Page 27 of Mochas and Minotaurs

With that out of the way, Penny, Lily, and I worked on the ward while Prax entertained Triscuit with games of peek-a-boo. We were able to completely fix the ward and make it much stronger to cover the entire building and the immediate area around it. We were now magically secure. Individually we weren’t particularly strong, but together we were formidable, mostly because we’d worked together for so long, and our magic complimented each other.

“You’re magically safe now,” Penny said. “But what’s to stop Arcane from sending thugs?”

“They already have.” I told them of my destroyed shipment of beans and Marcus’s mirrors, which was a mistake because now they didn’t want to leave me alone. I assured them I would call them at the first sign of trouble.

“Maybe you should invite Marcus over again,” Lily suggested, keeping a straight face. “Until you know you’re safe. He seems like he could take care of himself.”

“I have him on speed dial.” I assured her. And I did because this time, we had each other’s number.

By the time I thanked my friends for being amazing and headed back downstairs, it was well into the afternoon. I sent them off with some coffee and baked goods and a promise that I’d keep them updated if anything happened.

I suddenly noticed Elise sitting in the corner of my café as I was seeing my friends out the door. What was Marcus’s mother doing here?

I sent him a quick message letting him know of her presence before quietly asking Nick how long she’d been nursing that coffee.

“Hours,” he whispered back.

I reached out to see if she was casting any spells but didn’t feel anything. I was tempted to call Penny and Prax back and send Prax in undercover, but that would entail telling them Marcus’s secret, and it wasn’t mine to tell.

A few minutes later, Declan showed up. “The usual, please,” he said.

“We gotcha!” Nick said, starting on the café mocha.

As we made his drinks, Declan sat a table over from the woman, pretending to watch something on his phone. Every so often, he looked up like he was trying to memorize her face.

“Here you go,” I said, handing him both drinks in a cardboard tray.

He was on his way out when the woman cleared her throat. “Excuse me, monsieur,” she said with a strong French accent. “You work in the gym next door, no?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Have you seen this man?” She showed him her screen.

“Oh, yeah. That’s Martin. He worked with us at the old location, but he moved a few months ago. I don’t remember where he said he was going, I think maybe Brazil?”

“I see.”

Then Declan was leaving, and Marcus’s mother was walking out after him.

“Oh fuck. I think I fucked up,” Nick said the moment the door closed behind them.

“Why?”

“She showed me a picture of Marcus, and I told her he works next door. Declan must have a reason to lie.”

“Shit.”

“I didn’t know he was in hiding or anything. Oh! Was that why he was all covered up this morning with that scarf and the hood and…”

I nodded. “That is exactly why.”

The door chimed again and a couple—regulars I hadn’t seen for at least a week—walked in. I put my customer service face on and got them served quickly before stepping into the back room to give Marcus a call.

“We have a problem,” I said the moment he picked up.

I repeated what Nick told me and waited for a response. “I knew that was too easy. Fuck. Does she know I live here? Or just work here?” I motioned Nick in and handed him the phone.

He already knew anyway, considering he just watched Declan lie to the woman’s face.

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