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“I’d guess you’ll turn purple overall from head to toe,” Dewey said.

“Why? Why am I turning purple?”

Dewey rubbed his chin. “Well, I think it’s the medication I created. Likely the Witchlock bark.”

“How long will it last?”

“I don’t know,” Dewey said with a shrug. “I’ve never done this before. I couldn’t say.”

Paige shook her head as she stared down at her ever-more-purple hands. “Unbelievable. First, you make me pass out, then you get me high, then you turn me into a puddle, and now this. I’m purple. You’ve turned me purple.”

“We’re improving.”

“Says who?” Paige barked, stamping a foot on the floor.

“It’s not that bad. Probably no one will even notice. And with your red hair, it’s kind of nice.”

Paige narrowed her eyes at him. “Is it? Is it kind of nice? Really? My bright-purple skin really sets off my red hair, huh?”

“It does. I mean, the contrast is…” Dewey waved a paw in the air as he searched for a word.

“Garish. Garish is the word you’re looking for. It’s hideous. I cannot go out like this. We’ll have to wait until this wears off.”

Dewey pulled his lips back into a wince. “The thing is, this may not wear off as quickly as you’d like.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? How long, Dewey?”

“Well, I looked up properties of Witchlock bark, and there’s nothing definitive, but it could range anywhere from a few days to six months.”

Paige’s eyes widened, and her jaw dropped open. “Six months?”

“Let’s hope not. But the point is, this is likely going to last longer than we have to find the wand and all its accessories. So, like it or not, you’re going to have to dig deep and just put on a brave, purple face and head out into the world.”

Paige’s features twisted into an angry mask. After a moment of silent fuming, she flung her hands into the air. “Fine. I guess we’ll head to the mines and hope no one else is there.”

Dewey bobbed his head up and down. “Think of it this way. You still look way better than any of the Shrieking Pixies we may run into on this trek.”

Paige pushed past him into the hall, emerging in the cabin and grabbing her coat. “Right. I’ll keep in mind that my cartoonish features still are nicer than that of a Shrieking Pixie.”

Dewey nodded as he tossed the RP into her bag. “Exactly. Okay, let’s go. Ronnie emailed and said there should be a car waiting for us, and I’ve got the address here for the mines. They’re abandoned now, so we should be in luck.”

Dewey wrapped his scarf around his neck before he hopped into the carrier. “Come on, Paige. No time to lose.”

Paige slogged across the space, a frown still etched into her violet skin. “I cannot believe I have to go out looking like this.”

“Ohhh, you could pretend it’s a costume. Like a disguise.”

Paige hefted the carrier onto her shoulder with a disgusted sigh. “A disguise? Disguises are meant to hide you, not draw more attention to you.”

“It could work to your advantage. People may think you’re some kind of hybrid creature with strange and unknown powers.”

Paige descended the stairs, pulling her coat tighter around her as she hurried toward the lone car sitting in the parking lot. “What kind of creatures have purple skin?”

“Keys should be under the front driver’s side wheel well,” Dewey said. “As far as creatures with purple skin, all kinds. Banshees often appear with a purplish glow. Purple elves. Some forms of ghosts. Some Valkyries, water mariliths, horned liches, some forms of–“

“Okay, okay, I get it. Great,” Paige said, jabbing at the button of the key fob she’d retrieved. “I look like a banshee.”

She slid behind the wheel and dumped Dewey’s carrier onto the passenger seat, flinging her tote into the back seat.