Dead Is Not an Option by Marlene Perez Page B

work?"
    She opened to the page I had indicated and read quickly. She ran a finger down the page. "I have everything I need for the antiaging spell," she said. "But I think we need one more ingredient to break the enchantment."
    "What are we going to do?" I asked.
    "Let me make a call," she said.
    She had a brief conversation with somebody and then hung up.
    "Anyone hungry?" Slim asked. "I can make some snacks. Darling, what is appropriate to serve at a de-enchantment?"
    Natalie chuckled. "Nachos, I think."
    Slim went into the kitchen to whip up something to eat while the rest of us waited. An elderly couple who had been finishing their meal paid their bill and left.
    Finally, there was a knock at the door and Natalie answered it. I couldn't see who was on the other side of the door, but Natalie came back carrying a small jar full of a pungent liquid.
    "What is that horrid smell?" Sam asked.
    "The bitterness of unrequited love," Natalie said. "I need just a drop."
    "Any more and it'd be a ready-made stink bomb," Sam said.
    "Are you ready?" Natalie asked me.
    I nodded, but my stomach did a nervous little dance, and I prayed that I wouldn't be sick.
    "Positive thoughts," Natalie reminded me. "Place the dress and the pen in the circle."
    I did what she asked and then stepped back. "Now what?"
    "Now I do my thing," she said. "First I'll embed the spell that will preserve Balthazar and Lily at the ages they were when they were first enchanted. Then, when I'm sure it's taken, I'll try to break the original spell."
    The first thing she did was head to the kitchen to forage for ingredients. She came back with strawberries and honey. She pulled a long glass bottle out of her bag and added the strawberries and honey to the liquid. She shook it vigorously, took a sip, and then said, "Perfect."
    She said a couple of words and then sprinkled a bit of the liquid in the air. It dissolved immediately but left a tantalizing fragrance.
    "What was that in the bottle?" I asked.
    "Yearning," she said.
    Then Natalie got out an old pottery bowl that was decorated with moons and stars, carefully poured a dry green powder into it, and added a drop of tears.
    There was a little puff of smoke when the ingredients combined, and then nothing.
    "Did it work?" Sam leaned in to get a look.
    "I don't think so," Natalie said. "I don't think we have the right items."
    "Don't be sorry," I said. "Thanks for trying."
    "Maybe I did something wrong," Natalie said. "Or maybe there's something missing."
    Sam could tell I was disappointed and gave me a hug. "We'll figure it out."
    "I think I managed to conceal the antiaging spell, so if Circe ever does change her mind about releasing them, she won't know that I added a little something," Natalie said.
    "I'm sure this is the pen that Circe was talking about, but I'm not sure what item she used that belonged to Lily."
    "I think it will work if you can figure out the other item," she said. She reached down and scratched Balthazar's nose. "What are you going to do with this little guy in the meantime?"
    "I don't know," I admitted. "I don't really want to give him back to Circe."
    "We can keep him at our place," she offered.
    "What about your cat?" I asked. Natalie's familiar had never seemed that friendly to me, but cats seldom were.
    "Oh, Fluffy loves company," she said.
    A huge plate of nachos floated to the table, which meant my boss was back.
    "Consolation nachos," Slim said.
    Natalie reached over and snatched a chip. "I'm famished," she said.
    "She's starving after she works her craft," Slim said.
    "All magic has its price," Natalie said.
    "What should we do about the pen?" I asked. "I don't think Circe knows I have it, but I don't want her to get her hands on it again."
    "You can lock it in the safe in the office," Slim said.
    "Do you think it will be safe there?" I asked.
    "I'll make sure of it," Natalie said. "I'll add a little something so only the three of us can unlock it."
    We trooped back to the office, and I