Page 16 of From the Edge

Rowan smiled. “Yup. Like me but with all black hair and six inches taller.”

Lucia lifted her phone and said, “Stand up.”

“Okay, but if she comes out in a dress, she’s gonna be pissed. She’s a leggings and long t-shirt kind of girl.” She walked around so Lucia could take pictures.

Lucia’s phone pinged. “How long is her hair?”

“Mid-back usually.”

“Nice. Achilles is on it. What colour is her skin?”

“Same as mine.”

“So, whitey white with extra white?”

Rowan blushed. “No, it’s opal.”

Mell looked at her with a muffin sticking out of her mouth. “Mopal?”

Rowan let the colour move beneath her skin. “Mopal.”

She pulled her skin into opaque and held out her hands. “Ta-da.” Rowan sat on one of the chairs around the table and sipped at her tea.

Ted said, “We asked Mell about the day she was attacked, and she is drawing a blank.”

“It was here. Again. They came in and grabbed Mell.”

Mell pressed her forehead. “That’s... oh god.”

“Stop remembering, Mell. Just stop.” Rowan said softly.

Lucia said softly, “They didn’t just let you go because you weren’t what they were looking for.”

Rowan poured tea for everyone and set the pot down with a thud. “No, they did not. But I kept myself. I didn’t lose my body or my sense of self. I just lost my urge to date forever. I don’t know how anyone would want to do that recreationally. It hurts.”

Mell smiled. “Well, as someone who has recently partaken, it can be a lot of fun.”

Rowan made a face. “Ick.”

“It makes babies.”

“I like the babies and will leave the ick to others.”

Mell looked sad. “Right. I am so sorry.”

Rowan held up her hand. “Nope. You have no reason to be sorry. I found someone who taught me how to defend myself, taught me how to be a witch, and I got good at it. Also, icky, but I finally had a weapon.”

Ted frowned. “Why did you put Mellwyn in a cave?”

“I couldn’t protect her and Aspen at the same time. They had different needs. So I made the cavern out of an old wine cellar on a neighbouring property, and I had it set up as a cozy apartment for her. When I knew how, I warded it against anyone with ill intent. I wasn’t counting on Mr. Blue to show up to get his groove on. But you were happy, and I was cool with that. I could have done without the whole mortal combat aspect, but I got better at dodging a punch.”

Mellwyn smiled. “So you won’t mind if Norecayet comes for a sleepover this week?”

Rowan winced. “No. That’s fine. I anticipated that, and I moved my stuff into the north bedroom.”

Mell paused. “Oh.”

Ted looked at Rowan. “The healer you met today thinks he may know why you have pain when you are touched.”