Page 44 of Upside Down Magic

“Well, come up,”Liliansaid. “You’rethe bounty hunter?”

Ianplanted his feet apart and crossed his arms in his trademark tough-guy persona. “Iam.”

“Good, you can come with.Butgrab us some snacks from the kitchen first, will you?”

Shespun on her heel and went back up the stairs.Mystomach grumbled a little.Nowthat the initial panic had faded, my natural optimism was reasserting itself and wanted to be fed.

“Thankyou,”Iwhispered toIanbefore patting his arm and followingLilianup to her room.

“Notthe macarons, you hear me,Cavalier?”Dorseysnapped behind me.

Wewere definitely having the macarons.

“Starta pot of tea, please,”Liliansaid as she got comfortable on the sofa.

Ihad turned to the electric water heater on top of the long dresser beforeIcaught myself.LilianValentiwas very good at making people follow orders—a skillIhoped to gain some day.

Acouple of minutes later,Ianstepped into the room with a plate piled up with macarons.Heput it on the coffee table and took a position by the wall.Ipoured the hot water into the two available mugs and brought them to the table.Liliantook hers andIanrefused the second, soIsettled with it on the other side of the sofa.

“Nowthat we’re here, let’s talk this through.”Lilianpeered at the elegant watch on her wrist. “Andlet’s make it fast.Ihave ultimate raids later.”

FOURTEEN

“So,”Lilianbegan, “the issues began two days ago?”

Isat up straight. “Yes.Afire mage friend who works part-time at theTeaCauldronvisited me first thing in the morning when his magic was producing ice.Thenlater, while you were at the shop, a local wolf shifter unintentionally shifted into his wolf and couldn’t shift back.Imade a potion for both using their blood and their magic reverted to normal.”

“Tellme exactly how you did the potion.”

Ilisted the herbsIhad used in both the potion and the circle as well as the crystals and the incantation.Lilianmulled on this for a few moments. “Thatpotion should’ve been enough, if the spell had been a one-time use.”

JustasIfeared. “Youthink they got spelled again?”

“Thator we’re talking about something like a ward.”

“Canwards affect paranormals like that?”

“It’dtake considerable skill and power, but it’s possible.However,Ididn’t feel any ward in your shop.”

“Iused a detecting spell the first day and then again today and found no traces of outside magic.”

Liliantook out the teabag, and sipped her tea. “Iarrived inOlmedathe day beforeIcame to your shop, late in the evening.Ihad some take-out, then took a ride to the shop in the morning.Theonly thingIhave in common with the other two cases is your shop.”

Myshoulders slumped. “Ifigured.Iclosed it down for the time being.”

Lilianput the mug down. “Thereare several ways this kind of spell can be delivered.Aspell or a ward put on an item the person touches, or a potion slipped into food or drinks.”

“Shanehasn’t eaten anything from the shop in a while.”

“Adelayed effect potion?”Ianasked. “HeandBrimstonemight’ve had it elsewhere but the effects didn’t show up until the day before yesterday.”

“Andthen they put it in my food?”Lilianasked, giving the idea an obvious thought. “Thatwould mean…Oh,Isee what you mean.Theymight’ve recognized me at the tea shop then contrived to give me the potion at any moment after.”

“Thenit might not be the shop itself after all?”Iasked, daring to hope.

“It’stoo early to tell,”Liliansaid. “Butme being affected by this spell brings up some interesting questions.”

“Like?”Iasked.

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