He opened his mouth to interrupt, but I held up my hand. I wasn’t done yet.

  “Healing people will hurt you—we’ve pretty much proven that by now.”

  “So… what—I’m just supposed to stand by and do nothing when I can help someone who needs it?”

  It was only through respect for Imani’s careful work that I managed not to grab great big chunks of hair at the side of my head and tear it out by the roots. There were so many ugly emotions roiling around in my stomach that I was almost afraid to open my mouth, because I didn’t know what might come spilling out.

  The power in my center flared and coiled like some kind of deep-sea creature. It slid through my veins, thick and heavy and completely unfamiliar. I hauled it back, stuffed it down and stomped on it as I fought to get control over myself. I didn’t understand this new power that flared up with my darker emotions, and I sure as heck wasn’t going to unleash it.

  I took a deep breath. And then another, trying to force my racing heart to calm down as I tried to put myself in my son’s shoes.

  On one hand, I got it. I was a healer myself, after all. My potions weren’t the same as Finn’s magic, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t in the business of healing people. Bandages that eased pain and encouraged wounds to close, creams that eased aches and pains and stiff joints, tonics that helped with minor blood loss, I made them all.

  But on the other hand, Finn was my son, and I couldn’t bear to watch him grind himself down to a shadow trying to help other people.

  I clenched my hands on the counter, hoping that the physical reminder would help me hold my temper in check. “If you can help, then yes, you’re right, you should,” I agreed. “But not at the expense of your own health. One of these days, Finn, you’ll take on too much and neither one of us knows what that will mean for you. I don’t even think Andre fully understands it.”

  He looked away. “I can handle it. I’m fine.”

  My nails left pale scrapes in the wood of the counter. “You passed out at school! That isn’t okay, Finn!”

  He glared at me, the skin on his face pulling tight, and I got a glimpse of what he might look like at sixteen, at twenty. But right then, he was thirteen, and my son, and I wanted to hold him so badly. The unhappiness that radiated off him, the sullen frustration, I hated to see it. But on this subject, I wouldn’t budge.

  “I know what I’m doing, Mom.”

  My temper slipped its leash. “Do you? The way you knew what you were doing when you went dream walking to learn magic from Ouire behind my back?”

  Surprise flashed over his face before he closed down hard like a book snapping shut. “It’s fine.”

  “How is that fine?”

  He shrugged. “Because I’m sticking to the small tricks, mostly.”

  “And how do you even know what’s considered a small or big trick?”

  He shrugged again. “Because Ouire won’t let me do lessons he thinks I’m not ready for. When he thinks something is too much for me, the pages just won’t open in my dream, I can’t even look at them, let alone read them.”

  My heart pounded in my chest, and my hands trembled at my side. “A sentient book and your mother have very different ideas about what you’re ready for.”

  “I knew you’d react like this,” he burst out, lunging to his feet and then wobbling slightly until I reached over and grabbed his arm to keep him upright. He immediately pulled away from me and sunk back down into the chair again. “This is why I didn’t talk to you about it. You don’t listen, and you don’t think I can do anything! You still treat me like I’m a little kid.”

  He stood up then, took a deep breath and then storm-wobbled his way towards the shop door and stiff armed it open, making the bells above it clang with an ugly, discordant sound.

  I took a couple fast steps after him. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to Sweeter Haunts,” he snapped without turning around. “I’m going to use my allowance to get something to drink. Unless you think that’s too dangerous for me to handle, too.” He didn’t wait for me to respond but walked out and the chime of the bell above the door suddenly sounded much more hollow than it ever had before.

  Chapter Ten

  The urge to call Finn back, to make him stay, was like a surging tide in my chest, but I didn’t.

  If he stayed, we’d only keep arguing. We were both too keyed up, and the truth of the matter was that some space would help calm things down. Besides, some things I really did need to let Finn deal with on his own. Going up the block to get a soda wasn’t something I needed to supervise.

  I knew that. But I kept seeing Finn in the Jeep, so pale and listless, barely awake and slumped against the door. He looked too fragile. Drained.

  I set my elbows on the counter and buried my face in my hands. I knew chasing after him would be the wrong move. It wouldn’t help, and it would just infuriate Finn. But still, the fear wouldn’t let go. It didn’t help that the last time faeries had started causing problems in Haven Hollow, Finn had ended up kidnapped and enchanted in a ring of toadstools. The hours between realizing he was missing, snatched from his school, and finding him again had been the most terrible of my life. Not knowing if he was okay, if I was going to find him... Even the memory of it was enough to bring a cold wash of sweat to my skin.

  After a few minutes of practicing my deep breathing and talking the worry down, I slipped my phone out of my pocket and shot a text to Marty.

  Hey, are you free?

  A few seconds later, I got a response.

  Sure. What’s up?

  I took a deep breath. I wasn’t sure this was the right move, but the fear was clawing at the inside of my ribs like Wanda’s cantankerous familiar, Hellcat.

  Is there any way you could ‘happen’ to end up at Sweeter Haunts in the next ten minutes?

  Sure, was the reply I got. What for?

  I took another deep breath.

  Finn and I had a fight. I need someone to keep an eye on him for me because he’s a little under the weather.

  Okay, was all that Marty said, but a second later it was followed with a heart emoji.

  It made me feel a bit better, knowing I had Marty to rely on. He really was the best boyfriend and a fantastic friend and an incredible person. And Finn adored him just as much as I did. Right now, Marty was the best person to comfort Finn, I thought, and I was beyond grateful to know he’d drop whatever he was doing to do just that.

  But somehow, even knowing Marty would be keeping an eye on Finn, the unease just wouldn’t go away.

  ***

  I was just packing up to get ready to head home for the night when my phone rang. I was half expecting it to be Marty checking in. After ‘bumping into’ Finn at Sweeter Haunts, he’d taken Finn back to my house for the two of them to play some video games and hang out, and Marty had been periodically sending me update texts while I finished my day at work. Those texts were the only things that allowed me to finish work for the day, otherwise I would’ve been too frazzled to stay put.

  To my surprise, the call display came back with Andre’s name.

  I hadn’t expected to hear back from him so soon, figuring that he’d need some space to make such a large life decision. Like, a couple weeks, at the very least. But then I remembered that Ouire was still with us and maybe Andre just wanted or needed to get his book back.

  I slid my thumb across the screen to answer, and lifted the cellphone to my ear. “Andre, hi.”

  “Hello, Poppy… how are you?”

  “I’m… um, I’m fine, thanks,” I lied. “How are you?”

  “Well,” he started and paused. “I’ve actually been doing a lot of thinking and a lot of consulting with the stars.”

  “That sounds very… cosmic,” I answered, not really sure what to say. It also didn’t help things that my heart was riding up into my throat and pounding so hard, I felt faint. God, what was it about this man that just made my entire body go into overdrive? Whatever it was, it was starting to wear on me.

  “Cosmic,” he laughed. “Yes, I suppose it does.” His smooth accent sent a little shiver down my spine, and I really, really hoped it wasn’t obvious in my voice when I replied.

  “How has that been going? I mean… the cosmic thinking part.”

  Andre huffed out another little laugh. “Good. Very good.”

  “Oh,” I answered, pausing as Andre also paused and the silence became almost overwhelming. “That’s good.”

  “Yes, it’s good.” Pause. “I believe… well, I believe I’ve figured out my path forward.”

  “Okay.”

  More silence. My hand tightened on the phone hard enough that the case creaked. I fought to keep my voice pleasantly neutral when I asked, “And what did you decide?”

  “After everything that’s happened, with the Magicless, and Finn’s unbelievable progress, and Ouire teaching him in dreamscape, I believe…” He took a deep breath.

  “Yes?”

  “Well, that is to say… I believe it is my path to…” He cleared his throat and I couldn’t understand why it seemed so hard for him to get the words out. Almost as hard for him as it was for me to patiently await them.

  “Andre? Are you still there?”

  “Yes,” he chuckled. “I don’t know why I’m having so much trouble with this conversation,” he continued and I suddenly deflated, taking his words to mean that he didn’t want to disappoint me.

  “Sometimes it’s best just to force the words out,” I answered.

  “Yes, very well stated.” Another deep breath. “I believe I’m meant to take your son under my wing, so to speak.” Then he hesitated. “If you’d still approve of me as a teacher for him, that is.”

  If I approved of him as Finn’s teacher?

  “Yes!” I nearly squealed. “Yes, of course I do!” A grin stretched across my face, so wide it actually hurt my cheeks a little. And then my mouth opened and words just started spilling out. “You actually have no idea what a relief it is to hear you say that! Having you helping him and watching over him—helping him along… it’s like the answer to my prayers!” He chuckled at that, but I kept going. It was almost like the words wouldn’t stop. “Someone who knows what he’s doing—an experienced Magician, no less! No, this truly is such a gift to Finn and to me! I can’t thank you enough, Andre.”

  “I am pleased to know you’re pleased,” Andre said, his voice warm, even over the line. “Now, the thing is… in order to take Finn on as a student and to mentor and teach him, I would need to settle in Haven Hollow.”

  Right. There was that part—something I’d assumed would be the case. “I can put you in touch with Fifi from Hallowed Homes Realty—she’s very good.”

  “Yes,” he answered. “I’ve actually already met Fifi.”

  “Oh, you have?”

  “Yes,” he said again. “I stopped by her office on the evening I left for Portland, actually.” Maybe it would have seemed strange for a realty office to be open late at night but in Haven Hollow, everything seemed turned upside down, owing to all our monster residents.

  “Okay, that’s great then.”

  “Yes… I don’t imagine I will have a difficult time finding a place to live that’s… nearby.”

  I swallowed hard at that, though I wasn’t sure why.

  “That sounds wonderful,” And it did, even if I wasn’t going to examine all the reasons why I was so happy with the idea of Andre moving to Haven Hollow. Instead, I thought about my son and everything that had happened this morning. “I, um, I really hope you can help Finn.”

  “You sound… worried? Did something happen?”

  “This morning,” I answered. “He had to come home from school early because he was completely drained and the teacher assumed he was sick.”

  “Drained? What do you mean?” Andre asked, suddenly serious.

  I leaned back against the counter, my free arm wrapped around my stomach. “From what I understood, he’s been trying to help a friend of his at school. Apparently, she suffers from chronic pain, and he’s been healing her every day at school. But he actually collapsed earlier, and got sent home.”

  Andre sighed. “He needs to learn how to pace himself, especially while his abilities are still developing. It can be a difficult thing to gauge—one’s own levels. You suddenly have this power, you learn these tricks, and you think you can run out and save the world.” There was a rustle down the line, like Andre had shifted position. “But, don’t worry, Poppy. Finn will find his balance. And I’ll be sure to talk to him about his limits and how to know when he’s too close to them.”

  “Thank you.” It was all I could say over the sudden lump in my throat.

  “Listen,” Andre’s voice cut into my worry spiral. “I’d love to… see you to discuss all of this in person and… well, I was also wondering if you might be able to help me with something?”

  “Help you?” I straightened up. Andre had already done so much for Finn and for me, it would be something of a relief to be able to reciprocate. “Of course. I’d love to help you however I can.”

  If Andre was really willing to uproot his entire life by moving to Haven Hollow in order to mentor or tutor Finn, there wasn’t much I wouldn’t be willing to help him with.

  “That was actually the reason I called.”

  “Oh.”

  “Fifi just phoned me earlier to say she set up an appointment to tour a house, and I was wondering if you might be willing to come along with me? I’m not quite good with this sort of thing,” he added on a laugh. “This will actually mark the first time I’ve stayed put in one place for more than a month.”

  “Oh, wow.”

  I wasn’t sure why, but that information made my heart drop just a little bit.

  “The house is actually just up the road from yours so it isn’t far and I hope it won’t be putting you out to go with me?”

  “No, it won’t at all.”

  “If you’re busy—”

  “I can make time,” I interrupted and thought to myself that I’d just have to leave a sign on the door of my shop saying I’d be back later—well, if he’d gotten an appointment today, anyway.

  “Very good,” he said and I could hear the smile in his voice. “I was hoping you wouldn’t mind tagging along, just in case you sensed any ghosts or anything I should know about the place.”

  I blinked, puzzled. “Most supernaturals can sense the presence of ghosts.” Even I could, and I was basically a human with magic. So, I was surprised that it appeared Andre couldn’t, when he had far more magical mojo than I did.

  “Unfortunately, that was not among the gifts I was given,” he laughed.

  “Well, no problem. I can help there. Are you hoping for something that is or isn’t haunted?” I asked as the thought occurred to me.

  “I don’t mind either way—just as long as I know what I’m dealing with.”

  “Well, if you found yourself with a spirit that was less than kind, there’s always Spook Society or Marty and his ghost hunting buddies.”

  “Ah.” Andre paused. “Marty… isn’t that the name of your boyfriend?”

  “Right.”

  I hadn’t meant for the word to sound so sharp, but there it was. There was quiet for a second or so as I doodled an invisible line on the wood of the counter with my forefinger, feeling the smooth polished grain.

  “Very good,” Andre said at last and his tone was as clipped as mine had been. Strange.

  “Spook Society would be your best bet though,” I spluttered, sounding as nervous as I felt. “I mean—if you ended up with a house that was haunted and, believe it or not, that’s not so uncommon in Haven Hollow. I believe we’ve got more haunted houses than not,” I continued my verbal diarrhea, this time accented with a manic sounding giggle. I cleared my throat and tried to murder the awful sound. “They’ve, uh, got a couple mediums, as well as a bunch of other psychics there. They can do a lot more than just banish a ghost—they can even convince ghosts to cross over willingly, a lot of the time anyway and that’s probably preferable to just kicking a ghost out of it’s home, you know? Not that I’m saying what Marty does is bad or anything…” I forced myself to stop talking because this whole conversation was just getting beyond embarrassing. “Um... do you want their phone number?”

  There was a small pause on the line, and then Andre laughed. It sounded just a touch rueful.

  “Perhaps we should first find out whether the house I purchase is haunted?”

  My stomach did a little flip, fizzy bubbles rushing through my veins. I bit the edge of my thumbnail, worrying the skin with my teeth. “Right. That would be a good place to start.” Then I laughed and couldn’t help the fact that I felt completely stupid.

  “Well, I shall look forward to seeing you again, Poppy,” Andre said. “As friends, of course.”

  “Oh, yes, of course,” I answered quickly, wondering why he’d decided to add that little bit—was he responding to the fact that I had a boyfriend or letting me know how he felt about me? Feeling that uncomfortable sense of unease that always seemed to visit me wherever Andre was concerned, I berated myself inwardly for even wondering.

  We were friends. Andre was going to help me keep my son safe and there was nothing questionable about me helping him find a house—it was all harmless. After all, how many people did he even know in Haven Hollow? There wasn’t really anyone else to help him, aside from Fifi. And it really was such a small thing to do for someone who was literally moving here in order to help me and my son… Furthermore, he knew I had a boyfriend—I knew I had a boyfriend—everyone knew I had a boyfriend so this was purely innocent. For both of us.

  Right.

  “Alright,” I agreed softly. A tiny smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. “What time is the viewing?”

  Chapter Eleven