Ildri was pulled from her darkening thoughts by the scraping of chairs as everyone stood up. Maxine was talking. "Thank you, Mister Notte. I really do value your insight."

"You know that it is always my pleasure, Miss Maxine. I will head out now, though. I have a few more stops before I return to Viersen."

Mister Notte looked towards Ildri. "And it was good to meet you, Miss Ildri."

"And you," she agreed shakily.

"Sir Allan."

"Notte."

Mister Notte made his way towards the door and Maxine followed him. He left with a jaunty wave of his hat, and was soon out of sight.

"I'm off to make sure we have no unwanted visitors," Allan said as he made his way towards the main road.

"Shall we return to work?" Maxine asked with a very large and unnatural smile.

"Yes," Ildri agreed. "Right after we talk."

Maxine's smile dissolved. "I can't say I'm surprised."

"Ty is the son of your duke?" Ildri said without preamble.

"Well, I suppose the cat is out of the bag. I suppose he can't be angry at me for telling you now. He's the youngest of three sons, Kent, Richard and Tyson. And they have one younger sister, Eleanor," Maxine explained. "As you no doubt heard, Kent is now the current duke after the death of their father."

"And did Ty—Tyson have something to do with his death?"

"He did nothing wrong. But I'll leave that for him to tell you."

"He's most likely dead by now, Maxine."

Maxine shrugged, "True, but I believe he still lives. It's not the first time everyone thought him dead."

"I guess it doesn't matter anyway. I'm just a servant anyway."

Maxine smiled. "You're not just a servant. You're also a witch now, too."

"That's so much better."

"Notoriety is nothing to sneer at. It's like beauty, it can harm you or it can be used to your advantage. A double edged sword, like any power."

Ildri shrugged. Maxine smiled. "Do you think me vain, Ildri?"

"No."

"Yet I improve my appearance in subtle ways using magic, and I live off the vanity of others who must keep their hollow shells sparkling because they believe they have nothing else to offer."

Ildri had no idea where Maxine was going so she simply listened.

"But those who are clever can learn to use it to influence events for the good.

Ildri nodded. Maxine was being strangely serious.

"Why do you think that I agreed to teach you?" Maxine asked.

"I don't know."

"Do you know what I see when I look at you, Ildri?"

"I don't know that either."

"I see a young woman who appears to be very ordinary. Because you are pretty, but not beautiful, you have not been allowed to believe that all that matters is your pretty face. You are not exceptionally intelligent, but you have passion and persistence which goes hand in hand. You have no control over your power, but it allowed you to learn humility instead of arrogance. You can be kind and can dream of better things, and there is no value that can be placed on that. There is so much potential in you, Ildri, and the slightest polish might bring it forth. I can see that you will become a force to be reckoned with when you finally understand that."

It was such a nice thought, but Ildri could not see it. "I don't know if I am any of those things, really."

"I think so. And so does Ty, I know."

Ildri did not want to talk about it anymore. "Thank you, but maybe I should get back to work."

* * * * *

Ildri continued working and expanding what she could do. It was not long before she could not only make smoke juice, but potions to enhance beauty and to reduce the appearance of aging which turned out to be only simpler versions of disguise spells, which she learned next. She also learned a potion to return one to one's normal appearance.

Over the course of weeks Ildri helped Maxine make potions for clients and continued working through the recipes. She learned to make potions of incineration in only one try and shielding and blindness potions over the course of a couple of days. There was a disgusting potion involving fingernail clippings or hair and twisted cluster stink beans which produced ink that only the intended person could read. Ildri herself figured out how to draw out the flavours in foods after several disastrous failed attempts.

One of Ildri's favorite potions was called tievine potion. It was a complicated solution made of sixteen ingredients and then the seed of a grape was dropped into clay vials and shut firmly against light. When the vial was smashed and the solution hit the light, vines would grow up and around whatever was struck in a matter of seconds. Ildri really wanted to test it on Allan as revenge for the bottles and jars. It took great will power not to throw one at him just to see what he would do.

It was a quiet afternoon two and a half months after Ildri had left Wildwood. Ildri was attempting to make the incredibly complicated true disguise potion which would change not only the appearance of the subject but also the texture and voice. It was extremely useful and extremely difficult. Maxine told Ildri not to be surprised if it did not work as after years of experience even Maxine had trouble getting it right.

"Don't try it before I see it, Ildri. Come and fetch me when you're done," Maxine had said before she went out to find Allan.

Ildri had noticed that Maxine was spending evermore of her time with the soldier. Ildri did not mind, and she supposed that she understood. When Ildri left, Allan would go with her. Their time was drawing to an end, it appeared. Ildri could not help but feel that she knew what they were going through. Allan had his duty and Ildri could not imagine Maxine ever leaving her home.

Ildri shrugged. There was nothing that she could do about it. She continued making the true disguise potion. It took her hours to mix the thirty-one ingredients in the correct order and draw magic at thirteen different steps during the process. Other than using magic it was exactly like cooking a fussy meal.

Ildri reached the final step of boiling and cooling the entire potion hours later. The sun had long since sunk past the horizon and Ildri was getting tired, but the potion could not wait, it would be ruined. She sat and leaned her head on the counter while she waited. Her eyes were getting tire

And steam was rising up from the liquid. Ildri jumped to her feet, and took the heavy pot off the fire. She carried it to the counter and set it down to cool. It would probably be fine to let it cool over night so that she could go to bed. She would go and ask Maxine.

Ildri turned to go, and the back of her elbow clipped the edge of a low shelf. She spun around in time to watch in horror as a container teetered and tipped its contents into her meticulously brewed complicated potion.

She could not stop the inhuman shriek that rushed from her throat. "No!!!"

Ildri stood and stared as her previously blue potion turned a deep, shocking purple.

"Oh no."

The door to the workshop burst open. "Ildri! Are you alright?" Maxine asked as she rushed inside in her nightdress with three rabbits on her heels.

"I was—"

"What happened? Was there an attack? My sirens—" Allan asked curtly as he rushed into the room. He was only half dressed and had his sword drawn. Ildri's first, ridiculous thought was that she was surprised at how muscular he was for his age, although she supposed that she should not be because he was a soldier.

Maxine's half smile told the story in itself. "It seems there has been a potion accident, nothing more."

"I thought there would at least be a fire," he commented.

Ildri was feeling increasingly embarrassed by the second. "Sorry," she muttered.

"I'm going back to bed," Allan announced and then added in a dry tone, "I was worried that my spells weren't working due to some witchly interference, but I see the only witchly interference is with my good night's sleep."

"Let's see what you've done," Maxine said as she looked at the potion. "It should be blue."

"It was blue. Until I knocked in something else."

Maxine shrugged. Rebecca and Elizabeth hopped from the workshop, apparently convinced that there was nothing else to be done. "I can see why you were frustrated. I can't say for sure now, but you probably were on the right track. Too late now. Maybe it'll be good for something else."

"Isn't trying an unknown potion dangerous?" Ildri asked carefully.

"Oh, certainly. But there's a way around it. I suppose I have another potion to show you," Maxine said as she dug around in a wooden chest. "Oh, here it is. This is a tester potion," she said, setting it on the table. Ildri looked at the fluid. It looked exactly like water.

Maxine poured some of the clear fluid into a small white dish. "Now take just the slightest bit of your potion and blow on it to cool it off—that's it. Now go ahead and drop it into the tester.

Ildri dropped in a few pink drops and they disappeared into the colourless tester. It still looked as clear as pure water. "It just takes a few moments, if something is going to happen."

Suddenly the liquid turned an opaque shade of brilliant turquoise. "Wonderful. This means there is a magical effect and it's not harmful and it's not permanent."

"This colour means that?" Ildri repeated.

"It's simple, really. If nothing happens then there is no magic. Potions that turn red can kill something. Purple means that it possesses a harmful effect. Blue means that it is not a harmful although it may or may not be beneficial. Of course then you don't know what exactly the potion might kill or how it would do it. It might kill weeds in your garden or head lice or it might kill you if you get a drop on your skin. Better to stay away from the reds."

"But this is sort of greenish."

"Pure yellow means that the effect is permanent and irreversible. The trick with yellow is you never know if it is something you would want to be permanent. You should stay away from yellow, too. Orange means that the negative effects are will wear off with time. Green means that the beneficial effect is not permanent but will last for a while."

"So if it turns blue green then it only lasts for a short time?"

"Exactly. So your potion has a non-harmful temporary effect. Go on, try it."

"You're certain?" Ildri really did not want to.

"Of course. Most of the greatest discoveries are made by accident. This could be a really amazing charm."

Ildri took a deep breath and ladled another bit of the potion out of the pot. She blew on it until it was cool and lifted it to her mouth. Vibrant purple was possibly the most unappetizing colour she had ever seen.

Ildri put the spoon in her mouth and swallowed hard. It tasted...muddy.

Ildri felt a tingle through her. "What did it do? Anything." Her voice sounded oddly hoarse.

Maxine's eyes were wide. "Well, this certainly is an accidental discovery. What did you accidentally add?"

"I don't know."

Maxine picked up the bottle. "Baby's breath. How odd."

"What happened?" Ildri demanded. "Something's wrong, isn't it?" Ildri craned her head around looking for something shiny in which to see her reflection.

Maxine smiled, almost amused. "Nothing fatal, I assure you."

"What is it, Maxine?" Ildri demanded.

"You look like yourself...you just look a little...masculine."

Ildri stared at her. "You're joking."

"No, I'm not. But don't worry. The effect will wear off."

"I can't look like a man."

"You do. And you sound like one too. How extraordinary. I've never known a disguise potion to change one so thoroughly. They always just modify what the person already looks like, although your hair and eyes are the same colour as before. See, Ildri, I thought you'd do great things. I wonder..." Maxine continued talking but Ildri was not listening. She held her hand up in front of her. Her hand was larger and rougher and had hair covering it. Her body felt hard instead of soft. Her face had light stubble suddenly sprouting. Ugh!

"This has been the worst night ever."

Maxine so energized was apparently not listening to Ildri either. "I wonder if it works for men, too. And what would happen if it was combined with a different sort of disguise potion. Just think, Ildri! You could make yourself look like an old man! This is so exciting!"

Ildri shook her head. "Yes, just wonderful. How long will this last?"

Maxine did not seem concerned. "Oh, a couple of days, weeks at most. Come here, Abigail," she said to the rabbit who had remained.

Abigail hopped over. "Will you try some of this, sweetie?"

Abigail sniffed the spoon and licked the potion.

"Don't worry," Maxine said before Ildri could say anything. "She likes being wrapped in magic and it certainly won't hurt her. At worst nothing will happen, and I think that might be the case."

"She looks the same," Ildri said, although she did not know if male rabbits had different facial features than female rabbits. Maybe they were bigger?

Maxine shrugged. Abigail hopped out of the workshop and towards the house. "No worries, few potions work on different creatures and almost never the same way. "Since we are awake already, I think it is the perfect time to teach you something new, Ildri," Maxine said cheerfully. Ildri decided not to argue.