Brewing Trouble

by Katherine Kim

  “It’s okay, Meg. Gran was like that. Sounds like she maybe snuck you extra cookies once in a while, huh?” Sarah grinned, and suspected that Gran and Doc had done more than that.

  “Yeah. Doc, too,” Meg relaxed again, and smiled at some memory. “I have to admit, I was a little jealous when I came back from my vacation and here you were. But you’re cool. I’m glad I’ve gotten to meet you finally. Miss Rosie was always talking about you. And now I work here, too, and I can hang out with Doc all day. And when she gets back she’s going to teach me herbalism and tea blending and all that cool stuff! It’s the best job ever!” Sarah half expected Meg to start hopping up and down and clapping her hands, her energeticc enthusiasm was so close to over the top.

  Meg’s sudden burst of enthusiasm was interrupted by the bell on the door. They both looked up, putting on their customer-service smiles as the door opened, but relaxed into a more natural welcome when Kai walked in.

  He stopped just inside the door and took a deep breath and smiled before heading for the counter. Sarah grinned, recognizing the little ritual that Sebastian followed every time he came in, too. The brothers shared an appreciation for the comforting smells of the tea shop, and honestly, she couldn’t blame them.

  “Hey, how’s today going?” Kai asked. He ran his eyes over the pastries left in the case. They’d had a pretty busy rush around lunch time, but still had some goodies left.

  “It’s calmed down a bit, thankfully,” Sarah said. She reached into the case and pulled out a couple of tea cakes and a small plate from behind her.

  “Whatever it is you two are drinking smells delicious. Any chance I could beg one from you?” he asked, taking the plate from Sarah.

  “Coming right up!” Meg turned back to the kitchen and could be heard clattering around for a moment.

  “She’ll probably cast a spell on it for you,” Sarah grinned. “She’s worried about us worrying about Doc.”

  Kai grinned. “Well, every little bit helps, after all.”

  “Here you go.” Meg put the steaming mug in front of Kai and he handed her the empty plate in return.

  “So what’s got you so tired? I saw you’re limping a bit more than usual,” Sarah asked. Kai’s limp was a souvenir of their clash with some Hunters that wanted to kill Marcus, the Village’s resident lidérc and Kai’s best friend. The whole thing had turned into a massive mess, with the Hunters teaming up with Kai’s third brother Eric, who was fully human and was after Kai and Sebastian’s supposed wealth from owning the Village.

  Kai and Sebastian were neither wealthy, not did they actually own the apartment complex at that point, but what did a few facts matter when you and a group of like-minded obsessives decide to murder their way through a community? Eric wanted Kai and Sebastian out of the way, and the Hunters wanted Marcus and his daughter dead. They teamed up and before the end of the clash, Kai had been lured across a modified bear trap, and not even his inhuman abilities could recover fully from that much damage.

  “Just tired, mostly. I’ve been up for… what day is it now?” Kai slumped against the counter.

  “Um, Sunday?” Meg said.

  “Oh, only since yesterday then,” Kai huffed a laugh and drained his tea. “I’ve been dealing with the hospital. Doc’s been in and out of lucidity and they’re completely stumped. At first they thought it was just exhaustion or maybe a newer strain of the flu, but then she developed a fever that had them nervous, then as soon as they started coming up with answers that would explain the fever, it broke and she popped out in a spotty rash. I think they’re working through every test they’ve got available at the hospital.”

  “Oh no!” Meg sounded horrified. “That’s so scary! I’ve been meaning to ask, are you two related or something?”

  “No, but I’m her local emergency contact and have medical power of attorney. Good thing, too. As in and out of it as she’s been, I’ve been pretty heavily involved,” Kai scrubbed his fingers over his scalp, then down the back of his head. “Doc asked me to come check in with you guys, in case you needed anything. I think she was just trying to shoo me out of the hospital for a while, honestly.”

  “You can’t help her very well if you’re running yourself into the ground, too,” Meg pointed out. Sarah was surprised at the calm delivery of that bit of actual wisdom. She was about to comment on it when the door opened again. Meg perked up and smiled brightly when the woman stepped through and glanced around.

  About average height and slightly overweight in the way that people who have desk jobs can be, the woman would have looked utterly unremarkable if it weren’t for the wild swirl of fabrics and colors she was dressed in. Bangles and woven bracelets disappeared under the cuff of her denim jacket, which was easily the most subdued thing about her and even that had patches of various prints and patterns scattered across it to repair holes that seemed artfully deliberate. She had a neon orange top, and a bright butter yellow flutter of silk with a layer of sapphire blue underneath was wrapped around her waist and trailed down to her ankles, below which a pair of lavender boots were revealed.

  “Angela!” Meg chirped when the woman stepped nearer.

  “Meg, how are you on this lovely day? How is your friend, any better I hope?” Angela leaned across the counter to kiss the air beside Meg’s ear.

  “We were just talking about her. She’s really sick, I guess.” Meg’s eyes got wide as she gushed about what was going on with Doc.

  Sarah glanced at Kai and he had the same thoughtful expression she guessed was on her own face. There was something about this woman that was making them nervous. They’d gotten almost paranoid about watching for Hunters in the past few months, but this woman wasn’t sending off any of those signals. It was more a faint buzz, not even something Sarah could hear. It was… She shook her head, unable to describe it or explain anything. The woman just made her slightly nervous.

  “Sarah, Kai, this is Angela Davila, my coven leader,” Meg said, turning to them and beaming. “Angela, these are the people I’ve been talking about. They’re super nice, and Sarah’s been amazing to work for while Doc’s been sick. And Kai just walked in and put on an apron the other day when we were so busy. It was the kindest thing! And he’s taking care of Doc, too. He was just telling us that he’s been at the hospital working with her doctors for two days straight! It’s so scary, though, they can’t figure out what’s wrong and they’re running, like, all the tests and I want to do something, but I don’t know how to help other than just sending healing spells to her from here, but I’m not very good yet, you know, and—”

  “Meg, dear. Take a breath,” Angela laughed and to Sarah’s ear it sounded just a bit false. Like an actress not really giving it her all. “It’s good to finally meet you Sarah, Meg’s been gushing about her job here since she started. I’ve been in once or twice since she started, but I believe you were off those days. And Kai, a pleasure.” She shook hands with both of them and smiled.

  “Meg talks about you quite often,” Sarah said. “It’s good to put a face with the name.”

  “She’s our leader, and we’ve all learned so much from her!” Meg said before rushing off to brew a fresh pot of the day’s special blend. Angela sent an almost patient smile after Meg, and shook her head gently.

  “I do hope she hasn’t been pestering you with this coven leader idea she has. I’m just a woman who’s picked up a few tricks over the years, that’s all.” Angela waved her hand dismissively, but there was a proud gleam in her eyes. “I was hoping that your friend was feeling better by now, so that I could finally meet her. Meg so enjoys her job here, I wanted to shake the hand of anyone who could bring such contentment to someone’s work.”

  Tiny pinpricks crept up Sarah’s neck, but there was nothing she could really point at to explain it. Angela was unarmed, certainly, or the wards would have let Sarah know immediately in the unlikely event that they’d let her through in that case. Which meant that Angela had no intention of causing violence here. Sarah
had recast the wards herself just days ago, and then added a second layer of protection, just in case. So the woman wasn’t a danger to them. Couldn’t be. But…

  “As Meg said, Doc is out sick, I’m afraid,” Kai said. Sarah could tell that he was just as wary.

  “Here, Angela,” Meg handed over a travel cup and a tea cake on a napkin. “Isn’t it terrible? Doc is really sick. I hope she’s going to be okay. What would happen to the Apothecary without her? I mean, this place is the best, that’s why I wanted to work here and was so excited when the help wanted sign went up. And Doc is one of the nicest people ever, I hope she gets better soon.”

  “I’m sure that she is doing everything she can to recover from her illness,” Angela said. She smiled at Meg and tipped her head indulgently.

  “Is there anything we could do?” Meg asked. “I mean… I mean with magic?”

  Angela smiled again. Again, Sarah felt her skin prickle with unease.

  “Well, perhaps. Without knowing exactly what is wrong, however, I’m afraid anything we tried would be for general health. You know how specific one must be when sending intention into the universe.” Angela made a small movement that seemed to dismiss Meg’s concerns. “If we had something of hers, we could perhaps tie the spell more closely to her and make it more effective.”

  “I don’t think there’s anything like that here…. Oh!” Meg looked at Sarah. “Doesn’t she keep a hairbrush and stuff in her desk?”

  “I took it all to her. She wanted to be able to freshen up on her own,” Sarah lied.

  “Oh.” Meg slumped like a balloon losing air.

  “Perhaps her real name? Doc is clearly a nickname with which she identifies closely, but the name on her driver’s license is equally powerful,” Angela suggested.

  “Oh! The name on the employment stuff I got was Susan Barnes.” Meg popped back up.

  “Now where have I heard that… Wait, is she about my age, do you think? Grew up nearby?” Meg nodded at the first question, then glanced at Sarah.

  “I’m not sure where Doc grew up, I’m sorry.” Sarah said. This time it was true, though she had a feeling that Angela was only asking for appearances. She knew Doc.

  “Hmm. Well, if it’s the Susan Barnes I remember— assuming I’m remembering her name correctly. At my age it’s getting questionable, after all.” She gave them a self-deprecating smile. “If it’s the same woman, we went to college together. I doubt she’d remember me, though. We weren’t close. Still, do give her my regards.”

  “And you can help her now, right?” Meg pressed.

  “I shall do my best to reach her with my small skills.” Angela promised. And with that she handed Meg her teacup, nodded pleasantly in goodbye, and headed out the door into the late afternoon sunshine.

  “Oh, I’m so glad! And how funny that she knew Doc! The world is an amazing place, isn’t it? I hope she can help more now!” Meg bubbled, her earlier fatigue forgotten. Sarah and Kai just exchanged glances and shook their heads.

  8

  Sarah dropped her bag on the bench just inside her front door and rolled her shoulders. It had been a rough week, and frankly, she was glad that the shop was closed on Mondays. She could use a day off tomorrow.

  After Doc asked her to check the wards, she’d done just that, starting with the shop since she’d had to be there anyway. They’d been oddly misaligned, and… well, dinged was the best way that Sarah could think to describe it. It didn’t make any sense, though. They were still fully functional, even though they were fairly complex. They were designed to keep out aggressive energy and violent intentions while still allowing the public through. As a result, they were pretty flexible, and if someone that should be excluded came up against the barrier, they’d feel a deep resistance to going in. One strong enough to turn them around more often than not, and if they did make it into the shop, Sarah and Doc would be alerted.

  She’d repaired the wards around the shop, and then cast a second layer of the same ward just inside the first. She’d been careful to tie them both to things that weren’t fragile but could still provide the constant energy that they needed, since constantly providing that energy themselves would drain their own energy to the point of exhaustion over a few days. Ideally, she would use large trees. Plants with deep roots that drew magic from deep in the earth. In a pinch, a potted plant would do, however, and they had several around the shop. She’d even gone out to buy a couple of new potted decorative trees to put near the front windows for just that purpose. Anchor the wards and freshen the air. And they’re just plain pretty, Sarah thought.

  When she’d checked the wards at the Village, they were holding strong and felt just fine, but she’d refreshed the spells anyway in case. Those wards were bigger and stronger, and were anchored to not only several large evergreen trees, but Kai himself checked them daily now.

  Sarah finished making her cup of tea and slumped down onto the sofa with a long sigh of relief to be off her feet and no longer responsible for anything else today. She thought back to Meg’s turmeric tea and smiled. The girl had really stepped up since Doc got sick, and Sarah was glad to see it. Meg really did want to learn as much as she could, and though she didn’t have a drop of magic in her, she was turning out to be pretty skilled at the herbal tasks she’d been set to. Sarah didn’t know as much about healing as Doc did, but she’d been teaching Meg all the basics she could.

  She was just taking another sip of her own tea, feeling some of the stress roll off her shoulders, when her phone rang. A glance at the screen had her sighing and tensing up again.

  “Hello, Mother,” Sarah said when she held it up to her face.

  “Sarah. Have you enjoyed your weekend?” Elaine’s voice was crisp. Not quite as icy as it had been during that first phone call after Sarah’s decision to live her own life on her own terms. That included pursuing her heritage as a witch and— as Elaine put it— associating with dangerous creatures who could very well lead her to her gruesome death. Still, Sarah’s mother hadn’t yet really accepted the life she’d chosen, but they were, slowly, building a new relationship.

  Granted, Sarah had to admit that between the wights and the warlock and the Hunters, Elaine might have had a point.

  “I didn’t get much of a break, actually,” Sarah sighed. “Doc’s ben really sick so I’m running The Apothecary right now.”

  “Well at least you’re using your degree,” Elaine said. “Running a business is much better than being a waitress, even if that business is as frivolous as that shop. I am calling because I just had drinks with a friend of mine. Her husband is partner in an investment firm and they are looking for an office manager. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for you. The salary would be ample, and it would be a good start for a return to New York. And you would no longer have to lower yourself to menial labor. I did not raise you to be a… a serving girl.” The disdain coming through the phone was nearly a third participant in the conversation, it was so obvious.

  “Mom, even if I was just taking orders and serving tea, I would still prefer it to trying to force myself back into an office,” Sarah sighed and sank back into the cushions of the sofa.

  “It’s beneath you, Sarah. And the people you’re associating with…” Elaine paused and Sarah could just see her mother suppress a shudder. “It isn’t suitable.”

  “Mom, my friends are not up for discussion. I’ve had an extremely stressful week and I don’t need you adding to it.” Sarah balanced her mug on the arm of the sofa— sitting up to reach the coffee table seemed way too difficult— and reached up to rub her eyes.

  “I am sorry to hear it’s been difficult. Perhaps it’s a sign that you don’t belong there in the first place.”

  “No, Mom. It’s a sign that I’m not ready to run the Apothecary entirely on my own. I need an assistant, and I’m planning to talk to Gabe about it, maybe tomorrow when I’m off. I’m also stressed because I’m worried about Doc. She’s in the hospital right now, Mom. And the doctors don�
�t have any idea what’s wrong. They’re running just about every test they can and we’re all pretty worried about it.” Sarah’s voice hitched, and she swallowed her fear back down. “I just don’t know what to do if she doesn’t get better. I’m not ready to lose her, too.”

  Elaine was quiet for a long moment then, in a softer voice than Sarah was used to hearing, she spoke again.

  “I am sorry to hear about your friend. It must be difficult so soon after your grandmother passed away,” Elaine took a breath. “But maybe this is also a sign, Sarah. If highly trained professionals can’t find the problem then it must be due to the sort of thing she does. Doing that sort of thing can’t be safe. Or healthy.” Elaine meant magic, but could never bring herself to say the word, or to call either Doc or her own daughter a witch.

  “Mom…” Sarah glanced up at the sound of the front door opening and sent Sebastian a weak smile when he stepped through. Gabe stepped in right behind, and, seeing Sarah on the phone went right to the fridge for a soda before perching on one of the stools tucked under the breakfast bar separating the kitchen from the living room.

  “I simply don’t want to see you wasting your talents, hiding away in a grubby shop in a backwater town. You are an intelligent, capable, talented woman, Sarah. You have a business degree. You should be using it to your advantage and not fooling around out there serving weedy drinks to soccer moms and their squalling offspring,” Elaine said. She started out gently, actually sounding maternal. But her brisk, dismissive tone returned at the end.

  “Office management would also be ‘wasting my talents’ as you put it. That’s not what I was ever skilled at, nor was it my focus at school. And, I’d like to point out that I didn’t want to pursue a business degree in the first place. That was your decision, not mine. I wasn’t meant to work in an office. Just because I don’t work in an office now, doesn’t make my current job any less valid or useful.”