Page 41 of Flowerheart

He bit his lip until it turned white. “What do you want in return?”

I frowned. “Nothing. If we really are friends, like you said, then this is precisely the sort of thing a friend should help with.”

He slowly, cautiously smiled. “Thank you. On Monday, I’ll show you the work I’ve been doing.”

“Not tonight?”

Xavier shook his head. “You’ve had a long week, and you’ve worked very hard. Spend the night at home. I’ll be by in the morning to oversee the blessing.”

He turned to the paper bags beside him, lifting the smaller one and holding it out to me. “Here, I, erm. I got you a present. To wish you luck. Not that you’ll need luck, but...”

Inside the bag was a pair of black cotton gloves,embroidered with intricate vines and flowers. I gasped delightedly and immediately tore off my gardening gloves to try on these new ones.

“They’re absolutely lovely,” I cooed, admiring them by the light of the lamps hanging in the enchanted tent.

“I thought you deserved something better than the gardening gloves,” he said.

He had confidence in what I’d learned; in what I would do. Perhaps he truly believed that I could succeed in blessing Papa.

Of course he’s happy,said my magic.If you succeed, he’ll have strong magic again.

My throat pinched tight, and my hands fell to my side. “What will happen, then, if I succeed in blessing him? With the vow, I mean. Will my power just zip right into your chest?”

He averted his gaze. “I’m not certain about the zipping bit, but... yes, essentially.”

For a few, bright hours, we had felt like partners. We had worked side by side, been equals. When we were children and played at being magicians, we’d pictured having our own shop together:Morwyn and Lucas.

I never could have imagined then how such a simple wish could become so complicated and impossible.

10

That evening, when Xavier opened the portal into my house, I was too excited to even say goodbye.

I leapt across the stoop and into the sitting room, my heart incandescent. The second I saw Papa in his chair, hunched over a book, I barreled towards him, tossing aside my carpet bag. Upon catching sight of the finger-length scars along his cheek, though, I paused a few inches away from his chair.

He popped up his head, his eyes owl-like behind his reading glasses. “Bless me seven times, look who it is!” Wedging the book between the cushion and the arm of the chair, he uncurled himself and stepped towards me, his arms open wide.

I stepped back, my pulse racing. Papa’s face fell. “I’m sorry,” I said. “It’s just... it’s my magic. I don’t want it to hurt you.”

Cries of pain and images of azaleas filled my mind.

But Papa swept up my hand, kissing the back of my glove.“Your Greatness,” he said, bending in a stiff bow.

I reveled in the title, even if it wasn’t accurate just yet. When I laughed, evening light streamed even brighter through the windows, the color of tiger lilies.

You’re giving away that title,my magic whispered.

“You—you look better,” I said, trying desperately to drown out that awful voice.

“I feel much better. Robin has done wonders for me. They—Robin!” called Papa over his shoulder. “Come see; a witch has come to call!” He turned back to me, his button nose wrinkled mischievously as he examined my gloves. “Oh! These are new. And sophisticated.”

I squeezed his hand tight, feeling every callus through the fabric. “Xavier bought them for me.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Have you been a model student, then, to be getting gifts from your teacher on your first week?”

Something about the playful look in his eyes made my cheeks grow warm. “I’ve been working hard.”

Robin slid into view, their hands pinned on either side of the kitchen doorframe. Clearly, they had been practicing transformation spells. Their face was more angular, their hair was now midnight blue, and they were much taller than before, having to stoop to get through the doorway.

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