Azelon answered. "The place described in the books."
"Oh?" Corin looked at his blue-skinned companion. "So it's not a real place?"
"It's very much a real place," Jamie asserted. "And I'd like to go back there.Withmy store."
"Can't help you there." Corin shrugged. "Why don't you stay a little while? Your store seems very happy to see you, at least. Since you walked in, this place has been practically purring." It was true too. The lights had brightened and the air in the room had warmed to a more comfortable temperature.
Was Jamie the cause of this?
The human stared at Corin for a long moment with those sharp, pretty eyes of his, then looked around more carefully. His expression shifted from skepticism to dawning wonder.
"The coffee machine," he muttered, catching sight of a gadget behind the counter which had begun working despite no one touching it.
"I sensed no magic here before you arrived," Azelon said. "You woke it up."
Jamie shook his head. "This store was never magical."
"Well, it is now." Corin watched the machine pour coffee into a cup. "It's welcoming you."
The building gave a subtle creak of agreement.
Jamie blinked, then he seemed to get a grip on himself. "Magical or not, this is my property."
"We're not disputing that," Corin assured him. "We were just seeking shelter, honest. The wilderness around here is no joke."
Jamie studied them both, gaze lingering on Azelon's blue skin, his long tail and glowing markings, then he met Corin's amber eyes, fair skin and pointy ears.
"I assume you two are not human?"
"Azelon there is specifically Tideborn," Corin supplied. "That's why he's all..." He wiggled his fingers to indicate Azelon's bioluminescence. "Glowy."
"And you?" Jamie asked, turning to Corin.
Corin grinned. "Just your garden-variety chaos fae with an inconvenient talent for projecting emotions."
"Projecting...?"
"He means his emotions affect his surroundings," Azelon explained. "And potentially yours, if you're not careful."
Jamie processed this information with remarkable composure. Then, to Corin's surprise, he walked past both of them and headed toward the counter.
"I need coffee for this conversation," Jamie announced.
Despite everything, he moved with the confidence of someone in their own domain.
Corin followed, intrigued by this human who commanded both his bookstore and the situation with such quiet authority. He glanced back at Azelon, who remained watchful, his expression guarded but eyes tracking Jamie's every move.
"So," Jamie said, picking up the mug the store had prepared for him. "You two were just squatting in my shop."
"We've been quite respectful guests," Corin insisted.
Jamie raised an eyebrow, looking pointedly at the disarrayed reading nook where Corin had been dramatically lounging.
"Right," Jamie said. "And you don't know anything about Barrier Keepers or where my friends might be?"
Azelon spoke up. "You met a Barrier Keeper?"
"One brought me here," Jamie explained.
