Gretchen let the idea sink in her mind, remembering the times when she’d passed people gossiping about the ‘hideous witch’ at the estate who paid wicked retribution to any who scorned the baron. She’d always thought it was something Nora was proud of. But she was no stranger to feeling like an unpleasant necessity of society.
“I, well, I’m sorry for setting you up like that. I had no idea it meant so much to you.”
“You’ll be the death of me, Gretchen Murkwood,” Nora reached over to squeeze her hand. “But I’ll never forget the look on Mildred’s face when her face got plastered in pumpkin.”
Both witches giggled and settled back into companionable silence.
“You know Mildred had nothing to do with Esme’s disappearance, don’t you?”
“They never did find that goat.” Gretchen pursed her lips. “She might not know what happened, but there had to be some kind of foul play. I will find out one day.”
“Lord help us.” Nora sighed and settled back on her perch with her eyes closed.
They arrived at the estate at twilight, and by the carriages lined up out front it looked like the party was off to a flying start. Nora directed Jurgen and Peter around the back where they pulled up by the stables proper with Rapunzel huddling as best she could under Gretchen’s pumpkin splattered curtain.
“That was Fiona’s carriage,” she hissed as she climbed out of her hiding spot. “I’ll bet she’s stealing my business as we speak.”
Gretchen shrugged at Nora’s questioning look. “Some ogre beauty-queen selling swamp-bath getaways.”
Nora gave an appreciative nod and caught herself when Rapunzel glowered at her. “Heard those things give you warts.”
Rapunzel narrowed her eyes at the witch then looked around the courtyard between the stables and the looming house.
The servants who went about their business did so with sullen looks and dragging feet, paying no mind to Nora’s curious companions. Peter stayed behind with a word about caring for the horses, and they made a break for it to the stone steps that led down to Nora’s subterranean dwelling. Rapunzel had to crawl over the threshold with a wiggle of her hips, and inside she sat with her knees hugged to her chest, blowing cobwebs that hung from the rafters from her face. Nora clapped her hands with a muttered incantation and large crystals mounted on the walls gave off a warm glow.
“And you think my place is a dump.” Gretchen snorted and stretched her back.
“It’s not like she spends much time here,” Jurgen snickered but Nora silenced him with a glare.
“This is my workroom. My living quarters are in the estate proper.”
Gretchen trailed a finger along a dusty shelf with a wry grin. “Explains it even more.”
Nora threw up her hands and went to rummage through an odd assortment of rocks and crystals on the far wall. Jurgen sank to a bench seat by a table that dominated the space and Gretchen wandered over to see what Nora was poking through.
“We need a good light conductor for this kind of thing. Illusions aren’t something I enjoy working with.” She tossed aside an amethyst and held up a hunk of quartz to the light. “Now, I know I had one here someplace,” She fumbled around the back of the shelf and held up a perfectly clear crystal. “Ah ha! Have you ever seen a sunstone before?”
Gretchen took the crystal and held it aloft. It was clearer than any crystal she’d ever seen, but like Nora, they weren’t an interest of hers. That one was about the size of a strawberry, dwarfed by the other composites lining Nora’s shelves.
“Isn’t it a bit small?” She weighed it in her palm and handed it back.
“You’ll find its properties make up for its size.” Nora bustled back to the table and cleared a spot among the forgotten debris. She set it down gently and went to fetch an assortment of jars from a cupboard. “The clearest form of calcite to be found. Costs a pretty penny too. It bends light in equal measure to produce a double image.”
Gretchen sank beside Jurgen to watch Nora at work with keen interest. It wasn’t often that a witch allowed an audience to spell castings.
“Cast the same kind of charm on an inferior crystal and it won't hold up to scrutiny,” she sniffed at a jar of powder and set it aside with a grimace. “From the wrong angle, she’d likely look even bigger. And we can't have that now, can we?”
Rapunzel shook her head frantically and held her knees even closer despite Nora’s warm smile.
“Where did my chalk get to? I must sketch out fairly complex circle, the thick stuff just won't do—”
“Who do I have to scare to get some food around here?” Jurgen held his head propped on the table and his belly gurgled audibly.
“Oh.” Nora’s eyes widened as though she’d forgotten about his presence entirely and she waved toward the door. “Go see the cook. If she gives you any trouble, remind her the spoiling wards need seeing to in the cellar, so I’ll be having none of that gruel she feeds to the rest of the poor wretches around here. If you go through the courtyard—”
Jurgen was already off his stool and halfway to the door. “I’ll find it.”
“Now, what was I saying?” Nora frowned at her assembled goods. “Ah, yes. A circle, the stone, and a good mix of powdered pixie and golden tortoise beetle. Now what did you put in that enlarging potion?”
Gretchen rattled off a list of common herbs and powders and the oil’s infused with some of the more expensive ingredients.
“Really?” Nora snorted. “I’m surprised you made more than a marinade with that! Some alchemist must have given you the top shelf stuff by mistake. Never mind, there’s nothing that should interfere.”
Nora snapped her fingers, and a broom in the corner came to life. It pushed dust across the floor from a clear spot where the only narrow window
