ETHAN
It was about 10am in the morning and the cleaner was about to leave the bookshop. It was indeed a thorough clean, and she only came to clean the bookshop twice a month.
“You know I told you I came the other day, but you weren't around,” she said, packing her things up. “Your next door neighbour told me you haven't been opening the shop as much as you used to.”
Nodding, I said, “I’m sorry, Elaine. It's just life being life, I'm afraid.”
Right after that, she left, leaving me alone for barely a minute before customers came in.
As I tended to them, my mind went back to that moment in Agatha's house when she looked at me, saying I was powerful but not strong enough to face Acelia. Now, to a great extent, I took that as a compliment. Look, Acelia was often feared as though she wasn't
