The Magician's Witch

Palais Garnier

Dawn left for the airport early the next morning. Eilis and she exchanged icy farewells, and then Eilis made travel plans of her own. She checked in with Arthur to see if he needed anything from her, and informed him that she was making a brief trip over to the land of champagne and croissants.

Arthur, in fact, assisted Eilis in finding a hotel room close to La Palais Garnier, so she wouldn't have to walk far.

"Have you ever been to Paris before," Arthur asked her with a hint of fatherly concern.

"No," Eilis said honestly. "I was supposed to go with...someone...years ago, but it never happened." She fiddled with her wedding ring.

"I will get your travel arrangements taken care of," Arthur stated, opening up his laptop.

"You don't have to do that," Eilis told him, feeling a little embarrassed.

"I do if I want my client to return home in one piece," he insisted. "Yes, Paris is a beautiful city, but it also has its problems. You should not travel to Paris alone as a woman. It is an ugly reality, but there you are."

Eilis grimaced but nodded. "I've seen the movie Taken. I know the gist. And not everyone has a dad like Liam Neeson."

Arthur chuckled. "Indeed. You can never be too careful."

Eilis called Bakhita to let her know about her little side trip and sent her a copy of her itinerary just in case.

"Are you sure it's a good idea," Bakhita asked mildly, setting off sisterly concern vibes.

"I just feel like I need to go," Eilis said. "I want to see the place Erik lived in for the better part of fifteen years. I need to walk where he walked."

"You do realize that most behind-the-scenes places will be roped off and inaccessible, right," Bakhita hinted.

Eilis shrugged. "I know I haven't used magic in a while, but I am still a witch. I'll manage."

"Alright. Just tell me if you get thrown in a Parisienne prison and force-fed escargot."

Eilis laughed. "You will be my first call. Or do I call Arthur first?"

"Call us first, then we can coordinate with Mr. Flannery," Bakhita instructed her.

Eilis smiled. "Fair enough. I feel so protected."

"Just don't do anything stupid," Bakhita warned her jokingly, "like base jump off the Eiffel Tower."

Eilis snorted. "Fine, but I can't promise I won't take a midnight ride on a broomstick."

"As long as you're not flying in a no-fly zone, or in the direct flight paths around Charles de Gaulle Airport, I have no problem with that," Bakhita remarked dryly. "But be careful of flying cows."

Eilis wrinkled her brow. "Flying cows?"

"Yes," Bakhita said in a falsely irritated tone. "Especially if you end up riding along with King Arthur and his knights looking for the Grail. Look out for John Cleese and his outrageous accent. Or any wizards called Tim."

Eilis giggled, realizing the joke. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye out for him, and anyone weighing witches against ducks."

"Wise," Bakhita chuckled.

They hung up a little while later after Eilis checked in with Aria and Ronan.