Max picked up on the sound of movements in the back, the sounds of whatever things they'd been working on stopping and being replaced by the steady cadence of footsteps. He was leaning over a display of more soaps as he unconsciously tracked the approaching person, trying to puzzle out which scents were ones he'd caught Emily wearing before. He was about to give up on parsing the different scents from the tangled mess when the jarring jangle of beads rattling together announced the arrival of whoever had been moving around in the back of the shop.
Giving up for real, he straightened up and started turning as the salesperson spoke. The voice was vaguely familiar, but Max couldn't place it in the seconds between hearing it and seeing the speaker. Having met her on two memorable occasions, Max recognised her quickly and recalled in the next second she'd told him about her business. He hadn't realised it was in Newton–might've guessed it was in Balmoral instead–but the look of the place wasn't out of place down Braxton, even if it stood out.
“Serafina!” He greeted, pleasantly surprised. Smiling too, but even if it could be heard in his tone, she couldn't see it. He looked around the shop, remembering what she'd told him at the gala. She sold some magic too, but he hadn't felt any tickling at him. Maybe she kept it in the back, away from those who didn't have a clue. “It's Max, if you remember? I didn't realise this was your place when I walked in.”
As he spoke, Max stepped closer to the counter, glancing down at the display of crystals under the glass top, and wondering if these were magic, or just mundane crystals to catch the eye of browsers.
Giving up for real, he straightened up and started turning as the salesperson spoke. The voice was vaguely familiar, but Max couldn't place it in the seconds between hearing it and seeing the speaker. Having met her on two memorable occasions, Max recognised her quickly and recalled in the next second she'd told him about her business. He hadn't realised it was in Newton–might've guessed it was in Balmoral instead–but the look of the place wasn't out of place down Braxton, even if it stood out.
“Serafina!” He greeted, pleasantly surprised. Smiling too, but even if it could be heard in his tone, she couldn't see it. He looked around the shop, remembering what she'd told him at the gala. She sold some magic too, but he hadn't felt any tickling at him. Maybe she kept it in the back, away from those who didn't have a clue. “It's Max, if you remember? I didn't realise this was your place when I walked in.”
As he spoke, Max stepped closer to the counter, glancing down at the display of crystals under the glass top, and wondering if these were magic, or just mundane crystals to catch the eye of browsers.