Recalling their chat about the veiled witch, Nidra inclined a slow nod. “The mysterious one who always wears a veil and supposedly can magic anything, no matter how difficult.”

Aislinn beamed. “She sounds promising.”

Although she would have preferred to stay and visit Shiri, Nidra felt obliged to accompany her blind neighbor. “Then I shall take you.”

After Nidra hugged and said goodbye to Shiri, Nidra led Aislinn to the veiled witch’s shop through the rainy streets.

Once they opened the weathered, red door and entered the empty shop, Nidra shook her head at the strong incense, dim lighting, and odd objects on the walls. Clearly the veiled witch cultivated her mysterious reputation.

The glass beads over the rear door tinkling, the veiled witch glided into the room. “How may I help you…” Her exotically lined eyes flicking between Nidra and Aislinn, she paused then added, “…two?”

Nidra cocked a disdainful brow. “I don’t require help, although my companion does.”

Aislinn tapped her cane on the floor and offered a tentative smile. “I would like a spell to cure my blindness.”

A sigh fluttered the mysterious witch’s black veil. “Of course you do.” She glanced at Nidra. “And what is your role?”

Nidra shrugged. “Not much. Aislinn is my neighbor, and she came to my witch shop for assistance, but I have nothing that cures blindness.”

“Not surprising.” Bracelets and tiny bells jingling, the veiled witch flicked her fingers. “Enchanted apples and the like are rarely used to perform strong magical feats.”

As Nidra tensed at the other witch’s condescension, Aislinn interjected, “Please, madame witch, tell me if you can help me.”

The veiled witch sighed and sank into the chair behind the wooden table. “I can, but—” She fixed a stern stare on Aislinn. “Magic demands a steep price, so people often have difficulty deciding if their desire is worth the price they’ll pay for it.”

Aware magic drew power from the witch, the recipient, or a magical source to enact the spell, Nidra winced. The larger the spell, the larger the price—so the price for sight would be steep indeed.

Nevertheless, Aislinn leaned forward and blurted, “I am willing to pay whatever necessary to see. I must escape my gilded cage.”

The veiled witch inclined her head. “As you wish.” Once Aislinn handed her a pouch of coins, the veiled witch glanced at Nidra. “Could you gather samples from Aislinn while I collect the other spell ingredients?”

Nidra nodded and approached the blind young woman.

Her fingers clenched about her cane, Aislinn quavered, “What samples?”

Nidra extracted a small vial and knife from the pouch at her waist. “Just some hair, blood, and tears, I think.”

Aislinn swallowed and drew a tremulous breath. “Very well.”

Nidra sliced a tiny golden lock from Aislinn’s hair and dropped it into the first vial. She swiftly pricked the young woman’s finger and held the bleeding finger over the second vial until it was half full. Nidra pressed a third vial against Aislinn’s cheek. “Think about something sad.”

After a moment, Aislinn’s blue-gray eyes overflowed, and Nidra captured the blind woman’s tears in the third vial. She placed the vials on the wooden table and arched her brows at the veiled witch. “Anything else?”