she gave me the potion to drink.”
“Afterward, Eliza showed up, insisting Sarah help Cedric, and then
complained about how horrible it was to be my mother.” I blinked back the tears
I didn't plan to shed. “Then, when she’d gone, you showed up, Gram, and talked
with Sarah.”
“Before all of that, my mom wrote in her journal,” Cole interrupted,
correcting me.
“You’re right.” I smirked. “Then, Cole woke up and begged for a cupcake.
Cole and Sarah laughing together was the last thing I saw.”
“I must have woken you up too early,” Cole said. “After I ate the cupcake,
she gave me a plastic dolphin named Bay. I think she did that in case any memories came back. Is that correct, Mae?”
“That is exactly what she did,” Gram confirmed. She looked amused as she
smoothed her apron. “We did the same thing for Mara with the dolls. I didn't want to take a chance on anything. Everything had to be explainable as nothing
more than a vivid imagination.”
“Um, Gram, Mara and I have been thinking. We’re both concerned the spell
you’re planning to use on Elliott might not be useful anymore since he had the
cylinder.” Cole handed her the journal after opening it to the truth spell. “We found this, and we both think it will work.”
Gram accepted it and began to read to herself. After a few minutes, she energetically commented, “This is what we need. The other spell would have
only told us if the person was not Elliott. This will not only confirm his identity
but give us clues to anything he is potentially hiding. Good instincts. Both of you
have made me proud.”
Soaking in Gram's praise, Cole looked around and asked, “Where is Elliott?”
“He went to check on the animals. Then, I asked him to take care of some things in Chester's woodshop for me,” Gram explained. “He should be gone for a
while. Why don't we gather up the supplies for this spell and prepare it? We can
try it after dinner.”
When we had gathered up the items, Cole said, “I'll go find Elliott and try to
keep him busy.”
Gram stopped him, taking his hand. “Cole, we need all of us for this. You’re
just as important as we are.” Redirecting her attention towards me, she added,
“Mara, go get a mortar and pestle for each of us from the cupboard on the patio.”
As I went to get the items, Cole called after me, “Don't bring one for me. I
packed one of my mom's along with the bottles of herbs.”
When I came back, the table was already set up with bottles and candles.
Cole stood across from Gram, and I took the spot to the left of her. Handing my
grandmother the mortar and pestle I had collected, she gave me a bottle, labeled
Dragon's Blood Resin, and one white candle. Cole held the bottle of agrimony flowers and a candle.
“Let's, each of us, prepare our candles. Remember to have an open heart and
listen to it for direction.” Gram poured a generous amount of the juniper needles
into her bowl and began to grind the brown sticks into smaller pieces.
With a look of hesitation, Cole held the bottle tightly. Then, after carefully removing the cork, he began to pour the yellow petals into the blue granite bowl
