twenty-five

I cover his tattoo with ointment and plastic wrap, give him the sheet of aftercare instructions although I'm sure he knows what to do, take his payment, congratulate him on his daughter's accomplishment (I don't necessarily think communion is that big a deal, but clearly he does), and send him on his way.

I copy his little magical symbol into a notebook where I keep new and interesting and hopefully useful charms and sigils and signs, with his name and an explanation of what the symbol is supposed to do. I have a lot of charms committed to memory, but every so often I want or need something I know exists, but that I can't immediately bring to mind. Sometimes a client will want a protective charm or a charm for money or talent or love or faithfulness or any one of a hundred things, and I can bring out the book and talk to them and figure out what would work best. And if they want me to ink something on them that I've never seen, or that I've maybe seen once and not memorized or written down, I can make a note of it if I think it will be useful.

( Nila called it my spellbook and laughed at me. )

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