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Then why are your hands shaking? And why are you still listening to me?

‘You think it’s time?’ He knew Rayenne wasn’t talking to him.

Obviously.

‘Go fetch Ophelia.’

Aiden didn’t fully hear the reply but felt the grumbling tone.

‘Do you really want to argue with me?’ Rayenne asked, incredibly calmly, and Aiden noticed the glow around her taking on a slightly different hue – if there was anything to see at all, which he wasn’t entirely convinced there was. But Mist obviously saw something, because after a few moments she stretched and jumped down from the windowsill before slowly, deliberately padding towards the staircase. She paused by Rayenne and gave her a look as if to say she was only going upstairs because it pleased her to do so – and had nothing to do with what any human wanted. It was just a convenient coincidence.

‘Rayenne, what’s going on?’

She took a deep breath. ‘Do you want to sit down?’

‘Do I need to?’

‘Probably.’ Rayenne grinned. ‘Now, personally I love this bit, but others…’

‘Others can find it a little much.’ Ophelia almost skipped down the stairs, Mist cuddled in her arms. ‘Book nook?’

‘I guess.’ He eyed them nervously before heading to sit down.

‘Is it your turn or mine for this conversation?’ Ophelia asked as she sat Mist on her lap.

‘You found him, you can start.’ Rayenne sat and swished her skirts into a neat half-circle around her feet.

‘Technically it was the store that called him…’

‘Yes, but you kept him.’

‘Will one of you please tell me what’s going on?’

‘Right, sorry.’ Ophelia smiled and leaned forward. ‘Aiden, the things you’ve been seeing… feeling… experiencing… and trying to ignore or explain away with logic and science… You’re not imagining them, and they are real. Very real. And so is magic.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Magic is real.’ Rayenne repeated the words calmly, as if that would make them make more sense.

‘It can’t be.’ Aiden shook his head. ‘This is some sort of joke. Or trick.’

‘Do you feel like you’re being tricked?’ Rayenne asked gently. ‘Your instincts are good, Aiden. Do you feel like we are lying?’

‘No.’ He swallowed hard. ‘But this can’t be real. It’s too insane for words.’

‘I promise you it’s nothing more or less than the simple truth. Real, ordinary, ancient and everyday magic,’ Ophelia explained.

‘But magic doesn’t exist.’

‘Of course it does. The kind that keeps greenery and herbs fresh through winter, and warms and lights this store…’

‘It’s the same magic that helps me to control energy to heal… the same that you’re learning,’ Rayenne added.

‘But that’s not magic. It’s just energy manipulation. That’s basically science… isn’t it?’ He clung to it. That made sense in the real world. The one not rotating on its axis.

Mist made a rude noise, dragging Aiden’s attention back to her. Science, schmience. What we are talking about is far older and more powerful. She met his gaze levelly.

‘What do you mean?’ He couldn’t believe he was having this conversation. Or who he was having it with.