Layla stepped back in, and everything stopped.
Oh my witch.
“You.” I pointed at Layla. “The tea shop wants you. It doesn’t want me.” I thought back to every time the shop acted out. “It’s only ever attacked when you haven’t been here—or in my vicinity.”
There was that time it tried to hurt me when I was in the little alcove with Riven, but Layla hadn’t been anywhere near us.
“She’s right.” Herman pointed his tail at Layla. “She’s actually right.”
“You don’t have to sound so shocked,” I said.
“Oh my goodness.” Layla clapped her hands to her pink cheeks. “I’m so sorry. I swear I didn’t spell the shop or anything. I don’t know why it’s doing this.”
I glanced at the tins filled with her recent recipes. “Because you’re better suited to run this place,” I said slowly.
“She’s right again,” Herman said. “Amazing.”
I ignored him. “You’re the one who’s come up with every new recipe, every new spell since I’ve been here. You love this shop. You know it. You know the customers. You’re meant to run it.”
Layla stepped back. “Aunt Morty didn’t think so, and she would know if I was ready.”
I thought of my father, how he assumed I’d been happy all these years... until he saw me and Riven together.
“Morty isn’t infallible,” I said.
“That’s also true.” Herman raised a talon. “She decided not to adopt me. Big mistake, in my opinion.”
Althea nudged Layla. “I told you.”
“You did?” I asked her.
Layla gave a small shrug. “She might have told me once or twice that I had some good ideas.”
“Brilliant ideas,” Althea corrected.
“Well, I’m not going to take the shop from you.” Layla stepped forward. “I’ll just always be here when you’re here, and then it won’t act out against you anymore.”
“No.” I shook my head. “This place isn’t my dream. It’s yours. And I want you to have it.”
Layla stilled.
“It makes sense,” I said. “The shop knows it, and so do I.”
“So do I,” Herman said. “Also, can I keep sleeping here?”
Layla stood there, eyes wide, not moving or speaking. Althea put a hand on her shoulder, but she still didn’t move.
“Is this what you want?” I asked. “To own this shop? To make a life here in Thistlegrove?”
Layla was silent for a moment. “Yes,” she finally said, so quiet I almost didn’t hear it.
“Then you have to be brave enough to take the opportunity.”
“What if it all goes wrong?” Layla said. “What if I ruin my aunt’s legacy?”
“What if you don’t?” I asked.
“Someone really needs to learn to take their own advice,” Herman muttered.
