Not keeping food in her home was a skill that had come with intense practice. If she had everything she needed in her home, she would never go out, and if she didn’t go out, she couldn’t get help if she needed it.
As she moved through the darkness of her home, she smiled at the scent of wood bringing back memory of travelling the world and experiencing lands that weren’t her own. Having a father as a transporter literally opened doors to her.
She headed to her room and stripped, stretching before she slipped on her robe, tucking and belting it tightly. The pattern on the cotton was one of her favourites, the aurora borealis streaking across black fabric.
Humming to herself, she pinned her hair on top of her head and returned to the deck to meditate.
Getting the fox and fey energy out of her body was impossible, so she had to shape it, and that took focus.
She walked onto her deck; the smooth wood under her bare feet still retained some of the warmth of the day. She kept the robe wrapped around her legs and settled on her knees. Mel watched the starlight rippling on the waves and focused on the movement. She had a lot of power to shift around so that it didn’t reach critical again.
Her mind relaxed, and the magic flowed, evened out, and mixed with her own. She had pieces of over a hundred couples added to her own magic, and in the Isthmus, she was finally getting control of the process.
Control was good. There were more couples every day, and she had to deal with fey and shifters in a bunch of combinations.
She stared into the waves and let her mind open wide.
“Melwiss? I am sorry to disturb you, but you wanted those bookshelves for your comic collection.”
She heard him and took a minute to reel herself back into her body. Her skin was cool, her robe was damp with dew, and the light all around her told her that she had been staring into another dawn. It took her a few tries to speak. “Good morning, Andy. I just need a moment to get some tea.”
“Sara sent me over with a thermos for you.”
She blinked slowly and looked around. He was leaning casually against the railing to her left, and the snug fit of his black shirt and jeans woke her up in a hurry.
Her blush was instant, as it always was when dealing with Andy alone.
She rose quickly and nodded to him. “Thanks. Where is it?”
“On your left. I took the liberty of setting it up the way you like it.”
She blinked and looked down at the low table that had been placed next to her. The tea service was set, and the thermos was waiting.
“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to still be out here.”
Andy pushed away from the railing. “It isn’t an issue, Mel. I just wanted to make sure that you are okay with my installing those shelves today.”
She blushed harder. “Right. Of course. Do you need me to show you?”
“Nope. I built this place, and I am guessing that you want it in your bedroom.”
She squeaked out, “Yes, please.”
He grinned, and his dark hair fell over his eye. “I am on my way. Let me know if I am disturbing you.”
Mel cleared her throat and moved slowly to her carved chair. “I will. I will probably need to kick you out for ten minutes when I shower.”
“I promise not to look.” He winked and headed into her house.
Mel slumped in relief the moment that he was out of her view. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Since her first day at the Crossroads, Andy had made her stomach flip.
Mel sighed and leaned forward, pouring her tea. The long-lasting caffeine burn was essential to her mental alertness, and though Andy had jolted her awake, she was desperate for the stimulation.
She could hear the light tread of his feet as he pattered up and down the stairs.
A breeze blew in from the ocean and curled around her neck, heading into her cleavage. A quick glance downward mortified her. Her robe had parted, exposing her breasts until nearly a third of the skin was facing open air. Deliberately, she tucked the folds closed and into their normal neck-high position.
Great. She had just flashed Andy. That was a fun way to start the day. He hadn’t said a word. Either her boobs were not worth mentioning, or he didn’t want to embarrass her. Whichever one it was, she was humiliated.
She sipped at her tea and watched the waves. Her agenda consisted of writing a report on the couple she had bound the night before, the difficulty level, and the power spikes.
When the guild had asked her to come and perform bindings for shifters and fey, she had been a little surprised. It wasn’t a combination that occurred in nature.
Fey and shifters were equally matched and polar opposites at the same time. The longevity of the fey was matched by the life energy of the shifters. The polarity meant that their energies sparked and arced on contact.
The point of commonality was that both the fey and the shifters could mate with humans and produce a lesser-powered baby. Humans tended to dilute bloodlines.
The spell that had been created to mix the energies of the two powerful species was pretty easy for Mel. She had written it when she was ten, so the guild had just built on the spell work to create the current incarnation of the binding enchantment.
She finished her tea and got to her feet, taking the tray indoors. Andy’s soft footfalls came down the stairs as she was preparing her breakfast.
“I have measured, but I would like you to confirm the placement.”
She used her hands to check that her robe was closed, and she nodded. “Sure.”
With a quick check to turn off the oven and verify that she hadn’t activated the toaster, she headed past Andy and up the stairs to her bedroom.
He was close behind her on the staircase. She couldn’t hear his footfalls, but she could feel the heat that his body was putting out.
The stack of wood neatly arranged on the floor of her room should have surprised her, but she had been at the Crossroads long enough to know that the beavers didn’t hesitate when it came to building.
Mel reached out and stroked the wall, pausing when she felt the proper place. “Here. This is the spot.”
“Very well. I will get to work. Sorry to interrupt your breakfast prep.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Not a problem. I think I have the day off, so it is just eating and paperwork today.”
“I will try and stay out from under foot.” Andy smiled as he stepped toward her.
Her heart thumped in her chest as he drew closer, but then, he bent and picked up one of the smooth oak boards that he had prepared.
For an instant, his face had been approaching hers, and she had had the flash of what it would be like to kiss him, to have him hold her in his arms, and then, she could let nature take its course.
She blinked and shook her head as she headed down the stairs. The binding rituals must be wearing on her senses if she couldn’t do anything but moon over Andy. Sure, he had been nice to her when she first arrived, and he was always the one to come to her place for the customization she needed, but that was him just doing his job.
* * * *
Andy’s fingers were tight around the oak. It took all of his self-control not to snap the lumber in half. The view of her body through the cotton of her robe was torture, nearly as taunting as the image of her cleavage earlier.
The baggy clothing she preferred normally hid Mel’s curves, but in the robe, it was just a thin layer of fabric that outlined the stunning view. His senses were attuned to her scent, but he wanted to touch, to taste, and to hear her moan.
He turned back to the task at hand and promised himself that no matter how frustrated he was, he would not hammer nails through the boards using his dick. Well, not without an audience.
Chapter Three
Using a brush to write her report made her think it all out before she put it down on the archival parchment. She wrote out the two energy identifiers and the aura colour of the end result. When t
he report was finished, she sealed it, rolled it up, and put it in the outbox of her desk.
Binding two different magical frequencies together wasn’t as tricky as the guild made it out to be. The tricky part came into play when she was trying to keep herself out of the binding. It rarely worked, and she ended up as part of the union while their energies bonded and blended with hers.
Insanity was a side effect of her job. The three frequencies of magic didn’t always get along, and when it built up, she expressed herself in strange and alternative ways.
Mel sat for a minute and analyzed her current stability. She picked up the brush and wrote, After the binding ceremony, I have found myself to be stable and able to manage the alteration in my power level. I am able to continue my service to the Isthmus and, thereby, the Crossroads.
She dusted the ink with sand, shook it off the parchment and folded the letter in three with the date written on the folded edge and pinned under her personal seal. If anything happened, the letters would be used by the Mage Guild to absolve themselves of any responsibility. She was declaring her suitability to continue on as the official mage in residence. Mel hoped, as she always did when she sent the letter off, that she was right.
She sat back and looked out the window of her office and watched the waves. The relentless beat of the water reminded her that she hadn’t eaten, nor had she had a shower. She decided that the shower took precedence.
It was late enough that she could go out for brunch and no one would think anything of it.
The thudding and shifting of someone else upstairs made her tense before she remembered that Andy was there.
She gathered her robe together and headed up to her room. She needed to get her clothing and underwear before she could take her shower, and from there, she would grab some shoes. Mel made a checklist of what she needed to look completely normal, and she went over it with every step upward.
“Sorry to disturb you, Andy. I just need to grab some clothing.”
He nodded, “Not a problem. I was just finishing up before lunch. Would you care to join me?”
Mel blinked. “I have to shower first.”
His rich voice sounded like he was smiling. “I can wait. You are the only thing on my list today.”
She smiled at the mention of lists. “Okay. I will be right out.”
She headed into the bathroom and was naked under the spray when she remembered that she hadn’t brought clothing in with her. Damn it.
Mel finished her shower and turned off the water, grabbing for a towel and wrapping her hair up before getting the bath sheet to cover the rest of her.
The sounds of woodworking were fairly constant, so she cracked the door to the bathroom open. To her amazement, a small table was in front of her with a selection of clothing on it.
“I noted that you forgot a change of clothes, and I have never seen you in the same thing for more than a day, so I am guessing you needed something fresh.” Andy kept his head down as he sanded and brushed the edge of the shelf he was working on.
She blinked, grabbed the clothing through the small opening in the door and quickly shut it again.
The skirt was one of her favourites, the underwear was cute but sensible, and the shirt was a wrap top made of four different fabrics that she hadn’t had a chance to wear yet.
She dried off and settled her towels back on the rack. Her hair fought the brush like it always did, but once she was dressed, she felt a little more prepared to face the man who had rummaged through her underwear.
The table was back in its place against the wall, and the shelf was coming along nicely. Andy was standing next to the project and wiping his hands on his jeans.
“Thanks for the save. I am just not myself today.”
He grinned. “Not a problem. Happy to help.”
“Can I buy you lunch?” She blushed.
“It is complimentary for me, but I would take the company as a fair exchange of service for service.”
She fought her blush at his appreciative look. “Um, okay. I just have to grab my correspondence from the tower, and we can find someplace to eat.”
“Excellent. After you.”
Mel headed down the stairs, her bare feet making slight pattering sounds on the steps. Andy’s steps didn’t make a sound, but she could feel him behind her.
She slipped on her sandals and waited while he tied his sneakers.
They left her tidy house and headed down the path to the tower. It was a companionable silence, but then, she had met him on her first day in the Crossroads, so she had known him nearly the longest of anyone she had met. Teal and Tony were the only other two who outranked him on acquaintance.
She collected her mail from the tower and noted three heavily embossed seals from the guild. There were a handful of other papers as well, but the heavy parchments caught her attention. “Thank you very much.”
The building shimmered around her in answer.
Andy looked up. “Does it always do that?”
“Sure. I have soaked a ton of magic into it, so it is like being greeted by a cousin or a younger sibling.” She hooked his arm with hers and led him out toward the Isthmus village.
They were nearly to the first stand of shops when she realized she was holding onto him. “Sorry.”
He chuckled. “I am not complaining. I am almost sorry you noticed.”
Flustered didn’t begin to cover it. “Right, well, where would you like to go for lunch?”
“One of my cousins is opening a diner. We could see if she is ready for customers?”
“Sure. I have a few questions for you over lunch if you don’t mind.”
Finally, she had caught him by surprise.
“Then, I should find us a place to eat.”
They walked along a little further, and the smell of newly sawn and oiled wood came to her nostrils. “It smells new.”
“I will see if Lolly is ready for customers.”
“I will read some of my mail while you check.” Mel opened a letter from her sister and chuckled at the cartoons and emojis that Morwiss had managed to put into the description of daily life on the outside.
She was on the third page when Andy stood next to her.
“She is willing to use us as guinea pigs if you are up for it.”
Mel chuckled and lowered the letter. “I am up for it.”
Andy opened the door and held it for her while she walked into the building with paper-covered windows.
Lolly had the cheerful and busy air of all the beavers that Mel had met so far. Her rich brown hair was pulled up high on her head, and her cheeks had the healthy glow that came with muscle tone and hard work.
“You are the binding mage?” Lolly smiled and extended her hand in greeting.
Mel juggled her papers and took Lolly’s hand. “I am the mage for the Isthmus, yeah. I only work with the Crossroads when their mage blows a gasket.”
“I have heard that you don’t blow out. You haven’t missed a day.” Lolly chuckled.
“Well, I missed one day, but I was insane and overcharged at the time. I am doing much better now.”
Lolly blinked. “Right, well, Andy has asked, and I am delighted to have you here to test my new menu.”
“I am delighted to eat.” Mel waggled her eyebrows at Lolly. “I forgot about breakfast.”
Andy sighed. “I think we should take our seats.”
Lolly showed them to the only table in the place. The benches for the booths were set up, but no tabletops were available. There was only one table with two chairs waiting, and the surface was spotless and set for two.
Everything in the café said it would be ready in a few days, but Mel only felt vaguely guilty about butting in. She was hungry.
“So, good news from home?” Andy smiled and nodded to the letter she had open.
“Yeah, Morwiss is always good for a nice letter about her life and the clients she takes on for the
guild.”
“She’s a mage as well?”
“Of course. She is a mage, like you and your family are woodworkers. She can’t help it.”
“Is she a binding mage?”
“Nope. I am the only one in the family, and probably the only one on current record.”
Andy appeared startled. “The only one?”
“Yeah. My education was hit and miss. I was shipped around the world in an effort to help me get a grip on my magic.”
His dark eyes grew wide. “You have travelled?”
“Oh my, yes. My dad is a transporter. I worked with shamans, mages, wise women, wise men, wizards, a few dragons, and some fey legions before I came here.”
“You are joking.”
She straightened. “I am not. It was an interesting adolescence.”
He leaned in and whispered, “Will you tell me about it?”
“Sure. What do you want to know? I will trade you one question for one question.”
He stuck out his hand. “Deal.”
She slid her smaller appendage into his, and the bargain was struck.
Chapter Four
“Well, I will go first. What made you agree to come to the Crossroads?”
Mel smirked at the easy question. “I was allowed to use my magic for what it was designed for, so they asked, and I came.”
“What do you mean, your magic?” Andy was a little surprised.
She chuckled. “My turn. Why are you always the one who shows up when I need stuff customized on my house?”
“I traded favours and made sure that none of my relatives dared to set foot in your home.” His smile was rather predatory.
She was surprised and sat there with her mouth open while Lolly brought out a selection of drinks. “What?”
“Ah-ah. My turn.” He steepled his fingers and tapped them together evilly.
Lolly sighed. “I have a raspberry lemonade, normal lemonade, sweet tea, iced tea, and blueberry wilderness. I would like you to rate them in order of preference while I get the appetizers ready.”
Wood Be Magic Page 2