A Witch's Guide to Business

Explosive News

(This is the episode in the correct order)

Padma

After my visit to Mistress Idal, I went straight home, in a foul mood. The rain had ceased, leaving the streets of downtown transformed into makeshift rivers, yet the aftermath was somehow purifying, the city left clean and shimmering. To avoid the morning's experience, I took a slight detour and took the hillside funicular. Then, I crossed the park at the top and descended towards my street, the breeze carrying the scent of dozens of meals wafting from the verandas.

Not only I had to devise a stratagem to wrestle the tellion from Amit, but I also faced the conundrum of reclaiming Rahul Iskander's seal. I needed a robust cup of tea and a good night's sleep. Prathiba greeted me at the door, looking as long-faced as one can be.

“Pray, is something wrong, Prathiba?”

“Um, yes, Mistress. Um... the creature has made its return.”

Silk and blood.

“Very Well.”

"And, Mistress, was there an order for a marquetry writing desk?”

“A writing desk? Not at all, why?”

She gestured towards a crate in a corner of the entrance. “It was delivered this afternoon. A mistake, no doubt. I shall contact the company so they can come back and pick it up tomorrow.”

"Indeed. And Prathiba, would you be so kind as to serve tea on the terrace? With haste, if you please."

Jihane was waiting for me there, full of her usual zest. The gremlin was perched on the balustrade, relishing a mango.

“You see? Zebedee is back! And in great shape! Maybe he'll let me study his colony for my end-of-the-year project?”

“Wonderful, darling,” I managed to utter. Prathiba arrived with the tea tray.

“Here, do you like lemon cakes, Zebedee?” said Jihane.

She took one and offered it to him. To my great surprise, the creature zoomed into the air as if it were the most disgusting thing imaginable. It stopped three feet from the edge of the roof, its wings beating the damp air, its snout turned towards the garden.

“Well then! I had no idea you hated them that much! Want to try an almond tile?” Jihane called.

I reached for the orangeade, lamenting my oversight in not securing a gremlin-proofing talisman. Two shadows slid across the porch floor. I glanced up. Two other gremlins, much larger. Before I had time to react, all three dove at my daughter, grabbed her, and whisked her off into the air. I screamed, vaulted over the balustrade, and rushed after them through the mud and puddles of the garden. Prathiba's footsteps echoed my own in a frantic cadence down the staircase.

Reaching the edge of the garden, the three creatures abruptly dropped Jihane in front of the row of banana trees and fled. She was too shocked to say a word. I drew near, panting. Suddenly, a deafening explosion sounded behind me, and a blast of air hurled me into the middle of a puddle. I saw Jihane's eyes widen in horror. I half-raised myself and turned my head. The house, MY house, was nothing but a smoldering pile of ruins with debris falling all around on the lawn.

We remained frozen, each in our place, for several minutes. My brain was stunned. Then it started to work at full speed again. How could my house have exploded in the middle of this genteel neighborhood?