Sleigh Bells and Dragon Spells (Whispering Pines #8)

Chapter 22

TWENTY-TWO

B riar felt him shift uncomfortably but was surprised when he didn’t pull away. Instead, his hand found hers under the table, his thumb tracing absent patterns on her palm that made it hard to concentrate.

“The children need protection from the storm,” he said simply.

“And it has nothing to do with a certain red-haired witch who spends time there?” Tabitha teased.

Heat crept up Briar’s neck, but before she could respond, Falkor surprised everyone by saying, “Her dedication to them is... admirable.” His voice softened as he added, “She has a gift for bringing light to dark places.”

The sincerity in his tone made Briar’s heart flutter. She looked up to find him watching her with an expression that stole her breath—something warm and almost tender in those golden eyes.

“You should see her with the little ones,” Ellie said, clearly picking up on the moment. “They absolutely adore her.”

“The other night, a little girl was crying about her failed levitation spell,” Sera added. “Briar sat with her for hours, telling stories and trying again until she succeeded.”

“That’s our Briar,” Fia said proudly. “Heart as big as her talent.”

“You’re all impossible,” Briar muttered, but she couldn’t help smiling, especially when Falkor’s fingers tightened around hers.

“They’re not wrong,” he murmured, his breath warming her ear. “I’ve seen how you light up around the children. It’s... quite something to witness.”

The intimacy in his voice sent shivers down her. When she glanced at him, the heat in his gaze made her forget to breathe for a moment.

“Well, well,” Luna’s knowing voice cut through their bubble. “I haven’t seen magic spark like that in quite some time.”

“Luna,” Kade warned.

“What? I’m simply observing that their magical signatures complement each other beautifully. Rather like fire and starlight.”

Briar felt Falkor’s magic stir at Luna’s words, his power brushing against hers like a warm caress. She hadn’t noticed before how their magic seemed to reach for each other, creating little sparks of golden light where they touched. The sensation was intoxicating, like sipping mulled wine on a cold night.

“Speaking of sparks,” Kade said, with a tray loaded with cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee, “remember how we met?” He smiled at Celeste as he set a roll in front of her. “Your earth magic and my wolf nature shouldn’t have mixed, but somehow...”

“Somehow it was perfect,” Celeste finished, smiling up at him. Her hand reached for his, their wedding rings catching the light.

“Some magics are just meant to find each other,” Sayer said, sharing a meaningful look with Fia. “Even if one party is... reluctant at first.”

“Even if one of them is ridiculously stubborn about it,” Bram added, earning a playful swat from Tabitha.

“Speaking of stubborn,” Reed turned to Falkor, “how are you finding our little town? Besides the obvious attractions?” His gaze flickered meaningfully to Briar.

“It’s... not what I expected,” Falkor admitted. His free hand moved to the back of Briar’s chair, his arm a warm presence behind her. “The community here is unlike anything I’ve encountered.”

“That’s what happens when you let people in,” Ellie said gently. “They surprise you.”

“Sometimes in the best ways,” Reed added, pressing a kiss to his wife’s temple.

“Speaking of surprises,” Tabitha interjected, “are we still on for girls’ night tomorrow?”

“Absolutely not,” Bram rumbled immediately, echoed by several other male voices.

“The storm—” Reed began, his protective instincts clearly flaring.

“Could break again like today,” Ellie finished, determination in her voice. “We can’t put our lives completely on hold.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Roarke insisted.

“We’ll be together,” Sera pointed out reasonably. “Multiple witches, all capable of defending ourselves.”

“Not to mention,” Luna added with that serene smile that suggested she knew more than she was saying, “I’ll be hosting.”