Page 18 of Perfectly Petite Shorts (Perfect Pixie)

Almeria wasn’t wrong. Fairy law did not look kindly on that kind of thing. “Then what is it?” I could read magical signatures, and this one had love potion written all over it.

Almeria winked while handing it back over. “Nothing so potent as love .” Waving a dismissive hand in the air, Almeria’s ringed fingers danced in the sunlight pouring through the windows. “Think of it more as infatuation.”

I bristled. “Almeria, that is cutting too fine of a hair for my ease.” I set the charm on the counter and pushed it toward her.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t sell this in my store.

” It wasn’t Fairy law that stopped me—it was my own unease.

Charms and potions should never be used to manipulate feelings.

That was a hard line I wasn’t willing to cross.

Almeria’s lips twisted into a pout. “Oh, poo.” She snagged the charm and let loose a deep sigh. “All right. What about the rest?”

I sorted through the other charms she’d brought and couldn’t find a reason to dismiss them. Almeria and I’d been doing business for at least a decade. Her charms were decent and did exactly as promised. They were good quality, and I accepted the rest with ease. “I’m happy to sell the others.”

“Wonderful!” Almeria clapped her hands. Her flowing sleeves slid up her arms, exposing her dainty wrists and forearms. “Same commission as always?”

I nodded. “Of course.”

“You’re a peach, Georgiana. Even if you don’t recognize a brilliant charm when you see one.” Almeria winked to take the sting away .

I could only shake my head. “For your own good, don’t head down that road. Nothing positive comes from manipulating others’ emotions. Trust me on this.”

Almeria deflated a little. “It’s really harmless, and the effect only lasts, at most, twenty-four hours.”

“A lot of damage can be done in that time.” I stepped off my riser and made my way around the counter.

My feet on the floor, I barely came to just above Almeria’s waist. She wasn’t exceptionally tall for a witch.

“Trust me on this.” I grabbed her hand and patted the top.

Almeria was still young. While she had a coven, they were more dispersed than most, and from what I understood, Almeria wasn’t terribly social when it came to hanging out with her coven members.

The fact she was dabbling in emotional charms was disconcerting.

Almeria stared at the charm, twisting it within her fingers. “Is it really that bad?” She sounded a little lost. “I promise I didn’t create it with anything sinister in mind. I just thought…maybe it could help someone.”

“I know that.” And deep down inside, I did, in fact, know that. All brownies had an innate ability to read other’s intentions. “I think you need to spend a little more time with your coven leader.” Witch coven leaders were often their elders and had a lot of experience and wisdom to pass down.

Witches weren’t good or evil. They simply were. Such things were seldom so black and white. Witch history was littered with questionable choices. Every species had similar histories. Almeria had the potential to do a lot of good with her life, and I wanted that for her.

Head twisting to the side, Almeria stared out one of the many windows. “You might be right. I…I just don’t like being around so many people. When the coven meets, it’s…busy.”

“I understand, and I think your coven leader would too. You should ask to meet with her on a more private basis.” While I didn’t know Almeria’s coven leader personally, most witches were keen to take care of their own.

Almeria’s smile was back. “Thank you, Georgiana.” She leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I’m so grateful for you.”

“You’re welcome.” Taking Almeria’s hand, I led her to the door and walked her out.

She waved goodbye, and I let loose a heavy sigh while hoping I’d steered the young witch in the right direction.

Caring for the younger generations, no matter the species, was something ingrained in my upbringing.

Not just mine, but nearly every brownie.

More so than Fairy, we saw ourselves as the caretakers of magic.

I headed back to the register. I needed to place Almeria’s charms in my office for safekeeping. I’d go through each and every one later tonight and place them in the correct area for sale.

I’d just reached the counter when Lilian popped into existence. Blocking my way, her eyes were wide and frantic.

“Lilian, what—”

“Byx is gone.”

My heart hammered and I grabbed the fabric over my chest, gripping tight. “Gone as in…?”

“She transported.” Lilian shook her head. “I’m not sure where. I’ve looked all over the house. I even checked yours before I came here. I was hoping she’d come here.”

Lilian had reason to think that. Most brownies transported somewhere familiar their first time. My eyes searched every visible nook and cranny, but I didn’t see my daughter.

“I’ll search the office,” Lilian said before she took off, running towards the deeper area of the shop.

“Byx!” I yelled, hoping she was nearby and could hear me. Brownie children often transported their first time while sleeping. She could have arrived blissfully unaware. “Byx!” I shouted even louder, cupping my hands around my mouth to increase my volume.

I scurried to every corner, searching under and around anywhere that could obscure my daughter from me. I turned, and a wave of nausea rolled over me as my head swam. “No, no, no. Not now, I—” My opinion didn’t matter. The vision hit me like a tsunami.

The alley was cold and damp. The stench was overwhelming. Its smell had hit me before the vision. That’s what caused my stomach to cramp and bile to climb my throat. I looked around, frantic to figure out where I was.

“Hey there, what are you…?” His voice was weaker than in any of my previous visions.

Despite that, I still recognized my warlock.

I walked deeper into the alley and saw feet sticking out behind a dumpster.

“You shouldn’t be doing that,” he said. The wheeze catching in Vander’s throat was painful to listen to. He sounded hurt.

I rounded the dumpster, my eyes widening and heart breaking.

The warlock from my previous visions was there.

I’d never had this one before. I’d never seen him in this state.

Eyes swollen shut, Vander lay on the filthy ground.

Dried blood covered his face, the bruises littering what I could see of his body looked horrid and his breathing appeared pained.

I didn’t like the rattle sounding from his chest each time he inhaled, or the sharp look of pain associated with his breathing.

But Vander wasn’t alone. My daughter was there. Snuggled up at his side, her small hand splayed along his broader chest. Warm, golden light emitted from below Byx’s hand. Healing light. My daughter was there, healing Vander.

“Don’t,” he stuttered. “You’re too young.” Vander attempted to push Byx away, but she wouldn’t budge, and in his current condition, he didn’t have the strength to remove her. “You can’t keep doing that, kid.”

My hands slid over my lips as tears stung my eyes.

If ever there was someone in need of Byx’s healing magic, it was this warlock.

And yet he sat there, trying to push her away.

Vander’s worry for her safety eclipsed his own selfish needs.

Vander wasn’t wrong. Byx was too young to exert the kind of healing energy he required.

She could dangerously drain herself if she wasn’t careful.

Vander didn’t realize Byx was different, that she packed more magical juice than most brownies ten times her age.

Byx remained. Her large, innocent eyes stared up at the warlock she was healing. She’d transported to him. I had no idea why, but something in Byx had known. Like most brownie children, she’d transported somewhere she felt comfortable.

I woke from my vision on hands and knees, my face wet with tears. That’s where Lilian found me. Racing toward my shaking body, Lilian slammed down on her knees and grabbed my chin. “Tell me you saw her.”

I nodded, breath still difficult to come by. “I did. I…I’m not exactly sure where, but she’s in an alley. She’s with the warlock.”

Lilian’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. “I’ll be damned.”

“Not likely,” I answered while somehow getting my feet under me and standing upright. Pressing my fingers to my pounding temple, I thought back on my vision, trying to remember anything that might lead me in the right direction.

“Why an alley?” Lilian asked.

I shook my head, regretting it immediately when my head pounded harder. Without much thought, I stumbled to a nearby shelf, grabbed a warlock-made pain charm, and activated it. Given enough time, I could have healed myself, but I didn’t want to waste my own energy on something like that.

Head settled, I ignored Lilian’s questions and concentrated on every detail.

There was nothing. It was a disgusting alley with nondescript brick walls on either side.

Despite the dumpsters, there was trash everywhere.

There was even an old school matchbook that said…

My head snapped up. “I think I know where they are. Don’t let go of my hand. ”

I grasped Lilian’s hand and transported to The Dancing Pixie.

V ander

Warmth. My chest was so damn warm. Everything else throbbed, but not that.

I focused in on that single area of heat starting at my core and working its way out.

My breathing was still labored, and every breath was an excruciating effort.

Despite that, I knew it was better. I had no idea how, but it was.

Eyes swollen shut and mind fuzzy, my broken fingers found their way to my chest only to find a tiny, warm hand there. I sucked in a painful breath. Despite the agony, I worked the pads of my fingers around the warm skin below.