Page 9 of The Librarian’s Familiar

The polar bear’s eyebrows drew together. “Probably twenty years.”

Charlie’s mouth popped open. “Oh, I see. Did you use to live here?”

Why on Earth would anyone return? Aside from the obvious answer, which was family. He was also a polar bear shifter, and Charlie couldn’t imagine him shifting at home like snakes did.

“Yeah.” The polar bear shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced around.

“I imagine quite a lot has changed.”

The shifter laughed. “Not really. What happened to the old librarian?”

Charlie didn’t have an exact answer for that. “I think he was done. Probably wanted to live somewhere warmer.”

“Fair…it’s not like witches have fur coats.”

So the shifter had already realized he was a witch, not that it was hard to tell, as apparently witches had some kind of static about them that made it easier for shifters to identify them.

“I think I’d be pretty unpopular if I did.” Wearing a fur coat in a town full of shifters was rude.

He nodded. “What’s your magic?”

Charlie blinked and rocked back on his heels. “That’s rude to ask.”

“Not round here it’s not. Sometimes survival depends on knowing the local witches and their specialty.”

“Specialty?” That is not how he would’ve described his magic.

“Ability? Superpower?”

Charlie laughed at the idea that magic was a superpower. It was something that had to be trained. Sure, there were some magics where the witch could bumble along their entire life and never notice. Mind readers and those who were psychometric often slipped past, telekinetic witches too. And maybe he would’ve if not for his mother.

“Do you think shifting is a superpower? Or is it something you need to manage?” Charlie countered.

“It can be both, often in the same day.”

“A witch’s magic is no different.”

“Except you already know what I am, and I don’t know what you are.”

“Nice try.” He gathered up the books he had labeled and walked over to the shelves, needing a little order.

The man followed him.

Charlie glanced over his shoulder, not quite sure what to make of the guy. He wasn’t local, though he had been, and he was far too interested in his magic. “Are you looking for something to read? I’ve just got a delivery of new books. They aren’t all on the shelves yet.”

“No.” He leaned against the shelves, watching as Charlie began placing the books in their new location.

Well, it was their location for the moment. He had plans to move things around a bit more, but for now, he was keeping the changes small.

“Why did the Coven send you?”

The book slipped out of his hand, and the man caught it before it hit the floor. He held it out to him. Hand steady, eyes watchful, like he could smell the lie forming.

“What makes you think that?”

“Most of us know this is a Coven position.”

“Given how close-knit this town is, I suspect everyone knows.” Not that it was a massive secret, after all, the Coven had contact points in most major cities. However, this was not a major city. It would be a stretch to call it a major town. It was a small town that had somehow become a central hub.