The witch had already started working on the potion.
"Have you got the book?" I asked.
"The book?" she asked, confused. "I haven't seen one."
"Oh," I said.
I didn't realize that she hadn't seen the book. After all, I thought that the witch had read it.
"Well, anyway, you can start the spell without it," I said. "I'll come back when I have finished reading."
"Okay," she replied.
She started chanting again, while I sat down and began to read the book.
Salome described in detail the ingredients that were needed for a healing spell. Most of them were herbs, but I also had to take a leaf from an oak tree that grew near the river. She mentioned other materials too, including stones that had mystical powers, but I didn't have any of those.
I wondered why Salome didn't mention the most im
