Page 65 of Shift of Morals
“Not until we’re ready to put the new one on. Until then, I suggest you cancel any meetings with your Lord or anyone who might figure out what’s happened.”
“No meetings on the books,” I promised. “Any update on the bouquet?”
Hazel gnashed her teeth like a fairytale goblin. “Nothing yet. I might take it back to the house tonight. Toting it around is dicey but leaving it here feels like a bad idea.”
“I felt the same.” Checking the clock, I clapped my hands. “Alright, team. People are starting to roam outside. Ready for the day?”
Nods all around. “I’ll finish up Hattie’s arrangement and get that delivered. Hazel will keep working on the bouquet. Ash, you good with ordering inventory today?”
“Got my list on my phone.”
“Awesome. Let’s get to it.” I saluted them with my coffee mug and headed to my work table. As soon as I laid my palm against the table, the table pulsed. There was a usual hum every time I used it because a fae built it for me.
But it had never pulsed like this. Curious and a little concerned, I placed both palms against the table’s top. Ash was walking past and stopped, watching me.
“Everything okay?”
“It’s pulsing.”
Ash frowned and came around beside me. “Take your hands off for a moment.”
I obeyed, and Ash placed his palm on the top, in the same place mine had just been. His skin turned to bark and his eyes glowed.
A few moments later, he removed his hand, the roots slipping back into fingers. “Nothing to worry about. My uncle formulated the table for you, and it’s confused.” He snorted. “It recognizes you, but your blood has changed. Put your palms back on the table and wait. You’ll know when it’s ready.”
“It won’t bite, will it?”
Ash grinned. “There’s no telling what failsafe my uncle put in that thing, so I can’t promise anything.”
“Great.” With more trepidation after Ash’s not so comforting words, I slowly put my palms back on the table and waited.
It took a while, and I felt a little violated when it was over, but eventually the table pulsed once more, flashing a bright green before it settled into its usual hum of comforting magic. I lifted my palms, waited a few seconds, and put them back down again.
The hum was still there.
Nice. One thing went right today.
Let’s hope I was on a streak.
Hazel’s shout of frustration made me laugh. As long as the bouquet wasn’t actively trying to kill Hazel, she’d be fine.
Moira breezed back through the doors after popping out for another tea, this time at another shop. “I have hot goss,” she sang. “About our resident Shifter Lord and one hot mess of a flytrap!”
I’d just put the finishing touches on Hattie’s bouquet and gently moved it to the side.
Ash sailed to the front like he had wings. Hot goss was Ash’s bread and butter. “Do tell!”
“Should we get Hazel?” Tess asked.
My eyes widened in horror. “No! She does not need to know what I sent to Caelan,” I hissed.
“She’d get mad about a bloodthirsty, semi-sentient plant?” Moira said sweetly, batting her eyes at me.
“Spill before I animate another one of my plants and make it bite you every time you walk past.”
Moira grinned. “Seymour ate the drapes in Caelan’s office.”
I choked. “What?”
