“I knew you’d eventually be here with this request.” Tabitha smiled, standing over an altar that hadn’t been there last time.

The living room was dark, with flickering candles, petals, a strange scent, and a silver bowl on a stand covered in a velvet curtain draping down.

I walked forward to see what she was doing standing over it, sniffing the aroma steaming out of it.

“You’re already preparing it?” I asked, letting go of Brax’s hand and giving a little sniff of my own. The cinnamon and thyme were strong. Then lavender. It didn’t seem so scary.

“Of course. This takes two days to put together, but you are...