The Forest Witch's Home for Magical Creatures

Chapter 18: This Mess is Mine

She could hear Wren whispering to the boys as she stepped out of the room. She didn't know he could talk softly. It was a lovely thing.

She paced the room while the phone rang.

"May!"

She felt some of the tightness in her chest loosen. Her brother always had that effect on her.

"Rue. It's good to hear your voice."

"How's life in the woods?" There was a hint of disapproval in his voice. Helping her get the position of forest witch was supposed to be part-time. He always wanted her to join him in his little mountain town.

"What do you know about dragons?" she blurted out.

She heard a loud exhale. "Well, I know enough about them to stay away from them."

Well too late for that. "What do you mean?"

He cleared his throat and Massie rolled her eyes. He was gearing up for a lecture. "Dragons and witches have a sordid history. The bad blood goes back centuries from when covens used to keep and breed dragons to enhance their magic. Dragons are proud creatures and they can hold grudges. They almost wiped out the New American witches completely during the Salem trials. "

Massie tried to digest what her brother was saying.

" In the 17th century-"

"What would happen if I had one in my kitchen?" Massie interrupted.

"Excuse me? You have what in your kitchen?"

She made a face. That tone of voice was never good.

" I have a dragon in my kitchen."

Silence and then, "What the fu-, what are you talking about?"

"Yup," She popped her 'p'. "I have a dragon in my kitchen. He is eating a sandwich with two werewolf pups."

"Massie, did you hit your head? Should I call the ranger?" His voice had reached a panic state.

She put him out of his misery and told him everything.

—---—----------------------------------------

"So, you're telling me that you confronted a dragon that trespassed in your forest and then processed to make a blood oath-"

"I didn't know I was making a blood oath." She cut in.

Aurelius scoffed. "How could you not know you were making an oath Massie? You were channeling magic, you were bleeding and you made a promise!."

"Not intentionally."

"Intentionally or not, it's done. It's extremely hard to break an oath, especially a blood oath. You are now bound by magic and blood to fulfill it."

"Which means.." She trailed off. She needed him to say it.

He sighed. "Which means those kids are now your responsibility. As well as any other magical creature seeking refuge."

She groaned. She was so busy thinking about the boys in her kitchen that she forgot the possibility of more creatures knocking on her door.

"I'm going to need paperwork for them."

"That's the easy part. Message me what you need after you figure it out." He sounded so sure. That it would be easy to get paperwork and take care of these kids.

The paperwork part would be easy for him. Aurelius wasn't a forest witch. He was the witch of a whole town hidden in the mountains. He was a part of the governing body that provided refuge for a variety of magical creatures. It was one of the only places left where you could find all magical kinds freely living together.

It was a safe haven with incredible forgers.

"Thank you, Rue."

"Be careful with that dragon, May. They are dangerous." He warned.

Massie hummed. "You should have seen him with the boys. He can be real sweet."

"Dragons hoard anything they think is precious. That can include people. If he thinks of those kids as his hoard, he will do anything to keep them safe. Watch you're back." He cautioned.

She made an agreeing sound in her throat but she had no intention of listening to her brother. He was always too worried.

—-------------------------------------------------------

The boys and Wren were on the couch watching a cartoon. Jace looked thoroughly entertained by the show, Gael looked like he was fighting sleep. Wren looked bewildered. Which was a nice look for him. Instead of his eyebrows being drawn down in his usual look of distaste, they were slightly up giving his face a soft, confused look.

His eyes tracked her as she walked over and sat on the floor in front of the couch.

"We're keeping them." He stated.

"We're keeping them." She agreed.

He rumbled deep in his chest and looked a little too smug.

" I need to make a list of things they need. I can drive into town tomorrow."

She watched them for a moment. Gael's head was propped on his arm. He kept nodding off, then jerking awake. Jace was slumped against the couch.

"They need to shower." The poor boys were filthy. "I don't know if I have clothes that will fit them."

"We have some stuff in the car," Jace mumbled. He seemed to be losing energy fast.

Wren was up before she could move. He brought back two stuffed, dirty pillowcases and dumped them out on the floor.

It was mostly clothes, dirty clothes she noted as she sorted through the mess. There was some loose change, a couple of dollars, and papers.

She pretended not to notice Wren picking up a couple of buttons and slipping them into his pocket.

Massie almost cried when she found their social security cards wrapped up in a smelly sock. They just needed birth certificates and educational records.

She gathered all the dirty clothes and tried not to cringe at the smell. She threw them in the washer and started the load.

Wren had been using her brother's clothes that he had left, but it would all be too big for the boys. It would have to work just for tonight.

She ushered the boys up off the couch and upstairs to the bathroom. They didn't want to separate. Gael had a protective arm around his brother and Jace glared when she suggested using separate bathrooms.

She showed them where everything was and laid the oversized shirts on the counter.

She heard the door lock when she left.

While they were showering she gathered a tonic that would help purify the silver toxicity and an ointment for burn.

From what she could remember, werewolves had accelerated healing when it was not being inhibited by silver.

Within the hour the boys were clean, their wounds taken care of, and they were tucked into bed.

There were many things she needed to figure out, but it could all wait till tomorrow.

She leaned into Wren's space as they stood in the empty hallway. Her head rested on his arm. He was almost too warm, like a stone on a hot day.

He allowed the touch for just a minute before he shook her off and stalked to his room.

She threw herself on her bed. It was still light out but she fell asleep almost immediately.