Something Wicked This Way Comes

||6- Sincerity||

It was raining when Kat descended the steps to the shop below her apartment. Not very hard, just enough to wet the sidewalk and fill her shop with the soft, ambient sound of rain. Kat stretched her arms above her head, slipping through the curtains that separated the front of her shop from the back. She needed space from Loki and since she hadn't opened, she figured she might as well as work on her orders.

She ran her fingers through her hair and sat down at her desk. The surface of the wooden desk was cluttered with papers, receipts, and an empty tea mug. Her Avaya flashed indicating a voicemail and she clicked a button to play it.  Sitting back in her chair, the desktop phone beeped and then proceeded to play back the sound of one of her usual customers' voice.  Something about seeing if he could stop in to pick up another case of lavender essential oils.

However, Katalina's mind was elsewhere.  She pinched the bridge of her nose in the hopes that it would help ease the forming headache from blocking Loki's aura.  It was ruthless, surging around her without prevail.  Loki was most likely asleep then, and not aware of how radiant his aura was. 

It was probably already drawing attention.  Kat didn't know what kind of resources that those who were looking for him had, but she knew if she didn't clamp down on the fact that he was a massive beacon, they'd be discovered.

What the Hell are you doing?

Another voicemail filled the room as she rested her head in hands.  She should be mad—she should be livid.  Incarceration—life in prison—was what she was playing with.  The percentages of her getting caught were high if she didn't plan her moves with precision.

There was a loud knock on her door, bringing her back to reality. Katalina's head whipped towards the sound as familiar energy brushed her's. She rose to her feet, starting towards her shop door.

Through the paned glass, she spotted two girls, huddled together and shivering in the rain. Kat cursed under breath and rushed to the door. Once they were safely in, dripping water onto her hardwood, she shut the door.

Keira and Belalyn were roughly the same height and age, but that was were the similarities stopped.

Belalyn's mother was French and when mixed with her father's American one, her voice had taken on a warm, delicate accent that Kat was quite sure that no one had one similar. She had beautiful hazel green eyes and soft brown skin. Her black hair laid around her head in thick, tight curls and dark freckles dotted over her nose and cheeks.

Keira, on the other hand, was the polar opposite of Belalyn. She had dark caramel eyes and long brunette hair. Her usually fair skin had taken on a pinkish hue from a nasty sunburn she'd gotten several weeks before. It still hadn't completely faded, but Keira didn't mind it. She wore tighter, flashier clothing, unlike Belalyn, whom's wardrobe more resembled Kat's own.

Both were extremely curious and eager to learn. Keira was the extrovert of the pair and although she was often seen leading Bela, the girls were inseparable.

Sisters not in blood but in spirit

"Morning, Ms. Darren!" They chirped in unison and Kat looked over the two girls—the giddy smiles on their faces. Kat put her hand on her hip.

"Now, what are you two doing here this early? Don't you still have school today?" Katalina interrogated.

"The high school's got conferences today," Belalyn explained first.

Kat's eyes narrowed, shifting over to Keira's. "Really now? You two aren't pulling a prank on me now, are you?"

Keira's lips twisted into a bigger smirk and her eyes narrowed
mischievously, "we promise."