Page 30 of The Purrfect Rival (Enchanted Falls #1)
THIRTY
K alyna nearly dropped the glass she was washing. “He what?”
“Asked my intentions.” Rust’s tone remained casual, though his eyes held intensity when they met hers. “A reasonable question given recent events.”
“There’s nothing reasonable about interrogating dinner guests about their ‘intentions,’’ Kalyna retorted, scrubbing the glass with more force than necessary. “This isn’t the nineteenth century.”
“No, but it is a close-knit magical community with ancient traditions.” Rust took the glass from her hands before she could crack it. “I didn’t mind.”
“Well, I do,” Kalyna turned to face him fully. “I’ve spent decades establishing myself as a capable, independent leader in this town. I don’t need my father vetting my... my...”
“Your what?” Rust prompted, a hint of a smile playing at his lips.
“My connections,” she finished lamely, suddenly aware of how close they stood.
Their hands met beneath the soapy water as they both reached for the same utensil. The contact sent a jolt of magic through them both—water droplets rising from the sink, twisting into miniature shapes of foxes and lions that danced through the air before dissolving into crimson-gold sparkles.
“Oh!” Marisol’s voice came from the doorway, her expression a mixture of wonder and concern.
Kalyna jumped back, water splashing onto her dress. Rust steadied her with a hand on her elbow, his touch sending another ripple of magic between them.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Marisol whispered, her gaze fixed on the fading magical display. “Not since the founding stories...”
“It’s a magical interaction that requires further study,” Kalyna stated, professional mask sliding into place. “Nothing more, nothing less.”
“I’ll finish here,” Marisol offered, amusement evident in her voice. “You two join Winston on the porch for evening tea.”
When her mother busied herself at the sink, Rust leaned down to whisper in Kalyna’s ear. “Are we in trouble?”
Despite her determination to maintain composure, Kalyna laughed. “No. But if she starts talking about traditional fox mating rituals, run.”
“Would those rituals involve more riddles?” Rust asked, one eyebrow arched.
“Worse,” Kalyna replied, leading him toward the porch door. “They involve dancing around moonlit trees while creating illusion tails for your potential mate to chase. Very undignified for a lion mayor.”
“I don’t know,” Rust mused. “I can be undignified for the right cause.”
The casual comment sent a wave of heat through Kalyna that had nothing to do with magic.
They found Winston on the porch, setting a tea tray beside the swing. Echo sprawled in a nearby chair, pretending to read while obviously eavesdropping.
“I understand you visited the warehouse on the outskirts of town,” Winston began.
“Yes,” Rust confirmed. “Based on Hezron’s intelligence, we believed Boz had men using it as a transfer point.”
“And you found?”
“Evidence confirming his interest in fox magic,” Rust replied. “Specifically, transference methods.”
Kalyna set her cup down with more force than intended. “Which makes no sense. Fox and lion magic have fundamentally different energy signatures. You can’t simply transfer one to the other—it would be like trying to power a flashlight with a banana.”
“Yet your two magics seem quite compatible,” Winston observed mildly.
“That’s interaction, not transference,” Kalyna countered. “Our magical signatures respond to each other but maintain separate identities.”
“For now,” Marisol interjected, coming out onto the porch. “It’s time we discussed the true nature of the stolen artifact.” Her mother sat next to her father. “The charm wasn’t just decorative. It contains essence-magic from our ancestors designed to amplify natural fox abilities.”
“Including reality-bending,” Winston added gravely. “The ancient warning states: ‘When the two-tailed charm leaves fox hands, illusions may become reality’—our greatest power twisted into physical form.”
Kalyna’s mind raced, connections forming with lightning speed. “That’s why the records mentioned ‘making solid what isn’t real.’ He’s not trying to transfer fox magic to lions; he’s trying to harness the charm’s amplification properties to make lion magic stronger.”
“Precisely,” Winston nodded.
“To what end?” Rust asked.
“Power,” Kalyna answered before her parents could. “Pure, unfiltered magical dominance. If Boz could combine lion strength with fox reality manipulation...”
“He could create or destroy at will,” Rust finished grimly. “No wonder he wants it.”
“But the charm was designed for twin-tailed foxes specifically,” Kalyna pointed out. “How could he possibly adapt it?”
“That’s not all that concerns me,” Marisol interjected. “The magical connection forming between you two is rare and powerful. Such bonds have historically attracted attention—not all of it welcome.”
“What kind of attention?” Kalyna asked, though her fox already sensed the answer.
“Those who seek power without earning it,” Winston explained. “In ancient times, fox-lion pairings were celebrated for their unique capabilities. They could accomplish feats neither species could achieve alone.”
“Which made them targets,” Marisol added, “for those who would take such power for themselves.”
“Like Boz,” Rust’s expression hardened.