Page 10 of Hex and Scales

“Around Katz ‘n Things, you mean.” Clover’s smile turned impish. “Where he keeps randomly appearing to ‘check on things.’“

“It’s not random.” Sabine busied herself with table settings, positioning each plate with unnecessary precision. “He’s investigating the disruptions. Which, you know, is his job as founder.”

“Investigating something, all right.” Lane wiggled his eyebrows. “Did you see him in Ylan’s video from yesterday?”

“She sent you all a video?”

“Yes” came from everyone at the same time.

Lane winked. “He was prowling around your shop like some possessive?—”

“If you finish that sentence, I’m telling Gran about the time you shifted mid-date and got stuck in tiger form.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me, cousin.”

Ilaria’s laugh rang out as she carried the bread to the table. “Now, now, children. Let’s not resort to blackmail before the first course.” Her knowing gaze settled on Sabine. “Though I must admit, I’m curious about these visits from our illustrious founder.”

“There’s nothing to be curious about.” Sabine dropped into her chair, ignoring her tigress’s disagreeing rumble. “He’s just doing his job.”

“With enough sexual tension to short out half my crystals,” Clover stage-whispered to Azella. “You should have seen them that first day. The air practically crackled.”

“Did not.”

“Did too! Even Ylan said?—”

“Can we please,” Sabine interrupted desperately, “talk about literally anything else?”

“But, darling.” Azella passed the bread with a suspiciously innocent smile. “I saw the video too. The way that man looks at you?—”

“Mom!”

“Like he’s never seen anything quite like you,” her mother continued, undeterred. “And isn’t sure whether to run toward or away from whatever he’s feeling.”

EIGHT

The words hit uncomfortably close to home. Sabine stared at her plate, remembering the flash of vulnerability she’d glimpsed in those golden eyes when Eiji mentioned his past. Eight hundred years was such a long time to carry heartbreak.

“Earth to Sabine.” Lane waved a bread roll in front of her face. “See? There’s that expression again. The one she gets whenever someone mentions you-know-who.”

“I do not have a special expression.”

“You absolutely do,” Clover chimed in. “It’s the same one you had when he agreed to coffee tomorrow.”

Wine burned Sabine’s throat as she choked mid-sip. “How did you?—”

“Ylan was coming out of Witch’s Brew and saw you two talking about it. She texted everyone.” Lane brandished his phone triumphantly. “I believe her exact words were ‘Alert the media, our girl finally asked out Mr. Tall, Dark, and Emotionally Unavailable.’“

“I’m getting new friends.” Sabine dropped her head into her hands. “And a new family. And possibly moving to Antarctica.”

“Good luck finding a date there,” Lane quipped. “Though knowing you, you’d probably attract the one brooding dragon on the entire continent.”

After dinner, Sabine escaped to the sanctuary of her mother’s garden. The evening air carried hints of approaching autumn, rustling through wind chimes that tinkled with soft magic. She settled onto the porch swing, trying not to think about ancient pain in golden eyes.

Soft footsteps announced her grandmother’s approach. Ilaria sank onto the swing beside her, silver hair gleaming in the starlight.

“Want to talk about it?”

---