Chapter Nine:
Johanna looked fully prepared to make a scene, spots of red burning on her cheeks, her hands balling into fists at her sides. Thankfully, a toddling child broke away from her parents and wound herself around Johanna’s legs with an enthusiastic squeal. “Tante Hanna! Tante Hanna!” The father scooped up his wayward daughter seconds later, his family resemblance to my coworker quite evident as he herded everyone into the private suite.
I released the breath I was holding and shifted my gaze back to Lukas. He looked abashed. “I’d better get home,” I said, taking it upon myself to act since my companion seemed dumbstruck. I flagged our waiter and asked for a to-go box, then lowered my voice to address my boss again. “She’s going to assume we’re on a date, but if I leave you here to finish your dinner by yourself, maybe she won’t make my life at work a living hell.”
I tugged my leather coat over my blouse, and Lukas finally shook himself. “I’m so sorry, Gabi. I’ll talk to Johanna first thing tomorrow morning. Let her know that what we do outside of work is none of her concern.”
“Not sure whether that’ll be good enough for her. She has the hots for you, in case you hadn’t noticed. And unfortunately, we’re working on the same project right now. Just when I thought life in Erlangen couldn’t get any worse.” I sighed and transferred the rest of my pasta into the to-go box, prepared to default to my usual response to drama. Escape.
“Please, at least let me drive you home.” Lukas rose to his feet when I did, a pleading expression on his face. “I’ll get this smoothed over tomorrow.”
I lifted one finger and pointed at his chair. “No. You sit back down and finish your dinner. My house is literally three blocks from here, and this way you can start your damage control tonight instead of tomorrow. If you do it in front of her family, she’ll have more reason to listen.” I nodded toward the doorway beside him, then said, “Thank you for dinner and for the wine. It was lovely. Now I need to go figure out how to protect a silver oak tree from bumbling Teuton priests.”
To Lukas’ credit, he did not pursue me.
When I entered my family’s property and shut the side gate behind me, it occurred to me that I had left my shoulder bag in Lukas’ car. Just my luck. There was nothing terribly important in there, but the racy romance novel I borrowed from the library last week sat on top of my other paraphernalia. Now I would have nothing to read on the bus tomorrow, and my boss would know I read books about girls bedding vampires. Wonderful.
Would Lukas be able to diffuse whatever jealousy Johanna nurtured toward me, or would my affable coworker become my latest bane?
Once at the cottage, I stuffed my leftovers in the fridge, then changed into casual clothes before heading to the silver oak tree. No matter what trials awaited me at work tomorrow, I needed to erect some sort of protections around the tree tonight. Whether Callen would try to steal an acorn or send someone else to do the dirty deed, I must warn the fairy of his nefarious plots.
The Eihalbe showed itself soon after I called for it, infusing my words with the protectiveness I felt for its tree. The silvery fairy settled itself upon a low branch and studied me as I explained what Lukas told me, its lips pursed in disdain. “This season’s acorns are tucked away in my storehouse,” the Eihalbe told me, its voice reassuring my spirit.
“So you got them all already. Thank goodness.” I leaned back against the oak’s trunk and raised an eyebrow at the fairy. “I gathered some into piles amid your roots last month so no one would step on them.”
“Your help is much appreciated, Zoubaraera Teutona. Do pass my gratitude to the male who respects my kin. Unfortunate that humankind twists the wisdom of elder generations into ignorance.”
“Humans are good at forgetting what’s important. It’s too bad parents can’t pass their memories directly to their children, like trees do.” The Eihalbe had shared that tidbit with me years before. Silver oaks communicated with those at great distance through the currents of the winds, and sires passed their experiences and knowledge directly to the young. I was convinced that if humans could do the same, we would not perpetuate sin and failure.
“But now we’ve got at least one young Teuton priest who’s spreading unrest about your presence here on my family’s property,” I went on, crossing my arms and looking toward the main house. “I can let my father know, so he’ll be on guard whenever a priest or herbal witch wants access to your leaves. Not sure whether my mother will grant you the same deference. I’m thinking maybe I should raise a fiery shield around your tree, one visible only in the spiritual realm.”
“Such a barrier would slow a trained priest, not stop him,” the Eihalbe said. It caught a portion of the autumn breeze in its fingers, fashioning it into a sparkling cloak. The fluctuating colors in its eyes darkened as though thoughtful.
“True. And I’m not sure if I can focus my magic well enough to do that. I usually create fire in the mortal realm, not the invisible realm. But I’m willing to try, if you think it’d help. An elemental barrier ought to give you advanced warning if a priest or some other Teuton tries to harm your tree.”
The fairy agreed that extra magical protection would be welcome. So I sat cross-legged among the oak’s roots, shutting my eyes as I delved deep into my core, seeking the numinous source of my fire magic. When Teutons conjured an element into the physical world, that sorcery stemmed from a person’s blood. But to invoke fire in the ethereal realm, I must call the magic of my spirit, that sizzling essence free from aging and death. I rarely tapped consciously into that sort of magic except to sharpen my senses or search for other Teutons.
But tonight I intended to raise a barrier of spiritual fire to shield my fairy’s home from evildoers.
The first few times I tried to summon invisible fire, a standard handful of red flames appeared above my right palm, casting light into the night. My element seemed eager to breach the mortal veil, reminding me that the mystic qualities of my blood had not yet faded. I kept snuffing physical flames as my irritation grew. This is supposed to be a spiritual barrier, invisible to the naked eye. I can’t plant actual flames in a circle around the tree, or firefighters will extinguish them.
The Eihalbe offered guidance after multiple failures, its voice opening my mind to an infinite expanse that spanned dimensions and fostered all life. I could grasp its wonders for myself, since Teuton blood held the key to powers outsiders imagined impossible. After over an hour of meditation, fire’s aura curled invisibly around my fingers, casting light only for eyes augmented by elemental vitality.
The fairy and I worked together to expand my spiritual flames into a vibrant circle anchored into the tree’s roots. That way the barrier could expand or contract as needed. I set a corner of my subconscious brain to offer the shield a continuous flow of magic, but I admitted to the fairy that I knew not whether I could maintain such a flow indefinitely.
“Please let me know if its power starts to fade,” I requested as I stood back from the oak, observing the ethereal flames through a crimson haze.
“I shall indeed. Thank you for your kindness, Zoubaraera Teutona. Now I must inform your father of our enchantment, so he may continue to access leaves without fear. You ought to rest and rebuild your reserves.” The Eihalbe favored me with a single nod before tossing its hair over one shoulder and fluttering off toward the main house.
“Thank you,” I called out belatedly, satisfaction warming me deep inside. The silver oak fairy never once treated me as a lesser witch on account of my blood status. Tonight it supported me as I proved to myself that I could summon flames mortal eyes could not see. While the process had tired me, it also lightened my mood. Who cared if my mother thought me unworthy to be Leitalra? I could create flames just as skillfully as the next fiery Teuton.
I heated up my leftovers from Isola Verde and gorged on them before taking a shower and crashing in bed. Weaving complex spiritual enchantments rendered me both tired and ravenous, so I sated my hunger first. Then I slept soundly, no lingering ghosts intruding upon my peace. Just before I drifted off, I realized that maybe I was ready to take a chance on another man after all. My hesitation resulted from fear, a sentiment I could conquer given proper drive.
Nervousness tingled along my spine the next morning as I rode the bus to work, unsure what awaited me in the office. Could Johanna set aside her jealousy and work together with me on our current project, or would she let her emotions get the better of her? If she did not bring up our chance encounter at the restaurant, I would have to do it myself, tell her that yes, I was interested in Lukas, but so far we were simply getting to know each other as friends and colleagues. I could even mention that I knew him in high school. That might clear some things up.
Johanna had not yet arrived when I reached my desk, but Lukas had left my bag on my chair. I breathed a sigh of relief and opened the thin closet to hang my leather jacket and set the bag inside. When I did, I caught sight of a plastic sheen among my things that had not been there yesterday. Curious, I knelt down for a closer look, then lifted an unopened ABBA Gold CD from beside the romance book.
“I meant to give you that last night.” Lukas’ voice cut into my bewilderment, and I rose to my feet as I turned to face him. He stood beside my cubicle’s far wall, his forehead creased in regret. “I heard you and Johanna talking about music a while back and how you need to rebuild your collection. I hope that helps.”
He nodded at the CD I still held, his expression hinting that he feared I might throw it at him after last night’s debacle. I did like ABBA’s music, but should I accept his gift? He would not have bought me such a thing if he did not wish to transform our working relationship into something more. Last night, I realized I was ready to try again . . . but with my boss?
“Thank you. I really appreciate this,” I said, deciding I needed ABBA’s music in my life more than I needed to keep my professional and personal lives separate. I stuffed the CD back into my bag, then questioned in a low voice, “Did you talk to Johanna last night? Is that why she’s not in yet?”
“She called out today, so you’re on your own,” Lukas answered, laying his left hand atop the portable wall and running his fingers along the edge of my white board. “But yes, I did talk to her, in front of her family like you suggested.”
My lips parted in shock as I shut the closet’s door. “And?”
Lukas seemed to be fighting a smirk. “I informed her that we’ve known each other for years and that I have no romantic interest in her. Then I invited her to come meet some of my buddies at the rowing club tomorrow afternoon. I gave her names of three who’d be thrilled to get to know her.”
My jaw dropped further and I plunked down onto my chair. “That’s . . . just . . . brilliant. I hope the guys you mentioned like chatty women, though.” I shook my head slowly as a grin spread across my face. Lukas had shot Johanna down and directed her attentions elsewhere, potentially sparing me from misplaced wrath.
Lukas grinned back, a slight flush coloring his cheeks. “I know you said last night that you’re not interested in romance right now. But I was wondering if you’d like to stop by the rowing club tomorrow, too, so we could walk along the canal after practice. I’d like to see if we can be friends . . . and find out how I can fix all the damage my buddies and I did to you in high school.”
He lifted his hand from my white board, his posture shifting as though he prepared to flee to his office the second I rejected him. Lucky for Lukas, my success with the enchantment the previous night combined with his efforts to protect me from local conspiracies loosened the grip Kyle’s ghost held upon me. It was time to find out where this would lead.
“I’m having lunch with my brother, but after that I’m free. I can ride my bike to the canal and meet you at the club once you’re done on the water.”
“In that case, I’ll ride my bike there, too.” Lukas caught Herr Werndl’s gaze from the corner office. “Now, though, I think we both have projects to finish.”
He walked away before I could answer, but excitement surged through my blood on the heels of my fire magic. I allowed traces of its flames to manifest along the edges of my vision as I booted up my computer, ready to tackle this day.
The following afternoon, I ruminated on my lunch with Dennis as I rode my bike toward the Europakanal. We had walked to Isola Verde and shared a pizza, and he admitted he was struggling in some of his classes. Dennis studied premed, but had little interest in scientific formulas. “I just want to help people stay healthy, but sometimes it’s like my professors view the human body as a machine. It’s all about how these enzymes influence those cells and stuff like that,” he groused, his shoulders sagging in fatigue.
I told him I would not judge if he chose a different path, for there were many ways to improve people’s health. He could go into nutrition or athletic training, or even switch gears entirely to the arts. “We’d all be depressed if we lived in an artless world,” I observed, “and your molten rock sculptures are awesome.”
Dennis had laughed and said he would rather sculpt in his downtime. If his income relied upon his artistic output, his inspiration would fizzle. That prompted a discussion on popular artists, musicians, and actors—how the quality of their art tended to decline or grow predictable once they achieved fame. I thought about how that might apply to romantic relationships, as I turned left onto the path along the canal. Some fell apart after the honeymoon phase, like one-hit wonders, while others thrived and still others eased into a stale routine.
It took me four years to accept that my relationship with Kyle was not worth saving. The man imagined himself flawless, pointing his finger at me for anything that went wrong. Exactly like my mother. Over the past few weeks, I had wrestled with myself, trying to figure out if there was some flaw in my genes that drew me to narcissists. I had kept my distance from my mother since I came back to this city, but was there another male figure waiting in the wings to take her place?
So far, Lukas had shown no signs of a destructive personality. In fact, he had helped me with projects on several occasions and encouraged me when deadlines aroused my frustration. The Keyholder seemed to be a respectful man, too. I had visited Lady Erlanga four times since my return home, and Henning supported her each time, offering humorous insight in his frog’s voice every now and then. While I recoiled from the idea of representing this city’s Teuton community and binding myself to a fated husband, the future Leitalra could certainly do worse.
But my fire smoldered with longing in Lukas’ presence, not Henning’s. And Bianca texted me just last night, informing me that another young Teuton woman born in this city had gotten engaged. Sandra Heising pulled her collection of strings, cutting her competition down to three. If my fire had any say in the matter, Lukas would claim my heart long before Lady Erlanga passed away.
Johanna’s voice called out to me when I reached the rowing club, and I saw her perched upon the grassy slope above the path. “Hey, Gabi! You here to ogle the rowers? Lukas is going to introduce me to a few of them once they’ve finished!”
She beamed at me, her blonde hair shining golden in the sunlight. I climbed off my bike and wheeled it over to where she sat, laying it onto its side as I settled to her left. “Sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.”
Johanna handed me a container of mints, and I popped one into my mouth while she slid closer to my side. “Are you here to ride with our boss?” she asked in a stage whisper.
“I guess so. You’re not mad, are you?” I reached back to fiddle with my bun, ensuring no strays had escaped. I avoided her gaze and whispered a silent prayer of thanks for my mirrored sunglasses. If she was about to tear into me, my element might appear in my irises. I did not need an outsider noticing my magic.
To my surprise, a shout of laughter burst from Johanna’s lips. “I was, at first. I’m sorry about how I behaved at the restaurant. Lukas told me a few things, and there’s a lot of other male fish in the sea. Most of whom are in boats right now.”
I chanced a glance at my coworker, who was watching one of the longboats gliding toward the shore. My fire sensed Lukas’ mist situated among the rowers, two seats back from the bow. “He told you a few things, huh? Like what?”
Johanna leaned toward me and spoke out of the corner of her mouth. “He likes you.”
My heart jumped into my throat, and I could not form an appropriate reply. “When he kisses you, I want to hear all about it. I want to know how skilled he is with his tongue.” Johanna made smooching sounds.
I shoved her lightly and bit into my mint, its burst of freshness granting me an extra dose of courage. “He’s our boss. I’m not going to talk about stuff like that.”
Lukas noticed us as he and his buddies vacated their boat and carried it up the bank. He beckoned us to his side, and Johanna squealed under her breath and squeezed my arm before leaping to her feet and sprinting toward where the rowers stored their longboats. I followed at a measured pace, wheeling my bike along and waiting by the path for Lukas to finish introducing our coworker to several of his buddies. Eventually, Johanna strode off toward the nearby café with two men in tow, and Lukas retrieved his own bike and came my way.
“Johanna’s a metaphorical ball of fire, but literal fire is more my type,” he said in greeting, situating himself atop his bike. He had thrown his leather jacket on overtop his athletic shirt, his fingers flexing on the handlebars.
“That’s the silliest pickup line I’ve ever heard,” I shot back, though I knew my cheeks were burning. I swung my leg over my bike and pushed off onto the path, turning south and leaving him in the dust.
Lukas caught up with me in seconds, choosing to ride on my left side. “Hey, I know you’re not ready for anything serious. But I get tired of holding back what I really think of you, when we’re at work.”
“You really think my bloodline’s so weak my fire will crumble away into embers by the time I’m fifty.” I stuck my tongue out at him and pumped the pedals harder, pulling ahead.
“You remember that, too?” Lukas huffed a bit as he reached my side again, and then we split apart for an elderly couple on a stroll. When he guided his bike back toward mine, he said, “Gabi, I made that story up. It’s not possible for a Teuton’s element to waste away when they get old.”
“Hmm. I’ll have to tell my anxiety it needs a new subject.” I eyed my companion from behind my sunglasses, appreciating his remorseful look. “If it’s true that the adult version of Lukas Felder is far more mature and respectful than the high school version, I might be curious to see where this leads.”
My heart fluttered when I spoke the truth and waited for his response. Sure, Johanna claimed he liked me, but he also seemed content enough to continue a simple friendship. But then he confessed something that shocked me all over again. “I’ve had a crush on you since we first met. That’s part of why I bullied you, to try to escape it. Your fire lures my mist like a siren’s song.”