day’s time, but not before it attracts a number of unpleasant creatures. Believe me, hobgoblins are the tip of the iceberg.”
The proprietress reappeared, two cups of tea in hand. She set them down on the table, smiling at us in that grandmotherly manner that only the elderly can manage. “I hope you don’t mind my saying, but you two make such a handsome couple,” she said.
My hand went immediately to tug at my wedding ring, which I still hadn’t removed. Heat gathered at my chest, creeping up to my cheeks. “No,” I sputtered, “that’s not—”
“Thank you,” Kailen broke in. “That’s very kind of you. My wife is so modest, I’m afraid it embarrasses her terribly when she’s told that.”
She laughed and looked to me. “Don’t be embarrassed, dear. You’re only young and beautiful once.”
I only sat there, my face burning, as she turned and went back to the kitchen.
Kailen sipped his tea, his expression unconcerned. “Better than explaining that we’re both Fae, that I’m a widower, and that you’re freshly separated.”
I tugged again at the ring, only to find that it would not come off. I hadn’t wanted to take it off before, now I couldn’t imagine wearing it a minute longer. I'd bet Owen didn't wear his. I pulled and sucked in my breath. The ring didn’t budge. Instead, I could have sworn that it became tighter. I tried to nudge it back and forth and this time it unmistakably shrank around my finger. My ring finger began to turn purple. “Kailen!” I said, panicked.
He was out of his chair and at my side before I’d even seen him move. “Breathe,” he said, “slowly.”
I did as he told me, and the panic receded only a little. Nothing happened to the ring. “Now what?” I said.
“Keep breathing. Close your eyes. Focus on the ring. Imagine the jaws of a snake as it swallows its prey. It opens its mouth, wider, then its jaws unhinge. A tiny little snake can swallow something many times larger than its mouth. The ring on your finger is like the jaws of a snake.”
His voice passed over me like waves on a beach. The tightness around my finger eased. I didn't dare open my eyes yet. I kept breathing as Kailen's hand touched mine. He slipped the ring off. “You can open your eyes,” he said.
I did. Redness marked the area on my finger where the ring had been.
He shook his head. “Like Russian roulette. Now watch.” He dropped the ring onto the surface of the table. A smell began to build, dark chocolate, emanating from the table's surface. “Touch the table.”
I placed my palm flat against its surface. The smell disappeared.
“Clean-up work,” Kailen said. “The first thing you must learn is that you control the magic, the magic does not control you. If you run around firing off at every idea that crosses your head, you're going to get very tired very quickly, and you'll hurt yourself, like you almost did now.” He lifted the ring and held it out to me. “Here.”
I took it and moved it between my fingers. I felt lightheaded, as though I'd stood up too quickly after sitting for a long while.
Kailen put a hand out to my arm. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “This is just a lot to take in.” I dropped the ring into my pocket and rubbed the spot where it had once been. “I never thought I would get divorced, much less be running around with a guy I barely know, learning magic. And all this in the course of a week.”
“Hey.” He put his hand over mine. “I don't have a middle name. I was born in the Fae world and lived there until I was two hundred and seventeen years old. I hate yellow lights in traffic, raccoons, and water getting in my shoes. My favorite food is crème brulee and my favorite place is the muirwoods in the Fae world. I like my coffee black, but only when it's of good quality. I snore, but only when I sleep on my back.”
I stared at him. “What?”
“You said you were running about with a guy you barely knew.” He squeezed my hand.
The proprietress reappeared, two cups of tea in hand. She set them down on the table, smiling at us in that grandmotherly manner that only the elderly can manage. “I hope you don’t mind my saying, but you two make such a handsome couple,” she said.
My hand went immediately to tug at my wedding ring, which I still hadn’t removed. Heat gathered at my chest, creeping up to my cheeks. “No,” I sputtered, “that’s not—”
“Thank you,” Kailen broke in. “That’s very kind of you. My wife is so modest, I’m afraid it embarrasses her terribly when she’s told that.”
She laughed and looked to me. “Don’t be embarrassed, dear. You’re only young and beautiful once.”
I only sat there, my face burning, as she turned and went back to the kitchen.
Kailen sipped his tea, his expression unconcerned. “Better than explaining that we’re both Fae, that I’m a widower, and that you’re freshly separated.”
I tugged again at the ring, only to find that it would not come off. I hadn’t wanted to take it off before, now I couldn’t imagine wearing it a minute longer. I'd bet Owen didn't wear his. I pulled and sucked in my breath. The ring didn’t budge. Instead, I could have sworn that it became tighter. I tried to nudge it back and forth and this time it unmistakably shrank around my finger. My ring finger began to turn purple. “Kailen!” I said, panicked.
He was out of his chair and at my side before I’d even seen him move. “Breathe,” he said, “slowly.”
I did as he told me, and the panic receded only a little. Nothing happened to the ring. “Now what?” I said.
“Keep breathing. Close your eyes. Focus on the ring. Imagine the jaws of a snake as it swallows its prey. It opens its mouth, wider, then its jaws unhinge. A tiny little snake can swallow something many times larger than its mouth. The ring on your finger is like the jaws of a snake.”
His voice passed over me like waves on a beach. The tightness around my finger eased. I didn't dare open my eyes yet. I kept breathing as Kailen's hand touched mine. He slipped the ring off. “You can open your eyes,” he said.
I did. Redness marked the area on my finger where the ring had been.
He shook his head. “Like Russian roulette. Now watch.” He dropped the ring onto the surface of the table. A smell began to build, dark chocolate, emanating from the table's surface. “Touch the table.”
I placed my palm flat against its surface. The smell disappeared.
“Clean-up work,” Kailen said. “The first thing you must learn is that you control the magic, the magic does not control you. If you run around firing off at every idea that crosses your head, you're going to get very tired very quickly, and you'll hurt yourself, like you almost did now.” He lifted the ring and held it out to me. “Here.”
I took it and moved it between my fingers. I felt lightheaded, as though I'd stood up too quickly after sitting for a long while.
Kailen put a hand out to my arm. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “This is just a lot to take in.” I dropped the ring into my pocket and rubbed the spot where it had once been. “I never thought I would get divorced, much less be running around with a guy I barely know, learning magic. And all this in the course of a week.”
“Hey.” He put his hand over mine. “I don't have a middle name. I was born in the Fae world and lived there until I was two hundred and seventeen years old. I hate yellow lights in traffic, raccoons, and water getting in my shoes. My favorite food is crème brulee and my favorite place is the muirwoods in the Fae world. I like my coffee black, but only when it's of good quality. I snore, but only when I sleep on my back.”
I stared at him. “What?”
“You said you were running about with a guy you barely knew.” He squeezed my hand.
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