Page 23 of The Witches Catalogue of Wanderlust Essentials (Natural Magic #2)

Last Word Lozenges

I found these travel sweets in a London Confectionary shop, on a narrow street that I’m convinced doesn’t exist on any map. One of those establishments that only appears after a wrong turn, or a moment of deep existential doubt. The proprietor was dressed in a crisp waistcoat, his eyes magnified by thick spectacles. As I walked in, he was mid-argument with a patron about the moral superiority of sarsaparilla vs root beer.

With remarkable calm, he slipped a glistening lozenge onto his tongue... and spoke.

One sentence. Perfectly timed, devastatingly precise. His opponent nodded, bowed slightly, and left the shop in silence.

The bespoke tin contains twelve licorice-laced pastilles rolled in a fine sugar that shimmers. Anise, honey, and spearmint melt on the tongue, unlocking rhetorical prowess the likes of which Cicero could only dream of.

I’ve used them to end dinner debates, close contracts, and once, accidentally, to win an argument with a pit boss about the best barbecuing technique.

Beware: They only work when you’re telling the truth. Fabrication results in an alarming fizz and a mild coughing fit.