Page 66 of That Mafioso Magic
“Good.”
I was quiet, just listening to the music blaring from Jewel’s cell phone through the speakers until we pulled up in front of the Spells and Spirits Emporium, its official title. I climbed out, Jewel at my side as we entered. I saw Olga at the counter, making a sale to a customer with spikey red hair. Olga, the owner, was middle aged, fifty-three, with some gray hair mixed in with her black. She was still a looker; you could tell she had the boys lined up when she was younger. Now, she was dealing with men. She kept herself up well, that was all I was saying. I waited until the customer left, because I didn’t want to speak legit business in front of someone who may or may not be a magic practitioner.
Once the customer left, I walked over to Olga. “How is my favorite sexy grandmother?”
She laughed. “Better than ever and I’ve got to pick up my grandbabies in an hour, so you need to make it quick. I’m closing early.”
I nodded. “Right, then. I’ll get to the point. I need some items. I need anamethyst stone, an emerald eye, something called the Fishel, Wolf’s Scent, and the Light of the Devine,” I rattled off. “And this other thing called The Deareth Calsme.”
“Damn, Adrian. Boy, you’re not asking for the cheap shit. You better hope I got half of that in stock. I know for a fact that I don’t have the Deareth Calsme or the Wolf’s Scent.”
“What is that, anyway? I mean, the translation?”
“It means the Calm of Death and it’s probably something you’ll only find on the black market,” Olga said. “Same with that Wolf’s Scent.”
“They’re that rare?”
“They’re that serious. What kind of spell you working that even requires something like that?”
I took a deep breath. “I am hoping to restore a soul after a demon spirit possession.”
Olga barked out a laugh. “Boy, we both—” she stopped what she was going to say, then leaned forward, peering at me across the counter. “My god… what happened to you?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I… I knew something was different about you. You… you have more power. I can feel it emanating off of you in waves. How?” she asked, her mouth slightly agape in awe.
Knowing the history of my people the book revealed, I didn’t want to tell Olga what had happened or who Sage was. Best to keep that truth close to the vest, as they say. I shrugged. “I woke up feeling like I could absorb more magic. I don’t know if it’s enough to perform the spell I’m talking about, but I want to give it a try. I owe it to this little girl.”
“Is this the same girl you were looking for before?” Olga asked. “I heard that she was missing after her parents were brutally murdered.”
I nodded. “I found her, but I was too late to stop the possession. I didn’t know it then, and I wish that I had. I hate that this demonic spirit killed her and her entire family. I need to find this thing, send it back to hell from where it came and give this girl her life back. So, can you please help me out with the ingredients you do have?”
Olga was still giving me the side eye and I was sure she wanted to ask me more questions about how my power had increased. I was hoping that being pressed for time would curb her curiosity. She cleared her throat, then stepped around the counter and started walking toward the back where she kept the real magic shit.
“And do you know of a website on the dark web to find those items?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Not something I deal in. Too dangerous. If you don’t get it off the deepweb, past the dark, you’ll have to kill yourself one of those griezels,” she said as she opened the door.
I followed behind her. “Kill a griezel? Why?”
She began looking over her inventory, taking things off the shelves here and there. The only item I recognized was the emerald eye, which was not really an emerald, but a gem that resembled a cat’s eye. The other items I was asking for were all going to be my first-time use.
She huffed. “That item is known as the heart of a griezel. You’ll need to kill a griezel, then take its heart for that spell. Rare indeed. If I were you, I’d give up on trying to restore that poor child’s soul. Not unless you have a shit ton of money to get it off the black market or a willingness to kill a griezel and maybe incite a war.”
Neither option was appealing, but the black market was far more feasible, but only with Sage’s money. I wondered if he’d be willing? “What about Wolf’s Scent?”
“Another thing that will cost you a mint or get you killed trying to get. It’s the ash of a dead werewolf. Used for powerful location spells. Now you see why I don’t keep any of that in my shop. As for the other stuff you’re looking for—the safer shit, you’re in luck, it’s my last bottle of Fishel,” she said, plucking the rose shaped bottle off the shelf.
“What does that mean and what is it anyway?” I asked.
“Rose tears. It’s basically magical liquid, you’ll see. That is, if you know what you’re doing.” She walked past me. “Come on, follow me.” She led me out of the backroom and back to the register where she placed the items on the counter. “I can’t put these on your tab, so please tell me you have the money. I probably should have asked you that before I went back there getting everything.”
I rolled my eyes. “I have a case and I’m going to pay my tab.”
“Praise the spirits!” Olga threw her hands up dramatically as if giving praise in church.
“Very funny,” I chuckled, then turned to Jewel, who had the funds.
