Dance of the Moons

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

            “Aunt Jacquie wants to see you in the office,” Shay told me quietly as I was collecting money from an elderly customer.

            “What for?” I asked him.

            My cousin shrugged. “She didn’t say, but she wants to see you now, when it isn’t busy.”

            We both looked around the café, where a few people were sipping coffee with friends, or doing work at a laptop.  It was slow, not unusual for the time of day.  But we would get busier later in the afternoon.

            I handled the next order—a croissant with chai tea—before leaving the counter and walking down the side employees only hallway that lead to the kitchen- bakery and office.  The office was a small room with a desk and two chairs.  The walls were off white, and covered in vines, credit of Jacquie’s experiments in earth magic.  The room was brightly lit by a window behind the desk.

            I opened the door without knocking, knowing my aunt would not be surprised to see me.  She had a glass ball that always alerted her to people walking by the office.  She got it on a trip to Spain many years before.

            Jacquie Bentz, my Coven Leader, boss, and aunt, looked up and smiled at me.  I mirrored the smile, wondering what she wanted to talk about.

            “Leila,” she greeted, “I’m glad you’re here.  I need to talk to you about something.”

            I stilled, feeling something off.  My aunt’s tone was friendly enough, but I knew there was a hidden tone behind the words that was a bad sign.

            “Your mother told you about the witch coming, right?”

            I nodded. “Christopher Brown, from a coven in England.”  She nodded. “He’s going to be staying at our house for a bit,” I added, a bit of a questioning tone to my words.

            She smiled and nodded, as if encouraging me.  “It would be very beneficial to…” she paused, searching for the right word, “get along with Mr. Brown.  He’s a very powerful and talented young witch.  His visit is good for the coven.”

            I nodded once, not sure why she was telling all this to me specifically.  Be on your best behavior, she was basically saying.  That’s something she should be telling the whole coven, not me specifically.  I caused no more trouble than anyone else.

            Aunt Jacquie regarded me in silence for a moment to let her words settle in my mind.  I blinked and she continued.

            “This is his second visit to America,” she finally continued. “During his first he didn’t step outside of New York City, although I heard he did a bit of air travel over New Jersey.”  I scratched my arm, still wondering why she was telling me this. “He’ll be in completely new territory,” she added. “As such, I want you to be a guide for Mr. Brown until he feels comfortable around here.  Take him around town, introduce him to people, answer questions.  Make him feel welcomed.”

            I opened my mouth to say something and then closed it when nothing came out.  What was I supposed to say?  Thanks, but no thanks?  This wasn’t a mere request.  This was an order from my Coven Leader.  I could feel the demand in the words.

            “What about school?” I managed to ask.  “What about work?  What is he going to do then?”

            She waved her hand in the air, dismissing it as if it were a small detail that didn’t need attention. “Take him with you.  He might like to see the human university where you learn.  He attended Brustolen,” she added, sounding smug.  Brustolen was a witch university in Southampton, England.  My mother had tried to make me go there.  It was like the Ivy of witch universities.