Strings of Fate

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Strings of Fate

Cam 12- Arranging and avoiding

I work the bar while I wait for Harrison to make the delivery. Despite the address they left me being only about fifteen minutes away it takes him an ENTIRE HOUR. What, did he stop for dinner and a show along the way? I’m relieved when my phone rings. I quickly hand over the drink I was making and answer my phone. (One of the bright sides of being the boss here is that no one can tell me off for taking calls at work.)

“Hello?”

“Hi, this is Ryann. I’ve got Harry here with a bottle stuck to his hand which is hilarious by the way. What do we need to do to get the bottle off of him? I mean, I could make him carry it around indefinitely but I think even with a spell on him he would find a way to lose it if we leave it too long.” I burst out in a rather undignified snigger.

“That’s fair. Well it’s an easy enough spell to break. I made the magic dissolvable and of course I used something I had handy as the trigger. So all you need to do is tip a little whiskey over it.” This time, Ryann is the one who laughs.

“Oh I like you. Thanks Cam. For the spell and the free entertainment.”

“No problem.” I answer cheerfully

“You sound like you’re working. I’ll let you get back to it. Seeya!” Ryann hangs up and I find that my mood is soaring. It’s nice to be appreciated. Although my good mood is dulled a little bit with guilt as I remember Harrison’s parting words. I really didn’t trust him and that was probably a little unfair of me. I do my best to banish the guilt from my mind. Even when Harrison turns up again about half an hour later I just continue working and make him yet another awful drink. He doesn’t bring it up again so neither do I.

Sunday I just turn off my phone. I know my mother and probably my grandmother will be calling me and demanding to know why I didn’t turn up to their matchmaking lunch and I just cannot be bothered to deal with them. Sunday afternoons are usually quiet at work and I am not enjoying it. I need something to distract me from the worry and every time someone comes in through the door I flinch thinking that it might my mother or grandmother storming in to berate me. For the first time I can honestly say I am relieved when Harrison turns up. He might be annoying and loud and flashy, but he is also VERY distracting and for

1/5

Arranging and avoiding

distraction. I can feel his eyes on me throughout the rest of my shift, but if he suspects that I’m acting strangely he doesn’t

outrageously, making inne whenever

good way to keep busy. But at the end of the night I make him a drink that he might actually enjoy. As usual, he immediately takes a

really good?” he sounds confused and his words came out as a question. I just shrug.

I answer quietly. Harrison flashes me a knowing look and a sad smile before enjoying his drink in silence. Right, so he did know that something was wrong and he was keeping me busy on purpose. There is one thing I can say for him, when Harrison is around I am rarely bored.

do. Harrison keeps turning up and hovering around at my work or barging into my work room where he insists on playing the role of my assistant. Even when I’m doing inventory or some other task where I won’t let him help he just hangs out. After an afternoon of him watching me work where I snapped at him for staring at me, he began bringing a digital tablet and stylus and then he would sit and work on projects that he refuses to show me until they’re completed. I have to admit he is pretty talented at what he does. I have taken to keeping my phone on silent all the time because my mother and grandmother message and call me so much. The first few days after I skipped their matchmaking session were the worst but it hasn’t improved much. I don’t even read their text messages anymore other than a quick glance to check that they’re not actually sending me something important. I might be mad at them but if there were actually something wrong, like if they ended up in the hospital or something I would feel terrible if I ignored them. I end up attending a meeting with the Alphas and their friends about looking for the missing girl. Harrison ended up following me. to the meeting too. Honestly I had nothing to contribute but I appreciated the invitation and the chance

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12- Arranging

goes wrong? I wonder if there is anything I can do to help. What might Kiara need when they find her? I try to imagine what kind of treatment someone who has been abused or neglected might need. Potions for nutrition, healing injuries and bruising, maybe blood replenishment? I make potions to assist with broken bones, injured organs, headaches and just general pain killers. I make potions for dreamless sleep, sedatives in various strengths and even

free time today so I made a heap of new potions. I probably

If you want to come and grab some I’ll sell them to you at

my way.

I let her back into my workroom and she looks at my pile of potions with a raised

asks dubiously. I

wanted to be sure that you had everything you

she

these are new. I don’t recognise them.” She comments.

are versions with different strengths. They’re colour coded. The brighter the colour, the stronger the dose. I wrote down what they all are. I haven’t given you all of these before.” I explain, handing her a scrap of

a very talented Witch. If I had ordered this many potions from a coven it would have taken at least a week.” She

potions, but my spellwork in’t great.” I sigh. Ella

eyes.