Witch In Charge - Celia Kyle Page 0,38
party.”
“Definitely.” Tiffany leaned forward to take a closer look and, just as her face drew level with the others, she let out a massive sneeze that made the other two back up fast.
Tiny pink butterflies shot out of her nose and flapped around them, dipping and gently alighting on her hair or clothing. Tiffany’s punk goth outfit was quickly covered in neon pink critters, their little wings making a strange ripple effect as they fanned them.
“I really hate this.” Tiffany looked at herself and sighed, trying to brush off the butterflies.
Aurora giggled as she sat down again, reaching for her iced tea. “You’re just such a fount of wonder, Tiffany. Spreading that happiness magic.”
“Will you shut up already.” Tiffany glowered. “If I hadn’t figured out how to reabsorb the magic, we would be buried by the damn things already. You kept bringing them back when they died.”
Aurora shrugged, sipping her tea. “I’m a strange and powerful being.”
Tiffany snorted her amusement at that, returning to her spot even though she was covered in candy-colored butterflies that refused to let go of her.
“So Kelly…” Tiffany started, coyly. “Are you inviting him?”
“Who?” Kelly answered absently.
She was looking toward the front porch. It was out of view this far behind the house, but she kept her eyes locked in that direction as if she expected ‘him’ to appear at the edge of the building and come running toward her with his arms open wide.
“Ronun,” Aurora answered.
“What about Ronun?” She spun around as if she had been stung. “Wait, what are we talking about?”
Tiffany and Aurora shared a knowing smirk.
“Are you inviting him?” Tiffany asked again.
“Ronun?”
“Yes, Kelly.” Aurora sighed. “Are you inviting Ronun?”
“Of course.”
Kelly turned back around, watching the front of the house where that handsome creature was stuck, literally, in stone. She could put him out of her mind, but not for long. Her thoughts returned to him like the tide did to the shore every night.
“Of course, I’ll invite him,” she murmured. “We’re…friends.”
Even though she heard the laughter of the others, she didn’t pay them any attention. It didn’t take much for her mind to open up a great dark well of obsession where Ronun’s gorgeous eyes waited to devour her. She couldn’t stop thinking about his curse and how to free him from it.
Even though it was obvious to her what was happening, Kelly was a master of self-denial. She’d keep saying they were ‘just friends’ for as long as she had to.
Kelly had never really cared about a guy before, and she wasn’t going to let on how much she cared for this one. Not until he had shown interest in her. It was Kelly’s first time out on a limb, and she didn’t like it. She was up too high and the branch was too fragile. If she gave too much of herself, she could get really, properly hurt.
Fifteen
It was the middle of the night but for Kelly, and a surprisingly large bunch of other employees at the Judiciary, it was also lunch time. The low rumble of voices was a familiar accompaniment, even if it wasn’t anywhere as loud as it was during the day. The noise was comforting, familiar. It made her realize how much she actually enjoyed being there.
She was nibbling unenthusiastically on a tasteless turkey sandwich that had looked good behind the counter but, upon closer inspection, appeared to have been made at some point in the Stone Age and poorly preserved with yellowed plastic wrap. It wasn’t like there had been a lot of choice—who the hell eats salamander stew anyway?
She sighed and lowered the sandwich to her plate, staring into the distance as she let her thoughts roll by. There was so much going on in her life right now she should have been full of nervous energy. Instead she felt fairly reserved, not outgoing like her usual self. It was an unusual state of being for her, but she'd been examining herself quite critically lately and had discovered she was enjoying the changes she’d been going through.
There would still be parties in her life, that was not negotiable. There would still be fun and, clearly, late nights. She just had to learn to accept those late nights would be at work instead of at a bar, build value in herself instead of seeking it in random people who didn’t give a shit about her, and most of all, focus her attention where it could do the most good.
Her thoughts strayed to the big