The container of lye floated from under the barrel to the stump beside me and landed on it without spilling a drop. This made me smile. I had been making soap and lye almost nonstop for the last two weeks. This had given me a nice little supply to sell after giving the Coopers what I owed them.

“You’re getting really good at telekinesis,” Lily remarked. My familiar’s praise made my smile grow wider.

“Thanks! I think I’m getting better too,” I replied while shifting my focus to my cup of iced peppermint tea. It lifted into the air and flew to my hand.

“Showoff!”

“Not me!” I protested before taking a sip.

“Your satisfaction and pleasure belay your words,” Lily pointed out.

“Alright,” I laughed. “I’m happy with my progress.”

“Joking aside, your control of the energies has come a long way,” the pixie stated. “You’re probably ready to be called a mage, magician, or wizard now.”

“Oh?”

“Sure. You can conjure water from the air, shoot lightening, make light, start fires, and manipulate objects through telekinesis without help. In fact, you make it look easy,” my familiar answered. “Well, mostly without help. There are times you still need my assistance.”

“I had a terrific teacher,” I replied.

Lily flew behind me and latched onto my upper right shoulder. She peaked over it. “You have learned all you can learn. No more training do you require.”

“Aww! Lily, I wanted to play Yoda this time!” Willow shouted flying to us.

“Get your own human and you can,” my familiar replied flying up and sitting on my shoulder. “Jase is all mine!”

“Fine! I’ll get my own human,” Willow said. “Then again, maybe not one of the Stonecroft villagers.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“Most of them have bad attitudes,” Willow answered. “I had considered Woya.”

“Had as in past tense?”

“Yes Jase. Had is the past tense of have, which is a verb meaning…,” Lily snidely said before I used a finger to cover her mouth.

“Very funny,” I replied. Lily laughed as I took my finger away.

“I thought so too,” Willow giggled. “Anyway, Woya is taking more and more after her mother, so, she’s a no for me.”

“What about Henry Farmer’s children or Meagan Hunter?” I asked.

“You know Meagan is obsessed with getting a cougar for a familiar,” Lily replied.

“The Farmers are ok,” Willow said. “But they don’t feel right.”

“You need to do like I did and get them while they’re young,” Lily said patting my shoulder and winking at Willow. “That way you can train them correctly.”

“But then I would be a cradle robber and if I waited, I would be passing up my best years,” Willow said with a mischievous grin on her face.

“Hey!” Lily and I said at the same time, but for different reasons. I took objection to Lily having said I was trained.

“I’m not a cradle robber!” Lily exclaimed. I laughed as she launched herself at Willow, who flew away. This led to a chase. Lily flew back to me and tossed me her hat. “Hold my hat!”

She took off after Willow. Both were giggling like mad. A few other pixies joined in and soon they were playing tag.

“They’re almost too childish for their own good,” I muttered putting the tiny hat into my shirt pocket.

“We heard that!” the pixies chorused stopping their play.

“I wanted you to hear,” I shouted back. “I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

“That’s sweet,” the pixies chorused before resuming their play as I lifted my cup and the container of lye and took them into the basement.

A moment later, the container of lye was stored away. Lily flew into the basement and zapped me on the butt.

“Ouch! What did you do that for?” I asked.

“You’re it!” my familiar laughed. Looking past her, I could see the other pixies gathered in the basement doorway.

“Really?”

“Yep!” the pixies shouted.

“Ok,” I said chasing Lily as the other pixies scattered in the yard. Every time I thought I had my familiar or one of the others in a telekinesis grip, they would slip away. I felt other magic interfering with mine. “You’re cheating!”

“There are no rules saying we can’t help each other!” Yam countered.

*

“Company is coming!” April shouted flying past me as I collapsed to the ground. I had been playing tag with the pixies for over an hour and was beat.

“Who…is…it?” I asked panting from where I lay in the grass.

“John Hunter and George Forrester,” May answered. A moment later two shadows blocked the sun.

“Jase, what are you doing laying in the grass?” John asked.

“Recovering.”

“From what?” George asked.

“Playing with the pixies,” I answered gesturing at the pixies as they zipped past us still playing.

“Here Jase. Drink some tea,” Lily said bringing me a cup of tea.

“How is she doing that?” John asked. “It’s true that they have magic?”

“The pixies serve you?” George asked at the same time.

“Thanks Lily,” I said to my familiar as I sat up. I took the cup from her, and she flew to my left and kissed my cheek.

“You’re welcome!” she replied before flying off to join her kin.

“Yes, they have magic of sorts,” I answered John after taking a sip of the iced tea. “And no, they don’t serve me. Lily, my familiar, was just looking out for me and being helpful.”

“Still. That’s amazing,” George said. “Buck, my familiar, can’t serve me like that.”

“To be fair, Buck is a bobcat and not a tiny human like being,” John replied.

“But she used magic and not her hands,” George retorted. John just shrugged his shoulders.

“Pixies are wonderful people if you don’t mind them being childlike,” I said. I took another sip of tea and added, “and pranks.”

“I’ll keep that in mind and perhaps have words with my children,” George said.

“Yeah, not happening,” Lily told me silently. “Greed and a desire for servants isn’t the way to get a pixie to bond with anyone.”

I took another sip of tea to keep from laughing. The pixies giggled though.

“Anyway. Is there something I can do for you guys?” I asked.

“Bug repellent and more carob,” John answered for them. “George says there is a difference between yours and Trinity’s.”

“Does she use peppermint oil as the base??” I asked.

“Yes,” George answered as I got to my feet.

“She’s probably diluting it too much if you’re seeing a difference between what I make and she does,” I replied as I started walking to the basement door. “But her loss is my gain. So, how much do you need?”