NOVEL FROG Chapter Twenty-Two
The shop was restless. It jostled me from my sleep and I padded along the hallway, trying to find what was out of place. The endless shelves parted before me but it wasn’t anything that we were keeping. Instead, the second floor called me.
Sable’s door opened as I approached, and I only stuck my nose in. She deserved privacy, and rest, after what she had done. What she had done for the shop and the fates. Yet, she mumbled in her sleep; the sound making me sneak closer to get a look at her.
The downside of being a cat was that I had to jump onto the bed to get a look at her face. Even under the thick comforter, she shivered. The room was warm, but an echo of the creature's power flickered even here. I placed each footstep carefully as I crossed the bed, making sure not to wake her. Finally, I sat right next to her face. Again she mumbled, something about fingers.
I touched my nose to her forehead and pushed the nightmare away by sheer will. My powers weren’t used to such actions, but I could use them to defend the Keeper in any way she needed, and I deemed this defense. Her mumbling stopped, but despite that, she shivered. I walked around her, heading back to the foot of the bed.
Yet, I paused.
I glanced back at her, my green eyes studying this human who could do magic. She shivered.
Shaking my head, I curled up on the blanket near her hands, which were ice cold. Heat radiated off of me and I felt her snuggle closer. I might not be able to banish all the dreams, but I could at least keep her warm.
#
The smell of bacon filled the air, and I was thankful for the grocery delivery person. The fact that I could place an order and food would magically show up without actual magic was unbelievable. Then again, it would be magic to someone not from Earth.
I hadn’t slept well, with nightmares of a book trying to eat each of my fingers. A shiver crossed my body just thinking about it. I took a long chug of hot coffee to chase it away. The cat had taken one look at me this morning, asked for an espresso, then gave me my space.
Next thing I knew, my head was on the counter and the timer was going off letting me know the bacon was done. Yet, I felt a little more awake. The caffeine had to be hitting me. I took the bacon out, plated it, and quickly made some scrambled eggs. All simple things for me to make that I rarely screwed up.
“Cat - breakfast!”
The cat suddenly jumped up on the island in the kitchen, making me wonder if he was just staying out of sight.
“Are you doing better this morning?” asked the cat.
“I… yeah. Didn’t sleep well, but the espresso is helping. I’ll make some lattes before we open the store.”
The cat nodded and then dove into his eggs and bacon. I couldn’t watch him eat. My brain screamed it was wrong how the food just vanished. No chewing or anything. What was the cat? Was he like the creature in that book?
I shook my head. This morning wasn’t for dark thoughts.
The bacon was the perfect amount of crispy, and the eggs were good enough.
“Today should be a calm day compared to yesterday,” said the cat. “Just a normal buying and selling day. Someone wants a book we picked up yesterday and we want the trade goods she has for it.”
That sounded like a simple day. “Nothing strange about this one?”
The cat shook his head no, and his tail flicked. “No, but I’d love a latte in my cup.”
“You got it.”
I forgot to put my plate in the sink, but by the time I turned back it was already gone. “Sorry, I’m running a little slow today,” I whispered to the shop. I didn’t care if it was the cat controlling it. I still felt bad that I wasn’t keeping up with the normal flow.
Yet, a warm feeling washed over me. Like someone patting me on the shoulder and telling me it was okay. My mouth parted, but I didn’t know what to say.
“You coming?” asked the cat. He was already in the front of the shop.
I quickly left the kitchen and made my way over to Betty. The glorious red espresso machine was my pride and joy. It made making espresso an art form, and espresso was just a type of magic only some people understood. The machine was already warm, so I ground the beans and tamped them down before pulling the shot. The fresh smell of warm coffee filled the air, and I smiled.
“There is nothing like that smell,” I mumbled. “Baked goods also rank up there.”
“Like the cookies,” added the cat.
“Yes, like the cookies.”
He normally didn’t engage in small talk with me, but this morning things were a little off. Still, I went with the flow, just like with the shop patting me on the shoulder.
Next was steaming the milk until it was nice and frothy. His teacup needed little milk after the espresso, and the rest went into my dark blue mug. I added an extra shot to mine along with a little vanilla and hazelnut. Now the shop smelled like coffee and baked goods.
The first sip was perfect.
The teacup was already empty, and I raised an eyebrow at the cat. “It was tasty.”
I moved his teacup under the counter as the cat moved into his starting-the-day spot next to the register.
“I’m ready,” I said before he could ask. I cupped the warm mug in my hands and took another sip. This, I could do.
The sound of the door unlocking echoed through the store. Everything was set up in the same basic layout that I loved. Bookshelves on the back wall, with a second row in front of them. The large table in the center with various items on it. Today it held more books. As I looked around, it was just books today, no other goods. Just stacks and stacks of books, including next to the chair in the window.
Well, the cat said she was looking for a book.
My mug was running low when the jangle of the bells on the door snapped my head around. “Good morning, welcome to MEOW,” I said. “Can I get you a coffee, while you browse?”
The cat looked at me but said nothing.
“A coffee would be lovely, something sweet,” called the woman who had entered. She was middle-aged with an air of curiosity surrounding her as her eyes went to the books all around. Her hair was a deep brown, but had streaks of gray running through it. It was tied back into a bun. She reminded me of a librarian, not one I knew, but what you thought about when someone described one in a book.
She even had a pair of glasses dangling from her neck on a chain. Yet, as she stepped into the stacks, I noticed a slight limp. It wasn’t the only distracting thing about her. The green flowing dress had some sort of runes stitched into the hem, and they glittered gold in the light streaming down from above.
I turned away to leave her to her search and sought a specific mug. It had a plain white body, and the only color was a deep green leaf embossed on one side. It was round with a thick handle and you could hold it nicely. Once it was on the counter, I began grinding the beans. Something sweet, she’d said. I pulled out a jug of maple syrup and poured a few tablespoons into the bottom of the mug. Once the milk was frothed, I stirred an inch into the sweet syrup, before filling the rest of the mug. Last was the shots of espresso. I tried to do a little design, but it wasn’t my strongest skill.
I nodded to myself looking at the cup. It felt right, like it fit her, or at least the impression I got from her. “Your coffee’s ready,” I called out.
The woman came out from the end of the stacks and made a beeline to us at the counter. “Oh, that looks perfect.” Her long fingers reached for the mug and she picked it up, carefully taking a sip. “Sweet, but not too sweet.”
“So what are you looking for today?” I asked.
The cat stared up at the woman, who then noticed the sign.
“A special tome, one that helps restore artifacts,” said the woman. Her voice trailed off as she read it. “And I think I’ve finally found the correct place to get it.”