Page 26 of Jade Lion and the Witch Boy
“And the Jade Lion himself sees something in you.” She scrutinizes me, and I feel exposed here in the kitchen. “I couldn’t be happier. You’re doing a good job. Keep making him feel welcome. It’s imperative to the coven.”
Her words carry heavy insinuations. Lisbeth always has grandiose plans for the coven, but the less I know, the happier I’ll be. “Um, sure?”
After a drawn-out silence, she shrugs and turns away. “I’ll be travelling to suppliers all day today. Talk to you later, Seb. And make sure the two of you keep the protection charms on!”
With that, she’s gone, and I’m left alone with more questions than answers. I look down at the tiny rune on my wrist. I wantto stay safe and keep Kevin away from me, amnesia or not. So, trusting Ashley, my protection witch friend, is the way to go. And with this, hopefully everyone starts acting normal again.
Two days later, I’m walking with Kai to the woods behind the back of the house. My shift is over, and Lisbeth insists the two of us continue working on magic in an effort to jog Kai’s memories. As we walk deeper into forest paths not frequented by mortals, I gaze at my friend. The autumn sun glows on his face. The orange leaves float around him, contrasting with his trimmed dark hair. He’s so handsome, and I only glance at his ass in those hip-hugging jeans once, maybe twice.
I clear my throat and look up in an effort not to perve on him. “So what did you learn at the library today?” I ask.
“I have been researching American history. I do have questions.”
“Well, I graduated college, so hit me,” I reply. He doesn’t know I barely passed the business courses that I didn’t even care about.
I look down to see him pensively staring at the ground as we walk. “Is it true that the government blocked home loans to non-White people after the 1960s?”
I frown and nod. “It’s called red-lining.”
“But that directly caused large groups of the Black community to have less financial assistance, less generationalwealth, and as a result, poorer financial, educational, and health outcomes.”
I sigh. “Yes, and yes.”
“Then it is not the fault of any ethnic minority groups that their sequestered urban areas have lower property values, correct? Blaming the lack of socioeconomic success on the color of someone’s skin is highly hypocritical, considering it was the ruling class of people in power who put them there, right?”
“Yes, yes, and triple yes.” I let out a sad, facetious laugh. “American history isn’t always pretty. In fact, it continues to be rough to this very day. Some inequities got better, but some got worse.”
Kai frowns as we make it to a less wooded area. “That makes my heart ache.”
“It sure is disappointing.” I point and smile. “But hey, we at Boysen House can protect our community. And now that’s you, too.” The words “for now” float in the back of my mind, and sadness creeps up my throat.
I don’t want my new friend to go. Maybe Kai can be a permanent fixture?
He stands up straighter. “I am glad to be learning from you, Sebastian.”
“Hey, you’re the smart one, gaining knowledge from a hundred years in like two weeks. You’re learning so much at the library every day. You might even be a history professor soon.”
We share a laugh, and it feels like we’re all alone in the world. I find myself looking forward to these moments where it’s just him and me sharing smiles. He’s so smart and well-read, but I don’t want him to focus on how terrible the world can be.
The two of us sit down on large rocks a yard away from each other. This clearing is where we’ve typically practiced our magic. The woods are heavy around us in a small perimeter, likea little bubble of wood. Still, I don’t want to risk being caught by anyone, so I jut my chin at Kai.
“Wanna get started?” I point up and around at the trees.
Kai nods and then closes his eyes. He flexes his fingers until they’re fists. Strings of light appear around his wrist, and, in seconds, a shroud of fog rolls through the trees. Our half-an-acre clearing is unaffected while swirls of mist surround us like white walls. No mortals will catch us here.
“Great. Now, any spells in particular you want to try?”
Kai shakes his head and stands up. He gazes up at the darkening sky. “Truthfully, I grow weary of practicing conjuring and levitation spells.”
“Really?”
He bites his lip and locks eyes with me. By now, I can tell if Kai has something on his mind. “Is there…something else you wanted to try?”
He shrugs and looks at a foggy wall. “My…inner lion has a mind of its own. Sometimes it likes to take over. I wish to use my lion body and practice magic with my claws.” When he looks down, I sense the trepidation rolling off him.
“Kai. Whatever you need, you can ask. There’s no pressure, it’s just you and me.”
He gazes at me, dark eyes reaching into my soul. “I am afraid of…frightening you in my Jade Lion form.”
