Chapter 7 A Little Morning Magic

Freya

Juniper thinks that six in the morning is a perfectly reasonable time to stand on my chest and demand breakfast.

I disagree.

Unfortunately, the little monster has four paws, an impressive set of lungs and absolutely no consideration for the fact that I have another twenty minutes before my alarm goes off.

“I'm awake,” I mumble, reaching out from beneath the blankets to scratch behind her ears. “You can stop trying to murder me now.”

She purrs.

Bramble, who has been sleeping at the foot of my bed, stretches before jumping down and heading towards the kitchen.

“Of course. Follow the leader.”

I drag myself out of bed, pulling my dressing gown around me as the cottage begins to wake. The curtains draw apart, allowing the pale light of Eveah's smaller sun to spill across the floor, while the cold tiles beneath my feet warm enough to make the journey to the kitchen bearable.

A little Hearth magic makes mornings considerably more pleasant.

In the kitchen, the kettle is already warming, and two demanding cats are circling their bowls.

“Yes, yes. Your breakfast is clearly more important than mine.”

I feed them, then open the cupboards. There are eggs, cheese, half a loaf of bread and some tomatoes I need to use before adding them to the compost.

Omelette it is.

I crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them while a flick of my fingers warms the pan. The butter melts as I chop the tomatoes, and another gentle push of magic keeps the eggs moving while I make tea.

Hearth magic can't create breakfast out of thin air, unfortunately, but it can make it much easier to prepare. Something my coven never appreciated.

I finish stirring sugar into my tea just as the omelette is ready, then slide it onto a plate with two slices of toast.

I settle at the kitchen table, watching Juniper lick her bowl clean before wandering over to investigate mine.

Bramble watches from the windowsill, wisely staying out of it.

After breakfast, I wash my dishes and head upstairs, already thinking about the newest little face joining our daycare.

Asher Rendelvour.

The little fire-breathing, ridiculously adorable and quite possibly most heavily guarded baby in Eveah.

I smile as I open my wardrobe.

Yesterday's demonstration with the sensory tray taught me something important. If I'm spending my morning with a dragon hatchling, I should wear something that won't catch fire whenever he gets excited.

I pull out a soft green dress with sleeves finishing above my elbows. It's one of my work favourites, though the fabric has seen better days after an unfortunate incident involving Ember and an enthusiastic sneeze.

Laying it across my bed, I smooth my hands over the material, working warmth through the threads to strengthen its protective enchantment.

The enchantment settles into the fabric, leaving it fire-resistant, within reason.

I doubt it would survive an angry adult dragon, but it should withstand whatever Asher throws at me.

Hopefully.

I dress, put on comfortable shoes, and twist my hair into a loose bun, securing it with a wooden pin before checking the mirror.

“Right. Ready for dragons.”

Juniper meows from the doorway.

“And werewolves, witches, trolls, fae and everything else.”

I collect my bag, kiss Bramble's head despite his disapproval and promise both cats I'll be home at the usual time.

The cottage wards settle behind me as I step outside, and I water the flowers beside the gate before heading towards the city.

Eveah is already busy.

Both suns have risen above the rooftops, bathing the cobbled streets in morning light as shopkeepers open their doors and fresh bread scents the air.

“Morning, Freya!”

I turn towards the bakery, where Mrs Thistlewick is arranging pastries in the window. The elderly brownie has flour on her apron and something purple across one cheek.

“Morning! Something smells lovely.”

“Apple and cinnamon. Fresh batch.”

“You're trying to ruin my good intentions.”

She laughs, waving a flour-covered hand. “I'll save you one for this afternoon.”

I thank her and continue down the street, stepping aside as a young centaur trots past with two baskets of vegetables across his back.

“Morning, Miss Valentine.”

“Morning, Rowan. How's your sister?”

“Still refusing to sleep.”

“Have you tried the lullaby I gave you?”

“Mother says she's heard enough of it to last three lifetimes.”

I laugh as he continues towards the market, promising to let me know if it works.

Further along, Mr Mosswick sweeps outside his flower shop. The elderly fae has tended the same plants longer than I've lived in Eveah and insists on giving me cuttings every few days.

“Your moonflowers behaving themselves?” he asks.

“Mostly. One tried climbing through my bedroom window yesterday.”

“Means they're happy!”

“That's what you said when the last one ate my curtain.”

He chuckles, waving me along with his broom.

I reach Cubs, Pups and Bubs with my cheeks aching from smiling.

I love this city.

There's always something happening, someone to talk to and a little magic making ordinary life interesting.

I push through the daycare doors and find Stella behind reception with a steaming cup of tea and a stack of paperwork.

“Morning, Freya!”

“Morning. How are we looking today?”

“Surprisingly organised.” She glances towards the hallway. “Marge is already in, and Rosie's here today too, so we've got plenty of hands.”

“Wonderful.”

“Which means,” Stella continues, smiling over her cup, “you get to spend the day with our newest little hatchling.”

I stop beside the desk.

“All day?”

“That's the plan. Marge and Rosie have the others covered, and we thought it would be better if you concentrated on Asher while he settles in.”

I nod, thinking through what I need to prepare.

It's standard practice when introducing a new child whose abilities and temperament we don't fully understand. Some settle immediately, while others need more time before they're comfortable joining the group.

And when that child breathes fire, having an educator nearby who can extinguish it is particularly useful.

I head to the staff room, drop my bag into my locker, tie on my apron and check the protective charm around its hem.

Then I head into the playroom to prepare a little corner for Asher, gathering toys, a soft blanket and the sensory tray he enjoyed yesterday. With any luck, familiar objects will help him settle.

I place the tray on the floor, making sure there's nothing nearby that might catch fire, and smile to myself.

Now, all we need is our dragon.