"I'm so sorry," I said to Brad. "I hope there's no damage."
"No worries." He gently touched my hand. "Do you want me to carry him and the stroller downstairs for you?"
“If you don’t mind? At least the rain has stopped," I said. "It's so hard to be trapped inside with bad weather."
"It’s the worst," he admitted. "Going on long hikes is one of my favorite things to do."
I didn't know what else to say, so I said nothing.
With one swift movement, Brad lifted the stroller with Cosmo and transported it down for Cosmo and I to head out.
"What was all that about?" I asked the cat once we were safely back home and in private.
"Did you notice anything?" Cosmo asked.
"Yeah. At first, I thought this guy was absolutely on the level. But he could just be a very slick operator."
"He's not a witch, if that's what you're wondering."
"Are you sure?" I asked Cosmo.
"Oh, definitely. For his job, he needs to open all kinds of energy channels. There's no way a human could cloak his abilities like that, when he’s practicing reiki. There are a few telltale signs."
"You said that before, but you didn’t really explain."
He groomed his sleek head. "You told me after the open mic night that you might have spotted other gifted humans."
"Right. I’d almost forgotten.” I gazed into his green eyes. “Is Reina a witch?"
"What makes you think so?"
"Her voice—the way she could always sing a crying baby to sleep. You also said we can't use our gifts for personal gain. Whenever there was a talent scout who invited Reina to a recording session, she never got a contract. It happened again and again, yet I swear I've seen people on Broadway who couldn’t hold a candle to her."
"She’s not a witch. But she is gifted." Cosmo smoothed the fur on his paws.
"Then what is she?"
"Ever heard of a siren?"
"Like the mythical creatures who lured sailors onto the shores and shipwrecked them?"
"They got a bad rap. But she has indeed siren blood in her veins. Her magic only affects you when you hear her in person, not on a recording, which is all for the good. Can you imagine otherwise whatshe or others could do, if you could be enchanted just by streaming her music or hearing her on the radio?"
"Poor Reina. She’s been heartbroken so many times, always thinking the next recording session would lead to a contract with a label."
"I told you, certain things come at a cost."
“At least she’s found her true love.” I remembered another question that had been on my mind. "Was it my fault that your stroller fell over, or did you topple it?"
"What else was I supposed to do?" Cosmo asked. "You weren’t looking properly."
"Oh yeah?" I crossed my arms. "I found an important clue in the bathroom.
“I found another one outside of it—one you wouldn’t have noticed."
"I don’t know about cats," I continued, "but among humans, liking nature hikes is considered normal. Especially when you live in a place like Oregon."
"But it is not normal," Cosmo said, "to leave muddy hiking boots upstairs when he’s got a perfectly good, functional shoe rack downstairs in the practice. One where he wouldn’t drag in all that mud. Haven’t you noticed how spotless and tidy the rest of the place was?"
