Carver scowled as he left, but didn't continue the conversation. Gift given, and blame appropriately misallocated, he continued his current mission to get out of the pumpkin patch without using the gates.

Lillith returned shortly thereafter with a box under her arm, her vampiric grace keeping her footsteps completely silent as she approached him from behind. She took a moment to watch his demeanor -- he seemed oddly non-sulky considering his punishment -- before announcing her presence and untying his leash to continue toward their destination.

---

Meanwhile, now that the shop was closed for the day, Agatha was pacing back and forth across her room, periodically stopping to look again at the notes and books strewn across her bed. She had a good, solid idea of what she [i]wanted[/i] to do. She just couldn't figure out how to execute it so it was timed properly.

"AUNT AGGIE! AUNT AGNES!" she finally called in desperation. "Can you please come help me with a hex?""