I decided to just blurt it out, like ripping off a bandage. “Well, it turns out I’m not really a wizard. I just got a certain amount of magic, and it’s running out.”

I held my breath, waiting for her reaction, but she just nodded and said, “Hmmm.”

I babbled on to fill what felt like an awkward silence. “Owen ran some tests, and it turns out that’s why it’s been a struggle for me. I haven’t had as much power to work with. I guess I burned through too much of it in the early stages, and I may have overdone the practicing, so now it’s going to run out sooner or later. They want me to stop using magic entirely so I’ll have it if a situation comes up where I really need it.”

“That would be prudent. And I think this is why I got that feeling I needed to come here. I had no fear that you’d use it the wrong way like your idiot brother did. You have good people teaching you. But having magic and not using it, saving your resources for a rainy day, that I can help you with.”

She got up from the sofa and ambled toward the kitchen, muttering to herself. I followed. “I don’t know what ingredients the boy keeps around the house. Other than the books, you’d never know a wizard lived here. But I’ll bet he can get them at work, or Merlin’ll know where to find them. I was traveling light, so I didn’t bring anything with me, and I wasn’t going to trust your mother with that sort of thing when I had her send me some clothes.”

She reached the kitchen, where she dug around in the cabinets, clicking her tongue in disapproval. “No, I’ll have to give him a list to fetch me from work, or I’ll have to go to the market next time it’s open.”

“Granny, what are you doing?” I finally asked when I could get a word in edgewise.

“Why, making you a potion, of course. I know some things that’ll help restore your strength, give you a little more energy. It won’t stop the decline, but it should slow it.”

“But why bother?” I said wearily, leaning against the edge of the countertop. “Why drag this out? I’m pretty much useless as a wizard. I may as well go back to normal. I’m good at that.”

She whirled on me and shook a finger in my face. “Now, how do you know you didn’t get this gift for some purpose, hm? The good Lord knows what He’s doing and has a plan, and that plan bestowed magical powers on you. For all you know, it’s just in time to do something no one else could do, so you’d best be ready to make the most of it, whenever that comes. You are not useless. I don’t know what got into your head to make you think that about yourself. It’s probably your mother’s fault.”

“But I—” I started to protest.

She waved me off. “Oh, I know what you think, that you’re so boring and ordinary that no one would notice you. Well, whose fault is that? And it has nothing to do with how much lipstick you wear, contrary to what that silly daughter of mine tells you. I know that no boring, ordinary girl could have caught that boy’s eye the way you did. He’s no dummy, and he’s certainly not boring. I suggest you start seeing yourself the way he sees you and work on being the best you instead of worrying about what you’re not. At the moment, you’re a wizard with enough resources to make a difference when the time comes. Now, go cut yourself another slice of cake while I make out a shopping list.”

Chastened, I sat at the tiny kitchen table and cut a slab of chocolate cake. Granny’s lecture had cheered me up, but I couldn’t help but worry about what might happen that would require my limited magical powers.

Chapter Four

Perdita wasn’t there the next morning, and my call to her went straight to voice mail again, so I sent Rod an e-mail about it. Did she have a change of heart about siding with the wizards or did something happen to her because of her association with us?

It was difficult to focus on work when I was so worried, but I still jumped, startled, when someone knocked on the frame of my office door. I looked up to see a young man with slightly shaggy blondish-brown hair. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you, but your assistant isn’t here, and that’s why I’m here. I’m from Security. We’re investigating the employee disappearances.”

I knew that there were non-gargoyles in the security team, but I hadn’t worked with any of them. This guy looked vaguely familiar, and then I recognized him as the bicycle messenger who’d been part of the attempted sting the other night. “Oh, yes, come in and have a seat,” I said. “I’d offer you coffee, but that’s something my assistant has to do for me.”