At the words, his shoulders seemed to ease down from where they had been clenched to his neck. “Okay.”
“Yes?” I asked, grabbing the jar he was extending to me.
He nodded, fishing out his wallet from his back pocket. “Are you going to help me do it?”
Softly, with care toward his hesitance, I tipped my chin, moving him over to the space of the two tables I’d left empty.
“Now, you are going to be the one who seals it,” I directed as I moved him over with me. He followed with wide eyes as I continued to explain each movement. “We are going to be using orange wax for this.”
“Why?”
He had all the good questions, and I beamed up at my first customer. Besides Ryan anyway. “The orange wax is for creativity, inspiration, attention, good luck, and a bit of positivity. Here you go. You take the candle. I’ll light the wax. Be careful you don’t get any on you, but this is the important moment. Think of what you hope to get out of this spell, what you want motivation for, or whatever it is you most need as the wax drips as the jar seals shut.”
A small crowd surrounded the two of us as I flicked the flame over the candle, waiting for it to start to melt. It might not have been very ornate, but my tiny lighter got the job done.
“Whoa.”
“I definitely need one of those,” another joked, stepping up to the table next.
“This is so neat,” a few more murmured as the wax locked in his intentions—from joy to creativity to a much more traditional protection—in thick globs
Lifting the candle, with a single breath, I blew out the flame.
More students began to line up for their turn, grabbing their own jars to purchase.
“This will work?” one girl asked, raising a thick blonde eyebrow at me after it was all said and done.
“Should,” I agreed with a slight shrug of a shoulder.
Somehow, that seemed to set her at ease. “Thanks.”
“Anytime,” I said with a small smile, touched by the sudden sincerity as each new patron turned away.
Anytime, I supposed, if I ever got to make premade spells for sale again. It felt good.
Spell kits and sachets and interactive charms, soaps, and even baked goods—which Celeste had dropped off after Gertie let the rest of the coven know what I was doing—were picked through.
“Anything for acne?” one more asked.
“How about sleep?” another added.
I smiled, reaching over toward the soap and a tea combination, handing them to each of the interested customers. “I got you covered.”
Girls I had never met before smiled at me with bright, interested eyes.
“I love your necklace,” one complimented.
I glanced down at the crystal hanging at my chest.
“It’s labradorite,” Ryan chimed in next to me, sticking another few dollars into the collection pouch.
I scrunched my nose at him, and he snorted at my tease before I turned back to the girl. I hadn’t ever seen her before. Still, I pointed up to her fluffy brown hair. “I really like your pins.”
“Thanks.” She beamed. Her light eyes remained soft, cautious. “It’s vintage.”
Vadika waved as she jogged past toward the science building. She lifted her hand in a thumbs-up.
I smiled. I’d kind of hoped that she would stop. I knew she was busy with the big project she’d been working on. Half of everything we had made over the weekend was gone anyway.
