Page 18 of Pixie Problems
Star elves.
They were way overrated.
Chapter6
Dice
Because my Insight always burned through a lot of energy, I was starving again when I got off work, so I asked Rhys—who was making sure I got home safely that night—take me to a Mexican food restaurant called Tres Hermanas. It was apparently co-owned by triplet witches. It was late by the time we pulled into the parking lot, but the restaurant was still lively with fairy lights that ran along the walks and wrapped around the trees, soft music playing, and people talking and laughing with each other at their tables as they ate what smelled like amazing food.
A woman named Ignis seated us in a booth. She matched one of the girls in a photo that hung over the classy lobby entrance of three sisters with a couple that looked like their parents. I loved the fact that the family owned and ran it together. I spotted the other sisters serving other tables, and I even spotted their papa when the swinging doors to the kitchen swung open. It looked like he was the head chef.
The older lady from the picture, their mother, was going around to the different tables and asking if everyone’s meal was okay. With a quick comment here and there, a gifted dessert or drink here and there, and she left each table full of smiles and what looked like warm appreciation.
Wow. I so loved the family atmosphere of this place! And I wanted to get to know the family. And that said something for me, because my Insight had made me prickly and anti-social, especially when it gave me information that haunted and depressed me. But the restaurant had such a fun-loving, relaxed atmosphere that I felt drawn in, and I wanted to be a part of it.
Ignis had fiery auburn hair, and vivid, large green eyes. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail with a black handkerchief knotted around it. She was professional and friendly as she asked after Rhys, and he introduced me.
“This is Dice. She’s new in town.”
I nodded. “I really like the feel of this place. You guys have done a wonderful job.” I wasn’t one to gush praise, but I wanted to convey my appreciation for a cozy port in what had been a stormy day.
I remembered my wolf at home, and thought to ask, “Do you guys have any raw, meaty bones for a wolf? I’m sure you’ve heard of the magical animals that a cargo ship tried to smuggle in this morning? Well, I have one of them resting at home, and I wanted to get him something to gnaw on.”
Ignis smiled, though it looked a bit strained. “I’m sure we have something. No charge for it. Ben gave our family a few magical animals for us to care for as well.”
I nodded. Interesting. I didn’t think Rhys had been given one. He would have mentioned it. Maybe. Unless he was embarrassed by it for some reason . . . Hmmm. I glanced over at him and found him hunched behind his menu, clinging to it with a certain fixation, avoiding our eyes as if his life depended on it. “Thanks. I appreciate it,” I told Ignis.
She wrote something down on a napkin. “Here. Ben is having an informal meeting for those that he asked to take home an animal tomorrow at his clinic. Here’s the address.” The napkin read 2332 Starling Rd. “Meeting’s at seven p.m.”
“Thanks again.” I glanced over at my new boss, who was still hiding behind a menu. “I’ll see if my new boss will let me have my lunch then.” He mumbled something, but I didn’t catch it, even with my pixie hearing.
“What’d you say?”
He sighed, and his eyes met mine over the menu. He was still hiding the rest of his face. “I said, I have to go to the meeting too. I’ll just take you and make sure someone can cover us at the club.”
I was fighting to keep my face neutral, but knew I wasn’t managing it when Rhys glared at me. “You’ve been awfully quiet about your new temporary housemate. Any particular reason why?”
Ignis seemed fascinated by our conversation and didn’t even try to pretend that she was hanging around just to take our orders. I laughed when Rhys shuddered dramatically and gave Ignis my order, trying to give the big, scary elf a moment to collect himself. “I’ll have the loaded nachos with chicken, extra guacamole and jalapenos, and a cola.”
“Beef fajitas,” Rhys said. “With flour tortillas please.”
Ignis jotted it down. Her hand was shaking a bit, and there was a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead. My Insight pinged. “And to drink?”
“Do you guys carry sweet tea?”
Ignis laughed. “We’ve started carrying it since Mia moved into town. I’ll get you some.” She gathered our menus, moved aside for a server to leave our chips and salsa, and declared she’d be back with our drinks soon.
She moved off with near perfect grace . . . but something still felt off about her. My Insight hadn’t given me much about Ignis. It was that way sometimes if a magic user was powerful enough to shield themselves magically, but I did get a lingering sense of unease when I looked at her.
I sighed, fighting with myself. I tried to tell myself that it wasn’t my responsibility to help everyone I came across, but the feeling nagged me until I abruptly stood. “I’ll be right back,” I said, leaving Rhys blinking at me, startled.
I tracked her down. She was talking with, what looked like, one of her sisters. They were whispering and giggling to each other. Ignis was rubbing the right side of her belly, and alarm bells pinged more stridently in my head. I cleared my throat as I approached them. “Ignis? Do you have a minute to talk? It’s important.”
Ignis, wonderful witch that she was, didn’t bother with asking a ton of questions, she just led me to an office that was obviously used by all five of the family because the office was huge, and had five desks in different configurations spread throughout the room.
“What can I do for you?” she asked, leaning up against what I assumed was her desk.
This was the part I always hated. “I . . . have what I call Insight into a person. It’s not something I can turn off. It gives me information about a person’s physical and mental state.”
