The Dragon Realm (Dark World The Dragon Twins #2) - Michelle Madow Page 0,6

some for me?” I wouldn’t be surprised if she did, since she knew why I wanted to talk to her before I’d arrived.

“I don’t,” she said. “Only an extremely powerful witch can brew a strong enough memory potion to do what you ask. And one of the ingredients she’ll need will be a bit of your DNA, such as a strand of hair.”

“I don’t know the high witches here,” I said. “At least, not well enough to make this request.”

The only one I’d known well had been Harper. I swallowed down a lump in my throat at the thought of her.

I also knew Makena, but I had a sense she wasn’t the type of person to do anything for free.

“Do you think you can introduce me to one here in the Haven?” I asked. “One you know I can trust?”

“I don’t need to introduce you to a Haven high witch,” Rosella said simply. “Because there’s one you already know.”

I wracked my mind trying to think of a high witch I’d had an actual conversation with in my time in the Haven. But for the majority of the time I’d been here, I’d either been training with Raven, or sleeping. I’d met some witches in passing, but that was all.

“She’s not currently living in the Haven,” Rosella continued. “And you met her before going to Utopia.”

Where was I before going to Utopia?

Home.

“Shivani,” I said the name of the Haven high witch who was watching the café while we were gone.

“Yes.” Rosella nodded. “You’ll get to her. I don’t know how—since your magic isn’t strong enough for you to teleport—but I know you will.”

I reached for the chain around my neck. “I take it that means you don’t know about Hecate’s keys.”

I assumed not—since she wasn’t a witch—but it didn’t hurt to try. Maybe her future sight gave her insight that no one else had.

Rosella was quiet for a second. Then she shook her head, as if coming out of a daze. “I’m sorry,” she said. “What did you just say?”

“Hecate’s keys,” I tried again.

She said nothing. It was like she hadn’t heard me at all.

“You’re right,” I said, giving up. “I can figure out a way to get there on my own.”

“I know you will. But memory potion takes a bit of time to brew, so you should get going. You don’t want anyone to realize you’re gone. If they do, they might start asking questions.”

She was right. I’d never been a good liar, especially when it came to lying to Mira.

Which was why I needed to take the memory potion.

If I didn’t remember being in love with Ethan, then I wouldn’t have to lie about it. And I’d feel better, too. I wouldn’t have this aching hole in my heart that no one would ever be able to fill.

But that nagging feeling still tugged at my soul. The one asking if I truly wanted to forget the greatest love I’d ever known.

“I’m going to decide to take the potion, right?” I asked Rosella.

If I knew what I’d do, then I could stop wondering and worrying.

“The decision is yours, and yours alone,” she said. “If I tell you the future I see now, it could influence you to make a completely different decision. All you can do is what you feel is right. Not just for you, but for everyone involved.”

I cursed inwardly. Of course it couldn’t be as easy as her telling me the right choice to make.

“You best get a move on,” she said, and she stood up to see me out. “The clock is ticking, and time waits for no one.”

5

Gemma

Rosella said goodbye, and she closed the door, leaving me on her doorstep.

I reached for my key necklace and stared at the lock.

I needed to get this over with. I’d feel so much better after I did.

So I stuck the key into the lock, turned it, and stepped into the ivory hall of the Eternal Library.

Hecate wasn’t there. But I didn’t mind, since she wasn’t who I needed to see. Talking to her would waste time I didn’t have.

I turned back around and stared at the door I’d just come in through. Using the key was easy—I just had to picture the place where I wanted to go. And, other than my room at home, there was no easier place for me to picture than the café downstairs. The old wooden floorboards, the shelves of books that lined the walls, and the tables surrounded by chairs and sofas.