Witch Doctors Inc: SEASON TWO (Ongoing)

Part 1.2

PRESENT TIME
KADREA

Onyx pokes his nose out of his new cloud castle cushion complex. Adamantine has not yet returned, he announces.

I roll my eyes. "She's probably still at that ferris wheel with Prince Marsi. You know the one with the precious stones floating in the air around the compartments, and if you manage to catch one before it flies away you get another turn? Crystal Corp put it up a few weeks ago."

It is ten o'clock.

"So?" I scowl.

Their estimated time of arrival was eight thirty.

"Yeah, and?"

Onyx bats at a small magic cloud that hovers teasingly over his cushion. It squeaks and retreats towards the ceiling. Zilitron nights hold many dangers for one not versed in magic. This is the third time they have not arrived on schedule. If the prince wishes to keep Adamantine out this late, he must discuss this with me first.

My scowl deepens as more magic clouds, pink-tinged and squeaking, descend on Onyx in a defiant rabble. Ridiculous, controlling cat.

"Addy's her own person," I tell him. "She doesn't need a smelly cat telling her what to do."

Onyx looks up from his war with the clouds. That is not fair. I took the bath as you requested.

"You screeched and scrambled and splashed water all over the bathroom. I should've charged you for the damage. " My frown freezes. There's a tuft of cotton sticking out of the cushion, right above a suspiciously lumpy patch. "Did you...you'd better not have bitten that cushion..."

I hope my growl sounds as deadly as I mean it to be.

Onyx lowers his head sheepishly. A cloud takes the opportunity to bonk him on the forehead. I wanted to see if it tasted like clouds.

I groan. What am I supposed to do with this cat? I bought him the accursed cushion last week. It came charmed and ready. A fluffy hidey hole to retreat into, with charms in the shape of clouds buzzing around it to keep him occupied. It took him all of four days to damage it.

I glare at him, wiping a bead of sweat from my forehead. It's always too hot these days, even without the fireplace running. Onyx chases a stray cloud onto my bed while I get out the mini cauldron. Yeah, I know I could just use my witch magic instead, but you know what? There's nothing wrong with good old-fashioned potion brewing.

I pour a jug of lake water into the cauldron and light the fire. When the water starts to sizzle just so, I add some tri-coloured tourmaline and a slab of glacial ice. The mixture slips and sloshes, wisps of peppermint blue colouring its edges.

I always manage to get the coolness charm slightly wrong. Well, not wrong exactly. The charm works fine, but its manifestation has a bit of an, ah, attitude.

I reach for my bag of fish scales. The charm begins to take shape. Peppermint wings rise from the liquid, fluttering at the first touch of air.

"You're putting in too many fish scales. It only needs a pinch."

I whip my head around and almost jump out of my skin as Ruby's plum hair pops against the cream of my sofa.

"Ruby...how did you get in here?"

"Yeah," Ruby says. "I have a key."

I fix her with a glare. My coolness charm, a shimmering peppermint hummingbird, flits to my side and mirrors it.

Ruby ignores my obvious annoyance. She blows a strand of hair out of her face. She looks different today - colder, faraway, like dew glinting in a distant planet's dawn. Her swirled bun is full of mysterious icy winks. Looking closer, I see there are diamante snowflakes holding her hair in place. Their cold glow is magically enhanced, breathing in and out of existence like the memory of stars.