Prospero set the basket of food on a table. “I wanted a chance to speak to you in private.”
“I’m here.…” Ellie stepped closer. Private time sounded perfect.
“I expect that I will have to leave tonight,” Prospero told her. “There was magic, but by the time we felt it, the witch relocated. Teleported. We weren’t fast enough.”
“What does that mean?”
“Once a witch starts… leaking, it’ll be easier. Something is causing the witch to be unstable. That’s not likely to be Agnes, and the most logical answer is that the witch teleported. That’s going to happen again, and each time the spills get bigger. We will find her, and maybe she knows where Aggie and Allan are.”
“I don’t like this. Let me come with you,” Ellie urged.
“It’s an easy thing, but I didn’t want you to think I was skipping our meals together by choice if I can’t come back in time.”
Fear tightened Ellie’s stomach so intensely that she couldn’t speak.If? If she can’t come back? What does that mean?Ellie felt her excitement shift to worry.
“If I can return to you—”
“If?” Ellie interrupted. That was twice now Prospero had used that word, and Ellie’s anxiety now felt like worms writhing in her stomach. “If? What do you mean if?Ifis not okay.Ifis that I might lose you and… no. Notif.”
Prospero reached out and caught Ellie’s flailing hand. “Perhaps theprocess will be quick. Perhaps it will go well. Retrieving the other witch was easy enough. However, we may need to pursue her if she teleports, and with a spill we need to repair whatever damage we can in their world.”
“What if they shoot you like Lord Scy—”
“I am not new to people trying to kill me, love.” Prospero smiled like she was charmed by Ellie’s worry. “Few witches can stop me. I slip into their minds and change their perceptions, so they no longer want to hurt me. It’s simple magic. I’m not expecting to be shot or killed.”
“That’s similar to Grendel’s magic. You said she could summon fears and—”
“Walt is optimistic that this is just one of the others. There’s a witch called Jenn, and Allan, too. He’s simply a drunkard, and it’s highly unlikely they’re all together, love.”
Ellie felt like clutching her. “Why you? Why can’t I help?”
“If this one is spilling magic over, that’s not Agnes. Plus, the headmaster will be with me. He’s transferred his role here temporarily, to keep the castle safe.” Prospero cupped Ellie’s face in both hands. “And this is my responsibility. I retrieve witches when their magic flares, along with whichever witch is headmaster. You know this.”
“I object. What if Grendel is there?” Ellie pressed.
“She’s a tactician. She knows we would be less likely to find her if they stay apart.” Prospero sounded increasingly exasperated. “I know what I’m doing, Ellie.”
“But we can’t do magic over there, so how are you to be safe?” Ellie frowned, jumbled images of a car shifting form and a diner reshaping into a cage crowded into her head.Why do I know that?She stared at Prospero, who looked tenser now.
Because of what I said?
She stared at Prospero. “What if you do magic and… what if it goes wrong?”
“You’re right that magic is not asstableover there, but my magic is specifically designed because of the need to alter memories to bring them to Crenshaw. It’s not likeothermagic because it’s all internal.”
“So that should be true with Grendel’s.”
Prospero dropped her hands. “Elleanor.”
“What are theexactrules?”
“I don’t know becausewe are not to do magic there.” Prospero’s words snapped out. “That’s the whole point of spell stones. It’s why they were invented… well, that and to let witches be able to do magic larger or different from their innate magic.”
“Butmentalmagic works? Stuff that doesn’t change the outside world? Could I manifest something internally in someone and that would be allowed?” Ellie asked, trying to make sense of the rules that governed the use of magic outside Crenshaw.
Maybe there was a detail here that could unlock her memories.Is that what I forgot?Ellie started to panic harder.Did I break someone?She felt like there was someone she’d hurt, but more… the thought skittered away like insects at night.
All she could ask was, “Could I do that?”
