Spelled Kiss | Coven Corner #2

Chapter Thirteen

At sunrise, Bryony slipped out of the house to visit Sky. After yesterday and everything that happened with Sean—from the moment he caught her in mid-air to that suggestive low tone of his voice.

...a kiss would make everything better.

Bryony needed time away from Pagan Posies.

Normally, she would spend hours in the gardens or the greenhouse to clear her head, especially so close to Samhain. But it seemed that Sean was wrapped up in every inch of the place and her usual haunts didn't bring the comfort and peace that they had before.

So, she fled. Escaped to the tiny cottage of Sky's tearoom. It was a small, squat building with one bedroom, a kitchen, and a sitting room. There were flower boxes with gold and red chrysanthemums and a cherry tree that Bryony had planted as a house-warming gift sat tucked close to the house, dripping lush red cherries onto the roof and into the gutters.

Bryony knocked lightly on the door and stepped back on the porch, waiting, her hands tucked into the warmth of her coat pockets against the chilly morning. Leaves hissed and danced across the ground. The smell of oncoming frost—crisp and sharp—lingered in the air. It might even snow for Samhain.

The door opened to reveal Sky in a cloud-pink bathrobe. Her hair was twisted up in a messy bun, leaving a few stray wisps to curl down around her heart-shaped face. She scrubbed a hand over her cheek with a yawn. Then her eyes widened at the sight of Bryony.

"Bryony," she said. "You're...here? I wasn't expecting you."

"Can we talk?" Bryony said. "I know it's early and if you'd rather do this another time, I understand."

Sky shook her head and waved her inside. "Absolutely not. Come in. I'll get some tea boiling."

Bryony followed Sky into the house only to grind to a stop once she was past the threshold. Hanging on the coat rack was a heavy charcoal gray man's coat. And tucked in the corner was a broomstick made of black walnut, nestled up close to Sky's soft red cherrywood broomstick.

Sky noticed Byrony's stare and her sudden silence. She tugged on Bryony's sleeve.

"Those are just a few of Aiden's things," she said. "He's not here at the moment. It's only us."

It was supposed to put Bryony at ease. She didn't dislike Aiden. He was soft-spoken, gentle, and kind with an air of calmness about him that made it addictive to be in his presence. Aiden wasn't the problem.

Bryony and Sky had always been close. It was Bryony's spare coat on the rack. It was Bryony's white oak broom piled in a heap at the door with Sky's broom.

Now someone else had taken Bryony's place and there was no room for her.

Sky gave another tug to Bryony's sleeve and cocked her head.

"Is everything all right?" she said. "You look...upset."

Bryony managed a small smile and kept her coat buttoned on tight, her broom tucked under one arm.

"Nothing," she said.

It almost seemed as if Sky might argue that point but Sky wasn't the argumentative type. That was Bryony's trademark.

"Would you like to hang up your coat?" Sky said.

She'd never had to offer in the past and it showed. The words sounded awkward and strange in the stillness. Bryony always had a place in her home. But Bryony didn't feel like trying to figure out where her place was now that Aiden had taken up residence in her best friend's life.

"No, I'm fine," Bryony said. "Tea would be good though."

"Okay," Sky said hesitantly.

Bryony trailed after Sky into the kitchen. As Sky set to filling the kettle and turning on the oven, Bryony swept aside a few bowls of dried herbs and tea bags before she took a seat at the table.

Sky's house always smelled good. She made tea and read tea leaves for a living. The scents of sage, lavender, and honeysuckle swirled through the room as Sky measured out a blend of tea and took two cups with matching saucers down from the cabinet.

"What is it you wanted to talk about?" Sky ventured.

She kept her back to Bryony, allowing her time to compose herself and think before they came face to face again.

"Well, first, an apology is in order," Bryony said.

Sky glanced over her shoulder with a soft look. "You know that's not necessary."

"Of course it is. I was rude to you the other day at The Eye of Newt. I was mean for no reason..."

She trailed off as Sean's words echoed in her head.

You're mean because you're testing people.

Was she testing Sky? But even now, judging by the look Sky had leveled at her, Sky had already passed that test with flying colors.

Sky turned to the table and slid a cup of tea over to Bryony.

"I know Aiden's presence in my life has brought a lot of changes with him," she said. "And it's hard to get used to that. I don't blame you."

Bryony curved her fingers around her cup.

"I'm scared," she whispered.

The words hung in the air, trembling and small. She hadn't even realized she was going to say that. She'd never been scared of anything in her life. But now that she had admitted it, she knew those words were right.

"Scared of what?" Sky said.

Bryony traced the lip of her cup and couldn't meet Sky's gaze.

"Scared you don't need me anymore," she said. "Scared that I'm losing my best friend to a wonderful man she deserves."

"Oh, Bryony," Sky said softly. She slid her chair around the table to sit beside Bryony and wrapped her arms around Bryony's neck.

Bryony dipped her face into Sky's shoulder, surrounded by the scent of green tea and honey that always clung to Sky's clothes and hair.

"I know it's stupid to feel that way," she mumbled. "I know you're not replacing me. I just...I can't stop thinking it."

Sky pulled back to look Bryony in the eye. She took Bryony's hands in a solid grip.

"Is this because of Sean?" she said.

Bryony blinked. Sean? They were talking about Aiden and Sky. Not Sean. It seemed she couldn't escape him no matter where she went.

"No, this isn't because of him," Bryony replied.

Sky raised an eyebrow with a tilt of her head as if to say, I don't believe you.

"Hazel said you were having trouble at home," she said. "With Sean working at Pagan Posies, it must be difficult to get used to having him around. I would understand if you were stressed about it."

Bryony sank deeper into her chair. She hadn't slept the night before, replaying the way she had tumbled off of her broom and how quickly Sean had taken a dive for her. She couldn't forget the feel of his arm around her waist or his mouth so close to her ear. She couldn't stop thinking about the way he'd curved his body around hers to form a protective shell, ensuring she didn't receive one bruise from a fall that had broken bones on him.

It wasn't the behavior of the Sean O'Hara she knew from school all those years ago. It was the behavior of a different Sean, a little more mature and considerate.

She hated that thought. It got under her skin and itched like crazy.

Because if she'd been wrong about him for so long, Sean would never let her live it down. It was easier to be angry with him than to trust him and be constantly looking over her shoulder, waiting for him to tease her, to mock her, to point at her and laugh like he used to.

"I think I have to move out," Bryony blurted.