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My magick had always used weapons and tools that The Dagda gifted me with because I was his chosen descendant. Some witches still used brooms to direct their magick. Ma had one and had trained to use it but rarely did. She’d always had a familiar too, but her current cat had gotten lazy like a favored pet gets in old age. Ma’s familiar didn’t do normal witching any more than Ma did. Mostly, he kept her company.

Because of Ma’s lineage, I’d seen a lot of witch strangeness in my life, but I had never known a witch—male or female—to use a vacuum cleaner. Well, not until now. I couldn’t think of a single polite comment to make about it, so I pretended I saw such things all the time.

The green-haired male witch circled one last time and came to lightly land beside Jessing. He was her size in both height and girth. The girth didn’t look normal for him, though. It looked like he spent many hours working out to get his muscled arms and thick thighs the way a bodybuilder would. If his muscled male perfection was a spell, he could sell it and make a fortune.

“Hi, honey,” the male witch said in a low voice. He stepped off his weird broom invention and then gave her a tight hug.

“I missed you. I hope things went well,” she said back, returning the embrace.

“It went as well as we expected,” he said. He laughed loudly when Jessing made a face.

I forced a smile to my mouth as I closed the portal for him, reset the wards, and turned back to the loving pair. The ShadowBreakers sent them to help me solve my fairy problem. I was glad they were a united pair and not just normal partners.

But when I turned, he wasn’t where he was a minute ago. Instead, he was standing less than six inches away from me. I jumped a foot away from his hulking form.

“Goddess bless...” I exclaimed. “Give me some space, please. People are trying to kill me, and I’m jumpy. Ya’re lucky I didn’t zap ya.”

The green-haired male witch laughed. “You don’t remember me, do you, Aran.”

I shook my head. He laughed again and walked to stand by Jessing. “You helped me back then, and now I’ve come to help you in your time of need. And if that means killing your pursuers, so be it. ”

The male witch waved a hand and changed his surfboard vacuum into a normal broom, but a manly, rugged one with thick strands. Then, he magickly dressed himself until he looked like a modern pilgrim. The only recognizable thing remaining was his green hair.

Once his changes were complete, he patted Jessing on the shoulder and handed her his broom to hold. Then he walked close to me again. This time, he stayed out of arm’s reach. My reaction to strangers coming close enough to stab me wouldn’t be changing anytime soon.

“Who do you think is after you?” he asked.

“Since joining the Shadow Breakers again, I’ve made my share of enemies.”

“Like the military scientists after yer boss?”

“Yes. But also Ezra of Airing Dale,” I said. “Are ya planning to tell me yer name?”

The man laughed. “You honestly don’t know?”

I shook my head.

“I used to call myself a mage. You told me to stop pretending to be what I wasn’t and to embrace my witch heritage. After you left us, I spent two years wrestling with your advice.” He held out his arms and looked down at himself. “This is what happened when I finally took it.”

I looked him up and down. Memories churned.

I remembered him, but not like this... and still not his name. Whoever he’d been before was someone easily forgotten. All I recalled of his younger days was his debilitating fear and his constant complaining.

But I couldn’t say that aloud. It would be too rude, even for me.

“I remember Jessing and ya were partners back then. I never dreamed it would last. The two of ya could barely speak civilly to each other. I remember details of that time but still not yer name. I’m sorry.”

He turned to grin at Jessing. “I thought you said her memory was fine.”

I glared at him. “It’s been nearly twenty years. Forgetting yer name doesn’t make me senile.”

The man turned back to me and smiled. “And there’s the sassy witch who inspired me.”

“Quite teasing her, Hart. I already made her angry this morning. She’s getting tense.”

“Hart?” I repeated, looking him over again. “Goddess bless, ya look nothing like ya used to look. No one would link that pale, hesitant magickal ya were with the magickal I see standing before me.”

I reeled in shock when he snatched me up and spun me in a circle, laughing the whole time. My enforcers were pushy and nosy and remembered me way more than I did them. I would hate every moment of their inquisition.