Ranth stroked the back of his neck. “Goat’s milk still warm of the mother, salt of the sea, a brazier made of potter’s clay, rope of local fibers, and Shedeh.”
“Spell that,” Ori and Juke said together.
Ranth spelled, “S-H-E-D-E-H.”
“Pomegranate wine?” Ori asked, her fingers roving over an eyebrow like she did when her mind was tearing through possibilities.
“It’s ruby colored. A special wine,” Ranth said, crouching down beside Ori as she typed.
“Wait, I think it’s made from red grapes. Does it have to come from Egypt?” Ori looked up from her screen.
“I know a guy,” Freddie said, straightening up and slicking back his hair.
“How much do we need?” I asked Ranth.
“A cupful.” Ranth raised fingers showing four inches of space.
“A bottle then. It’s going to be a cash deal. Might cost us,” Freddie replied, patting his jacket.
I rummaged through my messenger and took out a pile of cash I kept around for emergencies. Some of my older clients liked to pay me in paper money. “That enough?”
Freddie tucked the bills into his pocket. “Probably, but if not, I’ll make up the difference. You can owe me. Be back soon.”
I was not looking forward to that future conversation. “Anything else we need?” I asked Ranth.
“Temple incense, the solar type. Because we will require the light of the day for the incantation.”
“Wait, what? No can do,” Juke replied. “If I’m using an LED grid in sunlight, it’s not going to show up very well. Not unless we put a tent over it. Or…”
“Or what?” I asked, considering the complexity of whatever we were about to do and mentally ordering a list.
“I could go a different way with the map. It’s going to be more expensive. Unless… let me check a couple of things.”
“What about the incense? Frankincense? Myrrh? What’s in it?” I asked Ranth.
“The temple master makes it. There are twenty-one ingredients, as per the ancient ritual instructions.”
“Like what?” Rose asked, smoothing a hand over one of her hair buns.
“Honey, wine, raisins,” Ranth replied.
“He’s talking about kyphi, a temple incense,” Rose replied. “We use it for some cleansing and some rituals.” She twisted her silver ring cast from cinnamon bark. I glanced over at the obelisk Ranth and I had built. So far, the ward had worked.
“Can you get us some?” I asked Rose.
“It might not be the same thing, but I bet our maker can do it. Or we can figure it out together.”
Ranth rubbed his upper arm, lost in thought. “Temple incense is a sacred art.”
Rose pursed her lips, like she was holding back. “Our incense maker is really good at what she does. She’s studied all the ancient recipes. I’ll ask her. You said solar and twenty-one? We’ll see what she can come up with,” Rose added. “I’ll text you.”
“Anything else?” I asked Ranth.
“Not that I recall. But I’ve only seen the spell performed.”
“But you know the incantation?”
“By heart? No. It would be in the Ahknim Temple.”
