"Begin paying now? Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?" Nicola spat back aggressively.
"Call it whatever you wish" Meredith cackled with a wave of her arm. Suddenly the room seemed to light up. Nicola jolted in shock. An an instant her ice maiden facade had vanished and she looked like a scared, vulnerable girl.
"What did you do?" Nicola asked nervously, suddenly painfully aware the strange woman she had offended had powers beyond her comprehension.
"Not so cocky now eh?" Meredith sneered.
"Wait.." Nicola spun round in a panic to observe that James was no longer standing next to her. He seemed to have just ....vanished?
"Where is my friend?"
"Oh, not to far from here" the old woman sniggered "though I don't think you'd recognise him. He isn't quite feeling himself"
"What? What do you mean"
"If you must know he's outside with all the other animals" Meredith replied matter of factly "I only allow humans in the shop"
Nicola froze in horror "So what is he now then?"
"Never mind that now. You can go and find him later" Meredith seemed to find the turnaround in Nicola's attitude highly amusing "James is perfectly safe, but if you want me to restore him you will need to do as I say. Once your debt has been fully repaid I shall return James to human form"
"What do you want me to do then?" Nicola was at least attempting to regain her compusure as she waited to hear her fate.