Page 75 of Bewitched & Bewildered
He glowers. “Well… you wanted to pay me back, didn’t you?”
“I think we’re past that.”
“Maybe.” He sighs. “I still need your help.”
Having him come to me for help is a change of pace. I like it.
“Of course, you do.” I smile smugly. “What do you need help with?”
“I had a fucking potion spill,” he grumbles. “And before you laugh, it’s not funny. It’s eating through my floorboards as we speak. Can you close up and come over, or am I out of luck?”
My eyes widen.
This is the second potion spill in his shop, and unlike the last one, it sounds like cold water won’t cut it.
I wasn’t taking the situation seriously, but I am now. Depending on the strength of this potion, this can be a real problem. I’ve seen explosions, fires, and more. Despite our petty feuds, I want to help him avoid setting the town on fire.
“You should have started with that!” I blurt. “You need a neutralizer potion!”
“A what?”
I formulated a potion for situations like these, but there’s no time to explain that. I bend low, grab the spray bottle from the cupboard, and sprint out of the shop.
“You didn’t close up!” he calls.
“Maple is in the office!”
But I don’t bother calling out to her, and I don’t look back.
I should be happy. I was upset about his apothecary opening, but now? There’s a chance of it burning to a crisp. Losing the competition would be a good thing, but my stomach twists.
I’m out of breath as we breeze through the empty shop. “Where is it?”
“In the back.”
He guides me there. Ozan has seen every inch of my shop, but I’ve never been back here.
His back is more extensive than ours. He has crates and crates of supplies—which may be the problem. I doubt he’s storing his potions properly.
There’s already a hole the size of a large cat in the middle of the floor.
“You’re lucky Evren didn’t fall into this.” I spray the neutralizer on it, and the floor stops eating itself. My heart keeps hammering.
“He’s upstairs. Don’t worry.”
“This is hideous,” I say. “You’re going to have to patch up the floor. There’s no way around it.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Juni?—”
I turn to face him with a glare. “How did this happen?”
“A spill.”
“Was it your cat again?”
He grimaces. “Does it make me sound better if it is?”
I shake my head. “Not really.”
