“Yeah, it was!” He pumps a fist.
I roll my eyes, despite my grin.
“The barrier to start with was Jarron’s idea, and I gotta thank him when I get the chance. I mean, I guess I shouldn’t have to babysit you as much in here as I used to, but still, at least I won’t have to freeze my ass off when I do.”
I walk over to the sitting area. There is a taupe leather loveseat and two matching swivel armchairs. And against the wall is a familiar machine.
“No,” I draw in disbelief.
“It makes chai,” Laithe says before I can even ask. “And coffee if you’d prefer. Although, it’s really not healthy to ingest so much caffeine at your age.”
I side-eye him.
“What?”
“If she bonds with Jarron, that sort of thing will not matter in the slightest,” Thompson remarks.
Laithe shrugs.
My stomach twists, but I ignore the feeling. I already know where Thompson stands on the whole chose thing. He put his money on me a long time ago. I would take Laithe’s reaction more to heart, but they give nothing away as usual.
There’s an open space near the front of the room. Just brick walls and wooden flooring. “Something supposed to go back there?”
“A little extra space in case you had something in mind,” Laithe says. “One thing we considered was workshop space for Lola’s and Janet’s projects. If you wanted an excuse to have them nearby more often.”
“Ooh, I like that idea.” I wouldn’t mind any excuse to spend more time in the room anyway. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Like a mix between a middle ages tavern and the speakeasy. Sleek in some ways, rough in others. It’s cozy and chaotic and incredible. “I’ll ask them what they think.”
I look around again, still unable to get enough of it. My heart is full.
“Why do I love it so much?” I whisper.
There’s a pause while Laithe and Thompson allow me to sit with the thought. Or maybe they just don’t know how to answer.
“What’s not to love?” Thompson eventually says. “The room is badass.”
“Yeah, but…” I turn to face him while I work through the feelings swirling through me. “It’s not just the room. It’s great. It’s beautiful. A private getaway. And potions give me something to do. But I don’t know. I was never in love with potions this much before I came to Shadow Hills. I guess I’m just having an existential crisis.” I huff out an awkward laugh.
Silence stretches again. But this time, it’s Laithe who breaks it. “It’s something you can control.”
I blink.
“You expressed feeling trapped, not because you aren’t comfortable here but just on principle. You’ve expressed you feel like you need to be doing more. Potions work isn’t the answer to it all, but it gives you something that you can control now, in the between time.”
I bite the inside of my lip.
“Damn, dude,” Thompson says. “You a mind reader or what?”
I laugh again.
“Only Jarron’s,” Laithe says matter-of-factly. “But Jarron understands her quite well, so that gives me an advantage.”
“Right,” I mumble. “Wait, that’s kinda weird. You like know everything about me, then?”
Laithe smiles. “Certainly not.”
I cross my arms. “Way more than I’ve ever told you.”
“If it helps, you will have just as much access to my inner workings if you ever bond with Jarron.”
