Page 81 of Witchbane

She was right. Grandmama never wasted time saying things just for the sake of it, or to make someone feel better if she didn’t believe it. A lump formed in my throat, and for a moment I thought I might cry. I swallowed.

‘Thank you. We are running out of time. We must end this dreadful man’s hold over us once and for all.’

She patted my hand and let it go. ‘It’s true. As much as I love you both, us paying each other compliments, however true, won’t sort this ghastly fellow out.’ She exhaled sharply. ‘We must decide exactly what ingredients we need for these two spells, because they have to be strong and, above all, correct. There’s no room for error here.’

‘We don’t even know if we’ll get a chance to cast it on him,’ my aunt said, sounding a little deflated.

Not wanting her to lose faith in what we planned to do, I quickly reassured her. ‘We’ll find a way. We all know he wants me arrested, and if not me, then he’ll be happy to have you to himself for a bit.’ I grimaced at her and made her wince. ‘Sorry, but it is true.’

‘I know. The thought makes me feel unwell.’

‘We must prepare, confident not only that this will work, but that we will find the opportunity to cast the spells over him,’ I continued, clenching my fists in determination. ‘We’ll decide now what we need to use for both, then I’ll go to Appoline de la Mare’s home and go through our stocks that she’s been hiding for us in her outhouse. I’ll bring the necessary ingredients back here for us to create the spells.’

My aunt took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. ‘That sounds like a good plan, Rue, although I think to be safe, and also to help you carry everything, we should send Jem with you.’

I wasn’t sure if I was happy with this. Jem had been distant for a few days for some reason. I supposed I must have upset him but couldn’t think how. I thought of Theo racing to the house to warn us about the raid. Could Jem have seen him and blame me for drawing Theo to the estate?

‘Rue?’ My aunt nudged me. ‘Did you hear me?’

‘Sorry, I was thinking.’

She peered at me. ‘Save that for when you have little else to occupy your mind. Right now, we need to discuss the spells.’

I made notes as the other two chattered and gave instructions. I knew what spells could help but wasn’t sure what ingredients they would consider most powerful.

As they spoke I tried to visualise us carrying out the spells. It wasn’t going to be easy, especially with such a strong adversary as the Witchfinder. Then it came to me how we could cast one of them.

‘I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before,’ I said unable to hide my excitement. ‘Why don’t we use the powder we’re left with after the spell and throw it over him?’ I waited for them to mull over my suggestion.

‘It will mean that we know our spell has physically touched him.’ Grandmama smiled. ‘I think that’s a clever idea, don’t you, Sorrel?’

‘You’re learning fast,’ she said, looking impressed.

Delighted with their approval, I waited to hear what ingredients we needed to make the powder.

My grandmother gave it some thought. ‘We’ll certainly need rue,’ she said, a twinkle in her eyes as she proposed the herb I had been named after. ‘Lemon, of course, and wormwood.’

‘What about basil?’ my aunt suggested. ‘But I can’t think what else.’

I could hear her frustration.

‘If only we had our spell books to hand,’ Aunt Sorrel said, rising from the table. ‘I’m sure I have one written down that would be perfect.’

I was surprised to hear she had been parted from it. ‘Did you leave that with Appoline as well?’

She looked downcast. ‘No.’

I wasn’t sure what the problem could be then.

‘It’s buried in one of the fields,’ she explained. ‘I asked Pierre to do it for me when we heard that the Witchfinder’s assistant would be back with men to ransack the place.’

They had hardly done that, I mused, but I didn’t want to challenge her if this was how she remembered it.

‘If you tell me where it is I can go and fetch it while you both decide what else we need.’

She gave me a satisfied nod. ‘Yes. Go and find Pierre,’ she instructed. ‘Ask him to show you where he buried it, dig it up and bring it straight to me.’

I pulled on my shawl while they discussed other ingredients, such as calendula to increase the strength of protection in the spell and angelica root to banish evil.