Page 29 of Harvest Magic

Before I could answer Sage stepped in. “Most people here in Greysden are supernatural. Shifters, witches, vampires, everyone is welcome here.”

My kids looked shocked, which made it a good time to share the other piece of news they didn’t know. “As long as we’re on this topic, you kids should know I’m a witch.”

Ollie

My mate’s cubs were looking at her like she’d gone completely insane. Then again, most humans kept their heads in the sand about the existence of the supernatural world that operated right alongside theirs. And knowing how Nora had dedicated her life to raising her kids, it was likely a shock to realize that their mother had her own life that didn’t revolve around them.

“Are you three staying for Thanksgiving tomorrow?” Sage asked. “There will be a lot of other family here. My three daughters and two nieces as well as their mates and children. And of course my husband Edward, and Nora and Ollie.”

“Mates?” Caitlin asked faintly.

“My daughters and nieces are all mated to shifters. It’s the equivalent of a human marriage,” Sage explained. “But they all live in town, so we’ve got plenty of extra bedrooms if you all want to stay here overnight. I can put you in the east wing with your mother and Ollie.”

“Ollie’s staying over?” Scott asked.

“Of course he is,” Nora snapped.

Her hand landed on my thigh, and I covered it with my own. Nora had been hesitant to have me sleep over here, even though Sage had invited me multiple times, but I guess she was past any reservations now.

“How does this bear shifter thing work?” Scott asked, sending me an aggressive look that made my bear scoff in amusement.

Suddenly I remembered Meri’s prediction a couple of months ago about an angry visitor. Making a decision, I said, “Like this.”

Not all shifters had enough control over their inner animal to do a partial shift, but I did. I took a deep breath and allowed my arms to shift. My tee shirt stretched tight as my arms grew and changed into bear arms. One of the cubs gasped. Then Nora patted my arm and I came out of the partial shift.

The siblings exchanged shocked looks, but none of them said anything more. We drank our tea in silence for several minutes before Sage broke the silence.

“Oh, we could use more cookies,” she said.

Sage waved her hand at the plate, muttering something under her breath. The air shimmered briefly, then more cookies appeared. I almost laughed at the looks on our guests’ faces.

“Here you go,” she said cheerily as she slid the newly replenished plate towards Laura. “Have another.”

“Can you do that too, Mom?”

Nora shook her head. “I’m not that good yet. But I can do this.”

Nora waved her hand at the plate, saying something in Latin that made the plate lift off the table and float in front of her daughter’s face before moving slowly towards us. She released the plate in front of me.

“Have a cookie Ollie. I know how you like your sweets.”

“If you’re a witch, does that mean we are too?” Laura asked.

We all looked at Sage for guidance. She stared at each child in turn and said, “No, there’s no glimmer of magic in any of you, I’m sorry to say.”

Her kids were mostly quiet after that. Once we were finished with tea, Nora suggested that they all go into town and look around Greysden.

“Do you want back-up?” I asked under my breath.

She popped up on her tiptoes and gave me a quick peck on the lips. “We’ll be fine. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”

“I’ll take my bear out for a run then.”

They got back in time for dinner. I wasn’t sure what Nora said to them, but her cubs all seemed calmer and less shellshocked than when they’d left. Although they mostly ignored me, we ended up having a nice meal. Edward joined us, clearly up to speed on what was happening, and he kept the conversation moving. After dinner we shared a bottle of wine in the parlor before Sage showed the kids to their bedrooms. Nora and I headed upstairs right after them.

As soon as I closed the bedroom door she rounded on me, pushing me back against the door and dropping to her knees.

“What are you doing?” I asked, my voice sounding choked.