Page 14 of The Nowhere Witch

I stood in silence, my narrowed eyes saying it all.

“I’d heard the Nowhere witch was back,” Belinda said. “Apparently not even Hawk wants you now.”

“As opposed to Hawk having never wanted me?” I asked, my insult clear enough if her rising chest and quick intake of breath meant anything.

Raydam moved his eyes to her for a moment, the wheels turning. Yes, he’d thought he’d been first choice, not the only one left. Guess again. He’d never be picked first if Hawk were available, not as a friend, partner, lover, not even in a game of dodgeball. Whether I liked Hawk or hated him, I wasn’t deluded enough to see that happening. There was hate and then there was stupid. If you let hate run wild enough, it could clog up your brain with gunk that made you stop seeing the world for what it was. In this world, Hawk trumped Raydam every single time.

Raydam finally looked back to me, shrugging off his revelation about Belinda, or not—time would tell, pouring through the hourglass until nothing was left but the ugly truth.

“What’s your purpose here? Why are you back in Xest? You’ve already caused enough damage,” Raydam finally said.

“I’m not here for you or your business. I’m here to live my life, like everyone else.” There you go. It was about as good of an olive branch as I could muster. The way I saw it, I had enough issues. I wasn’t going to run from a fight, but that didn’t mean I’d throw the gauntlet at every opponent I could find, either. Now, if Belinda wanted a fight, that would be an entirely different scenario, but it would have to wait a bit.

“You think you can do that after the monstrosity you erected in the Unsettled Lands? You’re wrong. You better go back to whatever hellhole you climbed out of and beg them to keep you, because you’re not welcome here.”

There was running and then there was standing here and listening to this crap.

“As pleasant as this little visit was, I’d best be going. Have a full day planned tomorrow.” I turned and walked away, not running. This day had been way too long to use up the last of my energy on Raydam and his crazy new girlfriend.

“Tippi, if you stay, don’t say you weren’t warned. We will come for you.”

“Duly warned,” I said, voice full of bravado even as a slight chill snaked up my spine. Just what I needed: more enemies.

As mentioned, I didn’t run anymore. But I might walk a little faster on occasion. This day couldn’t handle any more confrontations.

I didn’t completely unwind until I shut the door to Zab’s place.

“How’d it go?” Zab asked as I walked in.

His smile was so forced that I was surprised he wasn’t using two fingers on either side of his mouth to prop it up. He’d also started making second-rate cocoa as soon as I walked in, as if he’d known I’d need the pick-me-up. It was a strong switch from his earlier optimism.

“Obviously you heard,” I said as I dropped onto the couch. It wasn’t a surprise when Xest was so small and I’d hit up every business there was, only to be booted repeatedly.

“Hard not to.” His smile slipped until it was a landslide across his face. It dropped so much I was surprised his nose hung in there.

“Well, you heard wrong,” I said, smiling as my voice rose. “In spite of Hawk, I got a job over at that club, the one with no name? Zark hired me!” I did a little dance in my seat because my legs were too tired to stand.

“He did?” Zab did a little dance too.

“Yes!”

7

Zark’s place was packed the next afternoon. There wasn’t a free seat in the joint, and all eyes were on me as I walked in. My nerves would’ve preferred a slower day, but I sauntered across the room like it was a runway and I a seasoned model.

“Look who’s here!” Zark greeted me with a smile that he didn’t appear capable of yesterday. He could’ve been tired the day before, but that wasn’t what my gut was telling me. That was another thing I’d decided since I’d come back to Xest: besides not taking any shit and never backing down, the gut ruled the roost. I’d need to establish a pecking order just in case the never backing down conflicted with the gut.

“Yep, I’m here for work, just like you said,” I added, in case he needed a reminder he had hired me and I wasn’t making a social call.

“Just made a fresh batch of buttered buns. They’re in the back. Go grab yourself a couple and have a bite before you start work. I don’t want you to get worn down during your shift.”

This guy wasreallyhappy. Were these people all here to see the show? Did they think Hawk was going to march in here and drag me out? Would he try?

“Thank you, but I’m good. I ate before I came.” And if I did have an appetite, it was long gone now.

“No, no, I want you to be happy here. Can’t have you overtaxing yourself. Now go get that bun, and I’ll make you a nice tea to drink with it.”

“Okay.” He was paying me. If he wanted me to eat a bun that badly, I’d have to eat the bun. They were sitting on a table in the back, still steaming from the oven, as if he’d timed it that way. I put one on a napkin and took it with me back to the bar, where my tea was waiting, along with a very happy Zark.