Part 30 (2/2)
”Immediately,” Dorcas said. ”That pen-to-dust and contract-shriveling magic is the last that will ever work in your presence.”
Anica let out a breath. Magic had always been there as a helper, a special friend and a secret ability that made her feel confident and alive. Now it was gone, banished from her life. She wouldn't even have the joy of watching others do it.
Painful as that prospect was, she could think about it, though, and even imagine how she'd deal with the loss. Jasper was another matter. She didn't dare think about him, and she had no idea how she'd face losing him.
No, that was wrong. She knew exactly how she'd deal with losing Jasper forever. She'd concentrate on an image of him happy and healthy, enjoying his human form for the rest of his life. She'd picture the grat.i.tude he'd feel and how precious his days would be for him now that he could live them fully as a man.
She turned to Dorcas. ”How about that gla.s.s of wine?”
”By all means. I would like to raise a gla.s.s and toast you. Not everyone would have done what you have.”
”Not everyone's lucky enough to love a man like Jasper Steven Danes.”
Walking back into the restaurant felt weird as h.e.l.l, but Jasper thought it was fitting that the whole thing would end here. He suggested to Ambrose that they sit in the bar at a small two-person booth.
”You seem familiar with this place,” Ambrose said as he took off his coat and sat down.
”This is where I brought Anica on our date Monday night, when she ran into my ex-girlfriend, Sheila. After that, the date was completely FUBAR.” Thinking of that, Jasper took a quick inventory of the restaurant. He hadn't really expected to see Sheila, but he was relieved to know that she wasn't here tonight.
”FUBAR?” Ambrose frowned.
”f.u.c.ked Up Beyond All Recognition.”
”Oh. I like that. FUBAR. I've had a few of those situations myself.”
”Me, I'm ready for life to get a little less FUBAR.” Jasper signaled a waitress, who came, took their order and left quickly.
”I'm hoping you can help me get my life back on track,” Jasper continued. ”And poor Anica. I know she really misses her magic, and I really miss . . .” He paused to think, and soon he began to chuckle.
”What's so funny?”
”You know what, Ambrose? Other than wanting to be a guy twenty-four/seven, I don't miss much about my former life. I'm wondering if I want to continue chasing market trends for the rest of my days. I'm thinking I might get into fund-raising. There's a lot that needs fixing in the world, and maybe I can pry people away from their money so we can get some of those things fixed.”
”It's a worthy goal.”
”So, in order to lift this spell, what's my task? Reverse the direction of the Nile? Repair the hole in the ozone layer? Bring about world peace?”
Ambrose smiled. ”A sense of humor is good in situations like this.” Ambrose reached into his small briefcase and pulled out an official-looking contract. ”Why don't you look this over while we wait for our drinks? There's a place for your signature on the sixth page.”
Jasper didn't get past the first paragraph. ”I can't sign this.”
”Why not?”
”You know perfectly well why not. It bans Anica from ever using magic again. It even says she'll have a negative effect on the magic of others.”
Ambrose shrugged. ”That doesn't seem like such a horrible thing compared to what you'll gain from this doc.u.ment. Sometimes the end justifies the means.”
The old cliche ran through Jasper's brain as if he'd grabbed hold of a live electrical wire. That had been his justification for lying to a potential girlfriend. Would the man he'd been a week ago have taken this deal? He hoped to h.e.l.l not, but he couldn't say that for sure.
”Sorry, Ambrose. I'm not signing this. It would be like sucking the lifeblood out of that woman.” He tossed the paper back to Ambrose. ”Show me something that allows Anica to get her magic back and I'll sign that.”
The waitress brought their beers and a bowl of peanuts. Jasper handed her his credit card because he had no cash. He'd been hoping to remedy that today. Now he was wondering if he needed to stop by an ATM on the way back to the apartment, because at this rate, no telling what tomorrow would bring.
Ambrose waited until the waitress had left. ”Here's the situation. Either Anica gets her magic back or you get to be a man again. Your fate became intertwined with hers the minute she placed that spell on you.”
A vise tightened around Jasper's chest. ”That can't be right. Good deeds were supposed to take care of everything, and once I became a man again, she'd get her magic back.”
”Dorcas and I thought so, too. But then we started digging deeper, found a more detailed explanation of the ramifications of this spell, and apparently the good deeds can only get you twelve hours. The other twelve require that she sacrifice her magic.”
Jasper stood and grabbed his coat. ”G.o.ddammit, is that what Dorcas is telling her? Because I know what she'll do. She'll give it up to save me. I can't have it, Ambrose. I can't let her do that.” He started to leave.
”Wait.” Ambrose grabbed his arm.
Jasper wondered if there was a penalty for brus.h.i.+ng off a wizard. ”I don't have time to wait.”
”You could sign this instead.” Ambrose brought out a different contract.
Slowly, Jasper resumed his seat. ”Give me the Cliffs-Notes version. I need to get back to that apartment and make sure she doesn't sign away her magic.”
”This says that you agree to live your life as a man for twelve hours and a cat for the other twelve. If you agree to that, it signifies that you've accepted your new role, embraced it, even, and you bear her no ill will. She'll get her magic back.”
”Good G.o.d.” Jasper buried his face in his hands. He didn't really have to think about this. He knew what he was going to do. He just had to give himself a moment to adjust. Adjust. Was that even possible? Voices were screaming in his head, reminding him of all he was giving up.
Maybe if he took the first deal Ambrose had offered, he could make it up to her for losing her magic. He'd be fully functioning again. They could have a life together with all the good stuff-kids, house, pets.
And every d.a.m.n day he'd know that he'd bought all that at her expense, robbed her of her birthright. She would never have pulled out her wand if he hadn't been acting like a s.h.i.+t. He'd goaded her into putting the spell on him, and she shouldn't have to pay for that. He would.
And oh, how he would pay. He'd struggle with the half-cat, half-man thing, but he could do it. That wasn't the toughest part of this deal. What made him ache was knowing that he would give up Anica. If he couldn't be a fully functioning partner, then he wouldn't allow himself to be with her, simple as that. He would spend the rest of his life grieving that loss.
It was settled, then. He would sign the second contract, and Anica would have her magic back. He looked at Ambrose. ”Got a pen?”
”Yes.” Ambrose pulled a black quill out of the briefcase. ”Use this.”
Jasper took it. ”But it's a feather.”
”It'll write.”
”Whatever.” Jasper scribbled his name with the pointed end of the feather, and ink flowed for some strange reason.
”Date it.”
He did, and at that moment the feather disintegrated in his hand, turning to a dusty pile on the table. Then the contract shriveled and went away, too. Jasper didn't get it but didn't really care that he didn't get it. The waitress returned with his credit slip and card. He signed it, pocketed the card and stood. ”Get the h.e.l.l back to that apartment, Ambrose. Make sure Anica doesn't sign anything giving up her magic.”
”I'll hurry.” Ambrose stood, too.
Jasper hesitated. He longed to give Ambrose a message to take back to Anica, something to let her know how much he loved her. But all that could do was make things worse for both of them. The grief he'd been keeping at bay began clawing at him, threatening to tear him apart.
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