Page 103 of Bonded By Tea and Tarot

Sage: This is the cutest thing ever, I’m glad we could help!

Bea: I’m glad you asked us. She deserves the best, and I think your pack will be that for her.

I blink in surprise, then set my phone face down on the blanket. I don’t know what to say to that.

“She should be here soon,” I tell the others.

And sure enough, within minutes, Siobhan walks through the sliding door out into the backyard where we wait. The energy wand is clutched in her hand, and it trembles the slightest bit when she sees us. Her blue eyes are wide and glassy, and she pauses outside the door, taking in the three of us standing beneath the willow tree in her backyard, a picnic spread out alongside us. I read that willow trees are supposed to be magical, so I hope it lends some extra magic to this moment for her.

I can use all the help I can get.

Aury strides across the lawn when she doesn’t start walking again, and my heart thuds uncertainly in my chest. He bends to whisper in her ear, and she tears her eyes from Hayden and me to look up at Aury instead. Please, let him say the right things to convince her to come over here. To give us a chance.

Siobhan leans into his side and he bends to wrap his arms around her, but she pulls away after only a moment. Aury turns and offers his hand. The tightness in my chest loosens slightly when she slides her palm against his, and they walk side-by-side over to the blanket.

“Moonbeam,” Aury says. “Would you do us the honor…” he pauses, and Siobhan’s eyes flare. Aury grins, then continues, “of joining us for this afternoon picnic?”

Her mouth drops open and she stares at him in shock. Hayden huffs a low laugh, and I gulp my anxiety down. Siobhan narrows her eyes at Aury and he adopts a look of innocence so convincing I wonder how many times he’s lied to me, although I don’t think he’d have anything to lie about. I’m second-guessing it all now, though.

Siobhan shakes her head with a dramatic eye roll, and the emotional tension releases its stranglehold on us. She drops to her knees on the blanket and Aury quickly follows. Hayden side-eyes me, then nods for me to sit as well, so I do. They kneel and start plucking items from the basket, arranging them on a plate for Siobhan.

“Tea, amorcito?” they say, holding up the vintage teapot we previously filled with boiling water. It’s still steaming, thankfully.

“That would be lovely,” she says, more tension loosening from her shoulders. “What kind of tea is it?”

“A custom blend,” Hayden replies when the silence stretches a moment too long. I think I’ve lost my voice. She’s so gorgeous. So smart and creative. So very out of my league. I’m stuck in my own head, and it’s all I can do to keep my breath steady. “Jayce ordered the ingredients and made these sachets up for each of us.”

“No way?” Siobhan says, turning to me.

“That’s so cool,” Aury says. “I didn’t realize that.”

I shrug, trying to act like it’s no big deal, but their appreciation is filling me with a bubbly lightness that makes me feel like I’m going to explode if I end up feeling too much of it. I grunt in acknowledgement, mentally slapping myself for the pathetic response, but Hayden passes out the tea and then sits back with their shoulder firm against mine. It helps to ground me, and I lean into their solid support.

“Mmm, it’s good.” She takes another sip, then sets the teacup back onto the saucer. “And thank you for the earrings,” Siobhan says, glancing at all three of us but ending on me. Does she know? Does she somehow suspect this was my doing? “I love them.”

Hayden grins. “They’re gorgeous on you, little witch, but the mastermind behind most of today is Jayce. He picked out the earrings, the books, the drink and flowers.” They slip their arm behind me and their hand closes on the back of my neck. It allows me to suck in a deep, slow breath for the first time in what feels like hours.

Siobhan’s eyes catch on me, a blue so bright and full of wonder I want to hide. I could never hide from her though, so my only option is to face it.

“He’s also the one who made you that,” Hayden says, nodding to the wand. “Which I’ll admit I don’t entirely understand.”

“It’s an energy wand,” Siobhan says, eyes still locked on mine. “Right?”

I nod and attempt to clear my throat, but I don’t think any sound would come out if I tried to talk, so I just nod again with a shrug. She smiles softly, then looks down at the wand where she’s rolling it between her fingers.

“Energy wands can lead you to areas of healing energy, positive energy, or really whatever type it is you’re looking for. As soon as I picked it up and focused on what I wanted,” she pauses, glancing up at each of us before continuing, “I got this urge to come back home. So I did.”

Hayden flashes a smile at me, and I think that’s admiration in their gaze.

Aury captures her attention again by resting a hand lightly on her knee, tracing small circles with his finger. “That’s incredible. I didn’t know you had that skill, too.”

“Me neither,” she says, smiling down at the wand. She sets it carefully to the side, and Aury takes both of her hands in his. Hayden looks over at me, eyebrows slightly raised. This is the moment, but I can’t. I shake my head.

Hayden’s lips curve up the slightest bit, and I frown. They nod slowly, just once, then squeeze the back of my neck three times. One two three. I love you.

I bite my lip and my eyes search theirs. They’re steady. Strong. Full of love and devotion, reassurance and enough confidence for the both of us. I take another slow breath, then return their nod. Their smile grows and they tip their forehead down in acknowledgement.

Aury clears his throat, and all three of us focus on him.