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‘I better get going too.’ Mia drained the last of her coffee. ‘Mind if I take one to go?’

‘Of course not. But let me know what you think? You are still my official taste-tester, right?’

‘Yeah.’ She smiled at him. ‘And thanks, Aiden, for not making this weird or anything.’

‘Not a problem, Princess. I’ll speak to you tomorrow. Just after eight?’

‘Yes please. Thanks again.’

‘Not a bother… Matilda?’

‘Still no.’ Mia shook her head, smiling to herself as she left.

A few hours later Aiden took a sip of the tea he’d just made, gagged and spat it back out. It tasted sour, bitter and dank. He sniffed and wrinkled his nose. It must have got damp somehow. He’d have to work out which one of the herbs had turned and throw it out.

Fire! Fire! Mist shot across the shop. Rayenne’s door flung open and he heard Ophelia’s footsteps clattering down the stairs as he raced for the kitchen. Sure enough, smoke was billowing out from the oven. Coughing and gasping for breath, he grabbed a towel, yanked open the oven door and pulled out the tray of biscuits that were hissing and popping, exploding great plumes of smoke with every bang.

‘What happened?’ Rayenne spluttered as she flicked her fingers and the windows sprung open.

‘I’ve no idea.’ He dropped the tray into the sink and ran water over it in a massive cloud of steam. After a few seconds he picked up one of the newly baked lumps of charcoal and hit it against the side of the sink. Completely solid. ‘The temperature wasn’t that high.’

‘I don’t think a high temperature would cause this. Not alone. What did you put in it?’

‘Nothing. Well, nothing untoward. Certainly nothing that should do this. They were just Mother’s Comfort Cookies. Well, they should have been. I must have screwed up the recipe. I’m so sorry.’

‘It’s OK.’ Ophelia peered at the sorry mess in the sink. ‘We all have our off days. And it looks like you’ve well and truly lost your focus. Do you want to tell us about it?’

‘About what?’

‘About whatever’s going on in your head – or your heart – that’s translating into your gift,’ Rayenne replied softly.

‘I don’t think it’s anything like that,’ Aiden argued.

‘The problem with being gifted,’ Ophelia explained gently, ‘is that in order to get all the wonders that magic offers, we trade some things. Gifted people like you and me, energy workers like Rayenne, we don’t have the same luxuries when it comes to things like emotional outbursts as normal people.’

‘I’m sorry if you think I’ve been grumpy today…’

‘You haven’t,’ Rayenne replied quickly. ‘But you have been a little quieter, and clearly not yourself. And some of the crystals are out of tune. I thought maybe we were about to get a poltergeist, or someone was casting the evil eye, but now I’m thinking they’re reacting to you. And whatever it is you’re bottling up.’

‘I’m not bottling anything up. I don’t think.’

‘Are you sure?’ Ophelia asked. ‘It takes a lot of repressed energy and negative emotions to explode biscuits. Have you noticed anything else?’

‘When I brewed tea, it tasted sour. I thought maybe one of the herbs had got damp, but now I’m wondering if I should rethink that.’

‘Can we help?’

There was nothing to help with. Nothing he needed to tell either of them about. And certainly nothing that either of them could do. That much had been made clear. As amazing as magic was, it couldn’t heal his ma, or fix the messed-up gene in their family. Or change what Mia wanted – and deserved – out of life. He didn’t want to have to tell them and see their pitying glances. He wasn’t upset about Mia dating; he wanted her to be happy. It was just everything else… and the stark reminder that he’d never have a future like that. It wouldn’t be fair to even try. ‘I’m sorry, there’s really nothing. I’m just tired.’

‘Are you sure that’s all?’

‘Yeah.’

He didn’t miss the look they shared.

‘Go home,’ Ophelia told him. ‘Get some rest. Go for a ride on your bike. Take a few days if you need to and clear your head. And be kind to yourself. And then get some sleep, OK?’

‘Thanks. I’ll get tidied up in here…’