He groans, tilting his head back. “I’m sorry she keeps calling you that.”
“It’s okay,” I laugh. “I’m a petite pixie who serves tea. I’ll own it.”
“I think she is okay with it, but I need to figure outwhy.Something spooked her.”
“Maybe Ash is right, and she doesn’t want you to risk any more dangerous experiments?”
“Maybe,” he says thoughtfully.
“Ash is waiting. I should probably talk to Emerson about that restraining order.”
Rowan follows me down the stairs. “Should I leave Ryder here and go with you?”
“I’d like that, if you don’t think he’ll mind.”
We walk into the tea shop just in time to overhear Ryder say to a customer, “I’m not actually sure what the difference is between green tea and black tea. I think it’s just the color of the bush. Like the leaves, maybe?”
“Never mind,” Rowan says immediately, looking pained. “I should stay.”
He hurries to the counter to do damage control, and I join Ash near the bulk tea.
“Are you ready?” he asks me.
“Yeah,” I say heavily. “Let’s get this over with.”
The tea shopis closed by the time Ash and I return from the sheriff’s office. Emerson spoke to us about the restraining order. On Monday, I have to go back to fill out a petition. After we submit it, there will be a preliminary meeting—and Russell is allowed to be there. If a temporary restraining order is granted, we’ll move on to the next step, which will require a final hearing.
It all sounds incredibly exhausting, especially when half of the evidence against Russell can’t be submitted in a human court. I can tell them I was kidnapped, but I can’t tell themwhy.
Ash says it’s enough—more than enough. But it all makes me so uneasy.
“Let me know if he contacts you before Monday,” Ash says, walking into the empty tea shop with me, preparing to leave.
“I will.”
The councilman glances toward the back. “Rowan’s still here, isn’t he? I can take you home if you need a ride.”
“He said he’d wait for me when I texted him about thirty minutes ago.”
“Make sure he’s here before I go.”
I’m halfway across the tea shop when I hear footsteps on the stairs—more than one set. Rowan appears first…and then my dad.
“Hello there,” Dad says when he sees a new face. “Who might you be?”
“Dad, this is Ash, Rowan’s cousin,” I say. “Our city council treasurer. He works at Town Hall.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you.” Dad crosses the tearoom to shake his hand. “What were the two of you up to?”
I glance at Rowan, nervous. I haven’t told my parents about Russell, nor do I particularly want to.
“Kit was helping me with something that came up this week,” Ash says smoothly. “I heard you’re here to take care of Kit’s gnomes?”
“I am,” Dad says cheerfully, happy to be redirected to his favorite subject. “I’ve been working on a new habitat in the cottage’s backyard, but I came by this afternoon to check their type before I got too carried away. Wouldn’t want to put a fishpond in for fire types, after all.”
“Gnomes have types?” Ash asks.
“Stars, yes,” Dad responds. “Wood, mountain, desert, riparian…you get the point. The most prevalent around here are common and wood, but you can get stray types. Gnomes are wanderers, you know.”
