Page 45 of Bright Dark Curses

I laughed at that. “I’ve been called a lot of things”—unhappy customers could get really creative—“but toad is a new one.”

“You might even turn into a princess when kissed.”

I heard the smile in the words, and the reminder of our last kisses warmed me up inside. “If only someone would get back so we could test it.”

“Soon.”

“One day it might even happen.” I forced myself to examine my memories of the Council witch. Ian was right that Bagley might be just trying to get some kicks out of my anxiety, but the cold gaze from the woman, her sharp questions about me not being in the shop, and the way she’d examined the vial told me that Bagley had been telling the truth. “I think Bagley is right and she’s from the Council. She was all business, like Sonia when she comes for an official visit.”

“Can you make the potion?” As usual, there was no judgment or expectation that I couldn’t.

“Yes.”

“Then there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I wasn’t worried.” Much.

“Good. Now tell me about the rest of your day.”

I told him about talking to April, Natalia’s request, and discovering Brimstone’s possible past as a boy-band member. Way too soon we were saying our goodbyes, and I was taking Fluffy and Rufus home.

“I need you two to be quiet for the next half hour or so, okay?” I told them sternly.

Rufus ambled toward the old folded blanket that made his bed, while Fluffy wagged her fluffy tail and yipped in what I hoped was agreement rather than play time now.

“Good girl.” I scratched her behind the ears. “I’ll be back soon.”

Closing the door into the stairs, I hardened my heart against her soft whine and the faint scratch of her paw against the wood and went downstairs.

Next, I turned off my phone and put it aside. This was a complex potion, and I couldn’t afford any interruptions.

Placing Grandma’s spellbook on the counter, I browsed through the pages. The spell I was about to make wasn’t on them, but I drew comfort from the familiar touch and sight of her handwriting. “Just because you can do anything you truly want, it doesn’t mean you can’t accept assistance along the way.”

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, filling my being with the calm that came from holding Grandma’s spellbook in my hands. I hoped Grandma’s spirit was far away, enjoying her afterlife to the fullest, but I knew she had left a piece of her behind in her spellbook and inside of me, and the knowledge settled me.

She might be gone, but she was still with me. In the form of a spellbook. In the form of a dream. Inside my heart.

I took a few more deep breaths, then concentrated on gathering all the potion ingredients. Using different quartz crystals from earlier, so they’d be fully charged, I made a circle with elder and cedar leaves among others, added black tourmaline and amber, and brought out my special moon water. Moon water was moon water, with little difference, but I kept a special spelled bottle with water that had absorbed moonlight for several full moons in a row.

You should stack all the cards in your favor whenever possible.

I poured the moon water into a glass bowl and set it in the middle of the circle.

Now came the most important part of the spell aside from my intention, and the reason I couldn’t have any distraction:

A moon-charged black jade.

The stone by itself wasn’t rare, but I didn’t use it in many spells, so I only had one fully moon-charged for spell use at hand. It had one use in it before having to be recharged, so I needed to get this right on the first try, or I’d have to wait until I could recharge it again properly, and it was new moon.

I used the mortar and pestle on some of the herbs, then sprinkled the results on the moon water. I let them soak in for a few minutes while I prepared a potion vial and a piece of fabric to use as a filter for the potion afterward. Once I was happy with everything, I grasped the black jade and concentrated on the wonderful healing energy emanating from it, then put it inside the bowl.

“Okay, Hope. Let’s do this.”

I flexed my fingers, then wrapped them carefully around the bowl. Awakening my magic, I focused on what the potion was meant to do: protect the user from magical harm, both physically and spiritually.

Magic thrummed inside my chest, then ran down my arms, setting my nerves on end with the thrill of it. Magic! Inside of me! It’d never cease to amaze me.

Focus, Hope.

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