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"Hi" I smiled "I was in here the other day withif you stock these ite into my pocket and handed the man the envelope I’d scribbled the spell on He stared atthe paper His eyes scanned the text, flicking up toback to the list

"Carla," he called across the rooister"

I looked over ht and wore a tie-dyed ruffled skirt that fell to the floor Her curly brown hair was held back with a silver headband and her crow’s feet were accentuated when she watched me with suspicion

"Follow me" The man motioned with his hand and headed toward the back of the store Turning to follow theto Carla as we passed "We don’t carry a witch’s cupboard here" He whispered the word ‘witches’ "But we offer blocking spells that work the sa at the shelves and pointed toward a rack of necklaces "These?"

The man followed the direction I pointed and shook his head "No, the stuff up front is more for fun than accuracy We keep the real stuff in back Spells are soine if we allowed huhed nervously because at Broomsticks I sold to supernaturals and humans But the potions I sold were low key-- theh the beaded curtain and into the room I’d been in with Dorian and Kiah

"I’m Matt by the way," he said as he searched the shelves

"Gwen," I responded "Are you a witch?"

He chuckled, looking at me over his shoulder "Nah, but ic didn’t choose me"

What was I supposed to say to that? "Sorry"

"I was jealous at first, but I’ here, ya know?"

I nodded "Believe ic can be reed "Here we go"

A necklace dangled fro Etched in the center of the stone was a horizontal oval with three lines across it I took a couple steps to cross the rooht the pendent in my hand and studied it

"It won’t interfere with this one will it?" I tugged out the necklace Kiah had given me So far the chars of a voodoo practitioner Then again, I hadn’t had any run-ins with rogues since co it will athen each other" Matt held the necklace in both hands and slipped it over ainsta little too long

"Thanks," I said with a bit of discomfort

We made our way back up front Matt went behind the counter and rang up the necklace After paying hi him one last time, I headed back out onto the street I lifted the pendent, studying the stone and hoping it worked as well as the one Fiona wantedenough to enchant my own anyway And enchanted iteic to work properly; the one possessing the item had to believe in it It was the reason why I didn’tthese sorts of knick-knacks to humans Still, I felt a bit of comfort with the two necklaces around my neck

I headed down the sidewalk in search of food There were toowith the next to usher custo crowded or loud A nice peaceful restaurant hat I needed, a place to eat oing to find it on Bourbon Street

I cut across the street, turning down Conti Street The lively atious I foundas I walked down the sidewalk and watched the excited people A red and blue sign featuring a sht that he shouldn’t look so happy considering it was a seafood restaurant if Oceana was any indication

I passed aa saxophone, a tip jar beside hi it into the jar and s He nodded his thanks, and I continued on my way