Page 9 of Clinically Bewitched
“Athena! I’m so glad I caught you!” She pulled me into a tight hug, and I could feel genuine affection in it, which was nice. Devlyn had been kind to me during my stay, even when her husband had been giving me those pointed looks.
“I brought you some snacks for the flight,” she said, handing me the bag. “Can’t let you leave without a muffuletta for the road and a little protection sachet I made. I know you’re the expert, but I thought—”
“That’s so thoughtful!” I pulled out the small cloth bag and immediately felt the energy of the herbs inside. “Rosemary, lavender, and... is that black tourmaline?”
“And salt,” Devlyn confirmed. “For protection during travel.”
“It’s perfect.” I hugged her again. “Thank you so much for everything. For letting me stay, and for being so welcoming.”
“You should come back sometime,” Devlyn said warmly. “Visit us again.”
Behind her, I heard six simultaneous groans.
“What was that?” I asked.
“Nothing!” Gator said quickly. “Just... clearing our throats. All of us. At the same time. Totally normal.”
I smiled. “I’d love to come back. Maybe after I’m settled with my soulmate. I could bring him to meet you all!”
“That would be... something,” Thore said weakly.
“Definitely something,” Worm agreed.
I gathered my carry-on bags, my purse, my travel altar, and my essential crystal collection, and turned to face the security line. This was it. The universe was sending me to Las Vegas to meet my person. My soulmate. The man I was destined to spend my life with.
I could feel it in every cell of my body.
This was fate.
This was meant to be.
“Thank you all so much,” I said, waving to the Bourbon Kings. “For everything. For your hospitality, your kindness, your support.”
“Just go find your happiness,” Gator said, and his voice was surprisingly gentle. “You deserve it, Athena.”
“We all deserve love,” I said. “The universe has someone for everyone. You just have to trust and be open to receiving.”
“Sure,” Donut said. “Trust and receive. Got it.”
I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and headed toward security. Behind me, I heard what sounded like a collective sigh of relief, but when I turned back to look, they were all waving and smiling.
Such sweet men.
The universe really did provide the most wonderful people.
As I placed my bags on the conveyor belt, I pulled out my deck one more time, just to be sure. I drew a single card.
The Tower.
I frowned. The Tower usually meant upheaval, chaos, sudden change. But it was also about breaking down old structures to make way for new ones. Transformation through destruction.
“Interesting,” I murmured.
“Ma’am?” The TSA agent looked at me. “You need to keep moving.”
“Right. Sorry.” I tucked my cards away and walked through the metal detector.
The Tower. Well, that was fine. Sometimes you had to break down walls to let love in. Sometimes the universe had to shake things up to get you where you needed to be.
