It reminded her of how she used to feel around Lily.
They wound up back at the parking lot soon enough and as usual Daniel offered her a ride home. It was almost longer to drive than it was to walk back, but after her run she never felt like hopping the chain-link fence again - legs too rubbery and well used. Daniel dropped her off with a promise to see her later at the Coven for more of her training.
Letting herself back into her cottage, she peered around the door looking for Bruce but he was nowhere to be seen. Feeling foolish, she even called out for him, but heard no response. She felt a little sad and melancholy at his absence. Jade shook her head at herself and continued on with her morning routine to get to work.
Once at the Coven, Jade was met with the impressive bureaucratic red-tape that apparently couldn't be avoided even when working for a bunch of witches.
"What do you mean 'file a report'?" she asked, staring up at Josef.
Josef smiled down at her. "Ah yes, the second most glorious part of Counter-Magic - the paperwork. We need you to fill in a Field Consultation Form, a Contact with Unknown Entity/Creature Form and then your General Report on yesterday's trip to the sewer."
"Is this some kind of hazing thing?"
Josef laughed at her expression. "Nope, just your everyday bureaucracy."
"Ugh." Jade sighed booting up her computer. She looked forlornly at the small travel cup of coffee she'd brought from home. She was going to need a bigger mug. "I thought being a witch was going to be way cooler than this."
"Well, if you get your paperwork in on time, maybe I'll teach you a new spell. Got any you want to learn?"
She did have quite a few. "There's maybe one on transfiguration that I'd like to learn," she said, trying to look nonchalant.
Josef laughed again. "Well, you like to shoot for the stars, don't you? All right, do you paperwork and I'll take a look at the spell you want to learn. If I think it's not to hard, we'll give it a try."
Happy like a child promised an ice cream after school, Jade went back to her computer and started her paperwork.
#
After a morning of slogging through paperwork, Paris thought if he left early he could grab something for lunch on his way to his meeting with the local vampires, be back by six, have time to grab a bite to eat, and then take Jade to Hannah's by seven. He sent an email quickly to Jade asking her to be ready by six-forty-five. He received a smart-alec response back that she would be ready at six-forty-five but if he showed up his customary ten to fifteen minutes early, he could wait. Outside. In the car.
He considered a childish response of reminding her he was the most powerful witch in the Coven (Hannah excluded) but refrained. When his phone range moments later, he almost thought it would be Jade, iterating her email for him to be on time and not early, and he was surprised to hear Veronica's voice on the line.
"Settling in?" he asked, updating his calendar to indicate he'd be busy this afternoon.
She laughed a bit in his ear. "The more things change, the more they stay the same. Did you know that they closed the bakery on third?"
Paris sighed. Sadly, he did know. They'd made the best eclairs in the city. "Yes, about six months ago. Retirement." Paris' sweet-tooth hadn't been the same since that bakery closed.
"I was going to pop by and get you some of those chocolate things you like, but there's a cell phone shop there now. The horror."
He laughed at her dry tone. "Well, I appreciate the thought, at any rate."
"Listen, how about I take you to lunch? Tell me they haven't closed the Italian place downtown? I may cry if they have."
"No, it's still open, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass on lunch. I've got a meeting with the vampires and was planning on picking something up on the way."
"Heavy hangs the head that wears the crown," Veronica mused. "How about dinner?"
"I'm afraid that's booked up too, I'm taking Jade to see Hannah tonight to have her cards read."
"Oh, she hasn't had them done yet?"
"It was too crazy when she first arrived. Although she hasn't said so explicitly, I think Hannah made a special trip back to the Coven to do it." Paris paused, hearing the silence on the phone. "I'm sorry, I'm not able to make it today."
"Well," Veronica said. "No matter. Perhaps tomorrow." He could hear the false lightness in her tone and wondered if there were problems at her Coven that she wanted or needed to talk to him about. "The Italian place and I won't take no for an answer."
"All right. Dinner tomorrow it is."
"Wonderful. I'll see you then."
They made short work of their goodbyes and Paris admitted he was a little distracted as he did, already focusing on the next thing in his inbox.
By the time the meeting with the vampires wrapped up later that afternoon, Paris had a bit more time than he thought before he needed to pick up Jade to take her to Hannah's. He briefly considered calling Jade and asking if she had plans for dinner, but the last time he'd taken her out, she managed to convince him to eat at a fast-food chain. He didn't think he was up to another visit and he couldn't think of anywhere else she might like to go, given her propensity for casual dining. He'd have to find some place in town that wasn't a burger joint, but wasn't so fancy that she'd scowl upon seeing it.
Paris was outside Jade's cottage at twenty to seven and was surprised when her door swung open and she came out. She poked her head back inside quickly, as though she were checking something and then shut the door quickly, hopping down the steps to his car, sliding her arms into a bright blue fall jacket as she did.
"You're not going to berate me for being five minutes early?" he asked as she slid into the passenger seat.
"I'll give you a free pass this time since it's only five minutes," she replied cheekily, settling her jacket around her. "So!" she clapped her hands together. "Off to Miss Cleo for tarot card reading?"
"If you mean Hannah, then yes," Paris replied smoothly as he drove.
"Aaaaand," Jade said, stretching out the vowel, "what's the word on the lizard thing?"
"Interestingly enough, the word is 'escape.'"
"Oh yeah?" Jade questioned. "You guys worried?"
Paris made a slight see-saw motion with his head. "I suppose not. It doesn't appear that the creature is dangerous. It will likely return to the sewer, I imagine. We'll have to add some sort of community learning about letting pets loose and not properly cleaning up magical leftovers, I suppose."
Jade nodded and out of the corner of his eye, he could see her tapping her fingers against her knee. "So no full scale manhunt or anything."
"Are you concerned? Did you think the creature was dangerous?"
"No, just," she waved a hand casually, "curious."
Paris glanced quickly over at her, but only saw the back of her head and a bit of the side of her face as she stared out the passenger window.
He stopped at a red light and took the opportunity to face her again. "If you are concerned, I hope you would tell me."
Jade turned to look at him, her cool grey eyes open and almost childlike. She shrugged. "Not concerned."
He saw the light turn green out of the corner of his eye and had to look away, back to the road.
Hannah lived in an older part of town where the trees were so large and full that in the summer they sometimes appeared to be touching each other across the road, creating a lush canopy effect. Now, in late fall, bordering on early winter, the sidewalks and streets were littered with crunchy, dry leaves. Paris saw a few people, witches and mundanes alike, trying to rake them into massive piles. There were the requisite children tossing and throwing leaves about, generally making more work than helping.
"How come they're raking?" Jade asked. "Why not just woo-woo the leaves away?"
"It's a nature thing. It's good for witches to be involved in tasks and chores that put them in connection with nature. It's beneficial to touch things of the earth, work with our hands. It keeps our magic clean and grounded."
Paris smiled. "Yes. I believe you'll find a small shed in the back with all the tools you need. It will help you with your earth magic as well. You're weak on it. And water."
"Water is hard," she protested. "It's all-" she made a circling motion with her hands. "It makes me feel like I can't breathe."
He felt his own eyebrows go up. "Truly? You never mentioned that before."
"Is that weird?"
He hedged. For all her bluster, he'd come to realize that Jade was sensitive about fitting in and being considered on par with other witches. "Some witches have a hard time with one or two of the elements," he said, hoping that would be a good enough answer to assuage her.
She groaned. "It's weird. I knew it."
Clearly he had to work on his soothing skills if she was able to so easily read him. "You'll get there, Jade." He turned off the main road, down a small side street and then down Hannah's partially obscured driveway. Hannah had several large trees on her property and he could see the neighborhood children had been hard at work collecting leaves into several haphazard piles. Hannah would often treat them to cinnamon hot chocolate for their labor, or perhaps even work a few minor spells for harmless but spectacular fireworks in exchange. Their parents were happy to get them out of the house and working, and the kids couldn't wait to light the fireworks up. Hannah always charmed them with safety-hexes to keep anyone from getting burnt or injured. When Hannah wasn't in town, Paris thought she might have a service that came by to take care of her property. He'd never seen it look anything less than impeccable.
Hannah's house, like the neighborhood, was old. The dark wood planks of her front step sagged from years of use and the chains of the small swing she had on her front porch groaned and clinked in the wind. If he was being honest, it was the perfect Hallows' Eve house, Paris thought. It had a slightly dark, ominous look, although everyone in the neighborhood knew Hannah too well to be put off by it.
Jade, however, didn't know Hannah yet and as Paris parked the car in front of the house, he could see Jade hesitating as she got out of the car. He tried to see it through her eyes and not as a regular visitor. It was reminiscent of a two-story farm house - wider than it was deep. The charcoal grey of the house was worn lighter in areas. Hannah's summer gardening was pulled out and the flowerbeds were stark and empty in the waning dusk light. Some old leaves spun and cracked as the wind caught them and Paris saw Jade's fingers twitch by her side.
"As I mentioned, there's nothing to fear. I'm sure it looks quite ominous, but it's perfectly safe."
She turned and looked at him with doubt in her eyes. "This is the beginning of every slasher-horror flick I've ever seen. 'Come on into the creep-tastic house! Nothing bad will happen to you. Totally safe!'"
"I can assure you are totally safe."
Jade started slightly at Hannah's voice and even Paris looked up quickly. He'd been so focused on Jade he hadn't heard Hannah open the door.
Paris was always surprised by how small Hannah was. He supposed in his mind he was a perpetual child looking up at her and his mother crafting spells, working hexes and incantations. She had also been such a grounding force for him since he became Coven Leader, that he often forgot she was hardly five-foot-two. Her hair was the same perfectly polished sliver it always was, pulled back into a strange and intricate knot. Her exotic, violet eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled at them.
"Jade," Hannah said, her voice like soft honey. "I've looked forward to meeting you in person."
Jade shot a sideways look at Paris and he had the distinct impression that she was about to bolt. Paris stepped up toward the doorway and bent over slightly to give Hannah a hug and kiss on the cheek.
"Hello, Hannah. It's good to see you."
"You as well," Hannah said. She turned and looked back at Jade expectantly. "Come closer, dear. I won't bite."
Paris could see the way Jade straightened her shoulders, as if screwing her courage to the sticking plate before coming up the steps and facing Hannah.
"Hi," Jade said flatly.
Hannah had to tip her head back to look at Jade. "My, you are something, aren't you," Hannah murmured. She reached out to clasp Jade's hands and Jade flinched back, snatching her hands out of Hannah's grasp. Paris knew Hannah well enough to see the slight disappointment in her eyes.
"Please, come in," Hannah said, sweeping an arm wide in welcome.
Paris gestured for Jade to go before him and she raised her eyebrows and then jerked her thumb to indicate he should go first. He frowned and inclined his head to indicate she would go first and he would follow. Jade shook her head and crossed her arms, turning her face away from him. He sighed. It was clear she wasn't going to budge. He capitulated and stepped in first, fearful for a moment that she wouldn't follow and would perhaps bolt for the car and lock herself inside like a four-year old.
He was relieved when he heard the floorboards creaking behind him indicating she'd followed. Paris caught her gaze out of the corner of his eye as Jade sidled up beside him.
"I thought perhaps we could take some tea in the dining room," Hannah said from up ahead and Jade turned to him and made a face.
'Tea?' she mouthed. He gave her his best, most serious 'I am the Coven Leader' look. She rolled her eyes and huffed, but she didn't run back out the door so he considered it a win.
They followed Hannah to her pristinely arranged dining room where the fine china and teapot were already set out, along with some small macaroons and sugar cookies. Paris stepped forward quickly to reach Hannah's chair before she could and pulled it out for her, tucking it back in close to the table. He turned to do the same thing for Jade and found her already seated and snatching some macaroons off the tiered tray.
"Paris, would you?" Hannah pointed at the teapot and Paris found himself serving the two women. "So, Jade, how do you find coven life so far?"
Jade swallowed her cookie and wiped away a few errant crumbs from her lips. "Um, it's okay."
Hannah paused waiting for Jade to elaborate and when she didn't, Hannah's eyes flicked quickly to Paris who managed a small shrug.
"I hear Josef has taken you into Counter-Magic?"
"Yep." Jade picked up the teacup that Paris had filled for her and sniffed it a bit. She took a small sip and seemed to enjoy it, taking another sip right after.
Hannah spared another glance toward Paris and then back to Jade. "And you're enjoying the work so far? Learning magic?" Hannah prompted, obviously hoping for a longer, more detailed response.
Jade looked up over the rim of her teacup, first at Hannah, then at Paris and then back to Hannah again. "Yep," she repeated.
Hannah nodded. "Good, I'm glad."
Silence descended on the dining room; the kind that was pressing and awkward, begging for someone to jump in with an inane remark or ridiculous factoid of life just to break up the quiet.
"Jade had quite an interesting day with Counter-Magic yesterday," Paris said, hoping that all those years of service as Coven Leader would do well now in brokering some conversation.
"Did you, my dear?" asked Hannah, eyes alight.
Jade shrugged. "Um. I guess. There was a sewer. And a lizard thing. Everyone seemed to think that was out of the ordinary. I'm pretty sure I'll smell like sewer for a week."
Paris could see Hannah's shoulders visibly relax as Jade finally opened up a bit and spoke. "Ah the city sewers. I think they send the rookie down every time there's a problem."
Jade huffed a bit in laughter as she snatched another macaroon and bit into it. "So I gathered."
The conversation was a bit easier after that with Hannah inquiring which spells Jade was working on and Jade reporting back like a dutiful child on a break from school.
"You've been doing quite well on your fire spells and most of your air spells, but need some work on earth and water," Paris added at the end, addressing Jade directly. She rolled her eyes at him.
"Y
eah, I know, English. You keep giving me homework."
"You keep not doing it."
"I like reading the demon magic books better," she protested and he had to stifle his initial reaction. Although he knew she was studying them and in fact, he was helping her, he still had the knee-jerk reaction to demon magic he'd always had. Stop. No. Don't. Wrong.
"Be that as it may," Paris said, keeping his tone even and smooth, "You should still focus on your other magic. You'll likely have more use for it than you will of the demon texts."
"Statistically speaking, the odds aren't in your favor. I've been here, what, less than two months? And I've already had to contend with two demons."
"Those were quite unusual circumstances."
Jade smirked. "Trouble always finds me," she said, tossing his words from earlier back at him.
Hannah immediately rapped her knuckles on the table hard and loud. Jade raised her eyebrows.
"I'm a superstitious sort," Hannah said. "Now, if you would be so kind, my dear, to wait for me in the sitting room." Hannah gestured to a set of closed, sliding oak doors behind Jade, where the sitting room branched off of the more spacious dining room. "I have a quick business matter to discuss with Paris and then I'll be along to read your cards."
Jade's eyes flicked once to Paris and then back again to Hannah before she grabbed two more cookies off the tray and then pushed her chair back. She placed the cookies comically in her mouth while she tucked her chair back under the table. She glanced at them sideways as she made her way to the sitting room, clearly suspicious about what they would be discussing. Paris gave her what he hoped was a reassuring nod. She stuffed a cookie in her mouth by way of acknowledgement and slid the sitting room doors shut with a thud.
"I'm sure her ear is pressed up against that wood," Paris said eyeing the door.
Hannah gave a small laugh. "Although I hardly wish to discuss state secrets with you, it's charmed to be sound proof." She took a sip of her tea. "So, tell me, how is young Jade settling in."
Counter-Hex (Covencraft Book 2) Page 5