Page 9 of Summertime Hexy
“I know,” I say, more gently than I mean to. “But next time, don’t throw experimental charms at wildlife.”
“I panicked,” she murmurs. “It reminded me of my cat, Mercury. He set his tail on fire once. Long story. Bad potion. Anyway, it freaked me out.”
“Mercury,” I echo. “Like the element?”
“Like the planet. He had big moods.”
Despite myself, the corner of my mouth lifts.
She catches it. Her eyes narrow. “Was that asmile?”
“No.”
“You smirked.”
“Igrimaced.”
“You are the worst liar.”
We fall into silence again. It’s not comfortable, but it’s less sharp now. Something’s shifted. I feel her heartbeat through the tether—fast but steady. Her magic brushes mine again, not chaotic this time but cautious. Curious.
“I don’t know how to turn it off,” she says quietly. “The leaking. My magic. I used to be able to control it. But lately…”
I turn to face her fully.
“Your power’s tied to your emotional state,” I say. “Right now it’s... loud. Unsettled.”
She bites her lip. “You think I’m unstable?”
“No,” I say. “I think you’re afraid of being seen as unstable. That’s different.”
She doesn’t answer.
I feel her shift on the bed, the tether tugging lightly as she leans back against the wall.
“Do you always do this?” she asks.
“What?”
“Figure people out.”
“Only when they’re throwing fireworks into the woods.”
Hazel snorts. Then she’s quiet again.
Eventually, she says, “I hate this.”
“The binding?”
“The not being able to fake it. You feel everything I feel. Youseeit. That’s…”
“Intimate,” I finish for her.
She nods.
I lean back in the chair. The tether stretches between us, humming.
“Go to sleep,” I say. “We’ll deal with the fallout tomorrow.”
