The bell went on to signal the start of speed dating and she slid off her stool. "So, are you coming?"
I looked over to where the tables were set up. "No."
"Didn't think so. Say hi to Clara for me."
I rolled my eyes as she flicked her glossy black hair over her shoulder and went to take her seat. Because she knew as well as I did that I wasn't going to see Clara again.
Unless I did.
I pushed the thought out of my head. I'd gone centuries without letting myself get romantically involved with anyone, I wasn't about to start now.
Chapter 13
CLARA
A sleep potion bubbled in the cauldron, filling the shop with the aroma of lavender. I knew it was meant to be calming, but I could really feel it work through me. I loved being in the shop when it was quiet like this, even if I knew it was better when it was busy, because that meant more potential for loyal customers. We had plenty of them, but we could always do with more.
I ignored those thoughts and focused instead on looking through all of the notes I'd made about my potion for dreaming of the dead. I needed to test it, but I was a little nervous. I trusted Hel and what she'd said about veillock, especially since she'd talked about it in front of Daisy and Thor too, but trying out a new ingredient was always a risk. I'd done as much research as I could, but there was a chance I'd gotten the dosage wrong. Or I could simply be allergic to it.
I let out a sigh. Maybe it would be best if I talked to Hel again before drinking it. She knew more about how the plant worked, and that would hopefully mean that I could take it with the information I need.
I grabbed my phone and pulled up the chat with her. Not that there was any of that, just my request for an appointment and her confirming it. Maybe it was a bad idea to message her, even about this. She'd made it clear that she didn't want more than a single night, and it had already somehow been more than that.
The bell above the door jingled and I almost sighed with relief at the realisation that I could put off making a decision until after I'd dealt with the customer. I wasn't usually the indecisive type, but it seemed as if Hel was bringing it out in me.
I set my phone down by the till and smiled in the direction of the customer, only to end up surprised at the appearance of the subject of my thoughts. She looked more casual than I'd seen her the other times, with her light blue hair braided over her shoulder, and form-fitting jeans with a white shirt, but she looked good.
Really good.
"Please tell me you knew this was my shop."
Hel laughed. "I did. I asked Daisy where it was. So I think she's convinced there's something going on between us now."
"You could probably have searched for potion shop and Dixon online," I pointed out.
"I didn't know if your surname was the same as Daisy's," she responded. "So, here I am."
"Here you are," I repeated. "And why are you here exactly?"
"I came to see how you were getting on with your potion and if you needed any more necromancy insights," she said.
I raised an eyebrow. It seemed like a thin excuse for...something. I just wasn't sure precisely what. "I just need to test it," I said. "I'm waiting for Daisy to have an evening free so she can watch over me while I do. But it's going to be a while, apparently. She has a sculpting deadline."
"Why wait for Daisy? I can help." She leaned against the counter, bringing her closer to me and making me extremely aware of her presence.
"That sounds like you want to spend time with me."
She shrugged. "I'm curious about the potion."
"Why would it interest you?"
"I've been alive a long time," she responded. "There are people I wouldn't mind remembering more clearly."
"Lost loves?"
"Lost friends, mostly. I learned early on that it was better not to fall in love," Hel said, but the expression on her face said that she might not be as comfortable with that as she pretended to be.
"I'm sorry."
