Bash wove the necklace around his fingers as Victor spoke, unable to stifle his sense of amazement. There was so much magic wrapped up in the strands, intricacies that he couldn’t even fathom building himself. It was the sort of magic he aspired to though, the kind that people needed if they were going to live in a town like Point Pleasant. He was sure there were things more powerful than even the necklace would handle, but if it could take on the Dark Man, then it was worth it. “I’d love to be able to make something like this someday,” he said, fastening the necklace around his neck. “I’ll let you know if I see him again. Hopefully not. This‘ll help me sleep better though.” Maybe he could eventually track down someone who could do something more, so he didn’t have to wear the necklace forever, but this was good enough for now.
“I bet you will someday,” Victor said with genuine confidence. He reached over to clap Sebastian on the shoulder and squeezed a bit. “Let’s start training soon, yeah? You just let me know when you’ve got time this summer and I’ll make it happen. Meanwhile, get that protection to your boy and get some rest. You’re gonna be okay.” He offered Bash a smile and patted his upper back again before he let his hand drop and closed the drawers. The talismans were valuable on the market, powerful protective magic always sold like hotcakes, but he was glad now that he’d held onto them for a rainy day. Looking after his cousin was much more important than padding his bank account. Victor gestured Bash out of his store room so they could go back upstairs. “You want a ride back to the pier, or you wanna drop in on your parents?” he asked, shooting the younger man a wry grin. He knew how appealing that probably was.
“Thanks,” Bash said, flashing his cousin a warm smile. It felt so incredibly good to have someone in his life that was willing to teach him magic—not just reluctantly willing, but eager, offering instead of pulling teeth. It made Bash excited about being a witch again, something that had begun to feel like a huge disappointment over the past year. He knew it wouldn’t solve all his problems, he was intimately familiar with how magic could make things worse, but he hoped that with more knowledge he would be able to at least make better choices. “Ummm, if it’s not too much trouble, can you take me back to the pier? If I show up at the house without my car, mom’ll have questions and I just—just don’t want to mess with that right now.”
Victor laughed a bit and nodded. “Of course, that’s about what I thought,” he said. “No trouble at all.” Sebastian’s mother would probably be offended to know her son was in the neighborhood and didn’t stop by, but oh well. In a petty way, that made Victor kind of happy. He didn’t mind stepping in to do the magical parenting Brianna and James had failed so miserably at. And if it meant developing a better bond with his cousin, Victor was pleased with that too. Bash was growing into a good man, and Victor wanted to help support and nurture him, especially since he didn’t seem to be getting much of that at home. He led the way up the stairs and toward the garage so he could take Bash back to his boyfriend and their floating palace.