“Okay, put him on.”
A second later Pamphrock comes on the line. “Tegan, you are aware of the trip I made last night?”
“Yeah, Finn explained.”
“Well, I now possess a vial of Felicity’s blood for the spell. I would like to move forward with this as soon as possible. Have you figured out the other components yet?”
I scratch nervously at my neck. “Um, not quite.”
“Not quite?” he clips out. Shit, he sounds pissed.
“Not quite, b-but soon,” I stammer, lying through my false teeth.
“How soon? How many more days do you need?”
“Um, a couple.”
“You have three days. I expect results by then,” he tells me, before hanging up.
Huh, rude.
“What spell are you planning?” asks Emilia, as I shove my phone back in my pocket.
“What the hell, were you eavesdropping on my conversation or something?”
“I’ve always had very good hearing,” she replies. “The man you spoke with wants you to do a spell for him, but you’re not yet sure if you can achieve it. I could help you.”
I cock an eyebrow. “I’m sure you could. The question is, what would I have to give you in return?”
“All I ask is that you allow me a chance to get to know you. I am an old woman who had her daughter taken from her, only now I discover that this daughter wasn’t taken but ran away. Not only that, but she had a daughter herself. I have a granddaughter and I want to get to know her.”
I gaze at her, considering it.
“I don’t trust you,” I tell her honestly.
“And I would never expect you to. But please, allow me the opportunity to gain your trust.”
I don’t answer her right away, because I need to think for a minute. My mother performed the same spell on me that I need to perform on Rebecca. If my mother learned magic from her own mother, then perhaps Emilia is exactly the person I need right now. Without even looking at Emilia, I turn to face Ira.
Taking his large hand into mine, I ask, “If I agree to what she’s asking she’s going to be hanging around here for a while. She might be my grandmother, but it’s your life she messed up. If you don’t want her here then just say the word and I’ll tell her to leave.”
Ira looks over my shoulder at Emilia. “Did you really come to apologise?”
“I did,” she answers immediately. “I meant what I said about not being the woman I was back then. I can see now the error of my ways. You don’t know how sorry I am for my actions.”
His eyes return to me, but he doesn’t speak yet. I wonder if forgiving people for their sins is a part of Buddhism like it’s a part of Christianity. “You think she can help with your spell for Rebecca?” he asks.
“There’s a good chance she can,” I reply truthfully.
“Then you should agree to work with her. Protecting the little girl is what matters.”
I squeeze his hand, before letting go and addressing Emilia. “You say you’ve changed, but I’ll believe that when I see it. I’ll let you work with me on the spell, but if you try to do anything to Ira again I’ll find you and kill you myself.”
My oh my, how mercenary I’ve become. I guess circumstances have moulded me so.
“You would kill your own grandmother?” she questions.
“If she turned out to be an evil, backstabbing bi – I mean, witch,” I say, my slip up intentional. “Then yes I would, without hesitation.”