Page 5 of Spirit Storm

I break into the tart with the edge of my fork. "Garrison’s healers have had the powers of all the siphoned witches blocked to stabilize since the rescue, but she’s counting down the days until they remove it. She keeps asking me what I think her affinity might be like we’re back being kids snooping around the Christmas tree shaking presents."

Wylder smiles properly at that. "I love that for you both."

Yeah, me too. "She's nervous, I can tell, but she's not letting it stop her. Sadly, Lily is at the other end of the scale."

He sets his fork down and stills, letting me have the space to find my words.

“I don’t think she’s against magic as a concept, but after what happened… she just wants no part of it. She’s grieving the death of our parents, the loss of five years, and the fact that she’s the victim of such a horrible abuse of power. She just wants to hide in her room and cry.”

Saying it out loud breaks my heart, and I have to blink quickly to keep my tears from taking over.

Wylder reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. "She's seventeen and survived something most witches wouldn't walk away from. It’s understandable that she’s questioning whether magic is worth all it cost her.”

"I just don't know how to help her. She’s so sad.”

“She’ll be all right. I was her age when my mom was killed, and Laurel pinned everything on your mom and Sebastian. I went through a period when the pain was so big and consuming that I hated everything about magic and what it stole from me. She’ll work through it. Give her time.”

My chest tightens in the best possible way. “Thank you.”

He squeezes my hand. “As someone who has no family, it’s easy to see how close your family was. The three of you will rebound from this. You’ll see.”

I draw a deep breath and nod. “Yeah, we will.”

We focus on our desserts for a few moments, and I let the reality of his words really sink in.

As someone who has no family…

That hurts my heart. Wylder is a good guy and has no one. Laurel betrayed his trust in so many ways, and yet he’s still kind, a devoted practitioner, and works his very fine butt off to pay for a room in a shared house.

He deserves so much more.

"Is your blood bond still quiet?"

His question jars me out of my thoughts, and I turn my fork over. "It's been quiet since he broke through the last time. No dark pull, no invasions into my dreams, nothing."

“Why don’t you sound happier about that?”

"Guilt? Sure, I’m happy to not have him pulling at me, but our connection could help us find him and figure out what he’s doing. I feel like I should want our bond to be active… but I don’t.”

I focus on my final forkful. Chocolate and bitter orange dissolve together, and I’m about to lift my gaze when my phone buzzes in my purse.

I fish it out and look at the screen.

Asher: sorry to interrupt ur hot date (wylder looked SEXY HOT when he picked u up btw ) but theres someone from the Order here?? He wants to talk to you and is doing the impatient thing. pls come home when you can. love u. also tell wylder I’m sorry to be a cockblock

Wylder is studying my expression as I read.

"Someone from the Order is at the house. Apparently, they're doing ‘the impatient thing’, and Asher needs us to come home. He also apologizes for cockblocking you.”

Wylder arches a brow and signals to our server for the check. “I understand I’m dating the most in-demand witch in Emberwood. And who says I’ve been cockblocked? You’ll find I’m not put off that easily.”

“That’s the spirit,” Asher bends down beside me and scoops up the last bite of my dessert. “Sorry, I couldn’t stand the pressure of entertaining that man. Then I remembered I could just portal over and get you. How cray-cray is that?”

I blink. “You want to portal? With me?”

Asher sobers. “What’s that face, P? Seriously. You know I’ve been practicing.”

“Yeah, practicing, I know, but…”