Page 26 of A Spark of Something (A Librarian’s Guide to Witchery #1)

N oble would have answered, as he knew what the man was asking, but figured the question wasn’t really for him. He eyed the grimoire over Ollie’s head. Even from where he was standing, he could read it. Then again, the title took up both pages. And if he wasn’t wrong, it was…mocking Ollie.

Chapter One: Witch in Denial , the subtitle read, Oliver, the witch that tried but couldn’t, a tale of stupidity.

Well, at least he now knew he hadn’t been exposed. The man was just off because of everything that was going on.

Noble should have realized how close Ollie was to awakening with the emergence of his ability to see ghosts, and his familiar finally exposing himself.

“Ollie,” he said slowly. “Are you alright?”

“No,” the man croaked, his voice coming out very small.

Ollie looked back at him. “Can you…” The man took a calming breath. “Can you read it?”

Noble’s gaze flicked to the book, and then back to Ollie’s face, before he proceeded to lie. “No.”

Because he shouldn’t be able to read it. It was only because of what he was, and what he had done, that he could.

“Oh.” The sound had been just as small as the little witch’s earlier ‘no’ had been, and Ollie sagged as he said it, his gaze now downcast.

Noble grabbed one of his hands. “Want to tell me about it?”

“I don’t think I should.” Ollie let out a soft, sad sounding laugh. “You may really think me insane if I did.”

“I won’t,” he promised.

“You can’t know that.” The man pulled his hand away and walked over to the couch against the wall, slumping down, before suddenly shooting back up, only to plop back down as he seemed to get dizzy. The man’s face went ghost white—no pun intended—as he grasped at his head.

“Woah,” Noble rasped while he rushed over, but hesitated to actually touch him. “Are you okay?”

“It’s just low blood pressure. I’ll be fine once I eat something.”

He frowned. “Do you want me to grab you something?”

“No, I mean, yes. In my desk, upper right drawer.”

Noble quickly went to the man’s large, obviously antique wooden desk, and opened the drawer, grabbed the two packets of peanuts he found inside, and brought them over to him.

He remained quiet as Ollie ate. It was only as he tossed the bags in the trash, the man’s gaze looking over towards the grimoire, that he slowly said, “What if—” Noble cut off on a wince, not sure what exactly he’d been about to say.

Ollie looked up at him as he hesitated, the little witch’s eyes appeared tired and scared.

What could he even say? That he knew? But then how would he explain it? All he’d be doing is telling him more lies. All he really had for Ollie was lies.

But better to lie by omission than to lie with his words. Noble just wanted a bit more time with him. Just a bit. Then he’d tell him everything, and that would be it.

Would Ollie try to kill him at that time? It was hard to believe it would be possible. Ollie was…kind, thoughtful, sweet, sometimes too nice.

His lips lifted into a smile he didn’t fully feel, as Noble said, “Want to get out of here and grab dinner?”

Ollie frowned. “It’s not even four yet? I mean, I could eat. I may have missed lunch.” The man winced before adding, “And breakfast. But if you are suggesting we eat because of my low blood pressure, even though it’s probably super early for you, I really will be fine with those two packets, and can wait until at least five. Two hours isn’t much.”

Noble had gone from feeling silly, for suggesting to eat dinner at three, to being concerned rather quickly. “You haven’t eaten today?”

“I mean, I did just now?”

“Ollie, why didn’t you eat?”

“Well, the morning was trying, and I didn’t have time, and then I sort of just worked through lunch and forgot.”

“Y-you forgot?”

What in the hell did that damn familiar of his actually do?! Fuck…did that explain why the man was probably thinner than someone of his height should be? Not that the man was particularly tall. Well, he was short, but still.

Ollie wrinkled his nose. “So…I may have undiagnosed ADHD, that manifests in me hyperfocusing on various things, while also forgetting a few…well, just that one, rather important bodily function.”

Noble squinted at the man. “If you know you have it, why don’t you get diagnosed?”

“I mean, I know I have it, why bother getting diagnosed? I function well without medicine, so…” The man shrugged. “I am also pretty sure I have undiagnosed autism, but in the same realm of having reached the point where I don’t find it necessary that I do anything about it.”

“I see.”

Ollie started to twist his hands together, while nibbling his bottom lip. “I’m guessing that was all a step too far?”

He blinked. “What’s a step too far?”

The little witch grimaced, his gaze shifting away. “As in, you now know too much about me, and don’t want to know more?”

“I still want to know. But I am now concerned about your eating habits.”

“It’s really nothing to be worried about.”

“Ollie, you had trouble standing up.”

“I have low blood pressure. It isn’t caused by the lack of eating, it just isn’t helped by it either. But it’s more of a vitamin deficiency. My body doesn’t correctly absorb iron, and in a lesser capacity, B12. I take medicine for it…when I remember.” Ollie added the last part in an almost barely audible whisper.

“Ollie,” he groaned.

“It’s fine! I’m fine! It’s been like months since I last passed out.”

His eyes snapped wide at that. “Passed out?!”

Oh, yeah, no, Ollie probably shouldn’t have added that last part, as the man already seemed to be upset about his eating issues.

Noble rubbed his face. “Let’s go eat.”

“Noble, we are not eating when you aren’t even hungry yet.”

“But you?—”

“I’m fine. I’ll go take my medicine. That, plus the peanuts I just ate, will make me good as new.” Mostly, good as new.

“If you’re sure.”

“I am.”

“Okay, then how about we do something and then eat?”

He blinked. “Wait, are you…asking me out on a date?”

A smile finally returned to the man’s face as he chuckled. “Yes, that was my intention.”

Ollie started to smile, but then reality hit and he winced instead. “I want to say yes. But I may be crazy, and that isn’t really fair to you.”

Well, he was swiftly coming to the conclusion that he was, in fact, not crazy, but Noble no doubt would think he was if he told him the truth.

“Ollie, you’re not crazy. Whatever it is, you are not.”

He snorted. “You are just saying that because you don’t know.”

“I’m not just saying it. I promise, I know you’re not crazy, and even if you are, that is okay. We can be crazy together.”

Well, that was sweet. Heart-meltingly sweet.

Ollie hesitated. The right thing to do was to say no, and to not let Noble have to deal with whatever the hell was going on. But he… He really wanted to say yes!

Ugh, why had he finally found a partner just as his life was exploding with weird supernatural bullshit?!

Oh, Ollie really wanted to go on a date with Noble!

Well…witches could still date, right?

His gaze flicked over to the book. He started to glare again when he noticed it had changed, but stopped on actually reading it.

Chapter One: Oliver the Witch can Date if he Wants.

Huh, helpful, but…why did it still feel like it was being sarcastic?

Ollie blinked as it changed before his very eyes. Chapter One: Oliver’s Grimoire Can Be as Sarcastic as It Wants to Be—Deal with It.

Son of a—he just HAD to get a grimoire that wanted to be a pain in his ass?!

His gaze flicked back to Noble, who was staring but smiling.

“I really shouldn’t. I have work and…” He huffed. “You know what, screw it! I deserve a day off! Let’s go!” As he carefully got up, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll just let my staff know that I’m leaving, grab my bag and pills, and then we can be off.”

He pulled up the library group chat and quickly sent off a text, saying that he was taking the rest of the day off. Ollie was about to slip his phone back into his pocket when his notifications started going off like crazy.

Grimacing, he grumbled, “Nosy! Every single one of them!” He quickly muted the chat.

Noble chuckled and held his hand out to him. Smiling brightly, he took it.