Page 131 of House of Malice
“Yeah, yeah,” Val said and rolled her eyes. “Well, let’s proceed. Shall we?”
Galia gave a curt nod.
“You have the permission to enter, right?” Val asked. “Or is it only temporary?”
“I can enter whenever I please,” Galia said. “The study is another matter.”
Val nodded. She looked at Jolene.
“Right,” Jolene said, fishing inside her tote. She glanced at Galia. “Thank you for getting the Dean’s saliva for this, Galia.”
Galia nodded.
“Do I even want to ask?” Andro asked.
Jolene shook her head. She pulled out the leather roll-up case and unfolded it. There lay a row of thin vials with bright purple liquid inside.
Alecto scrunched her nose. That looked anything but appetizing.
“They taste like bubble gum,” Jolene said, holding out the case for them to collect the vials.
Alecto took hers and rolled it between her fingers. The liquid appeared thick, and she was not looking forward to having to swallow that.
“I’ve swallowed worse,” Andro said with a sigh, looking at his own vial up close.
Alecto snorted and burst into laughter.
“So have you, sister,” Andro said with a sideways glance.
Jolene laughed, then pretended to cough when she noticed Val’s gaze.
“Walk us through the effects, Jolene,” she said.
“Yes, so once you drink the potion, it will take around five minutes for it to start working,” Jolene explained. “We will know it is working once our appearance changes into the Dean’s.”
“I can’t wait to look like him,” Blaze said.
“We will have five minutes before the spell wears off,” Jolene said.
“Five minutes?” Alecto asked. “That’s not enough!”
“It will have to be enough,” Val said. “This is the best Jolene could come up with. The spell alters our DNA, and if it stays altered for too long, then it might not turn back. We couldn’t risk it.”
“Yeah, a more experienced witch might be able to,” Jolene said and bit her lip. “But I couldn’t.”
Alecto nodded.
“Once the potion is working, we will enter the house and follow Galia towards the study,” Val said, looking at each of them. “This should also allow us to enter the study. There we will take the paintings and carry them outside, then back them inside the carriage. Quick and simple. Got it?”
“Got it,” they all said in unison.
“Let’s fucking go then,” Val said.
She uncorked her vial and poured it inside her mouth. Alecto did the same, but she had a problem swallowing the thick overly sweet liquid that did taste like bubble gum from the mortal world.
Why Jolene would choose such taste was beyond Alecto.
Once they took their potions, they stood and waited. After some time had passed, Andro gasped, pointing at Blaze.
