“So, how’s the shop?” she asked, resuming her place at the table.
“That’s why I’m here.” I sunk into an adjacent chair and rested my chin in my hand. “I need a favor.”
Vivian’s brown eyes narrowed. “What favor?”
The truth sat heavy on my tongue. “I need a tiny loan to pay back a creditor.”
“A loan?” A second later, she gasped and slammed her palm on the table, making the glass sphere rattle. “Creditor, my ass. You borrowed money from that loan shark, didn’t you? What’s his name? Shmargus or something? A total crook.”
“It’s Argus, and you’re right, I shouldn’t have taken the money, but I was going to lose the magic shop and have the rest of my mother’s things seized as collateral. I had no choice.” A lump clogged my throat, making it difficult to swallow. I hung my head. “There are fines too,” I mumbled.
“Fines! What for?”
“A royal detective found the box of wisteria spinova powder I hid in the basement. He was less than thrilled about it.”
“Why was there a detective in your basement?”
Peeking between the thick strands of my hair, I gave her a sheepish shrug. “I might be involved in a murder investigation.”
Vivian’s lips opened and closed like a gasping fish. It would have been comical if I didn’t already feel so lousy. Finally, she held up her hand.
“Hold on. Not the girl from the ball?”
The pang of guilt was back, laced with a healthy dose of self-loathing. “Her name was Ella Lockwood, and she came to see me before the ball. All she needed was a gown and a pair of shoes. There didn’t seem to be any harm, and she was going to pay me.” It wasn’t worth it to mention the carriage. Something told me exploding pumpkins wouldn’t help my cause.
“You used magic, didn’t you? An illusion?”
I nodded, unable to meet her eyes.
“Tess, you know what happens when you try to cast illusions!”
“Yeah, apparently, people end up dead.”
“That’s not funny.”
“Trust me, I’m not laughing.” I blew out my cheeks. “They’ve assigned a royal detective to the case. His name’s Derrick Chambers, and I can tell you right now, he doesn’t like witches. One of my ancestors probably sacrificed his family’s goats or something.”
Vivian tapped her trim nails against the table. “Well, here’s something you don’t have to worry about—I haven’t felt any new spirits in the last few days. Ella should have already crossed over.”
“That’s the other reason I’m here.” A prickly sensation climbed the back of my neck, and I peered over my shoulder, searching the dark corners of the room. There had been a part of me that hoped Vivian might be able to communicate with Ella. Maybe I could have told her how sorry I was for the way things turned out.
“You can relax. She’s not here. If she crossed over, it’s too late, I can’t summon her. The dead hate to be disturbed. Now, if she approaches us from the other side, that’s a different story. But as I said…” Vivian licked her finger then held it up in the air, testing the temperature of the room. “See? Nothing. We’re alone.”
Disappointment knotted my insides, and I glanced at the symbols on my palm. I had thought maybe there was still a connection, and that was why the mark hadn’t faded.
“What are you going to do about Argus?”
“I missed a payment, and I’m worried he’ll send his goons after me. I sold a few of my mother’s books to cover the fines for the illegal powder, so that’s taken care of.”
“How much more do you need?” Vivian crossed the room toward a small cabinet. Inside, she retrieved a pouch full of coins, which she pressed into my hand. “Is this enough?”
“It’s a start. I’ll repay you, I swear.”
Vivian snorted. “Says the girl who borrowed from a medium to pay back a gangster. Keep it. That’s what friends are for.”
I crushed her in a hug, fighting a rush of emotion. Sometimes, it felt like she was all I had, and I hated that my problems became hers. Now, I could pay the fines and put the arrogant, witch-hating detective behind me, then focus on getting Argus off my back.
“You’re the best, Viv. You know you are.”
