Page 24 of Bright Dark Curses

“What about that fiction book I asked for?”

“We’re not listening to a recounting of the cholera epidemic in Victorian London while we eat breakfast.”

“Hmph. Fine.” Her put-upon voice coming from the wildly swaying locket made it hard not to laugh.

“Good.” I poured the herbs into the first vial and used a glass stirrer to mix them. In more complex potions, it was advisable to allow the herbs to mix with the moon water through the effects of the magic’s intention, but for something this straightforward, premixing would save me some power and wouldn’t dilute the intention enough to lessen the effect of the potion. “Now talk.”

“Unfortunately, I have no contacts in the movie business.”

I should’ve known she was giving in too easily. “Seriously?”

“What use would I have of them? Nobody ever comes to film in Olmeda.”

Ah, well. There was still something to be learned here. “The curse has been going that long?”

“Oh, no. That thing is new.”

Interesting. “So even before then, nobody came to film here?” I’d have to confirm that later, but I couldn’t recall any show or movie set here off the top of my head. “Why?”

“How should I know?”

“What about the curse itself? Do you know what it is?”

“Hogwash is what it is. You can’t put curses on things.” And from her tone of voice, she found that fact very vexing.

“I suppose if someone would know, it would be you. Now, shush. I need to finish these potions.”

“Don’t you dare shush me. No! Stop!”

Tiny Kraken had taken the locket from the faucet and was now rolling it around the sink.

“You know, Ms. Bagley, I appreciate your candor, but I think I need some peace and quiet to do the spell. Sorry, Tiny Kraken.” I picked up the locket and put it into its plastic container.

“Don’t forget the book tomorrow,” Bagley said before I put the lid in place.

“A promise is a promise.” So far, the scorpion had proven to be a scorpion and unable to stop stabbing while being carried across the water to the land of good, but that was on me. I wouldn’t give up, though. Bagley might be stuck in a locket, but that didn’t mean she had to stay a heartless spawn of the devil for the rest of her undead life.

After putting her back in the toolshed, I returned to the kitchen and concentrated on the potion.

The incantation wouldn’t be much different from the one used to detect magic on items—the trick was to contain the intention in the potion rather than allowing it loose.

Grabbing the glass vial with both hands, I awakened my magic.

Magic can be detected,

no matter how old or faint,

and shown in all hues of color.

Magic infused the moon water, interacting with the herbs and turning the liquid almost transparent. Good.

I filled a second vial with moon water and the same ratio of herbs and repeated the spell.

A profound tiredness swept through me as soon as the second potion was done. I used the last of my energy to make a simple test on the napkin from the movie set that told me nothing new. I dragged myself upstairs, took care of the dogs for the night, and landed on my bed with a last thought on my mind before I fell asleep:

No matter the rumors of a curse, I wouldn’t allow my town to be blamed for someone trying to sabotage a movie set.

EIGHT

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