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“Yeah,” I reply, not doing very well in the conversation departht But what can I say? I’m nervous That’s only to be expected

Rita laughs “You don’t sound too happy, Tegan,” and raises a questioning eyebrow

“I just – I don’t knohat to expect with all of this I’ turns out okay”

“Believe me,” says Rita, and I could bea conscious effort to be nice and reassure oing to work And, with the way I’ thatand allowed Marcel to do this, I can guarantee you’d only be given half the picture, the other half he’d keep for himself As I said, it’s all about the poith the “families” and the Girards are notorious for their duplicity”

“Really?” I ask, having a hard ti it “I mean, I’ve never met any of his relations, but well, Marcel just seems like a jolly old hippy”

“Sometimes deceptions can be even more believable than the truth,” Alvie interjects

“Yeah, ree The more I think about it, theWith Rita, I was the one who asked her to do this forto convince me to let him study me all the way And when I really think back to it, his calreedy desperation Gabriel, on the other hand, is slightly more difficult to read

I just keep picturing hihtly at Marcel that first day we’dhis head, as if to say, No Marcel, we should not invade this girl’s privacy in order to further our own agenda And what is that agenda exactly? Is it all to do with the DOH and hunting down va far more dark and murky?

While Rita goes about gathering her i, I turn to Alvie and ask, “So, has Rita told you everything about me?”

Alvie, happy to be involved, replies somewhat uncertainly, “Yes I hope that’s okay with you It’s just that I need to know all the details if I’ to be the third member of the circle You couldn’t have done it with just the two of you anyith oes in threes If you didn’t have three people to form the circle then you’d need six, if you didn’t have six you’d need nine” He shrugs

“Multiples of three, I get it” I reply, s you, so long as I can trust you not to go blabbing about it to all and sundry”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that, anything we do for non-esture, zipping his mouth shut

I sigh in relief “Thank you”

“No probleets up to help Rita carry over the various bits and pieces required for her spell

I sit silently and watch as they place the big grey bowl in the centre of the table and then use the wooden ladle to spoon a green coloured liquid fro on the stove into the bowl The steaently and bits of leaves float to the surface Alvie places three ss, in them is what looks like plain hot water