Page 198 of Magical Mission
Our tea was delivered, along with a lemon scone for Celeste, and I finally let out a deep breath.
“I get it now,” Celeste said after a sip of tea. “Why you stayed. It’s peaceful here. Kind of magical.”
Skye gave her a side glance. “Kind of? I’m two sips away from believing I can read fortunes in biscotti crumbs.”
They laughed, and I smiled too, letting the moment linger. Because even though the streets outside were now filled with witches in dragon-scaled cloaks and fae with twigs in their hair, for now, Celeste and Skye only saw the charm. And for now, that was enough.
“Mind if we head out?” Celeste asked.
“Not at all.” I grabbed my tea, and they followed out the door.
“Sometimes,” she said, licking a bit of lemon glaze off her thumb as we walked down the cobblestone lane, “I wonder if I can, like... see the future.”
Celeste’s voice was light, teasing, but something about the words twisted quietly into my spine.
I stopped mid-step.
Skye, walking just ahead of us, paused to admire a cart of lavender bunches, leaving Celeste and me briefly alone in the narrow strip of spring light. The air smelled like rising bread and morning dew clinging to windowpanes.
I turned to look at her, trying to gauge her expression. She was grinning. But not wide enough to beentirelyjoking.
“Oh?” I said, in a light tone.
She shrugged. “Yeah, like... I’ll dream something weird and then boom, a week later it happens. Not anything dramatic. Mostly stuff likeI knew you were going to call meorI had a feeling my bus would be late. Stuff like that.”
I forced a chuckle, but inside, my blood had gone cold.
“And here I thought I was the only psychic in the family,” I joked.
She snorted. “Well, certainly wouldn’t be on Dad’s side. That gene pool’s biggest mystery is why everyone insists on wearing socks with sandals.”
Ididlaugh at that, too loud and too grateful for the break in tension.
But then Skye turned around, beaming. “Well, it’s a true skill. What was that lady's name? Nelly or…Nova. That was it. Nova.”
My eyes widened as I waited for the next bit.
Skye turned to face Celeste. “When I brought your mom here, we went to a seer.” She pointed across the road. “Right across the street, and the woman told me I was pregnant before I even had a clue.”
“No way.”
Skye nodded. “Yes, way.”
“Mom, can we go check it out?”
My chest tightened. “Um. She might be closed since it’s the weekend.”
Celeste grabbed my wrist and pulled me. “Let’s go see. The weekend is probably when she makes all her money.”
“Fair point,” I said.
But my mind was spinning.Did she mean it? Was Celeste testing me? Did she know her own powers?
Was she a hedge witch too?
Skye rejoined us with a bundle of dried lavender in hand, chatting about sending it back home for baby bath sachets, and I let the subject drop, though the wordsI wonder if I can see the futureechoed in my ears long after.
We were just crossing the street toward Nova’s store when I caught motion across the street.
