Page 29 of Magic Blooms
Even though I was technically third in line to lead the earth elementals, I would likely never rule. In reality, I was little more than a trained pet that did as I was told. But since arriving in Peach Plains, I’d begun to find meaning in my actions, to see that what I did mattered. Could make a difference.
I really needed to stop liking that so much.
It wouldn’t be long until I’d have to go home and back to my normal passive life.
Yes, that life was my fate and nothing else. I couldn’t let myself forget.
After dropping Art off at home, Joshua stopped at a nearby refueling station and disappeared inside the small storefront. When he returned to the truck, he handed me a paper cup filled with something dark and steaming. I took the cup from him and could feel the warmth seeping through the container.
“Oh, what’s this?” I asked as I brought the cup closer to me and inhaled the wonderful smell. It was like nothing on Vilea. It was almost nutty and herby while being earthy at the same time. “It smells amazing.”
“I grabbed some cream and sugar for you if you want—” Joshua began, but I waved him off, eager for a taste of the earthy brew.
I took a slow, tentative sip despite my excitement, having at least in part learned my lesson at dinner, thanks to that awful whiskey and Coke. The heat washed over my tongue, warmed me in a way I liked.
And then the taste hit me. BLECH!
I coughed, then ran my tongue over the back of my hand in an effort to push that foul taste away.
“What is wrong with your drinks here?” I cried.
Joshua, however, had no sympathy for my plight. “Okay. I’ve had it. I know you’re not from New York. It’s one thing for the whiskey to catch you off guard, but you’ve never even had coffee? Who are you really, Polly?”
I handed the cup back to him and used both hands to rub at my temples. Oh, I wanted to lie, but I just couldn’t think of anything that would sound believable. Besides, part of me wanted to tell Joshua the truth—had wanted to from day one, even. At this point, I’d spent more time with him than anyone else in Elyria. Clearly, I could trust him with my safety, so why not my identity?
Then again…
“Lorraine told me not to tell people,” I mumbled, feeling very exposed as I sat beside him in the small truck cab with nowhere to turn or hide.
“Who cares what Lorraine said? If I’m stuck with you, then I have a right to know who you really are.”
He wasn’t wrong. In fact, that was the same argument I’d made to try to get Lorraine to reveal his magical secret. “I know you’re not a powerless mortal, either. So let’s make a deal. If I tell you my secrets will you tell me yours?”
He took a deep sip of the foul brew and hummed. “I barely know you.”
“And I barely know you,” I shot back.
We were both quiet for a few moments, having reached an impasse.
“Forget it then,” he murmured, jerking Old Sparky back into motion. Neither of us spoke until the truck stopped again. This time in the same place where we’d started our evening’s quest, right outside Dr. Art’s office.
“What are we doing here?” I asked. “We already talked to Art and left him at his home.”
“Stakeout,” Joshua responded, keeping his eyes glued to the one-story building. “The body is still here, and if our victim was killed as part of a black magic ritual, then the killer will be black to claim it.”
I shuddered. “Can we please not refer to her as ‘the body’ or ‘our victim?’ She was a real person. Her name was Karen.”
Joshua’s features softened as he studied me for a moment. “That drink that you somehow have never heard of before, it’s coffee. It has caffeine in it and will keep you awake.”
He then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a handful of something and handed it to me. “Dump all of that in to make it taste better. We could be here for a while. It’s not even dark yet, and I can just about guarantee that whatever’s going to happen is going to happen in the dead of night.”
I shivered again at the thought of coming face-to-face with Karen’s killer. While I was reluctant to try the coffee again, I also knew things could be far, far worse.
I couldn’t let Joshua—or Karen—down by falling asleep during the heat of our investigation.
At that precise moment I wasn’t yet tired, but I knew after a few hours of sitting motionless that could easily change. So one by one, I opened the tiny containers of white liquid and even whiter grains and started to mix it all together. “If this way is better, why not just serve it like this in the first place?”
“You can get them all fancy and sugared up, but since I was buying, I got you the cheap stuff.” He smiled to himself. “Hope you don’t mind that I’m a cheap date.”
