Everything became a struggle.
The words I spoke were a mere whisper.
Then suddenly, the ball dropped. Literally. It hit my foot.
Chapter twenty-four
"That was excellent," Cosmo said.
"It was exhausting."
"I told you, you need to pace yourself for a while until you get used to all this. It might take some time, even after the block’s gone completely.”
“It isn’t? I thought …”
He shook his head. “It’s possible it’s linked to an arrest, or a confession, or a trial.”
“You can’t tell?”
“In all my lives I’ve never been in this position before. What we do know is that you’ve made great progress in solving the case or you wouldn’t have been able to open the bookcase, let alone read a spell.”
I picked up the ball and stuffed it in my pocket. Then I turned the page. It was blank. So was the page after.
"Close the book."
"Only one spell?" Disappointment reared its ugly head.
"Oh, Bex, Bex. Haven't you learned anything yet?"
"Apart from the baking spell?" I asked sweetly.
"You will make progress once you are ready. It's like a giant staircase. It will lead you up to the top of the tower, from where you shall glance out over your new—"
"Fiefdom?" I asked.
"Responsibility," he said. "But to reach the top, you need to master every single step first. Only then will they all reveal themselves."
"There are more spells?"
"A lifetime isn't enough to learn everything. Your aunt had come far, yet she was still discovering new things," he said. "You’ve had a glimpse of what's to come. It will start with the things that you have an aptitude for. Not everyone can master everything. So don't be disheartened if something is just way above—"
"My pay grade?"
"Humans," he muttered. Yet, I thought I detected a hint of a smile in his tone.
He'd soon get used to my sense of humor. Goodness knew I had to get used to his sarcasm. Occasional sarcasm, to be fair, but still. I didn't get divorced to be bossed around by another male, in whatever form.
I had 30 minutes left before I needed to open the doors to the lending library. I spent those minutes with a damp flannel over my forehead and a cup of steaming tea.
Witchcraft really did take it out of a woman.
"How long until I can do all these lovely things without breaking a sweat?" I asked.
"Literally or figuratively?"
"Both."
"The hot flashes will stay on as a warning sign. You'll soon get used to it."
