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Then I got more brutally honest. “Mulan, did Conn hurt ya? Is that why ya ran away?”

At least when she rolled her eyes at my questions, I knew the real Wu Shaman was okay. Her snarkiness relieved me. I don’t know what I would have done to Conn if she’d confessed to be hurt by him.

Instead of responding to the question, she turned to Fiona. “How goes your witch training?”

Fiona chuckled and shook her head. “Not good, since I don’t have any magick.”

Mulan stepped closer and narrowed her eyes at my daughter. “Of course, you have magick… but it is reserved. Normal witching is not for you.”

Fiona made a face. “What do you mean my magick isreserved? I’m not a table at a restaurant.”

“You make fun of me like your mother does.”

“No, no!” Fiona insisted, clasping Mulan’s shoulders in her hands. “I’m not making fun or being rude—not on purpose. I’m a little frustrated that I wasn’t able to conjure fire. I guess I don’t have the right words to express how disappointed I am in myself.”

Mulan looked up at my tall child, stared into her eyes, and finally nodded. She reached up and put a hand in the middle of Fiona’s chest.

“One day purpose of your magick will become clear. In meantime, you must work on self-esteem and resolve your daddy issues. Your father is handsome man but terrible influence. My sister will soon marry old man who will treat her like daughter instead of wife. Don’t do that to replace him. Just release his hold.”

Fiona nodded gravely and dropped her hands from Mulan’s shoulders. “I only like older men who look like young ones, but Mom says they’re too much for me to handle.”

Mulan didn’t miss a beat. “Because your mother is like me. She can handle three men—maybe more. You must always stick to one. Picking well is critical for women like you.”

Fiona looked away to hid her eye roll. “Great. I’ll keep my womanly deficiencies in mind when I date.”

After our conversation in the car and now Mulan, I suspected my daughter’s ego couldn’t take much more today. I shouldn’t have found it funny, but I did. However, I looked away to keep from laughing at her sullen expression. My proud, determined daughter wisely stepped back and broke the physical connection she had with the dangerously honest Wu Shaman.

“I’m going to take a walk while you talk to Mom. She says she’s not been worried, but don’t believe her. You’re her best friend.”

“Maybe we will start shaman training while you wait for your true purpose to be revealed. This would make you happy. Yes?”

Fiona smiled in relief because she hadn’t even had to ask. “Yes. That would be great. Thank you,” she said, waving before she hurried away.

I chuckled when I knew my daughter was out of earshot. “Her ego is stinging, but she sincerely wants to train with ya.”

“Your daughter will make good shaman once she matures.”

“Do ya genuinely think Fiona has a special purpose?”

Mulan’s long-suffering sigh was loud. “I am convinced my ancestors sent you to teach me patience. This is why I teach it to your daughter now. She does not want to be my age when she learns. It is very painful.”

“What age is that for you? Thirty?”

“I am older than you,” she said flatly, walking back to her stone bench to sit.

“Seriously? Are ya older than forty?”

“I am fifty-two. My parents are eighty. My spoiled sister is your age, but no one can tell. She is forever a child. All she does is whine like six-year-old about what is not perfect.”

“Wow,” I said, laughing as I sat on the grass by Mulan’s feet. “Ya don’t look much older than Fiona. I think ya’re wise to not reveal yer age to people.”

“Restore your hair color and you would look like your daughter’s sister. Power keeps women looking young.”

“Lucky us, I guess.”

“Yes. I suppose we are lucky.”

But the powerful Wu Shaman didn’t sound really happy about her luck… or looking young.