Page 34 of Touch Of Fate
“Probably because your mom turned the sign off,” Mara says dryly, and I look over my shoulder. “It’s alright. She did it when Cameron left. We don’t have a steady stream of customers.”
“That little sneak,” I whisper.
“She means well,” Archer mutters.
“It was a nice break.” Mara looks at the sign, and it blinks on.
“Did you run into any problems at the restaurant?” I ask.
“No. The owner didn’t remember them. I talked myself into the office and erased the security cameras,” he says.
“Thank you for covering for her,” Mara says, leaning against my arm. “Rose didn’t deserve any backlash.”
“Has anyone missed Jerry?” Archer asks.
“We haven’t tried to find out.” I’m sure his work will report his disappearance, but there isn’t any trace of our presence. “Do you have cameras here?”
“No. They wouldn’t be reliable since my magic likes to mess with electronics.” Mara shrugs.
“Have you noticed anything different about your magic since last night?” I ask, knowing she’s been avoiding talking about it.
“I feel stronger,” she admits, and then frowns. “Last night was draining, yet today my spells are recharged. I don’t feel out of control.”
“Who is the man with Lace?” Archer asks.
“Gavin. He’s harmless,” she says.
“I wouldn’t call him that,” he says.
“He’s a leopard with plenty of power,” I say.
“But he’s been nice to us. He’s kept our spells a secret from humans. The people he sends to Lace are vetted and trusted. They don’t want their gifts exposed any more than we do.” She meets my gaze and lays her hand on top of mine. “Don’t worry about him. He acts like an older brother.”
“We don’t trust many outside our circle,” I say. Knowing the leopard knows about them doesn’t sit right. He may have the best intentions, but he shouldn’t know about their magic. I don’t associate with shifters, and I can count on one hand who knows what I am. We don’t let just anyone know what we can do. “Has he seen your spells?”
“No, just Lace,” she says.
“Her power hasn’t formed fully,” Archer states.
“Unfortunately, something is blocking it. She is great with ink. Every tattoo she does is special and unique to the person she is inking. Several of mine are her work, and none of them have faded.” She rubs her arm, pushing her sweater up. “They are beautiful. She has a gift of knowing what the individual wants and is a wonderful artist. Many who come to her allow her to choose the image.”
“I feel her magic,” I whisper.
“Really?” Mara asks.
“I do too,” Archer says. “It’s a matter of time. She will have to prepare for the onslaught of spells that explode inside. If she doesn’t, it will overwhelm her. In her heart, she wants her magic. Otherwise, it would fade with time.”
“She doesn’t think it will come.” Mara drops her hand on my leg.
“She’s wrong,” I say, looking at the door to the back. “I’ve seen it before. The witch can try to ignore it, but it will come out, whether they like how that happens or not.”
“It’s like your magic,” Archer says, leaning forward. “When you suppress it, don’t you notice it will find a way to be released?”
“Yes. I pushed it away for years. After a while, it would leak out in moments that I didn’t want it to,” she says.
“It’s the same, except Lace’s has been building without anywhere to go. She doesn’t believe she has the ability to control it.” My new sister is conflicted, just as Mara has been, but in a different way.
“Lace believes she will get her powers when she meets her soul bond,” Mara says.
