Page 42 of Midlife Demigod Unexpected

“You weren’t even around when we were doing the blood sacrifice in the crypt,” Chloe said with a laugh. “That was charming. It’s what led to me becoming a vampire.”

Hilda laid a spell book out across the counter. “So, this spell to nullify the Pendant of Time requires a red feather from a Costa Rican scarlet parrot and some leaves from two different trees up in Quebec.”

“You’re kidding me?” Chloe said. “Quebec?”

“I’ll take the rainforest,” I said. I knew exactly what was in Quebec. “Crown Academy. That’s what you’ve got.” I raised an eyebrow at Chloe.

“Crown Academy?” Chloe asked. “Isn’t that where all the Fae kids go?”

“It’s been open to witch kids now too for about thirty years or so,” I said. “It used to be the height of coolness to get on the list to go to the Crown Academy. I’d once had hopes of maybe getting in, but since I never had any magic powers, it didn’t happen quite like that, did it?”

“OK, so I’m going to Crown Academy. What kind of leaves do I need?” Chloe asked Hilda.

“Leaves from the silver and gold trees that line the courtyard. Bring those back safe, sealed, clean, all the good stuff.” Hilda explained, handing Chloe a cloth bag, undoubtedly, to collect the leaves in.

“Where am I going in Costa Rica?” I asked.

“Well, here’s the thing. Neither of you are going alone. Chloe you’re taking Trina, and I’m going with you.” She nodded at me.

“I don’t think taking you and Trina with us is such a good idea,” I said.

“I don’t think there’s any way around it,” my mom countered. “You two don’t know how to teleport. You’re going to need the energy of another witch. You can’t do it alone. We don’t have a lot of time. So, we need to make this work as quickly as possible.”

“Of course,” I said with a deep intake of breath. Lives were at stake here and we couldn’t let another minute go to waste.

Before I knew it was happening, my mom had grabbed my wrist and raised her hand to circle the air above us. It created a spiraling series of lights that descended slowly over us, blocking out everything in the room. When the lights disappeared, we were deep in the jungle in some foreign country.

“Costa Rica?” I asked. “I’ve never seen plants like this in the US.”

“Yes,” Mom said. “I researched it. The scarlet parrots fly at sunset along the ridge.” She pointed to a ridge that was encrusted with verdant jungle.

“Maybe it would be better if Chloe had come on this one. She can fly,” I said. “How do you even catch a scarlet parrot?”

“First we have to see them,” Hilda said. “And then we’ll have a better idea what to do.” With that she resolutely turned on her heel and started walking up the slope.

“How do you know where you’re going?” I asked.

“I’m looking for a lookout point,” she said.

“What is a better lookout point than a tree?” I asked.

“I know you’re in your forties, but I’m in my seventies. I don’t feel like climbing up a tree today, thank you very much,” my mother said with rare snark.

“I’m saying we could be hiking for miles before we can see anything.” I mentioned.

I was wrong, though.

We stepped out of the woods and into a clearing on the side of a hill. We had a hundred-and-eighty-degree view of the forest from there, and a stellar perspective of the Pacific Ocean down below.

“Perfectly sunset,” my mother said, looking to the horizon. “They should appear over there.” She pointed to a random spot in the distance.

“This should be one of those spectacular moments in life where I’m about to watch Scarlet parrots fly,” I said, “but instead of being excited I’m trying to figure out how to get a feather off of a flying bird so I can save my friends from a crazed demigod, and the world from a zombie apocalypse.”

“You can always come back another time,” Hilda said.

“Okay, but how are we going to get the feathers?” I asked. “The feathers are attached to birds. I think the birds want to keep their feathers.”

“When you explain the urgency of the situation, I’m sure the birds will donate a feather to the cause,” my mom said with a shrug. “I don’t see why they wouldn’t. It would be so rude of them to not.”

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