Page 14 of Jade Lion and the Witch Boy (Haunted Hearts: Season of the Witch #5)

She seems to know there are details I’m not telling her. She taps on the counter and continues to study me. “And you two have been spending quality time alone, practicing magic, correct?”

“I’m not really getting any solo magic skills during our lessons, but yeah.”

“Regardless, you can help him jog his memories. Go have dinner with him, or maybe even take a weekend getaway?”

I frown. “I just had a vacation. Also, what are you getting at?”

She looks up. “I simply wanted to thank you for making the Jade Lion feel so welcome in our coven. I can tell he admires you. He’s really taken a liking to you, honey.”

My cheeks burn at the praise. Kai likes me? It’s one thing to suspect it, it’s another for your coven leader to say so. “I’m…just a novice potions witch.”

“And the Jade Lion himself sees something in you.” She scrutinizes me, and I feel exposed here in the kitchen. “I couldn’t be happier. You’re doing a good job. Keep making him feel welcome. It’s imperative to the coven.”

Her words carry heavy insinuations. Lisbeth always has grandiose plans for the coven, but the less I know, the happier I’ll be. “Um, sure?”

After a drawn-out silence, she shrugs and turns away. “I’ll be travelling to suppliers all day today. Talk to you later, Seb. And make sure the two of you keep the protection charms on!”

With that, she’s gone, and I’m left alone with more questions than answers.

I look down at the tiny rune on my wrist. I want to stay safe and keep Kevin away from me, amnesia or not.

So, trusting Ashley, my protection witch friend, is the way to go.

And with this, hopefully everyone starts acting normal again.

Two days later, I’m walking with Kai to the woods behind the back of the house.

My shift is over, and Lisbeth insists the two of us continue working on magic in an effort to jog Kai’s memories.

As we walk deeper into forest paths not frequented by mortals, I gaze at my friend.

The autumn sun glows on his face. The orange leaves float around him, contrasting with his trimmed dark hair.

He’s so handsome, and I only glance at his ass in those hip-hugging jeans once, maybe twice.

I clear my throat and look up in an effort not to perve on him. “So what did you learn at the library today?” I ask.

“I have been researching American history. I do have questions.”

“Well, I graduated college, so hit me,” I reply. He doesn’t know I barely passed the business courses that I didn’t even care about.

I look down to see him pensively staring at the ground as we walk. “Is it true that the government blocked home loans to non-White people after the 1960s?”

I frown and nod. “It’s called red-lining.”

“But that directly caused large groups of the Black community to have less financial assistance, less generational wealth, and as a result, poorer financial, educational, and health outcomes.”

I sigh. “Yes, and yes.”

“Then it is not the fault of any ethnic minority groups that their sequestered urban areas have lower property values, correct? Blaming the lack of socioeconomic success on the color of someone’s skin is highly hypocritical, considering it was the ruling class of people in power who put them there, right? ”

“Yes, yes, and triple yes.” I let out a sad, facetious laugh. “American history isn’t always pretty. In fact, it continues to be rough to this very day. Some inequities got better, but some got worse.”

Kai frowns as we make it to a less wooded area. “That makes my heart ache.”

“It sure is disappointing.” I point and smile. “But hey, we at Boysen House can protect our community. And now that’s you, too.” The words “for now” float in the back of my mind, and sadness creeps up my throat.

I don’t want my new friend to go. Maybe Kai can be a permanent fixture?

He stands up straighter. “I am glad to be learning from you, Sebastian.”

“Hey, you’re the smart one, gaining knowledge from a hundred years in like two weeks. You’re learning so much at the library every day. You might even be a history professor soon.”

We share a laugh, and it feels like we’re all alone in the world. I find myself looking forward to these moments where it’s just him and me sharing smiles. He’s so smart and well-read, but I don’t want him to focus on how terrible the world can be.

The two of us sit down on large rocks a yard away from each other. This clearing is where we’ve typically practiced our magic. The woods are heavy around us in a small perimeter, like a little bubble of wood. Still, I don’t want to risk being caught by anyone, so I jut my chin at Kai.

“Wanna get started?” I point up and around at the trees.

Kai nods and then closes his eyes. He flexes his fingers until they’re fists. Strings of light appear around his wrist, and, in seconds, a shroud of fog rolls through the trees. Our half-an-acre clearing is unaffected while swirls of mist surround us like white walls. No mortals will catch us here.

“Great. Now, any spells in particular you want to try?”

Kai shakes his head and stands up. He gazes up at the darkening sky. “Truthfully, I grow weary of practicing conjuring and levitation spells.”

“Really?”

He bites his lip and locks eyes with me. By now, I can tell if Kai has something on his mind. “Is there…something else you wanted to try?”

He shrugs and looks at a foggy wall. “My…inner lion has a mind of its own. Sometimes it likes to take over. I wish to use my lion body and practice magic with my claws.” When he looks down, I sense the trepidation rolling off him.

“Kai. Whatever you need, you can ask. There’s no pressure, it’s just you and me.”

He gazes at me, dark eyes reaching into my soul. “I am afraid of…frightening you in my Jade Lion form.”

Is that all? That’s so not a big deal, but his self-consciousness is sweet. I step closer and offer a soft smile. “I see it every night.”

“But it is different during the day.” The concern in his voice is heart-wrenching.

“I really don’t mind. Besides, that big Jade Lion saved me from my ex.”

He turns and looks at me, like he’s making an effort to study me. I gulp and continue, “If you need to let your lion roar, then do it. No judgment from me. I’m your friend.”

Kai takes in a deep breath and then closes his eyes.

In moments, the energy in the three feet between us shifts.

His spine lengthens, and his face reshapes so that his ears are pulled up.

His dark hair grows into a black mane around his head with green streaks.

His clothes disappear and are replaced with fur over his massive muscles.

I take a step back, and in an instant, the Jade Lion is standing before me.

It’s so different seeing him in daylight.

But just like all those days ago, his dark eyes connect with mine.

On instinct, I slowly lift up my palm, and he does the same with his clawed hand, mirroring me.

My skin pulses with a burning magic I’ve never felt.

A faint yellow glowing orb gradually floats from my palm to his.

I did that? The energy turns into a wisp that wraps around his wrist.

It’s arcana!

I stare dumbfounded at my palm to witness flecks of gold on my skin.

When I raise my hands again, I laugh with joy as arcana darts out at Kai.

The big beast of a mage takes my energy and plays with it, like strings between his clawed fingers.

Then, he easily sends the glow around me.

I laugh with delight as lines of magic surround me.

It’s a fantastic light show of greens and yellows, taking shape behind and above me.

And it’s all because of the Jade Lion. Kai smiles and makes circles with his lion hands in the air. The magic streaks take shape into rickshaws and horse-drawn carriages floating above me. I touch my face and gaze upward. “Is this…?”

“Yes,” he replies in his gravelly, bestial tone. “This is my home.”

“Hong Kong, 1925,” I murmur. Visions of happy Chinese folk walking up and down the streets surround me. “It’s beautiful.”

“The memories are returning in bits and pieces, every day.”

“Amazing.” I look down to see the lion man already staring at me. “I believe you’ll get them back, Kai. You’ve made amazing progress so far.”

“You are the only reason I have made any progress, Sebastian.” He waves his palms and the illusion turns back to wisps of green arcana dancing around us. “I am…stronger with you.”

My breath hitches. Even in his lion form, he’s handsome and flattering, saying such sweet words to me. It’s all too romantic to take. “I…um, I didn’t do anything.”

“But you did. Look at your hands.”

I raise up my palms to see the glowing streaks again. “That is your arcana,” Kai says. “The wild magic you see around you…” Glancing up, I notice the swirling lights are both emerald and yellow. “It is our magic, Sebastian. Both of ours.”

When I lock eyes with Kai, the whole world stops. He’s amazing, and so special to me. In a short amount of time, he’s grown to be one of my closest confidantes, a true friend. Now, I think I might want more.

The Jade Lion has breathed a new magic in me, a fire I don’t want to put out.

Before I can say more, Kai turns around and growls. The moment is lost, and I step to the side to see what he’s staring at.

The fog that surrounds us…it’s broken. There’s a small rectangular schism in our mystic veil of fog.

When a figure walks through, Kai growls again, and all of the arcana is sucked into his hands.

He shoots the magic forward like a green basketball of light, but instead of hurting the man before us, the magic is parried and shattered into pieces.

“Woah!” The dark-skinned man in a brown overcoat has his arms crossed in front of him. He shakes out his hands and steps back.

He just deflected the magic. Wait, what?

I shake my head and follow Kai toward our intruder. My friend is about to go feral, and I want to prevent that more than I want to find out who this dude is. No, scratch that, we both need answers.

“Who in the world?” I ask, still in shock.

“Leave, mortal,” Kai says through gritted teeth.

“Hey, woah now.” The man raises his hands up in surrender. “I’m no mortal. And I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You…you…” I point to the area behind him. “You opened up our fog. That’s supposed to be impossible.”

He turns around, and the void of fog sutures itself back up. “It is. To non-magical folk.” When he turns around, the tall man glances nervously between me and Kai. “Again, I am no mortal. And neither are you.”

“Explain yourself, intruder,” Kai says with barely tempered anger.

The guy clears his throat. “My name is Luther. I am a wizard. And I’ve been looking for you, Jade Lion.”