Sometimes a basic lunch could be fun.

  Indigo tried to spread the mustard on the white bread, yet the long butter knife kept going in weird directions with her claws.

  I opened the utensil drawer and pulled out a silicone coated spatula, and offered that to her instead.

  Her claws sunk into the coating a little better, and she spread the yellow sauce a little easier.

  “Cooking is hard…” she mumbled, staring at the slice of bread critically.

  Unfortunately, I’d already spread the mustard on the other slices so she had neater examples to look at.

  “It takes practice. Think about how it was when you first started making eggs, and now you’re so much better at them!”

  She nodded her head as she flew the spatula to the sink. The knife vanished into the island.

  I added slices of ham to each of the sandwiches, along with two slices of cheddar cheese. Then I cut slices of a tomato. I added that to my sandwich and Indigo’s. The Cat preferred no tomato, though he’d eat it, just more slowly than the sandwich without, and with an attitude.

  Lastly, I cut Indigo’s sandwich into triangle quarters, which she easily picked up with her claws.

  “Hey, Cat, we have lunch!” I called down the hallway out of the kitchen.

  I pulled a bag of potato chips out of the cupboard, trying hard to not think about the fact that the cupboard had so many choices or bags stocked up. The crinkly bag made so much noise as I opened it and added some to my plate.

  I held it up to Indigo, and she shook her head.

  The Cat leaped up on the counter, eyes wide.

  “Chips?” I asked.

  “Of course.” He practically purred as I added a pile to his plate.

  I resisted the urge to leave the bag out, instead clipping it shut and returning it to the cupboard. By the time I sat back at the island, the bag had appeared next to the Cat.

  He’d finished his sandwich and was snacking on the chips.

  I slowly ate my sandwich and my chips, trying not to laugh.

  The Cat stuck his head in the bag to eat more. Salt and grease covered his head as he pulled it out.

  “Chips are lovely, but such a mess,” he grumbled as he licked a paw. Then he froze, staring at it before carefully setting it on the counter. A surge of green coated him for a split second and vanished, taking the mess on his fur with it.

  Indigo glared at his use of magic.

  “You can learn how to do that,” he answered.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “Could I?” I asked.

  The Cat stared at me before shaking his head. “I don’t know. You’d need to ask the Professor, but stone magic doesn’t usually clean things.”

  My journal appeared on the counter next to my plate just as I thought to ask Betty about it.

  “Thanks, Betty.”

  I added a note to ask about it the next time the Professor came to visit. Otherwise, I knew I’d forget. It still impressed me that I kept notes on each instance of using magic and practice. In school, I hadn’t been the greatest note taker, but for this I stayed on top of it.

  All I needed was for magic to come into my life, and now I could journal away to my heart's content.

  The Cat glanced around at our plates, which still had food, and he laid down on the island.

  Indigo nibbled her sandwich, as I finished up my chips.

  The salty flavor made me crave some water and I stood up to get a glass. Yet again, it appeared near my plate before I could make it to the counter.

  Betty was on point today.

  The Cat twitched at the sight, but said nothing.

  I gulped down the liquid, more thirsty than I’d thought, before setting the empty glass on the island.

  The Cat relaxed.

  “Are you doing okay?” I asked. The question slipped out before I could even think about it. His actions over lunch felt out of the ordinary.

  “I will be fine.” The Cat blinked, but nodded.

  This time I glared at him, since he hadn’t answered the question at all. He’d sidestepped it.

  After a couple more minutes of me just staring at him, he finally responded. “Just feeling a little more cat-like than normal.”

  “Dragons are better than cats!” Indigo chirped twice, then launched herself into the air. “We can fly!”

  “I bet flying is amazing.”

  She zoomed around the kitchen before heading to the front of the shop.

  I turned back to the Cat. “Ready for this afternoon?”

  “It will be a calm afternoon,” he said as he jumped off the island and also headed to the front.

  I watched him go, slightly concerned. While I knew he wasn’t actually a cat, I hadn’t really thought about what it felt like to be stuck as one. At this moment, I couldn’t do anything about it, but I already knew, somehow, I’d figure the curse out.

  By the time I arrived at the front. Indigo circled over the head of the Cat, giggling about something.

  “Do I need to hide?” asked the tiny dragon.

  The Cat nodded. “Yes, we’re on a magic-less world.”

  “Boring…” She turned toward the children’s reading area where she had left the book on magical plants. She swooped down and gripped it within her claws, before flying toward the far wall and her hideaway.

  Once she vanished from sight, the bells rang as the door opened.

  Molly raced inside with a giant grin on her face. Instead of her normal path to the children’s section, she headed right for the counter.

  “Sable! Sable!” Her voice filled the shop as she waved a paper in the air toward me.

  I hurried around the counter, since her head barely reached the top.

  “I drew the dragon from the shop!” She held the paper out to me. Bright purple crayon showed a strange shape with wings, surrounded by little rectangles that must be books.

  “This is adorable.”

  “Will the dragon like it?” she asked in an almost screech.

  I nodded as the door opened and her father stepped inside, heading our way.

  “Molly, what have I told you about racing ahead?”

  “Not to do it, but it’s the book place!” She turned to face the door as he entered and pouted. “Books are magic. Magic is safe.”

  The Cat softly snorted on the counter, but she didn’t respond.

  “Thank you for the picture, Molly,” I said, to change the conversation. I knew I shouldn’t encourage her thoughts, but bookstores were magic, this one in particular. And yet, somehow, she was a regular customer with her dad. There had to be something special about them.

  Her father gave me a tired smile as she darted toward the books.

  “You can only pick out one book today, as a reward for your report card.” He chuckled as he turned back toward me. “Books as reward, I have the greatest kid.”

  I chuckled with him as I walked around the counter and tucked the drawing near the register.

  Hopefully, Indigo would treasure it.

  Molly went a little quiet, and I glanced over out of the corner of my eye. A purple tail snaked around the bean bag near the little girl.