Page 5 of They Were Broom-Mates

Flushing from head to toe, Amelie let go of Regina’s hand as though it had burned her.

“I am so sorry.” Amelie babbled, shaking her head. “I am not normally like this. I would never usually invade someone else’s space; I was raised better than that, I swear!”

Amelie took a step back, primed and ready to dash away at the earliest opportunity, but was stopped by Regina, cupping her hands around Amelie’s and bringing them up to her lips. Amelie’s eyes grew in size as she watched the taller woman press a gentle kiss to her fingertips.

“It’s quite alright.” Regina grinned, blank eyes gazing into Amelie’s soul, pinning her to the spot. “It might seem silly, but I do feel as though I already know you.”

Butterflies flitted around in Amelie’s stomach. She swallowed heavily, allowing herself to stop panicking for just one second so she could take in Regina’s words.

It was weird… they’d only just met but Regina was right. Whether it had to do with the fact that Amelie could sense her and all her magical abilities now, or simply because Regina was open to the connection, Amelie felt like she knew the other witch.

Interlacing their fingers together, Regina brought her hand to Amelie’s cheek, brushing a lock of golden hair out of the way.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Amelie.”

Amelie could feel Regina’s breath on her lips, the witch’s aura intertwined with the air that she breathed; it was intoxicating. For a brief moment, Amelie thought Regina was going to kiss her; she was sure of it… she was ready… but then.

“Regina! I was wondering if… oh! Is this the new caretaker?”

Amelie’s head snapped to the side; the fiery, orange ball of energy that she had sensed earlier had fully manifested itself and was now standing in the doorway in the form of an absolutely gorgeous redhead.

Regina, completely unfazed by the intrusion, simply squeezed Amelie’s hand and turned the pair of them toward the door.

“It is.” Regina greeted the redhead warmly. “Hestia, this is Amelie, Amelie, this is Hestia.”

A massive grin spread across Hestia’s lips as she, quite literally bounced into the space, stopping right in front of Amelie, who was still desperately attempting to get her bearings back.

Hestia was about her height, if not a little bit shorter, tilting her head up slightly to look Amelie in the eye. Her green eyes darted back and forth across the blonde’s features and, Amelie couldn’t help but feel as though she was being sized up just a little.

Draped in a jewel-toned red dress that looked more akin to a sheet that the other woman had draped strategically over her body, her red hair tumbled down over her shoulders and onto her back. It was wild but not unkempt, more like it had just finished being tousled by the wind.

Wondering briefly how she hadn’t noticed the other woman coming, Amelie took note of the many golden bangles adorning her arms and ankles, noticing that the other woman was not wearing any shoes.

“Aren’t you cold?” Amelie blurted out, her hand moving to her lips too late. “I mean…”

“Oh, it’s okay.” Hestia’s laugh sounded like the crackling of a fire, sporadic and joyful. “I run warm. My mother is a fire witch and while I didn’t inherit her abilities, I definitely got her tendency to exude heat.”

“Oh.” Amelie looked to her side up to Regina, only to find the other woman already watching her, amusement in her eyes.

“Hestia is our Illusion Witch.” Regina supplied, filling in the blanks.

Amelie’s gaze shot back to the redhead with surprise. “You maintain the borders. Gosh, you’re so young!”

Hestia’s eyes warmed, melting from an emerald green to more of a warm tea with honey. “That’s me! I maintain the wards around the town to keep unsuspecting mortals from wandering inside.”

Amelie clapped her hands together in excitement. “I’ve always wondered how that works!”

“All me!” Hestia did a little spin, her skirts flaring out as she moved. When she finally finished her turn, she interlaced her fingers behind her back and shot Amelie a million-watt smile. “It’s a work in progress, but I’ve been here for the last two years, and every day it gets a little easier to maintain.”

“How does it work?” Amelie asked, trying her best to move forward from how flustered she’d been only a few moments before.

“I am not entirely sure.” Hestia tilted her head, putting her hand to her lips in thought. “It was put together at the town’s founding. Something to do with runes carved into the mountains cradling the town.”

Hestia shrugged lightly. “There’s no way that my abilities would be able to project the facade over the entire town alone, so the runes act as an amplifier of sorts.”

“Oh.” Amelie hummed, considering the magical building itself. “I wonder if…”

Amelie closed her eyes and reached out through the tendrils of the building, seeking out Hestia’s warmth. Several hallways down, she found what she was looking for: a space absolutely inundated with Hestia’s magic.