"Willow's Missing Tail" 21

“Perfidia,” Martha said with an apologetic look as she entered the kitchen from the backdoor, “I’m sorry we couldn’t wait for you.”

“I understand. It did take me an unreasonable amount of time to gather what we needed and it was unusual, the most important vial was hidden very strategically behind another and nearly impossible to find.”

Martha understood Perfidia blamed the delay on Daphne. “I see; that is odd.” Martha nodded.

“It sure is,” Daphne chirped in as she stepped from behind Martha with a smile a shade too bright,” I remember how even at ten your toys were all lined up alphabetically and in an exact spot when you weren’t playing with them.”

“Well, I did mange to gather everything we needed,” Perfidia continued speaking to Martha, pointedly ignoring her cousin, “and were you able to secure the approval without any glitches?”

“I was,” Martha said and held up the small twig.

“Good,” Perfidia sighed with relief, knowing her cousin hadn’t ruined Willow and Thistle’s chances of ending the rivalry.

“But I wasn’t able to go with Martha into the forest,” Daphne spoke up as she sat down at the kitchen table. “I wasn’t worthy to enter it according to a tree guard,” she mumbled.

Perfidia’s eyebrow raised but it wasn’t in surprise of the fact Daphne wasn’t worthy; it was in surprise that Daphne had admitted to it.

“That tree thing said I had vengeance in my heart.” Daphne told them.

Martha looked at Perfidia and they silently agreed the forest guard was right but Martha knew it had to have been difficult for Daphne to hear that verdict and she tried to sooth her wounded ego. “Being unworthy today doesn’t mean you won’t be worthy tomorrow,” Martha told her.

Perfidia took the cue and added,” Sure, I wasn’t worthy of a familiar of my own and now, I am. So there’s always hope.”

“You honestly believe that?” Daphne looked at Martha and Perfidia.

“Yes,” Perfidia said and Martha nodded.

“I don’t deserve your kindness; you know I wasn’t concerned with taking things that meant a lot to both of you. Martha, your cat is in jeopardy because of my thoughtless act and I’m sorry for that,” Daphne said in a shaky voice and lifted her hand to wipe away a tear, “I’ve been living with this need for revenge ever since Avery’s betrayal. I’ve let it fester inside. The forest tree thinks I need to forget and forgive him, but I’m having a hard time doing either. I’m not sure I’ll ever be worthy to enter those pristine lands.”

“Why don’t we let it go for now and get everything prepared for tonight, and we can really use your help.” Perfidia reasoned with her cousin.

“I’d like to help,” she nodded.

“Good. I thought we can have an early dinner when Jon gets here and we can eat before the imposed lock down. Care to help me prepare it?”

“Sure, I make an excellent double, chocolate cake with a ganache frosting; I can make it for desert.”

“Great; anything you need in my kitchen is yours,” Perfidia told her.

Daphne began gathering the utensils and realized she was looking forward to showing off her baking skills.

While Daphne was distracted gathering bowls and ingredients, Perfidia motioned Martha to follow her from the kitchen.

*

Perfidia walked Martha into her luxurious reading room with its floor to ceiling shelves of books and its impressive stone fireplace and closed the door.

She kept her voice at a whisper, “I went to find you and Daphne in the forest but before I got to the meadow, I stumbled on Avery’s new location.”

“I know; it’s in your open lands.”

“You know…how?”

“I found it earlier but I didn’t have the time to tell you but I think it’s a good location for him and we can use the proximity to get Daphne and him together. Try to make them listen to each other. It’s too bad we can’t have Avery over tonight and feed him and Daphne a dose of your honesty tea before the magic is suppressed.”

“Well, about that….you might get your wish.”

“Oh?”

“Avery confronted me when I found his hidden abode and we talked. He knows we’re planning to rid Willow and Thistle of the rivalry and he knows how we have to do it. He said he was intrigued to confront Daphne in a place where magic was denied; he’s coming over after sunset.”

“That’s perfect!” Martha exclaimed, “Now if only your honesty potion could work without magic.”

“My potion doesn’t need magic Martha. It works because it stimulates the need to tell the truth.”

“I remember how potent a potion it is; one of the ingredients has to be a sprinkle of magic.”

Perfidia shook her head. “No, there’s no magic in it. Most of my potions are herbal remedies that help in healing or promote endorphins. My honesty potion is an exacting combination of ingredients that works to comfort and relax but, I will say this, I may have added a touch of impulsive magic when I used it on you and at the solstice fair, but it’s not necessary.”

“No magic?”

“None needed…not in my honesty potion but…the love potion is enhanced.”

“We won’t need a love potion if we can make them tell each other the truth. Can you brew a batch of it?”

“Of course I can but…I have another problem.”

“What is it?”

“Before Jon gets here, I have to figure out what to do and… I need your help.”

“My help with what?”

“You were right earlier; I do have a trust issue; a big one.”

“Go on…”

“I can’t have Jon here after the magic is suppressed so I have to feed him quickly and send him home.”

“Why can’t he stay?”

“Because then…this bracelet won’t work.” She held up her arm and pointed to a beaded bracelet on her wrist.

“And that bracelet is…what exactly?” Martha stepped closer and looked at the beads on the bracelet and noticed they contained a liquid, “Are you wearing a potion?”

Perfidia gave her a miserable look. “Yes, it’s a love potion and I’ve worn it since the day Jon showed up at the Solstice fair.”

“What?”

“I’ve worn it on my wrist since that day to make sure he saw me in a better light than Gloria.”

“But you know he didn’t like Gloria in that way; he told you they were just friends.”

“What I know, is that my bracelet worked, and he even said he loved me.”

“He said he loved you because he does and he drank your honesty tea too. Oh Perfidia, you have to take that off and trust his feelings are real.”

“What if I can’t trust that? What if he doesn’t love me?”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that but, you should worry about how he’ll feel knowing you tried to manipulate him.”

“I can’t tell him that.”

“Perfidia, there’s only one way to know how he feels; you have to take off the bracelet and meet him in a house devoid of magic, and tell him the truth.”

“I can’t tell him what I’ve done; I’m afraid…he won’t understand.”

Martha wanted to reassure her he would but she had no way of knowing how Jon would take this extreme level of her mistrust.

“All you can do is be honest with him,” Martha told her and patted her arm.

“Are you sure there’s no other way?”

“I think you know there isn’t.”