I released a smile. He always built me up too high, and this was no exception, but right now I needed it.
“Thanks, Mr. Tom,” I said, stepping away from the chair.
“There is nothing to thank me for. Now, go down and help Sebastian before he pops a blood vessel. He is very worked up about something.”
I took the secret hallways to the heart of the house, Sebastian’s voice floating out to me as I approached the cavern holding the crystals. “I don’t have enough power for this spell. Ain’t that a bitch? When was the last time that happened? A long while, I can tell you.”
I stepped into the room. Sebastian was bent over the bookstand holding the second magical spell book, facing the pulsing crystals in the center of the rough-hewn rock and stone room. No one else stood with him.
“Who were you talking to?” I stepped around a robust camping stove set up to the right, army green and with a large cast-iron pot sitting on the burner.
Sebastian glanced back before returning to the book, his hands braced on his hips. “Ivy House. It’s much more rewarding than talking to a plant because I know Ivy House can actually hear me.”
“Can’t answer you, though.”
“Neither can a plant.”
I stopped beside him. “This is true. Edgar let you look through the book?”
Edgar usually kept it in a hiding place in his cottage for safekeeping.
“No. Ivy House arranged it. I assume so, at any rate, because it was waiting for me on the stand this morning. If Edgar had wanted to show me something, he would have watched me the whole time to make sure I didn’t write anything down. He’s been suspicious of me ever since I leaned over his shoulder and commented on how useful one of the spells would be in my new life. It was the spell that turns people mute. Obviously, he didn’t get the joke.”
I laughed. “And after you guys got so chummy over the new growth elixir.”
“I feel bad about that.” He wiped his eyes. “I was just trying to correct the one he had. I didn’t think it through. The original serum worked just badly enough not to totally count as cheating. This one… He’ll inevitably win more gardening competitions, and I’ll be an accomplice. Soil will be on my hands.”
I laughed again. Sebastian was not usually this light and humorous. I wondered if it was his way of releasing his nerves about the week to come.
“It was always cheating,” I said, patting him on the back. He tensed but then relaxed into the touch. “Think of it this way: you’ll make the flowers taste better for the basajaun. Can’t hurt having that kind of friend.”
“That is true.” He checked his watch. “I can only assume that we’ll hear screeches come training time, and Edgar will run out yelling that I’ve stolen this book.”
“Probably.”
“The book was open to this page when I came in.” He pointed down at a spell, the title not in English and therefore incomprehensible to me. “An invisibility spell. I’ve done some similar things, as you know, but nothing this powerful. This spell calls up ancient magic, I’ll bet you anything. It’s a doozy. Why teach you mine when we can learn this one, am I right?”
“Isn’t that the kind of magic I have, ancient? Passed down through the years, stored within this house for safekeeping?”
He twisted to smile at me. “Yes. Your magic is stolen out of time. All magic stems from the same place, the same time, but yours is closer to the root. You could make this potion, but I’m certain I can’t. For once, I am not the most powerful mage in the room. It’s strangely…refreshing. Like the pressure has been taken off.”
Sebastian’s ego was as tame as Austin’s—he cared more about getting the job done than letting everyone know he’d done the legwork.
A rush of urgency rolled through me. I wanted time to speed up so I could see Austin sooner. He’d been too busy to stay over the night before, but he’d called before bed to say goodnight. We ended up chatting for an hour while he ate and then got ready to supervise various challenges for pack placement and hierarchy. Sleeping on my own was great, but sleeping in the same bed with him was infinitely better. His warm body curled around mine, his sweet breath dusting my face, his heart beating inside of my chest…
“Let me know when you’re done,” Sebastian said, tracing a line in the book with his finger.
“What?” I glanced around. “Me? Done with what?”
He glanced at me, pale eyes assessing. “You’re back. Great. I never know how long you’ll spend thinking about him. It’s fun to fall in love. I try not to interrupt.”
My face flamed and I didn’t know what to say.