Page 14 of Roaring Spell

“Monitor.”

“Whatever.”

“And I’m not asking you to apologize.” He settles deeper into the too-small chair, looking for all the world like he plans to stay there indefinitely. “I’m not asking you for anything.”

“Then why are you here?”

The question hangs between us. Direct. Demanding an answer that I suspect isn’t going to be simple.

He sips his coffee.

“Because when they talked about you at the meeting, they used words like ‘unstable’ and ‘concerning’ and ‘potential threat.’”

The wind chimes outside go quiet.

The ghost of a smile crosses his face. “Drink your coffee before it gets cold. I’m not going anywhere.”

I should argue. Should tell him to leave again, more emphatically this time. Should create a thunderstorm just to prove I can.

Instead, I drink my coffee.

It’s perfect.

He stays for four hours.

Four hours of sitting in my waiting area, drinking coffee, occasionally scrolling through his phone. He doesn’t demand conversation. Doesn’t hover. Doesn’t watch me with the nervous attention of someone waiting for an explosion.

He’s just... present.

Two clients come in during that time. Two. More than I’ve had all week. A nervous pixie who wants help with her sleep issues, and a werewolf with chronic tension that’s affecting his shifts.

Both of them glance at Torin when they enter. Both of them relax when he nods in greeting—casual, comfortable, like his presence is the most natural thing in the world.

Is he making them more comfortable? Or am I less anxious because he’s here?

I don’t examine the question too closely.

When the werewolf leaves—shoulders looser, tension visibly reduced—Torin finally stands. The chair creaks with relief.

“Same time tomorrow?”

“You’re coming back?”

“Unless you’d prefer I didn’t.”

Yes. No. I don’t know.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Always.” He pulls on his jacket. “But I’ll be in the square tomorrow morning either way. Might as well have coffee.”

He leaves before I can formulate a response. The bell chimes. The door closes. The studio feels emptier than it did before he arrived.

I stare at the chair he occupied. It’s still warm.

What just happened?

The next three days establish a pattern.