Page 79 of Potions and Proposals
“Please,” she pleaded against his lips. “Anything you say is only going to hurt more.”
“Okay; we’ll wait.” He released her, but she didn’t move away from him. “I promise you, with or without this spell, I’ll still want you.”
Her chest rose and fell, as though she was trying to remind herself to breathe. He didn’t want to push her. Even if he could feel her desire for him, he wanted them to be together without fear or doubt.
“You should go.”
“Why?” He hated how hurt she sounded; he didn’t want her to take it as a rejection.
“Because I don’t want to hear you say no if I ask you to stay.”
“What if I want to stay?” she started, only to stop herself. They both knew it was the right decision; she needed time to trust him fully. To give herself to him fully without any hesitation.
“I want you to stay because of me, not because you don’t want to go home and face your mum,” he told her, bringing her hand to his lips.
“That’s not the reason.”
“Okay, but I think you should talk to Wilhelmina. I don’t want her to think I’m keeping you captive.” He winked, cupping her cheek. “Even if I want to lock the door and throw away the key.”
He kissed the small smile at the corner of her mouth, and the soft sigh that escaped her nearly brought him to his knees.
“This’ll all be over soon. We have everything we need to try the potion.” She sounded as though she was trying to reassure herself as much as him.
He wondered why she was pushing the potion so much. The binding should fix them anyhow, and he couldn’t helpwondering if she didn’t want to go through with the ritual. Or perhaps she did and wanted to be sure of his feelings for her.
If this was what she needed, then he’d give it to her. He’d give her everything.
After work on Friday evening, Lucy hesitated outside the door to Mulligan’s jewellers.
Nervously, twisting the ring on her finger, she considered that if she couldn’t reverse what her family had done to their elements, then the least she could do was help Benedict remain in control. She also didn’t want him to attend another coven meeting without a ring and have them think she wasn’t putting in the same amount of effort as he was. Had that been his reasoning for giving it to her? She hoped not, but the doubt was enough to taint the gesture.
Inhaling deeply, Lucy forced herself inside. Mr Mulligan sat behind the glass counter, polishing some rings.
“I was wondering when the young Ms Hawthorne would darken my door,” he said, eyeing her hand.
“With the festival and everything else, I haven’t had a chance,” she said, wishing she’d come sooner.
“No worries, dear; I don’t think Benedict even thought about his own. I told him I could make a pair, but he wanted yours as soon as possible. Even had me rush-order the stones!” Mr Mulligan said, wheeling himself out from behind the counter.
“I’m ashamed to admit it, but the thought of binding rings had slipped my mind until he sprang it on me. I wanted to place an order for Benedict. I don’t have his ring size, but since he gets most of his stuff here, I figured you would.”Why am I prattling on like this? It’s only a ring.
A ring signifying your spending eternity together,her subconscious taunted.
“Gwendoline mentioned you made the Matherson signet ring he wears from a fallen meteorite?” she asked, ignoring her thoughts.
Mr Mulligan moved around the workshop, putting the polished rings back in their cases. “I think I’ve got some fragments left. He’ll love it,” he said, adjusting the magnified glass under the lamp on his workbench. “Would you like to add the same stones as your own?”
“Yes! If you could engrave the infinity detail from mine but with stones set into the band rather than on top? If it’s possible.” Benedict wouldn’t want anything to stand out too much, and the stones would help with his element.
“The meteorite is hard to manipulate, but I can use a spell to make it work.” He looked through the small drawers fixed to a unit of the wall filled with all the materials he could need. “I should have just enough fragment left to make the band – must be fate.” Tipping a tiny meteorite stone into his rough palm, he wheeled his way back to the counter. “How’s this?”
“Perfect! It should match the others he wears perfectly.” She didn’t want anything to detract from the signet ring he never took off.
“When would you like to pick it up? I guess this is another rush order, since there isn’t long before the big day.”
“I don’t want to put you under any pressure; it’s my fault for leaving it so long. How much time do you need?”
“Shouldn’t take too long. I’ll give you a call when it’s ready for collection… and I might have already formed a band for him, just in case you stopped by.” Mr Mulligan winked.
