Page 108 of My Pleasure

“Anywho. Did you go on a shopping spree after you got your money?” Meryn asked.

“No way. We were raised lower- middle class. I feel like buying name brand deli meat is a splurge,” Kiera admitted.

“Same,” both Meryn and Anne added.

Meryn twirled her straw. “It’s so weird. I used to keep everything I wanted in my Amazon cart, like I was window shopping, but now that I can actually get everything, it’s not as much fun anymore.”

Kiera thought of her own ‘Saved for Later’ list she had. “Maybe I could get a couple things.”

“I’ll send you the link to the pepper gel my friend Zadie recommended,” Meryn offered.

“Thanks.”

In front of them, the guys were all pointing in different directions.

“Meryn, when should me and Neil go over there?” Nigel asked, watching the men begin arguing again.

“When someone draws blood,” Meryn said, flippantly.

“Got it.”

Kendrick set his juice down and stood. “Ready to start some tests?”

Kiera looked up in surprise. “Now?”

“Why not?”

“Can I watch?” Meryn asked.

Kendrick looked down at her. “I don’t think you have a choice.”

Meryn smirked, then her face fell. “Hey!”

Kiera was about to say something when Zev swung his shovel at Aedan. Nigel and Neil stood. “That’s our cue.” They hurried over and began easily turning over the earth using their magic, to mark plot boundaries. The men looked disgusted with themselves for forgetting about the earth witches. Caiden looked back and saw Kendrick smiling at him. Kendrick could have helped at any point if they had asked. Caiden shook his head ruefully and went back to marking the ground.

Kiera stood. “I’m ready.”

“Excellent. Now, we know you can sense other’s magic. I’d like to test if you can manipulate other’s magic.”

“What do I do?”

“I will summon fire magic to my hand. I want you to imagine pulling it towards yourself,” Kendrick explained.

When his hand began to glow red, she closed her eyes and began to feel around for his magic. It took a second but then that warm feeling in her tummy expanded. She felt Kendrick’s magic in front of her. She imagined gently pulling the red strings to her hand. When heat began to form in her palm, she opened her eyes, a flame danced between her fingers.

“Shit,” Kendrick whispered.

“Shit,” Kiera echoed.

“Holy shit!” Meryn crowed. “That’s so cool!”

Kendrick turned. “Caiden, come here!”

The guys jogged over and they saw Kiera standing there holding an open flame.

Caiden smiled. “So, she’s a fire witch?”

Kendrick shook his head slowly. “Summon air to your power hand,” he instructed.