“Love potions are three dollars,” says Madame. “Thank you, come again.”

“You’re misunderstanding,” says Natalie. “What I want is a potion to just make him sort of unhappy with her.”

“So that he can go fool-eyed for you, yes? Three dollars.”

Natalie shakes the bells in her hair. “A love potion would be cheating! I’d never know if he really wanted me or not. I just want to have an honest chance.”

“Do you really think that absolves you of anything?” asks Madame, eyes heavy as smoke.

“I’m plenty damned already,” says Natalie, “for letting him go the first time.”