Page 17 of Barbells, Broomsticks & A Baby

“Mmhmm.” She adds a pinch of something to the brewing pot. “He’s clearly educated, thoughtful, and his devotion to you is evident.”

Coming from my mother, this is practically a ringing endorsement. I wait, sensing there’s more she wants to say.

“I still think a troll is an unusual choice,” she continues, her back still to me, “But perhaps not as unsuitable as I initially believed.”

Before I can respond to this unexpected concession, he returns, carrying my favorite quilt from our bedroom and a small wooden box I recognize as containing my collection of magical crystals.

“I thought these might help stabilize your energy,” he says, carefully arranging the crystals around me in a pattern designed to balance magical fluctuations.

My mother observes this with obvious interest. “A nontraditional arrangement,” she notes, bringing me a steaming cup of tea, “But the resonance pattern is sound.”

“Thank you.” Atlas accepts the assessment with a gracious nod. “I’ve been studying magical harmonics as they relate to physiological processes. The traditional pentagram arrangement doesn’t account for the unique energy pathways of pregnancy.”

My mother’s eyebrows rise slightly. “Indeed. Few practitioners recognize that distinction.”

I sip my tea, watching this unexpected moment of professional respect between my husband and mother. The tea is perfect—soothing and subtly infused with magical properties that ease both my physical discomfort and my magical instability. “This is delicious.”

“An old family recipe,” Mom says dismissively, though I detect a hint of pleasure at my compliment. “Nothing special.”

“Yet remarkably effective.” Atlas looks at me as if studying the subtle glow of balanced magic now surrounding me. “Your knowledge of herbal combinations is impressive, Ms. Greenwarth.”

My mother actually flushes slightly at the praise. “Yes, well... One picks up a few tricks over twenty decades of witchcraft.”

As the restorative tea works its magic, my eyelids grow heavy. My last conscious thought before drifting into a much-needed nap is that perhaps this visit isn’t the complete disaster I feared. Perhaps, like so many things in life, it’s simply a complicated blessing in disguise.

Chapter 6—Grizelda

“WELCOME, EVERYONE,to the first-ever Witcher Wellness Workshop,” Atlas announces the next afternoon at the prearranged event that I insisted he proceed with, feeling much better today. His deep voice echoes through the transformed space of Fae Fitness.

The main exercise room has been cleared of its usual equipment and now features an array of specially designed magical fitness apparatuses, including enchanted yoga mats that adjust their cushioning based on the practitioner’s needs, floating meditation crystals that hover at the perfect eye level, and most intriguing of all, a set of dumbbells that shimmer with arcane energy.

I stand at the back of the room, watching with pride and nervousness as Atlas introduces his newest program to an audience that includes not only my skeptical mother but also several of Evershift Haven’s most prominent magical practitioners. “Today, we’ll explore the intersection of physical wellness and magical potency. Many magical beings focus exclusively on developing their arcane abilities while neglecting the physical vessel that channels that power. Our goal is to create harmony between body and magic, resulting in more controlled, more powerful spellcasting.”

My mother, seated primly in the front row, raises a skeptical eyebrow but doesn’t interrupt. Progress.

“Let’s begin with a simple centering exercise,” he says, demonstrating a stance that looks deceptively easy—feet planted firmly, spine straight, and arms extended with palms facing upward.

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