chapter 78

Jonah takes us to a back office that leads to another back office that opens up to a storage room with a very scary catwalk staircase up to the second floor. I’m pretty sure we’re about to be murdered when Jonah ushers us up it and through a beaded curtain, into a room lit up with black light.

The floor is painted black, with sigils and symbols in glowing phosphorescent colors. There are beanbag chairs scattered around the perimeter of the room, and an impressively tall hookah in one corner. Shelves hold jars of herbs and dirt and murky liquids I want nothing to do with.

“So, where do we…” I look around. Clearly the bean bags are one disgusting option, judging from the very unflattering smears and spatters the black lights are revealing.

Jonah’s teeth glow comically blue in the light. “Hey, that’s up to you. Just not on the worktable.”

He’s talking about the huge workbench tucked into an l-shaped corner. He opens a laptop and types something in.

“No spell books? Dusty scrolls?” Nathan