Willow

I receive a letter from Rainer asking for help about a spell or potion that could make someone appear dead without actually killing them. This is beyond my level of magical expertise, so I take the matter to my niece. Ivy has a nearly encyclopedic knowledge for spells and potions. When I tell her what we’ll need, she quickly comes up with an answer.

“There’s a potion for that,” Ivy explains. “It slows down your heart rate and places your body in a deep magical sleep.”

“Great,” I reply. “Do you know how to make this potion?”

“I’ve brewed the potion once before. It’s a complicated potion, and I’ll...