She had her baby playing in a box next to her. Lucas leaned down and gave the baby a kiss. “How are you doing today?” He asked her in Spanish.

“We’re doing same as always. You don’t have to stop by every time.”

“Would I miss a chance to see this little one?”

The lady’s cheeks heated, and she swatted him away before Lucas went on to the next stand. A lady with coca leaves. He negotiated for a bag, and took out a handful. “Here you go,” he said as he held out a bunch for me. “Your breathing is a little tight.”

“You can hear my breathing?” I hadn’t even realized I wasn’t breathing right.

“I’m a were. I can hear a lot of things. Just try them.”

Flustered, I grabbed a few and put them in my mouth. They didn’t taste great, but I’d drunk down my mother’s wellness potions for the early part of my life. I was well used to earthy flavors.

A few stalls down, I found little flat sugar cookies decorated with chocolate and rainbow sprinkles. It was the first time I engaged with one of the people manning the stalls, but the woman there looked behind me and nodded to Lucas before talking to me.

What was with that? Why were they treating him like he was special?

Maybe he spent a lot of time at this market?

The portly woman reached into her jar, grabbing out three cookies for me as I reached into my coin purse for change. I noticed the crystal hanging between her collarbones. It was small and white, but it had a tiny glow of power.

Interesting.

“Thank you,” I said as I handed her the change for the cookies. Just as our skin touched I saw a flicker. Barely there, but enough. It was white and pure.

The lady smiled, and I felt like weight had been lifted.

She handed me the cookies, and the contact was gone. I couldn’t see it anymore.

“Lucas!” I shouted before I could stop myself.

“What? What is it?”

I spun around, grabbing Lucas’s arms with my hands, nearly dropping my bag of cookies. “I saw it. I saw it. Her aura. It was white. So pure. I’ve never seen an aura so white. And I don’t usually see anything at all from humans. You know what that means?” I jumped up and down before rambling on. “She has to be a descendant of the mages. Which means they’re here. Muraco was right.” I squealed like a mad person.

He laughed, and a stupid grin spread across my face. Being here—laughing with him—filled my heart in an indescribable way. He reached up and ran his thumb down my cheek, and I stilled. His eyes were bright and clear. I could see the joy in them, and something else that I couldn’t identify. “That’s so good, Claudia.”

“It’s not a lot, but it’s something. It means that this isn’t a lost cause.” Hope filled me to the point of bursting. “I really can save him.”

“Of course you can.”

I let out the biggest sigh. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He turned toward the aisle, and grasped my hand in his. “Come on. Let’s see what more you can see. I bet we can find a lead before lunch.”

Tears started to fill my eyes, but I held them open. I’d already made one scene, so I wasn’t going to let myself cry in the middle of the market. “That would be really good.”

I stumbled to keep up with Lucas. His hand felt hot in mine as he twined our fingers together. This was going so much better than I’d expected.

When he stopped to talk to the butcher at the next stall, Lucas didn’t let go of my hand. He spoke, and I wasn’t paying attention to the words, but the deep rumble of his voice gave me goose bumps.

He glanced my way with a grin, not pausing in his conversation, and all of a sudden I could see it.

Holy moly. I liked him. More than liked him, I was attracted to him. This guy was drawing me in. Both Cosette and Teresa had mentioned me finding someone...

Suddenly nervous, I tugged my hand away and busied myself getting out a cookie.

I didn’t have time for a romance. Not now. But maybe I could come back once this was over and see if Lucas wanted to go out on a date. It was the twenty-first century. I could ask him. Couldn’t I?

It would be the light at the end of the very long tunnel that my life had been so far. He would be my light.

Chapter Twelve

“I think we should go for a hike after this,” Lucas said.

We’d stopped for lunch at a cafe next to the market. The food was fresh and delicious. I ordered grilled trout with vegetable quinoa and I’d practically been shoveling it in since I took the first bite. “A hike? I was hoping to talk to more people.”