“Gingerbread man.” He skips back a step to avoid the slap to his arm she throws his way, laughing. “Oh I’m sorry, did you suddenly develop a conscience about stealing ridiculous things?”
She waves him off. “You hated that city, don’t lie.”
Feeling the odd man out, I clear my throat. “Where do you keep your broom? I’ll hurry and get this cleaned up so I can finish unloading the truck before he decides to just drive off.”
Rin’s eyes rake over me, looking concerned. “I can take care of it, no worries. You go shower and change, we’re not monsters here making you work like that. Gods know we’ve all suffered getting sugar where it shouldn’t be in the summer.” She shudders in horror and I just cock my head in curiosity, wondering just what the hell sort of place this actually is. “Come on back after you’ve cleaned yourself up and I’ll show you around.”
Biting the inside of my cheek, I cross the room, picking up my backpack where it’s leaning against the wall. “That’s okay, I’ll just change in the bathroom real quick, no big deal.”
Both of them give me an odd look, but don’t question any further. I follow Rin’s directions and hurry towards the single person bathroom, locking the door behind me.
The money Rheyas gave me will have to last indefinitely, so I only bought two outfits, a coat, and a pair of boots. Since I still have the clothes I showed up in, that puts me in a far better position than I’ve been in for several years.
I refused to play the human’s games and be their dancing monkey, but they were completely right. They can ruin our lives in an instant if we aren’t grateful for themallowingus to work. Things were better in recent weeks, once I started crashing on Sadie’s couch, but I always knew it’d never last.
Her new job at the biotech company working security proved that ten times over. I only got a brief glimpse of what they were doing behind closed doors, but it was more than enough to put a bounty on my head. I have to pray that those humans think that I died, but since I went out with a blast of energy, there’s always a chance they’re erring on the side of caution and still looking for me. I need to be ready to run if it comes down to it, and I can’t do that laden down with supplies.
Damn it, Sadie.I shove the feelings that threaten to rise up back down before they can gain traction. We weren’t the closest of friends, but on good enough terms that she let me stay for a bit when I came to town. It’s just hard to get close to anyone when you’re always drifting, when there’s a fundamental difference of values that inevitably always comes up in conversation and leads to heated debates.
I hate that she was perfectly comfortable with her role in this life, while I just want to burn the world to the ground and force everyone to start over with a blank slate.
Balling up my clothes, I wrap them in paper towels before stuffing them in the bottom of my bag so they don’t make a mess of everything. And hell, if I’m desperate enough, I’ll just fucking lick them clean. If I can’t wash them, at least I can get a sugar rush to appease my aching stomach in the coming days.
Buttoning my jeans, I stay topless as I take a hobo bath in the sink to wash out my hair. Crouching beneath the hair dryer, I wait until I’m not a dripping mess before tugging on my clean, long sleeved shirt. If it’s the last thing that I own that actually fits, I don’t want to risk getting it soaked; way too damn cold for that.
Yanking a brush through my hair before tying it back, I zip up my bag and head back out with a fortifying breath. I pass a few people, but they’re so caught up in their work that they barely even notice me. By the time I’m back to the storage room, everything is done. I’m simply stuck beating myself up for making such a horrendous first impression, and taking too long to pull myself together.
“Rin had to run to the bank so she asked me to show you around,” Ian states, sitting on top of a pile of flour bags, the massive garage style door closed now that the truck left.
“You didn’t need to take the blame for me.”
He snorts, hopping to his feet. “Not like she doesn’t know, but you looked pretty freaked out and I thought it might take some of the edge off. Trust me; this place isn’t like the cities, or even the fringe towns. People just…don’t suck here. They help each other where they can and are pretty laid back about everything.”
Shifting from one foot to the other, I try to ignore the pain that stabs through my chest. He makes this tiny town seem like something out of a new age fairytale instead of the classic, magical tragedies. Hopes and dreams are great and all, but as someone who literally wields magic, I can promise you that it doesn’t actually fix anything.
“A little safe haven in a world gone to Hell.” I sigh wistfully, but despite standing inside Happy Endings, I know it’s not where I’ll find mine.
“I’m Ian, by the way,” he proclaims, coming closer and offering his hand.
After last time, I’m hesitant to accept it. But if I plan to stay here for at least a little while, I’d rather find out now if he’s the sort of mage that inflates his ego by proving he’s stronger than another.
“Esmerelda,” I relent, taking his hand.
Static crackles between our palms, but now that I’m waiting for it, I don’t flinch. A shiver runs down my spine, the skin on my arms crawling like bees are dancing over the surface. Ian frowns, focus rapt on our joined hands, and not in any hurry to let go.
“What the heck?” he murmurs, twisting our hands over and inspecting them.
Nothing reallyhurtsso much as is uncomfortable. It’s like a sudden flood of adrenaline is rushing through my system, but since I don’t need to stab a bitch or haul ass out of here, it’s just left making my muscles ache. The faint appearance of magic is barely perceptible to the naked eye, like the distorted air over intense heat. The small currents similar to electricity trail over our arms and when they meet at our hands, react like agitated, writhing snakes.
Uneasy, I curl my fingers into my palm, gently pulling it back and clutching it over my stomach. “I don’t think our energies particularly like each other,” I nervously laugh off. It’s complete bullshit and he knows it as well as I do, but does me the favor of not calling me out on it.
“Nah, I just take stranger danger very seriously,” he retorts flippantly. “Built-in security alarm, like the expensive money pit that I am.”
I can’t help myself, biting back a small smile at how easy going he is. It’s a contagious mood, making all of my compounding worries feel less terrifying and easier to handle despite him not actually doing a damn thing or any solutions being found. But it helps me look at them from a different angle, in a better mental state when I’m less upset and more at ease.
“Come on, I’ll give you the tour.” He tucks his hands into his pockets and strides out of the storage room towards the rest of the building.
The work space is pretty much divided into two sides, with the cake decorating area on one half near the manager’s office and the other side a billion degrees hotter. Between the oven and fryer, it’s a good place to ride out a winter. People weave between each other seamlessly, going about their work with a grace that can only be achieved by working together for ages.
