Maybe It's Magic

*Hezzlie*

The smell of cooked meat eventually wakes me up. I open my eyes to see Rowan standing over by the window, pulling the cloche off a tray and literally wafting the scent in my direction. It makes me chuckle as I sit up in bed and rub the sleep from my eyes.

“I thought maybe you were going to sleep all day,” he says. He looks like a god, standing there in a pair of dark slacks and a black shirt. He almost always wears black. I wonder if he has anything bright and cheerful in his wardrobe and decide he probably doesn’t. I’d say it would look out of place on him, but I can’t imagine him looking bad in anything.

I slide out of bed and stumble over to him, rubbing my rumbling stomach. “Since when do you eat lunch in your own bedroom?”

“I don’t,” he admits. “But I needed to wake you up.” I slip my arm around his waist, and he says, “I thought about waking you another way. Keep touching me like that, and I’ll quickly regret my decision.”

I giggle again and kiss his cheek. “I’m famished. I’m not even sure I have the energy to lie there and let you fuck me at the moment.” I slip into a chair in front of one of the two plates of food he’s set out for us and spy a huge sandwich piled high with freshly baked ham and mounds of cheese. It looks amazing, and I don’t even wait for him to sit down before I tear into mine. 

Rowan watches me for a few moments, amused, not even touching his food. Normally, I would feel the need to explain that I’m so hungry because of the magical training and the sex, but with him, I don’t have to. I just grin over at him, and he eventually stops staring long enough to take a bite of his sandwich. We also have freshly made potato chips, soda, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert that are still warm. I can tell by the steam coming off them.

“How’s Mom?” I ask him between bites. “Please tell me she’s not still out there with that monster.”

“She is on her lunch break,” he says, and I can hear the concern in his voice. “I think Veronica may have met her match in Ann Stone. Neither one of them is just going to roll over and give up, but I know your mom is tired, and Veronica seems frustrated.”

“I can’t feel sorry for Veronica,” I say, popping a chip into my mouth. “We didn’t ask for this. She could’ve at least called and asked if we were up for it, or if we even needed it. Mom’s gone this many decades without being a witch. Maybe she doesn’t need to be one now.”

“Maybe not,” he concedes with a slight shrug. “Or maybe we’ll need her in the battle. I’m surprised we haven’t heard from Abigail’s father’s king just yet.”

I raise my eyebrows. “I am, too. Did you call him?”

He shakes his head. “No, but I think she must’ve spoken to her parents. No one seems too concerned that I kidnaped her.”

“You definitely didn’t do that,” I assure him, washing down the last of my sandwich with a gulp of soda. “She wanted to come.”

His forehead crinkles slightly. “Does that concern you at all, Hezzlie?”

“Why would it?” I have a couple of chips left on my plate, so I scoop them up and shove them into my mouth, swallowing, before I reply, “Her father was awful to her, so she wanted to come with me.”

He nods. “Yes, and it made perfect sense that Mara would want to come back here, too, but… she was still dangerous.”

I stare at my mate for a long moment before I say, “Oh. Right.” I have to think about this for a minute. Is it possible that Abby also has some sort of spell on her that is making her act strangely? “Where is she now?” I ask.

“Last I heard, she was volunteering in the infirmary. I told James to keep an eye on her,” he says.

I say, “Well, I’m sure she’s enjoying that.”

His lips press into a thin line, and he says, “Dean came to talk to me today. He’s aggravated that she doesn’t know she’s his mate yet. He wanted me to see if you could tell if she has a spell on her. The more I thought about it, the more I realized you should probably do that anyway. Just in case.”

My stomach turns over, and I start to regret the two chocolate chip cookies I just swallowed whole. “I’m not even sure I know how to do that.”

“Maybe you can ask Veronica to help you?” he suggests. He hasn’t even finished his sandwich yet, but he pushes his plate away from him. I eye it for a moment and decide I don’t need to scarf that down, too.

“I guess I can ask her.” I hear the reluctance in my own voice. I don’t want to talk to Veronica at all, let alone ask her for help. But if it’s going to keep us safe, I’ll do it. “Do you know where she’s at right now?”

“She’s in her room. It’s on the second floor. Go down the stairs, turn right, third door on the left.”

I try to commit that to memory and figure I’ll find her one way or another. “Okay.” I push my chair back. “I’d better do it now before I lose the nerve.”

“Sounds like a good plan. I have some phone calls to make anyway. I’m trying to feel out a few of the kingdoms that might possibly take your father’s side and make sure that they don’t.” I can hear the annoyance in his voice.

“Maybe we should have a party or something?” I suggest, standing behind my chair.

He stands as well. “A party?” He doesn’t sound thrilled about that suggestion either. “What kind of party?”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “But everyone loves a good party. A welcome home party?”

“We did that. Mara didn’t like it.”

“Well, that wasn’t Mara,” I remind him. “Maybe take two?”

“I guess.” He doesn’t sound convinced.

“Or… are they going to get married or something?” My voice strains slightly as I try to keep it nonchalant, but the idea of talking to Rowan about marriage–anyone’s marriage–makes me nervous for obvious reasons.

“I don’t know,” he says again. “I would think so.”

“An engagement party?” I shrug with one shoulder–because engagements are no big deal to me. Obviously.

He raises one eyebrow. “I’ll talk to them.”

“Sounds good.” I take a deep breath. “Thanks for lunch.” I want to kiss him, but I feel weird about it because we were just talking about an engagement–even if it wasn’t our engagement. 

“Thanks for eating with me. I usually eat in my office by myself,” he admits. He leans down, and I raise up on my tiptoes, my lips brushing his.

“I’ll always eat lunch with you,” I promise him, and then I’m off, out the door before he can say anything else. I head for the stairs, but I’m about halfway down them when I realize I have no idea where he said Veronica’s room is. Undeterred, I keep right on walking. No looking back now.