Page 94 of Bright Dark Curses

“They were erased,” Key reminded him.

“But it’s like software, right? Maybe they got stored somewhere in the cloud?”

“If it were so easy to get them back, the dark web wouldn’t use the app,” Shane said.

Ethan cursed.

My phone rang. Brimstone. Time had flown by—it was already opening time. I should get going, make sure the Council witch didn’t catch me out of…

Wait.

Oh. Oh, no. The Council witch’s potion!

I answered the call in a panic. “Yes?”

“Boss,” he said, very put out, “the woman from the other day is back, and she’s asking for her potion.”

TWENTY-SEVEN

Oh, I was so screwed.

I showed my audience my automatic everything is fine, the coffee machine didn’t just go and die on me barista smile and retreated into the hallway.

“Is she still there?” I whispered into the phone.

“Yes. She wants her potion.” Brimstone’s tone turned censoring. “You didn’t leave any instructions about a potion.”

“I’m sorry. I expected to open today, but something got in the way.”

“Where is the potion?”

“I don’t have it yet.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?”

“Can you tell her…” I ransacked my brain for believable excuses. In situations like these, the best recourse was to go with the truth, plain and simple. Not the one where I messed up the spell, and a random online shop preyed on the goodness of my innocent buyer heart and misled me into ordering something they weren’t prepared to ship as fast as advertised, of course.

I might’ve been harboring some lingering resentment over the whole ordeal.

“Tell her that unfortunately I’ve been called to help with an official paranormal matter and that I’ll have her potion ready later this evening.” Not only it was the truth, but hopefully it’d improve the Council witch’s opinions about my absences from my own shop.

Now, how I was going to procure the potion in such a short time, I had no idea. But I did know that explaining my issues with making the potion would go a lot better in person than through Brimstone.

“Okay,” Brimstone said in a way that told me he was not my lackey and how dare I use him to pass messages.

“Also, can you…” I cleared my throat. “Be extra nice to her? Use your, uh, wiles on her or something?”

“What are you implying?” His tone was dead cold now.

“Our customers love you, so I’m wondering if you can make her feel happy and glad to be there while you relay my message?”

There was a sharp inhalation. “Are you asking me to debase myself by flirting with a customer?” Thunder reverberated through the call.

I snapped straight, vaguely insulted. “Of course not. No flirting with the customers allowed. Just, you know.” I waved my hand as if he was in front of me. “Be yourself.”

“I always am, witch.”

“Be extra you and the next special potion is on me.”

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