Beauty and the Magician (Tales of the Red Witch Book 1)

Chapter 28 - Make up and make-up

Annika was sitting cross legged on a chair at the spotlessly clean table, Mr. Pig snoring loudly on the floor underneath. Her skirts were rucked up to her knees. It was very improper, but she found that for once, she didn't care. Her mind was a mess of complicated thoughts like a ball of yarn that had somehow managed to get all wrapped up on itself. She had one elbow propped up on the table and her chin rested on her palm. Her eyes stared out blankly at the end of her tail which was entirely exposed. The tip flicked back and forth before her eyes and she couldn't help but reach out with her other hand and swat it.

She felt it all up her spine every time her paw made contact. It still unnerved her to have such a strange appendage and to feel it. It didn't feel real and yet it was as real as the magical house in which she sat.

She hated what that furry dancing appendage represented and she cringed to realize that she was slowly growing used to it. Each day she woke, it felt more and more like she would be like this forever. And that was a thought that she wasn't sure she wanted to accept. On the one hand, she was growing to love the little cottage and her place here with Toby and Mr. Pig and a certain stubborn magician, but on the other hand she should not want it. She should want to go home. She wanted more than anything to be herself again, but she was afraid that once she was turned back, she would have to leave. Sure, she could come visit, but once she was back in Wohnort, she would have to go back to work, find some solution to their financial situation, beat some sense into her father and Valdimir, and help Sofie to have the life she wanted. All of that would consume her time faster than Sofie consumed a slice of mincemeat pie. The whole thing left her conflicted.

So much had changed over the last few weeks.

She yawned loudly. She really should go to bed, but she knew she wouldn't be able to rest. The elusive creature known as sleep had been quite keen on eluding her ever since Grune Stadt and she felt suddenly envious of Toby and his close relationship with it. He had been in bed for at least an hour and when she had passed by his room, she had heard the soft sounds of contented snoring. She huffed and closed her eyes but the only image she saw printed on the back of her eyelids was the broken pained look on Eben's face when she had chided him that day. She had tried to stay angry with him, but she couldn't. Despite all he had told her, she still liked him and part of her still believed that he would come through.

She opened her eyes and let them drift away from her dancing tail and to the quickly cooling mug of tea set before her.

The sudden warming of the room alerted her. The Hafenstadt door opened and Eben slowly appeared. His eyes immediately found hers as if he too sensed her before seeing her.

"Oh." She said as she noticed him looking at her. "I wasn't waiting up... I-." She blurted as she dropped her feet to the floor and pushed down her tail and her skirts.

He furrowed his brow and looked at her sheepishly. He moved to take the chair across from her. He propped his hands on top of the table, tapping the surface with his fingertips.

"Before you ask, yes, I've been avoiding you again. As you may have noticed, It's kind of... well, it's sort of... I'm not fond of uncomfortable discussions... or apologizing...or admitting when I've been a complete and utter turniphead."

Annika stared at him, her surprise at his admission must have been clear upon her face as if it was spelled out in her fur.

"Believe me, I noticed." Annika said. She looked up at him and sighed. She had something she had to say too.

"I'm not sure I blame you... for avoiding me, that is. My words were harsh back in Grune stadt, but I can't apologize for what I said. I am only sorry for how I said it." He looked up at her and met her eyes. She could see exhaustion in them. Sleep had been skillfully avoiding him too.