Cuckoo in the Coven

Celeste called Rowena in to manage The Cauldron while she worked with Sunny. The following days were busy. Members of the coven took it in turns to spend time with Sunny to teach her and develop her skills. Every day without fail, Celeste would go to the cottage and explain what would happen that day.

While they were busy, Cullen worked on the house and gardens, doing everything he could to make the house sound for the winter. Still convinced their time was limited to thirty days, he promised he’d give Sunny a lifetime of security during the time he had there.

Sunny said she wasn’t quite sure what he meant by that, but confided in Celeste that as long as they had every evening and night together alone, she knew she could live forever on those memories.

On one particular day—the day Celeste taught her about controlling wishes—Celeste cracked open a bottle of wine at the end of the afternoon session. “You’re doing really well. You’ll be ready, don’t fret.”

Sunny nodded vaguely and gazed out the kitchen window.

Celeste followed her gaze, taking in the vision of Cullen stalking through the orchards, stripped to the waist, with a basket of early windfalls clutched easily under one arm. With the sinking summer sun blazing low on the horizon behind him, he looked so handsome, every bit the ideal match for Sunny.

Sunny sipped her wine distractedly, her fingers on her silver locket.

“How did I know,” Sunny asked, “that I could wish for him to be real?”

“You didn’t know, but you identified with him so strongly your emotions became involved. I suspect your magic is driven by emotion.”

“So just wishing made it come true?”

“There’

s more to it than that. It’s a bit like learning to juggle. It’s a knack. It clicks into place, once you know how. It becomes instinctive.”

Sunny laughed softly. “My mum tried to teach me to juggle when I was a kid. I never got the knack of it.”

“You’ve found the knack for this, though, because of your desire and affection for Cullen.”

They both looked back at Cullen.

“What’s he doing out there?”

“He claims he’s earning his keep.”

“Ah, a gentleman through and through.” She glanced back at the window. He was giving the trees a close inspection and looked deep in thought as he checked out their condition.

Celeste nodded and chinked their glasses, looking Sunny over. “Well, my dear, you’re positively glowing, so I don’t think it’s done you any harm.”

“No, I...he’s made my life feel complete. I’ve experienced true love. Mostly I’m annoyed with myself because I didn’t bargain for more time when I was negotiating with Fox.”

“Don’t think about that right now. Be happy.”

“I am. I think we both are. Although Cullen often struggles with the newness of it all. He’s twice said his time was more ‘agreeable’ when he’s been in a fury over something from our time.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s worth giving you up for. It’s just a momentary frustration,” Celeste assured her.

Sunny shrugged. “Maybe, but I wouldn’t blame him. I don’t know how I’d have coped in 1820 without him, and it’s much more complex coming forward in time.”

“Yes, but I’m sure you’re fretting over nothing.”

Sunny continued to stare out at Cullen.

“Give him time.”

“I’d give him all the time in the world, but we haven’t got that, have we?”

“You’ll fight for it.”

“I will, of course, but I’m not taking anything for granted. Neither of us are.”