Page 119 of Hexed Up

“You have to drink all of it,” Damien commands. “Every last drop.”

“All of it? Is that completely necessary?”

“Probably not,” I say as Damien says, “absolutely!”

Horatio’s gaze flicks between me and my best friend. “Which is it?”

I sigh. “It’s probably best to drink all of it.”

“Okay then.” Horatio squares his shoulders and sits up a little straighter in the armchair. “Here goes nothing.”

He tips the glass back.

For the next few moments, we watch as he glugs the red liquid down his throat.

Glug, glug, glug.

Until every last drop has slid down his gullet. Then he slams the glass down on the coffee table and swipes his hand across his mouth.

We’re all silent. Even McGruff, who’s raised his head from his paws and is peering up at the man sitting beside him.

After several minutes, I ask, “Did it work?”

Horatio stares at me and simply shrugs.

“Hmmm,” Damien says, leaning against the kitchen counter and tapping a sharp claw against his chin. “There was no smoke billowing from his ears.”

“Smoke billowing from my ears?” Horatio snaps, then frowns at me. “You said there were no side effects.”

“That hardly counts as a side effect,” I point out.

“Yeah, but it didn’t happen,” Damien muses.

“Maybe it just hasn’t happenedyet,” I suggest.

We both stare at Horatio, watching his ears for any sign of smoke.

Several more minutes pass.

“We must have done something wrong,” I say, wringing my hands together. “I must have mis-measured one of the ingredients, or simmered it for too long, or–”

“No,” Damien says, scowling across the room at Horatio, who is now squirming in the armchair. “It was a perfect potion.”

“Then why hasn’t it worked?” I exclaim in frustration, ready to stomp across the kitchen and throw my potion, my cauldron, and all my equipment straight out of the window. I thought I was good at this. I thought I had one talent, at least. Now I’m seriously doubting all my abilities.

“Yes, why hasn’t it worked?” Damien asks pointedly.

“Ahhhhh,” Horatio says.

“Ahhhhh?” I repeat.

“Ahhhhh,” Damien growls, his eyes flashing at my next-door neighbour who squirms even more.

“Why do I feel like I’m missing something?” I say, swinging my gaze between the human and the demon.

“There’s no reason this antidote wouldn’t have worked,” Damien says, “unless …”

“Unless?” I repeat.