Falling for Fangs

“This one,” Tilly pointed at the cauldron, no longer bubbling, as though he were being intentionally obtuse.

“But…” Chloe looked helpless. “It’s got, like, melted plastic in it. And limestone. And watch parts! Won’t I get sick?”

“No, no,” Tilly seemed confident. “The physical ingredients are long gone. All that’s left is their essence, their intention. Transfigured into something new. I mean, it probably won’t taste great, but it’s quite safe to drink.”

Maxwell felt just as dubious as Chloe looked but didn’t say anything as Tilly, jubilant in her success, pulled two glass vials from her bag and filled each one from the cauldron. The liquid was a dark, murky orange, and Maxwell thought it smelled like wax and phosphorus.

“Bottoms up!” Tilly said, handing Maxwell and Chloe each a vial. “Come on, don’t look at me like that. All that work will have been for nothing if you don’t drink it. I mean, do you want poisonous spines? I can give you poisonous spines!”

“I really don’t,” Chloe screwed up her face. “Sorry. I just don’t usually drink things that smell like this. But I’m grateful.”

“We’ll do it together,” Maxwell said, and he raised his vial in an ironic toast. “Cheers!”

Chloe clinked her vial against his, and then they both downed it in a gulp.

It did taste horrible. Worse than it smelled, and that was quite an achievement. As soon as he had gulped down the last drop, Maxwell felt like he would be violently sick. He wanted to drop to the ground and clutch his stomach but kept upright for Chloe’s sake.

“Urgh,” Chloe made a disgusted face, clutching her stomach. “That’s horrible!”

“Sorry,” Tilly scrunched up her face apologetically. “But it should hit you in just a moment.”

“What should hit—” Maxwell began, and then he felt a sudden surge under his skin like electricity. He coughed, and a cloud of red sparks erupted from his mouth.

Chloe was coughing too and looked horrified at the sparks emerging from her own mouth. She thumped her chest until every last spark expelled itself.

“Now it’s done,” Tilly said, squinting at them with half-closed eyes. “I can see it in your auras. No more Hedgehog Hex.”

“You feel okay, Chloe?” Jesse was at her elbow.

“Yeah,” Chloe stood up straighter. “I think so. Kind of like I might throw up, but okay. Are you alright?” She was looking at Maxwell with huge eyes.

“Fine and dandy,” Maxwell said, flashing her a smile. He did feel better, despite the horrible experience of coughing up sparks. It was worse than that time he had tried to learn the old magician’s trick of swallowing – and regurgitating – lit matches.

“Hell yes!” Jesse punched a fist into the air. “You’re officially uncursed, Chlo!” He slapped her on the back. “Let’s go out and celebrate. Three Bears?”

“I thought you wanted to help me finish off,” Tilly said, and she shot Maxwell a meaningful look. “Cleansing the instruments, grounding the energies. You said you were interested, remember?”

“Yeah, I guess…” Jesse looked at Chloe. “Don’t you want to celebrate, though?”

“Let’s leave these two to celebrate,” Tilly said, looking pleased with herself. “You can help me with the ritual cleansing.”

“Sounds good,” Maxwell said before Jesse could protest. “Alright with you, Chloe?”

“I’m definitely in the mood to celebrate,” Chloe said, and her eyes were fixed on Maxwell’s like Jesse and Tilly didn’t even exist.

“Then let’s get out of here.”