I wasn’t going to agree to a plan without hearing it first. So, I did the next best thing and agreed not to run away. For now.

Avalon said, “If you don’t mind, I’d like to put myself together before talking more.”

“Of course,” I said. I mean, it’s awkward enough talking about paranormal subjects, but doing it in your pajamas with a man in a second-hand suit. Well, anything to make the situation more comfortable was a step in the right direction.

She walked away before I saw a hidden meaning in her words.

I asked Igraine, “Did she say –”

“She wasn’t being literal. She’s all put together in that sense.”

“Well, that makes one of us.”

That got a laugh out of Igraine. The smile gathered the energy to push through the barrier and found itself in familiar territory.

The pipes whined for a moment when Avalon started the shower, which drowned out the soft whistle from the tea-kettle. The water boiled over and sizzled on the stove’s surface.

“Oh shit!” Igraine said as she moved into the kitchen. Her rushed walk was more sliding than stepping.

She switched the kettle to a different burner and then pulled down a mug from a cabinet. “There’s enough for two cups. Can I make you some?”

“I’m a coffee drinker.”

“Help yourself.” She pointed to a series of contraptions that under different circumstances I might suspect to have been stolen lab equipment.

I approached the breakfast bar and sat down on a stool.

“That’s a little sophisticated for my tastes.”

“Suit yourself,” she said as she started maneuvering the equipment.

“Hey, do you know how all this works?” I asked when she had her back to me. It’s easier to ask questions if the person answering doesn’t have the chance to read your body posture.

“I didn’t when I first moved in, but Avalon got me up to speed. And now I might have a future as a barista.”

“I meant about the magic.”

She stopped fidgeting with the coffee contraption, but she still didn’t face me.

“Well, to be honest, it’s the same answer. Avalon brought me up to speed, but I see a better path forward in serving coffee than I do with sorcery.”

“She told you how to cast a spell?” I was being deliberately generic. I wasn’t sure if she knew there was more than one kind of magic. Dark magic was especially dangerous to the spell caster.

“No. Mostly that anyone can, and that part of the process is agreeing to some unknown obligation.”

“That’s pretty much how dark magic works.” I didn’t allude to the part about the other component. Most people are unable to figure it out on their own.

I asked a new question. “She tell you anything about how she knows so much about what she has to do in advance?”

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Why do you ask?”

“You said it yourself. The obligation is unknown. All the people I’ve met who’ve cast a spell and fulfilled their obligation didn’t know until the moment they were fulfilling it.”

She moved on to the next machine. This was becoming a very effective way of avoiding eye contact. It didn’t seem like she was going to answer my question.

But then she turned around and said, “I have a theory.”

“Oh?”

A mechanical thunk came from the bathroom where Avalon turned off the shower.

“I’ve pieced bits of conversations together, and I think it’s like the magic or whatever it is that puts her back together gives her some reminder. Don’t forget you are indebted. And in the process tells her a little about what she’ll need to do.”

“I could see that making sense. Someone dies with an unfulfilled obligation, the spell undoes that, which has got to be upsetting to the deceased—”

“You have no idea.”

“—and leaves a reminder. This is the reason you’re still alive. Don’t die.”

“But what happens when you can’t stop dying?”

“The spell leaves behind more and more information?”

“That’s my theory.”

“You got a pen? I want to write this down.”

“Aren’t you supposed to know this stuff?”

“Always something new to learn.”

She handed me a pen and a pad of paper that I don’t think had ever been used. Its primary purpose was to serve as a decoration, but I found it functional enough for my needs. It was better than a bar napkin and had more space too. Which was good, because the ideas started pouring out while the coffee contraption whirled and whizzed.

Despite the fact Avalon knew more about her price than anyone I’d ever met, her knowledge lacked details. She didn’t know where she would be delivering the child to, or who the criminals were. Or where they would go after the child was delivered. The plan also assumed that her obligation would be truly fulfilled and further assumed that I would not be taking on an obligation myself by interfering.

I moved that last point to the top of the list.

Avalon suspected that her hand off to the criminals was not where the child would be held. They would move him and that is where she thought we could disrupt the crime without interfering with her obligation.

This led me to the understanding that I was going to have to witness the abduction. Which meant I needed to shadow Avalon starting immediately. Had I known about this last night, I would have tried to get more sleep.

Criminals. Would they have weapons? I don’t own a gun or know how to handle one. Most of my work is with ghosts and spirits. Plenty of ghosts would like to shoot someone, but none of them actually do. Even if they did, it’s not like shooting back at them would have any effect.

I moved the weapons question up to the top of the list.

I looked over my mess of scribbles that had to pass for notes in the moment. I was ready to fill in the gaps, and I assumed we would be spending the day planning and trying to coax out any more details Avalon might have.

But Avalon had other plans it seemed, as she walked out dressed for work. She wore a slim black skirt, an amber collared blouse, and the same turquoise necklace as she wore yesterday. She then pulled on a soft V-neck black sweater and re-positioned the necklace.

Igraine served a travel mug full of coffee.

“Are you heading to the museum?” I asked.

“I am.”

“I’ll give you a lift.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“It kind of is, since I need to keep an eye on you.”

She took a sip from her travel mug.

“We don’t need to worry about today. It’s all going down tomorrow.”

“So you say, but what if things change?”

“No, I need… Everyone needs you to be on top of things tomorrow.”

“I know, so let’s spend today planning.”

“How much sleep did you get last night?”

None. But I didn’t say it. I didn’t say anything. The sarcasm engine was out of fuel. I stood there like a dope.

“Look,” continued Avalon, “get some rest—”

Igraine interjected, “And take a shower.”

“—then you and Igraine can talk details while I’m at work.”

“But I don’t know the details,” Igraine objected as Avalon walked to the door.

“Then, have a conversation.”

I responded, “Conversations aren’t my thing.”

“Well, that probably makes two of us.” Igraine’s quip came faster than I expected, and I suspected this was a hint of who Igraine had been before this ordeal.

Avalon headed out the door and before closing it said, “I’m sure you two will figure it out.”

The apartment was so silent I could hear Avalon’s steps as she walked down the stairs in the hallway.

Igraine spoke first, “You know, I’m surprised you aren’t a natural conversationalist. The reason Avalon was late last night was because you two were out talking.”

“That was probably the first extended conversation I’ve had in over a decade.”

“A decade?! What makes you so terrible at conversations?”

“Usually the other person.”