Spells on Shelves

Chapter 30 || Willow

Nothing beats waking up surrounded by freshly washed sheets, the scent of rosewood and lavender, and the hum of magic thrumming through the whole place–marking everything as mine.

My magic. My house. My home.

Mine.

Even waking up on the wooden floor instead of my soft mattress couldn't dampen my mood. How had I ended up on the floor?

Distorted, foggy images flickered through my mind. I had the vague impression of running, and someone calling out to me, but the harder I tried to grasp the details, the faster the dream dissolved. I shook my head.

Maybe I'd been working too much. I had returned from Kansas City three weeks ago and although the case was now finished, I was busier than ever.

The first priority was to remodel the ward. Kai hadn't just broken the initial barrier because it had been freshly installed. I had rushed it, thrown it together under the assumption that I wouldn't be staying long. The second, hidden layer was stronger, but still too simplistic. A proper witch's sanctuary required more than a basic perimeter shield.

No. I was determined to turn my place into an iron fortress with a four-point ward. It was a complicated affair all around. Most witches wouldn't bother as it was expensive and easy to do wrong. But this time I wanted to go all out.

The only issue, I needed the right materials. I wanted the new ward to be perfect, especially in preparation for any unforeseen...visitors. Only high-grade components would do, and those were expensive.

Avoiding my emergency savings was no longer an option. I'd been funneling money into that account for years without touching it, always preparing for the worst. But there was no reason for me to keep stockpiling for an escape plan anymore.

This was home.

With a sigh, I grabbed the bedframe and pulled myself up, my right side aching slightly. I couldn't believe I'd fallen out of bed. At least I'd landed on my blanket—which I must have kicked off at some point—but still.

Another spell I should add to the house. An automatic cushioning charm. Just in case.

Yawning, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and padded across the room. The dim light filtering through the drawn curtains hinted at early morning—or maybe afternoon. It was impossible to tell. November had arrived wrapped in thick, lingering fog, stretching into the evening and blurring the world outside.

The end of the oversized T-shirt I wore as a nightgown swayed across my thighs as my feet carried me downstairs into the kitchen.

Coffee first. I could plan more later.

While the water was heating up, I shuffled into the living room. The floor-to-ceiling windows revealed the same dreary scene they had the last weeks. Fog pressed against the glass, turning the garden into a murky world of gray.

Every nature witch needed a thriving garden. The wild roses were a great start, but in spring, I planned on installing rosemary, thyme, and sage beds too for extra protection. Then in summer, I could sit on the veranda and enjoy my morning coffee, surrounded by sunlight and the soothing scent of herbs and flowers.

The foggy view stirred a faint echo from my dream.

Willow.

A sense of foreboding washed over me. It had been over seven years since anyone had called me by my real name. I'd long stopped associating it with myself. It was odd that I'd started dreaming about it now when I had fully shed that identity and settled into a new place.

Trying to shake off the sudden paranoia, I turned, my gaze drifting absentmindedly over the floor, the shadows, the figure sprawled across my couch—

I sucked in a sharp breath, a barely audible gasp catching in my throat.