Page 7 of Pixie Problems

"No," I said. "You don't have to do that. I mean, you already went overboard on Christmas. I have some things, and I don't need much since I wear my..." I paused when he backed out of the spot, the look on his face making it clear he was ignoring my complaints. "Liam!"

"Rain!" he mocked back. "You have gift cards that need using. Besides, if your girlfriend is spending the night, then you need new pajamas - at the very least. I'm also thinking some comfortable clothes for after school, a few pairs of jeans since my brother threw them all away, and maybe an ugly sweater. You know, we only went with gift cards because we weren't sure of your size and taste. So if you don't pick for yourself, that means I'll have to, and you've seen how I dress!"

"Ok," I relented, because I did have quite a few gift cards to spend. "And maybe you can put on your fae whisperer hat for a second?"

That was enough to make him glance over at me. "Sure. What's wrong?"

Funny how he'd nailed it in one. Maybe my face was giving me away? I honestly had no idea, but not even Bracken's cuteness could make me forget about what had happened to Nancy's shadow in the restaurant.

"Um..." I caught the hem of my shirt and started messing with it. "What do you know about this magic I'm supposed to have?"

"Not much," he admitted. "The previous Morrigan died a very long time ago. I know she fought with the wildlings when a rebellion happened, though. I also know she was the same woman we called Joan of Arc."

"Yeah," I mumbled. "Um, did she have shadows?"

He shot me a very confused look. "Huh?"

"Like shadow magic," I clarified. "I mean, I'm not sure what else to call the black stuff I used on the Solstice, you know."

"Shadow magic is rather fitting, actually," he agreed. "But I don't have a clue, Rain. We can ask Bracken if you'd like."

"Yeah, um, but like..." I grimaced. "So remember when Nancy choked?"

"Mhm."

"It was because my shadow decided to choke her."

His brow furrowed, but this time he didn't look away from the road. "Your shadow?" I watched as his face clenched a bit, like he wasn't sure what to make of that, then he nodded a few times to himself. "Ok, shadow magic. So, like the black fog appeared and I didn't notice?"

"No, likemyshadow!" I groaned because that didn't exactly clarify things. "You know, the silhouette from light? That! It just reached out to Nancy's shadow and was strangling her around the neck. Ok, I'm not surehow else to strangle someone, but still! And when I put my foot on its butt to pull it back, the thing turned and looked at me like it had a mind of its own!"

"Ok..."

His head was still bobbing. It was a rather comforting motion, making it look like he was thinking. I had a feeling his years of being a counselor made such things into habits. Sadly, he wasn't reassuring me this was normal, or manageable, or anything. He was just thinking - and too hard, for too long.

"Is it still doing that?"

"Uh..." I held up my arm, looking under it to find my shadow. "Nope. It's normal again."

"So maybe it's a one-time thing," he decided, nodding once more with determination. "But when we get back, I'll ask Bracken what he knows, ok?"

"Am I... I dunno, safe?"

That made him not only scoff, but also turn to look at me. "Of course! Rain, it's just magic."

A little laugh burst from my lips. Never, in my entire life, would I have expected to hear those words together. "Just" and "magic?" Yeah, there was nothing "just" about it. Magic was powerful, dangerous, and completely beyond my comprehension.

That was what I'd learned last semester. It was the important thing. Sure, the history of Faerie and the hints of their world in our ancient books? That stuff was cool and all, but seeing most of the school attack my friends? It had cemented one thing into my mind: magic was crazy, it obeyed rules I didn't understand, and it could be deadly.

"I mean, maybe we should skip shopping?" I suggested. "I really don't need anything, Liam, and I don't want to make the Sparks be right."

"By being greedy?" he asked. "You're not. I'll say it again:gift cards. You also need things for school, and I want to buy them. It's the fun part of being a dad."

"Yeah, uh, that's not the 'fun part.'" I informed him.

"It is for me." He flicked on the blinker and slowed to turn into a parking lot. "Bracken said you need some athletic clothes for your training sessions, and that is definitely not what we want you to spend your presents on. Presents are for fun things. School things are the responsibility of your parents, right? Well, guess what? I'm a dad now - " That made a smile break through. " - and it sounds like your gym classes require bettershoes, some stuff for when you train, and there was something about a curling iron."

Yep, that made me forget about my shadow paranoia. "Bracken thinks I should get a curling iron? For my weapons classes?" I asked, pretty sure I'd missed something in there.