After the witch had disappeared, Emma dropped back on the door, a bit flushed and confused. No matter how she tried to overlook it, she couldn’t shake off the fact that something was not right with the meeting with Zipfarah. The latter seemed a bit off, even if she still had that glow and calm composure around her. And she had been in a hurry too.

Perhaps the stilling time act had zapped her of energy. She thought, jerking away from the door quickly when she heard a sharp knock on the door.

“Emma, are you there? I’m coming inside at the count of….” Shane was saying, when she rolled...