast array of healing magic her gifts encompassed. “Thanks. Now get to work.”

“You got it, boss.”

Aisanna appreciated his dedication, even though he was a regular guy. She could practically see his mental slap at the unintentional innuendo.

Then she shook her head to clear it and pointed over her shoulder. “I’m going to the back to see if I can find anything for Mrs. Ulrich’s arrangement.”

“Do you really think you have something in stock that will work? Like I said before, she’s really counting on those irises. I don’t think she’s willing to compromise.”

“Yeah, I know. But let me take a peek. I might be able to find a bulb and coax something in the next week. Or find a distributor somewhere willing to overnight.”

“If you think you can…” Elon trailed off. “I’ll watch the front. Oh, and Johan is in the prep room so I’d steer clear. Black mood.”

Aisanna nodded and made her way toward her office, leaving Elon to deal with the tinkling bell tones heralding a new arrival. Johan and his black mood? Definitely better to take the long way around.

She kept a small area near the storeroom for herself, for whenever she was forced to do paperwork. Something she avoided like the plague. Making sure the door clicked into place securely behind her, she slapped her hands palm to palm in preparation. She’d need a bit of magic to conjure those flowers. Damn Mrs. Ulrich and her impossible expectations. Double damn to Aisanna for constantly filling them when she should refuse.

“These are going to be the best irises you’ve ever seen, lady,” she muttered under her breath.

She drew air into her lungs and closed her eyes, going into herself, tapping the well of energy lying at the ready beneath the surface. She exhaled. Power swelled upward, bursting into reality. Transforming into physical substance. A clear picture formed in her mind of a flower, the maroon iris with a golden center. Forest-green sparks flashed into existence around her outstretched palm. Making sure to maintain the image in her head, she loosed her magic like an arrow.

When Aisanna opened her eyes, she held three blooms in her palm. Delicate leaves spindled out from a lush green center. They looked for the world as though they’d been plucked from some garden moments earlier.

Yes, they would do.

Her mother had told her it was stupid to practice obvious magic in front of humans. Aisanna felt the population at large were too caught up in their own lives and problems to recognize anything magical even if it bit them in the ass. So far, she’d been lucky. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if her luck ran out.

She waved a hand to preserve the blooms for the coming days while she worked on an excuse. “Now, where can I put you?” she muttered, glancing around the room for a hiding spot. “The safe.”

A knock on the door was the only indication he gave before Elon burst inside seconds later. “Change of plans! The Stevenson triplets want hydrangeas for their father’s funeral instead of the lilies we were going with before. Please tell me we have some in stock. We have about four hours to make the change before I need to drive them over to the funeral parlor.”

Aisanna shoved the irises behind her back and regarded Elon with wide eyes. Her heart beat like a mixer blade turned on high. “Hello? Have you ever heard of privacy?”

He laughed at her. “Did you hear me about the change?”

“Yes, I heard you. Although I think it’s a really stupid idea. Maybe Johan will get to use his blue hydrangeas after all.” She used her free hand to shove hair out of her face. “Please, get out of here so I can concentrate.”

Elon rolled his eyes before exiting. She let out a whoosh of air and sank to the floor, weary from her near-discovery. All the time they’d worked together, she’d managed to hide her magic from him. There was no telling what he would do if he happened to find out about her. She took great pains to make sure that never happened.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” Elon peeped around a final time and lingered near the door. “Why are you on the floor?”

Aisanna shooed him away. “Get out.” She was too tired to deal with him. Five years younger and full of boundless energy, Elon was eager to please. “Can’t have a moment of peace around here,” she said to the blooms. “There’s always something.”

The rest of the day went on without any new complications. After his abrupt interruption, Aisanna hardly paid Elon any mind. They went about their duties separately yet worked in perfect unison. Even Johan’s good mood was restored.

She locked up at six o’clock and bid her coworkers farewell. Tomorrow held another full day of orders, not to mention the walk-in customers Elon generated with his fabulous PR plans. He’d managed to increase her out-the-door clientele by fifteen percent in the last six months.

Walking to the car, she breathed in the icy scents of the day, her lungs stinging from the cold. Fingers trembled as she reached into her bag for the ring of keys.

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