Veda struggles with happiness. Like swimming in murky water, she can’t see what lurks beneath the surface and has to tread with care. “I’m trying to enjoy these moments, but it’s hard not knowing the outcome.”
“It’s harder when you do.” They sit with the weight of what’s to come until Peter picks up the vial. “What do we need to do to try again?”
“Change the environment. It’s easily influenced by what’s around it, so this potion needs to be brewed in virtual solitude, and I need a smaller cauldron.”
“That’s easy,” Peter says smugly. “The cottage. Before you moved in, our brewing instructor used it for complex potions with the older Mages. If something goes wrong, the cottage won’t explode or implode. That’s why I gave it to you. Why don’t you take a break and—”
“There’s no time. I need to brew this correctly as soon as possible.” Veda touches her nose, scowling at the blood, and grabs a nearby towel. “I wonder how Ariadne got her hands on the Liquid Curse for Marlene; it’s damn near impossible to buy, and she can’t brew as a Seer.”
“I assume she convinced someone to make it. A few drops goes a long way. I called around, no one’s selling it. Either they don’t have all the ingredients in usable states, or the brewing and transport time make it impractical. If we pack the ingredients now, we can grab a new cauldron and stirring rod from the potions store on the way to the cottage. I’ll sanitize the room and air with a spell. It’ll need to sit for a bit, but that’ll work well for what I’m leading to.”
“Which is . . . ?”
“Khadijah found help for our ninth curse-extraction attempt.”
Lucky number nine. “When?”
“Gabriel agreed to take Antaris for a sleepover. He said he’d call Hiram once we got off the phone. I figured we could start when they leave.”
“Okay.” Veda packs the ingredient vials carefully into the transport bag Peter offers, and they leave in his car. Purchasing the cauldron and clearing out the back room of her cottage takes time, but once they’re finished, she steps outside while Peter casts a sanitizing charm. Blue mist spreads through the room as he shuts the door behind him.
“Ready?”
Even if she isn’t, she has to be.
When they arrive at Hiram’s house around noon, he’s packing a sleepover bag. An excited Antaris hands her the unfortunate stuffed rabbit, entrusting his most prized possession to her while he’s gone. She covers his hands when he gives her the black bow tie that’s been absent since he decided to wear other colors. “I’ll protect everything, okay?”
“Thank you,” Antaris whispers, leaning against her leg. She rubs his back, still in awe at hearing his little voice. Hiram appears in the doorway with the cat carrier. Inside, the cat looks like he’s pleading for freedom.
“He’s going?” Veda asks.
“Yeah. Gabriel’s thinking about getting a pet. This is a trial run.”
“Oh my Cosmos.” All she can think about is the exponential potential for chaos.
“Exactly.”
Antaris doesn’t bat an eye when Veda hugs him extra tight before loading him and the cat carrier into the car. Wearing soccer cleats, August is impatiently waiting in his seat.
“I didn’t know he had a game today.”
“He does.” Gabriel looks back. “We’ll do pizza with the group, maybe paintball.”
Antaris glances down at his white shirt and fiddles with his orange knitted bow tie, eyes widening in horror. Hiram’s reaction is, to her amusement, similar.
“There will be covers for your clothes,” Veda says.
Antaris’s relief is loud. Gabriel stifles a chuckle.
August says absently, “I don’t like the covers.”
“Of course you don’t,” Hiram grumbles.
Veda clasps her hands. “Okay, we’ll see you later.”
Stepping back as Gabriel pulls away, Hiram glances at Veda. “Peter filled me in on what happened with the Liquid Curse. I have an idea, depending on how this goes.”
A last-minute decision leads to Veda sitting on a large blanket by the lake. The afternoon is overcast but breezy; the sun sneaks throughthe clouds. They’re by the edge when Hiram checks on her for a third time. Veda nods at Khadijah and Healer Michaels, deep in conversation out of earshot.
