Free Return of the Fae by Lynn Cahoon

lead you to the truth. Or over a cliff. If it’s the cliff, it wasn’t the right voice. –The Academy of Witchcraft Manual, Volume 3, page 769.
     
    Heads closest to them turned. Parris pointed down, “Charley horse,” she explained reaching down, massaging her calf. “Sorry, it just came out.”
    One woman handed her a bottle of water from her oversized purse. “It’s the heat, dear. You’re dehydrated. I bet you’ve been walking this morning.” She glanced at Parris’ shorts and tennis shoes. “Long services can affect you. Father Mike’s the worst at keeping us late. You sit down while the benediction is sung. God’s not going to be upset at you for taking care of yourself.”
    Parris took the water, sinking back into the seat. Screwing off the cap, she took a long drink of the water. Ty leaned closer and massaged her leg with a practiced hand. The man did have good hands.
    “So you want to fill me in? Why the histrionics?” Ty whispered.
    “When we’re out of here. Any chance that will be soon?” Parris didn’t want to explain what she’d seen when the music started. She didn’t have visions. She’d never had visions. Seeing things was Ty’s super power, not hers.
    “He’s not in the chapel. I’ve checked. I guess we can safely leave now. People will think I’m escorting the crazy lady from their church.” Ty grinned. “Now who’s not a normal girl?”
    “Thanks, I’m happy your weirdness is rubbing off on me.” She placed the cap on the bottle. “Let’s go before the service ends and everyone comes to save the screamer.”
    Parris headed toward the door. She didn’t wait for Ty’s answer, she felt him following her. How that was even possible, she didn’t want to know. The more time she spent with the man, the more in tune to his reactions and location she became. Of course it was normal right? Normal, humans felt the same way about people they slept with, or dated. She didn’t know what bound them together, besides The Council mission to find the secret coven and destroy its power source. A mission she’d fulfill to keep her and her grandmother safe from The Council’s punishment for hiding in plain sight all these years. Parris thought of Prudence and her banishment. Who knew what they’d do to them. Parris and Ty left the church through a side door. A crumpled blanket blocked the top of the stairs leading to street level. No, not a blanket, a sleeping bag with a large human-sized bump in the middle.
    Ty pushed her behind him as he leaned down, folding back the edge of the bag. “Dude, you need to sleep somewhere else. The church is filled with people. You’re going to get arrested.”
    “Son, unless they’ve changed the schedule, most of those people you’re worried about are part of the local coven. Paranormal creatures like having their own service, without humans around, so the Vatican has issued a decree for the larger cities where we have a gathering.” The man sat up, kicking off the sleeping bag. “Why would the coven turn me into the police? I’m safer here with the angels than in my rented condo.”
    Ty hugged the man. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Why are you hiding? What’s got you spooked?”
    “Hold on, one question at a time.” Robert Nelson glanced at Parris. “Mind if I have some water?”
    Parris handed him the bottle. “You can have the rest.”
    Robert downed it in one gulp. He threw the plastic bottle off the stairs where it landed in an open recycling container on the street. “You’ve got the right one this time Ty. I told you the other one wasn’t a soul mate.”
    Parris stared at the elderly man. Sleep had matted hair to his head that looked like he hadn’t washed for days. A strong odor wafted from his body. Sweat and sulfur? He blabbered on about soul mates? Parris couldn’t believe they’d come all this way to meet with this.
    “Him,” the man corrected.
    “What?”
    “You can’t believe you came all this way to