ThatI didn’t like.
My hand shot up to stop him from getting closer, and he paused. His stormy eyes stared into mine, clearly wanting to know all my secrets. He’d be disappointed if he thought a challenge laid behind my green eyes.
“I’m trying to figure out who I am and what I want for my life right now. Of course, I’m attracted to you. Hell, I’m sure many people in the world are attracted to you. But I just want to focus on my life right now.”
“What about being friends?” he asked quickly, like he needed to know there was more to us than being classmates. Magic swirled around us like a warm breeze then vanished.
Could I be friends with Rylan?
I shrugged. “As long as you quit with the flirty vibes, we can aim for friends.”
Rylan laughed and shook his head, retreating a step. “Flirty vibes are my nature. No promises there. But I will stop trying to kiss you.”
He’d wanted tokiss me.
He’d said those words, and now all I wanted was his mouth on mine.
Dammit.
“Alright, McKenzie, we can be friends.”
I walked away as I spoke because the thought of us lip-locked was almost enough to make me say, “screw it,” and pull him into a tent to give those lips a test run.
Chapter Thirteen
Congratulations on finding your new magical familiar
By far, the largest tent at the fair belonged to the familiar vendor. Sure, people were lined up to get a wand, or stationary, or the perfect cauldron. But none had the crowd lined up to snuggle creatures.
I assumed the tent would be open with fences to separate the larger animals, but it wasn’t. Perhaps I’d gotten this whole situation wrong.
Staff with purple lanyards stood by a set of brown-skinned triplets with gold eyes chatting with students entering the tent.
“You’ve got a thirst for knowledge. Perhaps an owl for you.” One of the triplets slid to my side. Wait…not triplets.
“How?”
His golden eyes glanced at the others then back to me. He lifted a pointer finger and swirled it around. “It’s a duplication spell. There’s only one of us and many of you. Now I can be everywhere to assist my perfect customers.” He waggled his eyebrows and his closeness had me taking a step back. “I’m Tarrin Number Six, and I’m happy to help with your familiar needs. We have many creatures—all very spoiled—ready to beyour guide in the ways of magic.” Tarrin waved at the tent and gestured for me to step forward.
As a staff member opened the flaps of the tent, scents of hay and dirt and roses slammed into my senses. I was also curious if any of the animals could speak. So far, the only creature I’d officially heard was the mouse back home, but there were reports all over.
“I’m not sure what I’m looking for,” I said. I didn’t know what to expect inside the crowded tent, but it definitely wasn’t this. “Umm, maybe one will call to me?”
Tarrin flashed me a knowing grin. “The right one will. Just like with the wrong ones, you’ll feel no connection with them. If there’s a match, you’ll know it.”
Golden canvas walls rose high like the circus big tops. Animals of all sizes scooted around in pens, cages, and tanks. Birds flew above, some swooping down to land on a student’s head. Roars, snorts, and chirps called me into the surprisingly uncrowded space despite the amount of people. I listened for small voices, but words spoken so far that I could hear were of the human variety.
“Let’s get you sorted, shall we?” Tarrin politely placed a hand outward, and I think I was supposed to place mine on his like some old medieval stroll about, so I took his.
I watched animals get chosen as we walked toward a donut-shaped table in the middle of the tent. Tarrin guided me to an empty space then dropped our hands.
“Tell me about yourself,” he said, and I had to think about his question.
“My name is Temperance. I—”
“Oh, I love the name. Very powerful. And all about balance. Continue,” Tarrin gushed, and I wondered if all the Tarrins were like Tarrin Number Six.
“I’m a mom, and I worked at as a bank teller for ten years. Carrot cake is my weakness, and umm...” I tried thinking of more things and came up short. Tarrin must have caught on to my struggle and lifted a finger. Perhaps Nathurians were a naturally animated group of people. The professors used their hands to talk a lot, and so did these vendors.
