Bits of dust clung to Darcy's skirt as she motioned her broom to sweep the floor. There were two chairs, one empty, another with a little boy who had turned green.

"Okay," Darcy said finally, straightening up and making the broom hover in the air next to air. "So what was it that happened again?"

"Umm," said the boy's sister.

Darcy knew this was not good, normally she liked to see people get sick and stuff, but now was not the time to get framed for poisoned products if someone found out.

"He ate some of my homework sample potion from school which is not supposed to be eaten but he ate it anyway…any we bought some stuff on the shelf because I thought it would work," she began uncertainly, biting her lip. "But it didn't, and he started throwing up these ground worms."

Darcy put her hands out and a glow of purple light wrapped around the boy. A copy of him sitting in an identical chair appeared in front of her.

"Hm, it looks like you've bought one of the antidotes to serious curses," she said. "But you should have asked before buying, the label says it all." Just like Icy, she wondered what people did instead of reading labels. "But that's not the problem. I can supply you with…" She waved, and a red and white bottle appeared. The color darkened to brown, and she continued, "a bottle of poison—"

"Poison?" the girl asked, horrified.

"Let me finish," started Darcy, exasperated. "It's a bottle of poison absorbing filling medicine. It works miraculously for almost all poisons, including that sample of yours."

"Thank you," the girl said, holding out a handful of coins and leading the sick boy to the door. "Er—"

"Just don't tell anyone, we wouldn't want secrets to escape these doors, would we?" Darcy opened the door, her face hidden in shadow.

"No," the girl promised. She closed the door behind her, and Darcy flipped over the sign. Then she marched over to the counter, packed her bag and vanished.

When she reappeared at Cloudtower's front doors, she brushed off her clothes and turned back into her normal look. Then she walked up the stairs to her room, where Icy was sitting on her bed, hand dipped in a bucket of iced water. Her face had a smug expression, odd for someone with a burnt wrist. Stormy was leaning over her bed, reading her book of tragedy intently.

"What's wrong with you?" Darcy demanded, placing her bag on her bed and unzipping it.

"Oh, nothing except for the fact my arms have been coated with red rings," Icy started off sarcastically, her voice bringing to an edge. "The thing is still spreading!"

"I told you, there's nothing I can do, but you can change your attitude and be nice for a change." Darcy replied, and then suddenly realized what she had said.

"Darcy?" Icy asked in disbelief. "You want me to be nice? What is wrong with you! When I had a job, at least I wasn't pleading others to be nice!"

Darcy's cheeks reddened, and then she said, "Just giving you facts on the coin. You asked how to stop it."

Suddenly, Icy's face returned to her calm expression. "Oh yes, Darcy, I almost forgot. Be sure to leave early tomorrow, you don't want to miss work," she said. "Or we wouldn't want you to stop carrying out Valtor's instructions."

At this, Stormy looked up. Darcy shrugged and walked out.

"Whoa, Icy, what is up with you?" Stormy demanded. "Aren't you supposed to be on Darcy's side?"

"Yes, except for the fact she sometimes needs to learn what she's responsible for." Icy pulled her red arm from the bucket. It dripped on the carpet. She made a few snowflakes drop into the water, turning it colder before she dipped it back.

"What are you talking about?" Stormy was puzzled.

"Stormy, you need to know that sometimes, it's necessary to betray someone, especially when it's needed. Haven't you learned that in our first year here?" Icy closed her eyes, biting back her pain and flow of bitter words.

"Of course I have!"

"Okay then, give me one reason Darcy needs to keep her shop a secret. I mean, if it's such a success, then why shouldn't Valtor know about it? After all, his favorite witch is excelling at something other than what he already-"

"Icy, I don't think this is a good idea…" Stormy interrupted.

"Stormy, listen. The point is that Darcy has gone too far. It's a matter of time before you have a serious injury as well, and-" Icy took a deep gulp of air. "She won't be the one in the spotlight anymore."

A look of understanding slowly approached Stormy's face and she smiled cruelly. "Now I get it," she said. "So, what are we supposed to do again?"

"First off, like I said, Valtor needs to know. And with a shop of cunning ingredients, someone's bound to have an accident."

"So you want us to get poison to one of her customers after letting Valtor know." Stormy began.

"Yes. Stormy, you are not allowed to tell anyone what we have discussed." Icy finished.

"Why would I?" Stormy said in a defiant voice.

"Because, lately, you've been a bit- untrustworthy." Icy shrugged as though this was not important.

"But that's what witches are supposed to be."