Nathan regarded him for a moment with icy contempt. He softened a bit as he took the book from him. "These spells are far too advanced for a beginner. There's no way you'll pull it off."

"What about you?" Cyrus demanded. "You own that shop downstairs. Do you mean to tell me you don't know any… hocus-pokery ?"

I snorted, despite the tension in the air. Both men glared at me.

Nathan shook his head. "I don't actually practice witchcraft. I'm only in the New Age business to take advantage of the rampant consumerism."

I looked at the book in Nathan's hands as though it were a deadly viper. "Well, what could it hurt? I mean, we've looked through it. She has all sorts of things we could try."

"Hexes, counterhexes, invisibility spells." Cyrus rattled off the list. "That last isn't a bad idea. I know she had one."

"Invisibility spells are rarely literal,," Nathan protested.

"Often, they're just to help keep a low profile."

Cyrus stepped forward and took the book back, flipping pages with a frown. "Ah!" He jabbed his finger at the top of one page and held it up so we could see "Invisibility Spell (Literally)" scribbled across the top.

There was a long moment where no one spoke. I have no doubt we were all considering the implications. It would take a lot of nerve to try and sneak into a witch's house cloaked by an invisibility spell, if it even worked. It would be dangerous.

Of course, no more dangerous than what I'd already done. "I'll do it." .

They looked at me as if I'd suggested I would make the Statue of Liberty disappear.

"How?" Nathan folded his arms across his chest as if daring me to prove him wrong. "Do you even know the basics of spell work?"

"No," I reluctantly admitted. "But I did participate in the ritual to get you back from the scary side. And I used to play that light-as-a-feather game at slumber parties."

Nathan actually smiled a little at that. "I quiver in fear."

"From what I understand, our options are fairly limited. We can either charge in, guns blazing, so to speak, or try and sneak in to gather the information and then go rescue your friends." Cyrus tapped the book. "I think we should try the one where my father doesn't kill us all, and we have a chance to save their lives as well."

Nathan watched us, his expression tight. "What about me?"

"What about you?" Cyrus asked offhandedly.

He rolled his eyes. "I have a blood tie to your father, you stupid bastard! He'll know we're coming!"

"There's no need for name calling," I interrupted. "You've closed him off for years. He won't suspect anything."

"That's not true," Cyrus said quietly. "Nathan's absolutely right."

I turned to Cyrus. "So, it's just you and me, then?"

"The hell it is!" Nathan roared. "I'm not letting you go in there with him!"