Page 21 of Witchful Thinking

"Completely routine," Alarick agreed, though the golden threads multiplied when their eyes met.

"Hello?"Bartholomew interrupted with peak teenage indignation."I'm missing lunch and Taco Tuesday waits for no man."

Working together, they managed to break the rogue spell.Bartholomew dropped to the floor with a thud, then immediately scrambled to check his hair in the reflection of a nearby metal cabinet.

"Is my hair messed up?It's messed up, isn't it?Great, just great."He frantically tried to fix his disheveled appearance."Can I get a note saying this was a medical emergency and not me trying some stupid spell to impress Mimmolette?"

"Patient confidentiality," Diana assured him, handing him an anti-nausea potion."Though you might want to avoid Taco Tuesday for lunch."

"Whatever," Bartholomew muttered, though he looked relieved."Um, thanks and stuff."He bolted for the door with Professor Guillet lecturing after him.

After they left, Alarick turned to Diana with a grin."So that happened."

"Teenagers," Diana said."Everything is either the best thing ever or the literal end of the world."

"I'm adding 'Human Gyroscope Containment' to my resume," Alarick said with a straight face.

Diana snorted despite herself."Very professional."

"Speaking of professional..."He gestured to the golden threads still connecting them where their magic had interacted."Do you think Guillet bought our 'standard procedure' explanation?"

"About as much as I believe Bartholomew was just doing his classwork instead of trying to impress a girl," Diana said.

***

THAT EVENING AT FACULTYdinner, Diana sat beside Alarick at the high table, increasingly aware of their magical fusion still humming between them.Occasionally their hands would brush as they reached for dishes, each casual contact sending a ripple of golden light that Diana prayed wasn't visible to their colleagues.

Halfway through the meal, she felt something brush against her foot.Glancing down, she discovered a garden gnome sitting under the table.

"What the—" she hissed, nudging Alarick.

He looked down, eyes widening before his lips curved in amusement."We have company."

The gnome made a series of gestures that seemed to be encouraging them to sit closer together, then pointed at their hands with enthusiastic approval—right where the faint golden shimmer was most visible.

"Shoo," Diana whispered, trying to nudge it away with her foot.The gnome dodged, looking offended, then scurried out from under the table.

She thought that was the end of it until a commotion erupted at the Newttown High School’s table.A bunch of kids were pointing and giggling as the garden gnome climbed onto their table, pantomiming some kind of romantic scenario using salt and pepper shakers.

"Is that gnome...proposing?"Alarick asked incredulously.

Diana watched in horror as the gnome arranged the salt and pepper shakers side by side, then used a napkin to craft a tiny bridal veil for the salt shaker.It placed a miniature ring made from a bread twist-tie on the pepper shaker, then began conducting an elaborate wedding ceremony, complete with dramatic pantomime of tearful vows.

"It's marrying us off," Diana hissed as the gnome made the shakers kiss."Via condiment proxy."

The girls were beside themselves with delight, while faculty members began craning their necks to watch the bizarre performance.

"This is ridiculous," Diana muttered, resisting the urge to slide under the table.

"They sense magical fusion," Alarick whispered, amusement evident."Garden gnomes are attuned to it.It's why they've been following me around since we started working together."

"You mean they knew before we did?"Diana hissed, mortified.

"Magical creatures often do," he replied softly."They recognize compatible magic before humans notice it."

The gnome, satisfied with its performance, took a theatrical bow before hopping down and scurrying toward the exit.As it passed the head table, it paused to make a gesture toward Diana and Alarick that could only be described as obscene.

"I need to get out of here."Diana stood abruptly, ignoring curious glances.She fled back to her room, both relieved and disappointed that Alarick didn’t follow her.

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