“You don’t get it yet?” He sat up, slapping my assisting hand away. “I’m the only one to cleanse a house because I’m the only one who survived long enough to do it. And I barely escaped alive. This is not a fight you’re going to win, Andromeda.”

“I have to.” My words felt desperate. I knelt to attach his leg so he wouldn’t see my eyes tear up. “I can’t abandon the people I care about.”

He shoved me away with his leg as soon as I’d gotten it attached. “Go on, then. Get yourself killed.”

I pressed my lips together to keep them from trembling. “That includes you, you know. Do you know how much medical help we could get you with—”

“Stop,” he snapped, holding up his hand. “Just … stop.”

His voice had drifted from anger to something more melancholy, and it tightened my throat.

We were quiet for a minute.

“You’re going to go no matter what I say.”

I nodded. “I have to.”

“You don’t have to.” He leaned over and opened the drawer beside him. “Do you need money?”

I shook my head, a small ache in my heart. It suddenly occurred to me … he wasn’t going to come with me. My entire plan hinged on his cooperation.

Instead of money he took out an amulet. The silver was a little thicker than normal, and wrapped mostly with black and red thread, with a few bursts of gold. I’d never seen that amulet before—wait. Yes, I had. It was the new one I’d made, with added attributes. I could almost feel the power echo through it as it moved on the chain. If that couldn’t keep away the Evil Eye, I don’t know what could.

Although, part of me was annoyed that he’d made me struggle through making my own when he was just going to fix it for me, anyway.

“You save all the good techniques for yourself,” I said, smirking.

“Don’t be ungrateful” was all he said. I took it from him and hung it over my neck. “This is good-bye.”

“Come with me.”

“I can’t.” He shook his head, giving me a sad smile. “And I can’t function under optimism and hope the way you do. This is good-bye, Andi. I don’t expect to see you again.”

“Will you at least take me?” I asked. “If this really is good-bye?”

“Take you on what?” Jember scraped his hand through his beard with a heavy sigh. “It would go against all sane judgment, going near that house.” A heavy knock and his name made us both look at the door. His mentee was back—I’d forgotten about him, honestly, but it occurred to me only then that he’d been gone for hours. Hopefully he had the ten slabs of salt, if he knew what was good for him.