Page 36 of Bright Dark Curses

“We’ll see. I have another request.”

“Oh? I mean, sure.” I passed her the pen and pad again.

She wrote something down, then slipped the pad back. I blinked at the order. Immunity potion.

Interesting.

“This will take a couple of days to make,” I told her apologetically. The amount of power required would take me down for a few hours, so I wouldn’t be able to make it until tonight.

“I’ll come back for it the day after tomorrow. Will that be enough?”

“Yes. Absolutely,” I assured her.

“Good. How much is this?” She gestured toward the vial and her empty mug of tea.

I rang her up and watched her exit the shop and walk away.

The moment she was out of sight, I ran back to the kitchen.

“How did you know she was going to order an immunity potion?” I asked Bagley.

Bagley chuckled. “Oh, my. They haven’t changed a bit.”

“They who?” I poked her. “Is she one of your cronies?”

“You could say she’s one of yours.”

“What do you mean? I have no cronies.” I was nothing like Bagley. I had friends and not… A gasp escaped me. “You mean the Council?”

“It’s good to know they’re still doing the same tests after all these years.”

ELEVEN

“A test?” I asked, a little too shrilly if Fluffy’s responding bark from above was anything to go by. “A test?” I repeated in a lower voice. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, you know,” Bagley said, all evil grandmotherly smoothness. “They like to test their witches from time to time. Got my share of them in my lifetime. They really should change up their act; it’s so transparent.”

The Council was testing me?

My palms grew sweaty, and my legs felt like jelly all over again. I sat heavily on the stool and stared at the locket.

“What happens if you fail the test?” Before she could answer, I buried my face in my hands. “No, never mind.” Of course I knew what would happen if I failed the test—it’d be a mark against me taking full ownership of the shop.

All the images I’d conjured over the last few months of how my life would be while living in the shop began to dissipate at an alarming speed. All the plans for different holiday specials, for gatherings with Ian and the strays, for having lunch with Dru every day once she opened her shop…gone in a few seconds as if someone had pulled the plug at the bottom of the sink of happy dreams.

Get a grip, Hope, I chastised myself. I closed my eyes and allowed reality to sink back in.

This was only a test. A test I would pass with flying colors. The Council witch hadn’t asked me for anything illegal—and if I couldn’t provide this potion, then maybe I deserved the black mark on my record. Wasn’t I here to help the community with my potions and spells as well as my wisdom?

Straightening abruptly, I nodded to myself. Yes. An immunity potion wasn’t an easy potion to make, but it was well within my reach. I would not fail this test.

“Aww,” Bagley said. “I was hoping you’d stay depressed a little longer. So much more fun to watch.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Ms. Bagley, but you’ll have to get your kicks some other way.”

“Are you making fun of the fact that I have no legs?” she demanded, suddenly offended.

“What? No,” I exclaimed, mortified. “I mean you need to?—”

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