Page 24 of Impawssible Magic

“What is it?”

“Starlight Special. Completely safe. Mostly. Like, ninety percent safe.”

“What does the other ten percent do?”

“Makes your magic a bit sparkly for an hour or so. Nothing permanent.” Zeph drops into the remaining chair and props her feet on the table. “So. Crystal witch. Tell me everything. Where’d you come from? What’s your specialty? And most importantly—” She leans forward, eyes gleaming. “What do you think of your assigned shadow?”

“My—” I blink. “Aslan?”

“Murder cat.” Zeph cackles at my expression. “That’s what we call him. Affectionately. Mostly. He’s been circling your shop every night like you’re about to disappear and he won’t allow it. Half the town is taking bets on when he finally does something about it.”

Heat rises in my face. “About what?”

“Zeph.” Anouk’s voice carries a warning. “Perhaps we could let Leire settle in before you interrogate her about her love life?”

“What love life? I don’t have a love life. There’s no life. Of any kind. Romantic or otherwise.” I grab the Starlight Special and take a large gulp.

It tastes like honey and moonlight and a slight electrical tingle that makes my fingertips spark.

Okay. That’s new.

“Slow down.” Sakura reaches over to steady my glass. “I made the chugging mistake my first night. Ended up accidentally summoning a localized weather system in Zeph’s storage room.”

“She really did.” Zeph doesn’t sound remotely bothered. “There’s still a small cloud in there. I’ve named him Gerry. He’s shy.”

“You named... your cloud?”

“Gerald has feelings too.” Zeph crosses her arms. “Don’t cloud-shame in my establishment.”

Anouk’s lips lift into the start of a smile. I didn’t think her face did that.

“So.” Sakura turns to me, her earlier anxiety settling into genuine warmth. “How has it been? With the whole...” She gestures vaguely. “Situation?”

The situation. The crystal rearrangement. The dead bird. The symbol I still can’t identify and the woman who knew too much about my past.

“Eventful.” I take another, slower sip. “Someone broke into my shop without triggering my wards. Left a threat that suggests they know things they shouldn’t. And now I have a tiger shifter stalking my every move, which is either comforting or deeply annoying, depending on the hour.”

“Mine brings muffins.” Sakura’s voice is wistful. “The bear. Torin. He showed up at my studio with blueberry muffins and a very sincere expression. It was terrifying.”

“Wait.” I set down my drink. “You have a shifter following you too?”

“Apparently I’m a ‘magical disturbance.’” She makes air quotes. “Which, fair. I did make it rain inside my landlord’s building. Twice. And there was an incident with a ceiling fan that I’d rather not discuss.”

“The ceiling fan thing was hilarious.” Zeph is grinning again. “The maintenance guy still won’t come into her studio. He just leaves tools on the doorstep and runs.”

“It’s not funny.” But Sakura is smiling, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. “Okay, it’s a little funny. But also mortifying. And Torin just... he doesn’t seem scared. He brought me muffins and told me he’d weathered worse.”

“He’s a bear.” Anouk’s voice carries the patience of someone who’s explained this many times. “Bears weather everything.”

“Still.” Sakura fidgets with her glass. “It’s strange. Having someone watch you all the time. Even if they’re trying to help.”

I know exactly what she means. The feeling of attention pressing against your skin. The awareness of another presence, always there, always observing. The way it makes you feel simultaneously safer and more exposed.

“Mine skipped the muffins. Showed up with scones from Grandmother Peach, allegedly.”

“Allegedly?” Anouk raises an eyebrow.

“She knew I wasn’t eating enough. Which is unsettling, because I’ve barely interacted with her.” I pause. “Everything about Grandmother Peach is unsettling. She gave me a charm I still can’t figure out and smiled at me like she knew secrets I don’t have clearance for.”