''Helped who along Zelda? You know as well as I do that love potions are forbidden and highly dangerous. Zelda answer me right now for who did you brew?''
Zelda wasn't fessing up to who she'd helped unknowingly. Melusine honestly didn't need to know who. It was done and already happening. It couldn't be changed or stopped.
Wiping her hands on her apron, proud of herself.
Zelda's helping along was always a disaster awaiting to happen.
''What's the matter with you? We do not cast, and we do not toy with people's lives and especially their love lives. Especially mortals. Do you understand? This is not a game.''
Gulping at Melusine, biting her lip. ''I just wanted to make Mir happy.''
Mir. Mir their goddaughter and niece. Happy. What had Zelda done now?
Melusine breathed through her nostrils, there was time when Zelda had been so helpful and thoughtful about Mir that she floated both Mir and her first husband to the townhouse ceiling when they'd just found out they were having twins. Floating up off the ground with elation.
Melusine was grateful it hadn't happened during the ultrasound at Lenox Hospital that would have been hard to clean up after.
How exactly would she have explained it to Miranda's obstetrician? Oh Hello Doctor don't mind the walking on air parents to be.
The James mortal didn't realize, handsome though dense but Miranda had.
Nothing got by Miranda. Especially suddenly floating. Melusine watched over Mir even letting her tie herself to two such dreadful drippy mortals. The James one and the Stephen.
Pacing her bakery in irritation at her little sister, pinching her nose bridge in frustration. Taking the eleven cupcakes for sale to destroy them. Didn't need more suitors for Mir popping up randomly. Because if this was made with any love potion they would find Miranda or be in agony if not.
''Zelda, you will fix it right now.''
Melusine flipped open her cookbook. ''Which one did you use?''
Melusine expected the recipe for devotion or worse smitten and adulation or unbridled lovesick fervor perhaps lust and amatory.
Tapping her foot at Zelda, who gingerly pointed to it with a shaking finger.
Melusine looked down at the page, her jaw dropped and eyes agog. Read it to herself. The Amas Veritas.
Amas Veritas was like all of those wrapped in one. Very powerful and rarely used.
Grabbed Zelda.
''This is irreversible. Do you have any idea what can happen. Mortals and love potions don't mix and mingle well.''
Zelda shrugged unconcerned. ''It'll work out. I doubled it. Besides any spell has to run its course.'' Trailing off at narrowing eyes.
Melusine had to go and see Miranda and explain even if she hadn't spoken to either of them since she was sixteen and had turned her back on both of her guardians and on magic and never wanted to see both of them again.
Moved away to New York. On her own.
''Just leave everything to me Zelda, I will go and see Mir.''
''Mel let me come along. Please. I won't do any magic. I promise. I'll be normal.'' Zelda practically begged. Besides Mir always liked her more.
Sure she'd seen her last night but Mir didn't know it was her and that she could turn into a cat.
Zelda had been at The Priestly window many evenings. Watching over the three Priestly's on a sill. That St. Bernard could chat her ear off.
Patricia was quite the gossip. The stories that canine told her about Stephen. Tomlinson was a vile mortal, yelling at Mir.
Upsetting her.
If Melusine hadn't stopped her from interfering, Stephen would be a jarred missing husband. Or a much more terrible fate, Zelda's penpals, a pair of warty toothless hags in the Outer Hebrides that hadn't seen a man in centuries one drop of love potion in his morning coffee. Zelda could enchant him to Scotland.
Melusine warned her not to dare try it. Mel would know.
Besides she was less rules and rigid guardian, although lately Mir was taking after somebody close by with starched knickers and crossed legs. Good thing she binded this love spell with a bit of weak in the knees, just to get Mir's legs to uncross and open up.
Not that Mir was surrendering the first flower of her womanhood. Zelda knew Mir had never experienced magic and sex.
Melusine was no role model, just too laced up to do anything bordering on fun. Spinster Hag.
Time and time again Zelda urged Melusine to live a little and let down her hair for a few hundred years old.
Mir was raised well by both of them. Zelda encouraged chocolate cake at breakfast. Hiding their magic from her took work. Then Mir discovered the truth and their curse at sixteen and left them.
Zelda decided that maybe it wasn't a good idea to admit she substituted a few ingredients. Made a few tiny insignificant harmless minor changes. Zelda felt she made the concoction laced in cupcakes better.
Sometimes one had to revise and improve a thousand year old recipe for love. It was said to taste quite bitter and pungent, Zelda added more vanilla buttercream.
Melusine had a lot on her mind. Reuniting with Mir and all. No. Melusine didn't need to know that she tweaked Amas Veritas a bit, to make it more digestive for Miranda's match.
Which was apparently the clumsy brunette who liked her and Melusine's baking.
Zelda wondered how Miranda knew her. Her match.
Andy had finished the cupcake, she was feeling very light and energetic, sitting down at her desk at The NY Mirror. Her Editor handed Andy copy to write about a new app for NY cabs, scrunching it up very uninterested, throwing it over her shoulder.
Two colleagues looked stunned at Andy's odd behavior.
Blue, blue was what she wanted all of a sudden in front of her. A pair of blue eyes. Andy dopily grinned to herself, suddenly hitting her, one name, that person she had to go and see right now.
What was she doing at her job this morning, when she could be near Miranda, just looking at her, for hours no days just admiring her beauty.
The rationale side of Andy reasoned it was ten in the morning and Miranda hated her with what happened with Paris how Andy left her and Runway during Fashion Week.
Brown eyes hazy and glittering she just had to see Miranda or she'd die. Consumed by one thought only. Miranda. She wanted her so, so much, Andy couldn't think about anything or anyone else. Just the silver haired Editor. Yearning for Miranda. Could smell her even, her scent. It was like she was in her bloodstream. Calling for Andy.
Walking to Elias Clarke with determined get Miranda strides.
Miranda's waspish voice was heard '' Perhaps Paul you can extend your brain a teensy bit, if possible and bring me something halfway presentable for this issue.''
Emily shuddered. Miranda was in one of her moods this morning. The new girl had messed up her coffee order again. How difficult was it to remember Miranda's coffee. There was Irv Ravitz who was breathing down Miranda's neck for a meeting. Stephen calling this morning demanding to speak with his soon to be separated wife.
Miranda took the line icily and all but slammed her door shut. That's how Emily knew it was an awful why did I get out of bed and come to work Wednesdays.
''Good Morning we'd like to see Miranda Priestly please.''
Emily took in the two older Stevie Nick's wannabes.
''Do you have an appointment with Miranda?'' Emily doubted it. Not seeing anyone in the appointment diary for Miranda on her computer screen.
The plump frizzy haired one smiled and shook her head. ''No we just thought we'd surprise her.'
Emily stared at them. ''Miranda doesn't like surprises.''
''Everybody likes surprises.'' Zelda supplied cheerfully. Looking around Runway at the busy mortals getting by without magic always fascinated Zelda.
''Not Miranda.'' Emily narrowed her eyes on these two weirdos. Taking the snippy approach Emily Charlton was known for.
''Leave your names and number and I will tell Miranda.'' Holding out a pen and tapping with bright Dior nail polish, a pad of Runway paper.
Melusine and Zelda saw Miranda walking up turning her head from speaking to a dapper dressed bald man and for a moment her face showed true surprise then turned inscrutable and cold.
''Emily. Hold my meeting with Simone. Coffee now.''
''Yes. Miranda.'' Emily scrambled up from her desk and out the door rushing away in 5 inch heels.
This was the second time this morning, Miranda shut her office door.
''What do you both want?'' Crossing her arms icily. Staring at the pair, her mother's two sisters. Her Aunts and Godmothers.
''Mirybelle. We wanted to see you again.'' Zelda soothed, tried to give Mir a big hug who was standing in front of her desk rigid. Not giving off a hugging vibe.
''Don't call me that.'' Miranda hissed.
Melusine cut in softly her eyes warming at her niece. '' Mir can't family drop in, see each other, now and then.''
''Yes family can do that. Families who do not lie to me.''
''Are you still going to hold that against us. The curse. We kept from you. We were protecting you.''
''Yes. Protecting me how noble of you both. By not telling me what you both are or I am.''
Miranda sniffed. Protecting her. Not being told that all Hozier women are cursed. Also able to do magic. Witches. Some people inherited silver or property or ugly spoon collections but not Miranda who shook her head, it couldn't be something normal and mundane like any of those, no she inherited a curse.
''Why are you both here? '' Miranda demanded suddenly.
''Well now about that. The reason is we…no Zelda here sort of got a hold of a list, that you made and so did your twins…
''You both will stay away from my twins.'' Miranda was fiercely protective of her Bobbseys'.
''Oh Mir. Cassidy and Caroline are lovely. Very much like you once.'' Zelda flattered her.
Miranda icily interrupted. ''You've know their names.''
Zelda inclined her frizzy head. ''Yes. Cassidy and Caroline are quite the pranksters. If only I could teach them spells. True talent like their mother.''
''My children will never do magic. Ever.'' Miranda meant it. Firmly. Never.
''Oh pish. Miry don't make such promises you'll only break.'' Zelda chided.
Melusine explained to her niece. ''About this list. Zelda sort of tried to make it happen by helping it along, a little push but…now wait Mir calm down, this was done for you.''
''A list.'' Miranda repeated.
''Yes this list.'' Zelda produced it happily.
Saw it. Handing it to her high strung niece. Miranda paled and shook her head vehemently. No this was not happening to her.
''Undo whatever it is you did.'' Clutching the pink paper in her fist.
Miranda saw her Aunts shake their heads. Her blue eyes were icy on them.
''We can't do that. It's already taken effect on the person.''
''On who?'' Miranda grasped the edge of her glass desk in fury and outrage her tapered fingers digging into the smooth surface.
Zelda smiled. ''They have brown eyes and you'll be meeting them soon. She has a wonderful smile. She's pretty adorable.''
''She.'' Miranda gasped.
''Yes she.'' Zelda informed.
Miranda hoped to have heard wrong.
''Mir dear. The Amas Veritas is a very strong love potion it is rarely used if ever. Sparks are also rarely experienced under it.'' Melusine glared at Zelda. All of this trouble because of her cupcakes.
''So tell me how to break it. Better you did this Zelda. Break it for me.'' Miranda hissed, the last thing she wanted was some entranced mysterious woman showing up and pursuing her. Rubbing her brows, Irv Ravitz would have Page Six on speed dial.
''We can't. No. No. We wouldn't even try to.'' Zelda shook her head. ''Death can happen if we did.''
''It's best and hardly harmful to let it just wean and wear off at its own pace. Safer.'' Melusine prescribed.
''So long as there is no altering to it or spite or hate between you both. You'll be fine. She'll be fine and back to normal in hours. Unharmed as good as new maybe a bit blurry on what happened.''
Zelda swallowed. No way was she telling either her niece or sister what she'd done to improve on the love potion.
This was exactly why Miranda vowed at sixteen that she would never do magic. Ever.
Andy Sachs stepped off the elevator onto the 17th Floor. Holding flowers picked from the lobby display for Miranda and strung out with Amas Veritas.
Beaming a full 100-watt smile as she saw Miranda stepping out of her office.
Stepping forward towards Miranda.