Page 7 of Witch of My Heart

“I did it again, didn’t I?” I blinked.

“Don’t worry, it’s normal,” Starry smiled.

“Getting so wrapped up in my anxiety that I forget I’m standing here holding your baby is normal?” I groaned and passed the sleeping baby back to him.

“You didn’t drop him and I’m not sure you forgot you were holding him. He didn’t notice anything at all. He’s happy. All sleeping babies are happy, Cord.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologized anyway because it was irresponsible. “I---”

“Don’t,” Starry smiled. “Really, don’t. Everyone gets lost in thought every once in a while. It happens. Brains can be unpredictable.”

“Plus, you had him in the baby sling. He was secure either way,” Xi added.

“Thanks for not being mad at me guys.”

“It’ll get better,” Xi said, squeezing my shoulder. “You’re standing in the meeting hall and you’re not furry. Things are getting better already.”

“If you say so,” I laughed.

“He does and so do I,” Starry nodded, as one of the meeting hall’s heavy entrance doors swung open.

“They’ll be here soon,” Liam announced. “Maybe not Del and the baby straight away, but the rest of them will be here soon.”

“We’re all set up. The banner’s a bit crooked but that just makes it look homey,” Starry said, glancing around at the tables piled high with food and the seating that took up almost every inch of the room. “Hope we get a good turn out or we’ll be eating leftovers for the rest of the year.”

“We’re dragons. There’s hardly ever any leftovers,” Liam laughed.

I opened my mouth and shut it again. Every time, I saw Liam a question danced on the tip of my tongue. His gift of the Omega Sight allowed him to see spirits. Part of me wanted to double check to ensure Ginger Barrel hadn’t escaped Frost’s Pit and come to haunt me. It was a stupid question to ask. That’s something Liam would’ve never held back.

“I’ll let everyone know they can start coming in whenever they want. Wait, do you want me to give you a minute, Cord?” Liam asked.

“Actually, I think I’ll stay, if that’s okay,” I said, not wanting to go back to the house alone this time.

“That’s perfect,” Liam grinned before heading out of the meeting hall.

“We’re glad to have you,” Starry said, giving me a one-armed hug.

“I’m glad to be here. If things have to suck, at least I’m in good company,” I managed a chuckle.

Chapter Five

Blithe

“I’m so fucking hungry I could eat a herd of horses,” Duke said as we walked through the village with Bobby and Adrian.

“Fresh out of horses,” Adrian said and bumped into Duke’s shoulder. “You’ll have to make due with a feast instead.”

“Well, damn,” Duke laughed.

Del, Rex, and their baby, Lupus, had headed to see their new house, but like Duke I was ready to eat. Breakfast felt like hours ago after three days on the road. We stopped every night to give Baby Lupus somewhere stable to rest. It made for a slow trip, but now that leg of my journey was over and both carrier and baby arrived tired and cranky, but unscathed.

“I smell pot roast,”my wolf sniffed into my thoughts.“Lots of meat.”

Bobby pushed both heavy wooden doors to Heartville’s meeting hall open. He hadn’t given us the grand tour yet, but the meeting hall was an impressive sight to behold since they built it in the middle of nowhere. Duke didn’t even have to duck down to walk into the place and he was the tallest in our group thanks to Fred Moonscale.

“Holy shit, Bobby! Did you cook the whole damn forest knowing we were on our way?” Duke laughed, his eyes growing nearly as big as his draconic appetite.

I didn’t hear what Bobby said. Something about not being able to take credit for the cooking, only part of the hunting. My wolf had my full attention. Something – some scent beyond the cooked feast laid out around the edges of the meeting hall’s grand entrance drew him in. Something furry – someone furry. Someone feline. Someone rolled in magic and dipped in stardust. The whispers of spells morphed into an aroma thatI couldn’t name. Perhaps like some secrets of magic the scent was too ancient to have a name our modern tongues could form around.

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