148–Contracts and confirmation


    I reach out to pick up the drink and Cam frowns.


    “Uhm, can I ask why you’re wearing a dodgy stic bead ne? It doesn’t really go with what


    you’re wearing.” She asks, gesturing to the ne Logan gave me.


    “It’s a good luck charm from a kid I know. It’s not the prettiest thing but I like it. Although I have been


    thinking maybe I shouldn’t wear it because I don’t want to break it.” I think aloud. Cam looks apologetic.


    “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. That’s actually super adorable. Oh! But I can help. Give me a


    sec.” She disappears through a door behind the bar for a minute andes back. with a ck coffee


    mug. She ces it on the bar. I peer over the rim and see a silverish liquid that is definitely not a drink.


    I’m assuming it’s a potion.


    “Drop the ne in that for a minute.” I’m a little hesitant, but I decide to do as she asks. I drop the


    ne in the potion and it makes an rming sizzling noise. I watch curiously as the


    potion swirls around, the silver leaching from it and into the ne until it ispletely clear and just


    looks like water. Cam fishes the ne out, dries it on a towel and. hands it back to me.


    “There, it should be pretty near indestructible now. No need to worry about breaking it.” She says with


    satisfaction.


    “Woah, thank you so much. But that’s an expensive spell. I should pay you.” I offer. She


    shakes her head.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    “Nope, I’m not licensed to sell spells here. But it’s not illegal to give them away. Don’t worry about it.


    Most of those spells are only expensive because the local covens are greedy old bats who want to


    hoard all the good magic for themselves. It’s not actually expensive or difficult to make in small


    quantities like this. I make it in bulk and apply it to sses and dishware. Stops them breaking when


    idiots get drunk and clumsy. Costs a bit to make so much of it but recing dishes is way more


    expensive than you would expect, so it’s much cheaper in the long run.” She exins.”


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    148- Contracts and confirmation


    “That’s so cool!” Megan exims excitedly.


    “But… I need to thank you somehow.” I object. Cam shrugs.


    “Consider it my apology for giving you awful drinks. Also a thankyou for delivering my special mix to


    Harrison.” She insists.


    “I don’t know… I would have done that either way just to mess with him” I point out.


    “Yeah well, I already spelled your ne. The spell has already been used up and unless you know


    how to remove it, you’re stuck with it now. So hah. I win. Just take the gift and ept it already!”


    Megan is snickering.


    “She’s got you there Ry.”


    “That I do.” Cam answers with a grin. She nces over my shoulder.


    “And youdies should get back to your table. Your food will be out in a minute and the men who I


    assume are yours are looking like abandoned children. Lost and ufortable. Harrison is likely not


    helping matters.” She mutters as an afterthought. We allugh and I thank her again before heading


    back to the table.


    Bemy sniffs the air curiously as I sit.


    “You smell like magic?” he says, his words a clear question. I hold up my ne.


    “Cam made my ne unbreakable. We need to leave her the world’s best tip because she won’t let


    me pay her for it.” Bemy grins.


    “Sure.”


    “Cam gives away spells a lot. I suspect she’s more powerful than she lets on.” Harry confides. Then


    with only a moment’s hesitation asks another question..


    “Ry, what do you think of Cam?” His tone is super serious and very unlike him.


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    148- Contracts and confirmation


    “Uh? She seems really cool?” I answer. Not sure what kind of response he’s looking for. He


    shakes his head.


    “No, I mean what do you REALLY think? About her and me I mean?” He pushes. Everyone at the table


    watches me to hear my response.


    “Harry, you know I don’t really do that. I don’t like telling people about their fates.” I respond. awkwardly.


    I expect Harry to argue, whine a little but ultimately give in and ept it. But instead, he whips out an


    old ratty piece of paper and ps it onto the table in front of me. It’s yellowed and crumpled like it’s


    been shoved in the bottom of a bag for ages or crushed in a pocket. Harry stares pointedly at the


    paper. I pick it up and gently unfold it. Bemy reading over my shoulder as I do. It’s an old note written


    in childish, but neat handwriting.


    “I Ryann Gale, promise that I will tell Harry when I see any strings or ties on him with my magic.


    I Harrison Zeta swear that I will stop the other boys from being mean to Ryann and will listen. when she


    asks me for help.


    SIGNED- HARRY and RYANN*


    “You signed a contract?” Bemy asks, clearly amused. I stare at Harry.


    “I can’t believe you still have this! I forgot it even existed.” I exim. tell him inn abination of horror


    and awe. I remember that Harry and I wrote this contract when we were about eleven. He hadn’t hit


    puberty yet so it was before we started distancing ourselves, but some of the older guys had and they


    were pretty annoying. I begged him to stay nearby and run interference and offered the only skill I really


    had avable.


    “See, you HAVE to tell me.” Harry insists. I raise an eyebrow.


    “Do I? If I recall right it was only a few months after this that you basically ditched me.” I remind him.


    Harry’s face falls and Bemy scowls at him. He might not like having Harry around, but he’s still


    offended on my behalf.


    “I apologised for that. I was a a stupid kid, I didn’t know what else to do. I’m here now and I’ve turned


    up every time you’ve needed me since!” He points out.


    3/4


    “I don’t know Harry… I’m just not sure it’s a good idea,” Harry reaches over the table and grabs my


    hands. Bemy tenses up beside me,


    “Please Ry? I need this. I need to know if it’s possible… for me to have someone. You’re the only


    person who has ever thought it might be.” Harry nces at Bemy and. Then his eyes dart to Darrien.


    I suspect he’s wishing he had a little more privacy right now. His bright blue eyes are staring into mine


    with abination of desperation and hope in them. There’s no way I can say no. Besides, he wouldn’t


    be asking if he wasn’t already fairly sure, right? I give a deep sigh and Harry must sense my


    resignation because he asks again.


    “Ryann, what do you think of Cam?” He asks, squeezing my hands fightly, I’m so focussed on Harry, I


    barely notice the waiter dropping off our food and Bemy dragging my te in front


    of me.


    “Oh fine. Yes, I like her very much and I wish you all the luck in the world because you are definitely


    going to need it to get her to fall for you.”


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