8
“So, how was Merlin?” Ash asked when I got to work the next day. I had blessedly woken up with no curse related visitors. Perhaps Ash really was learning.
“Fine, have you seen Flea?”
“No, he’s usually in just before lunchtime on Mondays. So, what happened?”
“What happened with what?”
“Merlin?”
“Oh, we had a weirdly Dad-like conversation. Y’know the ‘you can do anything you want if you tried’ chat. I think he thinks I’m depressed.”
“Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting to happen. But Tess, you know he probably has a point.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Everyone’s worried, I’m different,” I said with a flip of my hand.
“Tess, it used to be every morning you’d be chewing my ear off about the latest exploits in whatever fandom you were following at the time. You always had your nose stuck in a book or were reading on your phone. That big geek con came and went and you didn’t line up for hours with your friends to make sure you got tickets.”
“Look, you came back from the portal the same old Ash, your relationship with Gabe seems to be going well. Good job for not fucking that up, by the way, but I didn’t, Ash. I killed a man, probably a whole bunch of people, with that green fire of doom shit.”
“It was them or us.”
“I know, I’m not saying I regret it, but you can’t expect me to come back and geek it up freestyle like I used to. Shit like that changes everyone, Ash, not just me.”
“So that’s what it is? You never said.”
“How do I talk to someone about the changes I’m going through when they stay the same?”
“I…” It was weird to see my big sister search for the words. “I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with this on your own. What can I do? How can I help?”
“Merlin thinks I need to work out what’s important to me, Miazydar reckons a quest is what’s needed. I’m not sure what I think, but at least I know what to look for.” I pulled up the calendar on my phone, wanting to move on to any topic but this. “So, we have the Selessians coming in at 9:30 our time, right?”
“I changed it until later today. I wasn’t sure how you’d pull up and I hate doing these things until I’ve had a few coffees in me.” My jaw tightened and my teeth ground together. It was fairly established that Selessian owl people were best dealt with in the early hours. Then they were getting ready for bed and their formidable mental powers were reduced. “We’re doing it just before closing.”
“Right.” I turned when I heard the door in Wizards open. “I’ve got to catch up with Flea about something.”
I walked over, forcing my breath to steady. He was carrying a box in one arm, his keys and his journal in the other. That may be what prevented him from seeing me until he dumped them on the front desk. “Oh, hey Tess. Did you want some more Tattoo Goo on your new piece? I can put another bandage on it so it doesn’t seep through and onto your sleeve.”
He sounded friendly and professional and helpful, just like I imagined he was with his clients. Of course, he does, I think darkly. The only person who thought the night before was important is you.
His raised heartbeat and perspiration rate suggests otherwise, M said, padding into the room.
He’s probably hot and bothered lugging those boxes in.
The increased blood flow to his groin says—
Just stop. How the hell can you sense that? Actually, let’s put that aside for later.
“Hey boy,” Flea said, dropping down to scratch at his tummy.
A diversionary tactic, the dog said. He’s stalling.
“Look…” What? What do I want to say? Look, I’m not fucking Merlin, though I had wanted to? I’m sorry I’ve been ignoring you, for not knowing how to process what happened? “…can we talk?”
He stood, eyes on the bench, his box, his keys. “Um, I’ve got Sable coming in early, to do some more of the colour work.”
“Good morning, Tess,” Merlin popped into the shop with a cat-like smile on his face. “Hello, Dragon and…” he peered at Flea closely. “I want to say something insectile. Cockroach, Bed Bug, no, that’s not it. Fly! That’s it, isn’t it?”