Page 58 of Tricky Magic
“She’s hot, isn’t she?” Sam asked with an eyebrow wiggle at Ros.
“No.” Devon shook his head. “I mean, yes, clearly, but it’s not that.”
He didn’t explain, only walked right for her.
Ros and Sam exchanged looks and followed closely after him. The children were slowly leaving her and following the creatures she created.
Devon stalked right up to her, and Ellea’s eyes widened at the intrusion.
“How are you possible?” he asked, searching her face. She didn’t respond as she looked past him to where Sam and Ros stood.
“Um,” Sam mumbled, “Devon, this is Ellea. Ellea, this is Devon.”
“How?” Devon asked again.
“How what?” Ros said, moving to stand next to Ellea. She looked up at him with worried eyes.
“Well,” Ellea started, looking down at the ground, “that lasted longer than I thought.”
She looked so defeated. Billy came from around the pyre.
“You’re a trickster witch,” Devon stated. It wasn’t even a question.
Ellea grimaced at the statement and looked up at Ros.
“I’m sorry,” she said to him.
“Why are you sorry?” all three of them said at once.
Ros couldn’t understand why she was sorry. He didn’t fully understand what a trickster witch was.
“I’ve only heard about you in fairytales,” Devon said with awe. “I thought your kind died out ages ago.”
“I can’t believe you know what she is,” Ros said. “I’m ancient, and I’ve never heard of any type of trickster witch.”
“I’m not sure, grandpa,” Devon said with a smirk. “But they were in hiding after the seventeenth century and encounters were mostly overseas. I’ve never read about one being in the states.”
“Can you not talk about me like I’m not here?” Ellea groaned. “Yes, I am a trickster witch. No, I don't know how I exist or my history. I got it from my father’s side, but he never mentioned anything else about it.”
“Is he here?” Devon asked, looking around. “Oh, it would be awesome to talk to him and learn more about it.”
“No,” Ellea said harshly. She didn’t elaborate.
“Wait,” Ros said, turning to her. “What are you sorry about?”
Ellea didn’t get a chance to answer as Devon continued vomiting words.
“It’s freaking cool!” he exclaimed. Ros and Ellea twitched at his screech. “I’m sorry, but it’s super cool. You shouldn’t exist, but here you are, making creatures with your magic. And you’re freaking tiny. I thought you would be this big scary thing. Are you a princess? Do you know any other languages? What else can you do?”
He was breathless.
Sam shushed him. “Come on, Devon, let’s go check to see where they’re at with the fire,” he said, directing his boyfriend away from a shocked Ellea. Billy looked up at Ellea. By the look on her face, they were communicating. After a few moments of silence, the familiar trotted off toward the woods without another look back, probably off to torture Garm some more.
Ellea was silent as she watched the beast disappear into the woods. Ros stepped closer to her, inhaling deeply through his nose. She turned slowly toward him, her eyebrows raised. She looked mortified. He liked that look better than how sad she’d started to look.
“Thank fuck,” Ros said as he straightened. “You smell like you.”
“I, um…” She fumbled with her words. “You’re welcome?”
