Page 52 of Bright Dark Curses

“Don’t try this at home,” I told a rapt Fluffy and an unimpressed Rufus, then returned inside.

Just in time for the Council witch to step through the front door.

SIXTEEN

Good thing I’d stuck around instead of forcing Brimstone to open and running off to do more investigating.

I gave the witch a bright smile and rubbed my sweaty palms on my apron as I moved behind the counter. “Good morning. What can I get you?”

The woman gave the blackboard a cursory glance, then fixed me with those cool, eerily unblinking eyes. “I’ll have a coffee to go, thank you.”

“Coming right up.” I grabbed one of the paper cups and meticulously filled it with coffee. “Cream? Sugar?”

“Black.”

Like her soul? No. Just because she was from the Council—allegedly—it didn't make her a bad person. I was from the Council too, and look at me, pure like snow. After being slightly trampled over.

“Were you able to make my potion ahead of time?” she asked as she brought out her wallet.

I accepted her bills and returned her change. Luckily, my hands didn’t shake.

Only a small delay, I reminded myself. That’s all.

“It’s being made. You’ll have it by tomorrow, as agreed.”

“All right,” she said, showing no hint of her actual thoughts. She took her coffee and left the shop.

The moment she disappeared from view, I sagged against the back shelf. Taking in a few deep breaths and centering myself, I checked on my crystal order. If I got lucky, it might get here in the afternoon.

Preparing for shipment.

I stared at the three blue words on the shipping status row. What did that mean? It was well after nine! Shouldn’t it have been shipped much earlier in the morning? The estimated arrival date still showed today, and that made me breathe easier. Perhaps their system hadn’t been updated yet, and my fully charged black jade was already happily on the way. Yes, that was it. Besides, as long as it arrived before tomorrow, it’d be okay, even if I had to wait until late into the night to get my crystal and do the potion.

I pushed the absolutely non-issue out of my mind and concentrated on the shop. Brimstone arrived for his shift about thirty minutes later, and then it was time to meet our possible UNSUB.

The streets around Ian’s cemetery were quiet, as usual. It was a peaceful kind of quiet, as if everyone was content to make as little noise as possible. The east side, where the shifters’ forest backed into the street, was especially silent. Powerful wards made sure humans didn’t want to linger for long and repelled their curiosity.

A small pang of disappointment hit me at the thought. I’d never manage such amazing wards, and it felt like I was letting down my community. That if they needed them, they’d have to go to another witch.

But teaming up made the world go round, and no one person could do everything by themselves, I reassured myself. “A good witch knows when to delegate,” I told Fluffy and Rufus, who were trotting by my side.

Fluffy yipped in agreement. Rufus sent me a sidelong glance and remained silent.

“Remember Rufus, if you get bad vibes, you woof twice, okay?”

Ian trusted Rufus’s instincts when it came to new people, so I would too. The dogs would also provide some protection if the caller meant ill intent. Just because the caller had been unwilling to meet in person, it didn't mean they didn’t want to kidnap me.

Rufus snorted and stopped to sniff at a few dead weeds sprouted by the fence.

I tugged at his leash, and we continued on.

A lone figure was standing by the cemetery fence in the distance. About my height, bundled in an oversized brown wool coat, a beanie pulled down to their eyes, a yellow scarf, and a black face mask. They kept darting furtive glances at the forest across the street, no doubt feeling unnerved by the power of the wards.

They stiffened when they saw me approach and clenched their gloved hands by their side. They didn’t appear ready to throw a potion at me, and if they wore gloves, it meant they couldn’t do direct witch spells on me—you needed direct touch for that. There were also no vehicles parked nearby ready to kidnap me.

I stopped a few paces away, waiting for Rufus’s judgment, when the familiarity of the stranger hit me.

I snapped my finger and pointed at him. “Garlic Knots Guy!”

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