Page 58 of A Spell of Midlife Mayhem

IN THE MID-AFTERNOON, I returned home. Aunt Ruth was in the dining room, talking to Raven about something at the desk where his books and study notes lay. At least he was home now and hadn’t ended up as roadkill or a hawk’s lunch.

I didn’t want to disturb them, but they called me over.

Raven seemed contrite. ‘I’m truly sorry, Heather. I guess I should tell you about my condition—’

I pulled over a chair. ‘I think you’d better. I definitely want to hear this.’

‘I’ll leave you two to it.’ Aunt Ruth rolled out of the room.

‘Ruth knows all this,’ Raven said. ‘She insisted I tell you. I didn’t want to at first because I didn’t even know if you intended to stay in England or return to New Zealand. But you seem to be staying, and we’re... attracted to each other... aren’t we?’

‘I thought so, but now I’m not so sure. Whenever we have a little time together, you vanish without warning. I didn’t know what was going on. Is it that you aren’t interested?’

He shook his head vehemently. ‘It’s not that. I have an affliction. It’s from an ex-girlfriend.’

Oh right. Now he would tell me he’s got an STD, and that’s why he doesn’t want to—

Raven continued. ‘She was a witch, and when we broke up, she didn’t take it well. She laid a curse on me.’

‘A curse?’ Not an STD, then. ‘Is that why you change into an actual raven?’

He nodded, eyes downcast. ‘Yeah. She thought that was a hilarious idea. The curse is that whenever I become excited, or aroused, or even experience joy at any level, I turn into a raven, like my name.’

‘It could have been worse.’

‘Yeah, I know. Anyway, I can’t control it. Sometimes it takes a day until I shift back to human form.’

This horrified me. Sympathy for Raven filled my heart. What a terrible thing to endure. ‘So... you couldn’t prevent yourself changing when you were out with me because you were enjoying yourself? That’s what you’re saying?’

‘Pretty much.’

‘That must be a downer when it comes to relationships.’

‘Completely.’ Raven’s expression was strained.

Questions whirred in my mind. ‘How long has this been going on?’

He exhaled a long, held-in breath. ‘Longer than I’d care to say. Your aunt has been helping me research ways to lift curses. Nothing’s worked so far.’

‘Your ex-girlfriend must have really wanted to get back at you for something. You weren’t cheating on her, were you?’

‘No, I wasn’t cheating on her.’

‘And you have no control over changing form at all?’

‘I’m working on it. Sometimes, but not always, I can shift into raven form if I want to. However, I have no control over the curse aspect that forces the change when I am happy or excited. Nor can I change back at will. Sometimes it happens without a lot of warning.’

‘That could be embarrassing. I feel sorry for you, Raven. But look on the bright side.’

‘I don’t need pity, Heather. You think there’s a bright side to this? Tell me.’

‘At least you’re not a chicken-shifter.’

‘Haha.’ He didn’t seem amused.

‘Is there anything I can do to help?’

‘I don’t think so. Your aunt might be able to do something if we can find the right spell to lift the curse. That’s what I’ve been looking for in these books’—he gestured to the volumes on the desk—‘for years.’

---