jumbled around in my head, but when I started typing, it all spilled out. I told him how I recently came across his book, and in as simple terms as I could muster, I explained what had happened to my dad. Then I made a humble request for help, asking if he had any information at all on how I could bring Dad back. The worst that could happen would be for him to disregard the email, or send me a message back telling me I was a nut.
I hit send and sat back. All I could do now was wait and see if he replied. I shut down Finn’s laptop and picked up the book to bring it back out to Rita. She was still busy with Brian, but she said I could come in and watch if I liked. Brian nodded, saying he was okay with it, so I decided I might as well stay and see what went on in these sessions of Rita’s.
She sat at the small table across from Brian, muttering in Latin and mashing up a bunch of herbs with a pestle and mortar.
“So, how do you two know each other?” Brian asked.
If I wasn’t mistaken, there was a little bit of a tremble in his voice, like he was nervous. But that could just be down to the fact that he’d hired a witch to do a spell for him.
“Shush,” Rita scolded him for talking.
“Sorry,” he muttered under his breath.
After a few minutes of her quiet mutterings, Rita scooped up a spoonful of the herbs and handed the spoon to Brian.
“Eat,” she said, and he looked at her with wide eyes.
“Oh, for crying out loud. I’m not trying to poison you. If you want this to work, you need to eat what’s on the spoon.”
In the end, Brian took the spoon and shoved it into his mouth. His jaw worked as he chewed, and by the look on his face, it tasted bitter. He swallowed, and Rita made him open his mouth to ensure that he ate all of it.
“Now what?” he asked her.
“Now,” Rita said, clasping her hands together, “you tell me why you’re really here.”
Brian’s eyes flicked from me to Rita. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Rita scoffed. “Don’t give me that. You’ve been on edge ever since you arrived, and every time I ask you a question your eyes flick to the left. Classic lying behaviour. Now come on, spit it out. What are you up to? More importantly, who are you working for?”
I watched the exchange with rapt attention. I had an inkling there was something off about Brian, but I mostly put it down to him being nervous. It was a good thing Rita saw right through him.
“Look, I promise I’m just here for the spell. You came highly recommended from my friend Greg.” He reached up and scratched at his neck.
“I do a lot of spells for Greg and he’s never sent me a referral before. He’s also one of the shiftiest guys I know, so it doesn’t take much of a stretch to see him accepting a bribe to give you an in with me.” Rita stated all of this in a cold, detached voice, and I got a brief glimpse of the witch she could have been if she’d been raised by Theodore instead of Noreen.
“You have to believe me,” Brian spread out his hands in a pleading gesture. “I’m not up to anything.”
Rita laughed. “Deny it all you want. In another minute, you’ll be singing like a canary.”
He eyed her now. “What do you mean?”
“You just ate the components of a truth spell, my friend. You’ll probably be telling us what brand of underwear you like and who you lost your virginity to by the time it takes hold.”
At this, Brian jumped up from his seat and made a run for the door. Rita casually stood, placing her tiny self in his path, holding up a hand and muttering a quiet incantation. Brian stopped in his tracks as though glued to the spot.
Sweat broke out on his forehead as he struggled to move forward but couldn’t.
“Oh, just sit back down,” Rita said in annoyance. “You’re not leaving here until I allow you to go. It’ll be easier if you don’t fight this. You’re only wasting your energy.”
Brian’s shoulders slumped as he let out a long, dejected breath, turned on his heel, and sank back into the chair he’d vacated seconds ago.