I tentatively stood from my stool. Redd drifted toward the front door of Fiella’s Finds, quick and silent on his feet.
The sound repeated. Clearer, this time. It was… screaming.
Kizzi screaming.
Immediately, I tossed the wad of yarn and knitting needles aside and rushed to the door, the sound of my best friend’s screams immediately flushing my veins with panic.
Redd yanked the door open and stepped aside to let me out first, and then he followed immediately after. The door slammed shut behind him.
“Kiz!” I shouted. “Kizzi!”
The green haired witch was sprinting down the street, huffing and puffing, holding her skirts scrunched up in both fists. She didn’t even have a cloak over her tunic. Her skin was flushed and her expression was stretched tight. “Fiella!” she screamed. “It’s happening!”
I met her halfway, grasping her shoulders and scanning her quickly, checking for injuries. I glanced behind her to check for a disaster or a pursuer. Everything looked normal. “What happened?”
“It’s happening. It’s happening!” She reached out with trembling hands and grasped my face, squeezing my cheeks before grabbing my hand and tugging.
“What? What’s happening?”
Redd drifted up beside me and crossed his arms over his chest. “Is everything alright?”
“Guys! Listen to me!” Kizzi whipped her head around, frantically scanning the area for other passersby. Nobody was close enough to overhear. “It’s the eggs.”
My eyes snapped to her face and widened. “No fucking way.”
“Yes fucking way!” She tugged on my hand harder. “Let’s go!”
I glanced at Redd to find his expression had slackened. He shrugged. “You heard the witch. Sounds important. Let’s go.”
“Okay. Going. Yes.” I finally allowed Kizzi to drag me toward her apothecary. My short friend wasn’t very strong, but she was determined.
The chill finally permeated my panic and I longed for my cloak. I shivered and tucked my free arm around myself, sidling up closer to Kizzi.
Dragon eggs topped cloaks. Obviously. But it was still fuckingcold.
Redd scurried behind us. “Should I grab Tandor?” he asked hesitantly.
“Tandor! Tandor. Yes. He should see this too. But keep it quiet.”
“Of course,” he agreed. “I know how this has to go.” He turned toward Ginger’s Pub to retrieve Tandor, where he would be serving ales at this time of day.
We shoved through the door of Kizzi’s apothecary.
The sprites were a flurry of movement. It was a shock every time I entered the shop—I didn’t know how Kizzi tolerated it. The sprites were overwhelming. There were tens of them. Maybe hundreds. All flying, chattering, scurrying, making a symphony of noises.
It was miraculous, how different they were now that magic had returned. Before, they were simply wisps. Barely there. Hardly noticeable. Now, they were a force to be reckoned with. A sensory overload.
The shop was thrumming with magic. Different from the way the rest of the realm was reinvigorated. I could feel it with every frantic pump of my heart, every sharp inhale of my breath. It was electric.
It was also a little terrifying.
Kizzi tugged me to the cauldron in the corner, the one her dreadful familiar had destroyed when it came to life. I braced myself to see it.
The slimy thing, Hex, freaked me out. It was fucking weird. Even if it was bound to Kizzi’s soul like the witches said it was… it certainly could have been cuter.
Hex was spread around the bottom of the cauldron, surrounding the three perfect, beautiful, gorgeous dragon eggs. I had the urge to snatch the eggs away, to protect them from Hex’ssliminess, but I knew Hex had grown attached to them. Like a mother hen.
It would have been endearing, if it wasn’t so squirm-inducing.
