"I said no more questions" Meredith reminded Nicola, firmly but unthreateningly.
"Can I at least put my clothes back on? It's cold in here" Nicola threw her arms over her hardening nipples in embarassment.
Meredith waved an arm at the discarded pile of Nicola's workclothes which, to it's owners horror, vanished into thin air.
"I did warn you" Meredith sighed "Now, follow me"
Meredith pointed at the wall behind her counter which just kind of opened, almost as if the bricks and mortar had been temporarily removed. Meredith walked through the gap, a light seeming to envelop her as she did, then gestured with a smile for her new companion to do the same.
Nicola realised obeying this instruction was a risky move, but so would disobeying it be, and she was acutely aware she was stood stark naked in a public building. Wordlessly she followed the older woman, a bright light seeming to temporarily envelop her as she passed where the wall had been.
Nicola now found herself in a much larger room filled with many more unusual looking gadgets and artifacts than were on display in the shop. It was too big to exist behind the wall of the building she had come from and Nicola wondered where she had been transported to. Whatever the answer, the portal back to the relative safety of the shop had been closed now. She was alone with Meredith. Nicola had a thousand questions, but didn't dare ask any of them. Fortunately, Meredith presently seemed to be in a more relaxed and sharing mood.
"As you have probably guessed, I am what you would refer to as a witch" Meredith began "and you may also have deduced that we are no longer in your world. But please don't panic, I assure you that you won't come to any harm here"
"Will I be able to return?" Nicola couldn't help but ask.
"Of course" Meredith reassured her with a smile.
"What about James?" Nicola now seemed able to ask questions again and had a thousand.
"I already explained that. I have changed his form. I am reluctant to divulge which species he has become as I don't want you running off trying to find him later. But he is perfectly safe. Anything that tries to attack or eat him will be in for a nasty surprise"
"But why turn him into an animal? It was me who broke your property?"
"Which is why you are here to begin working off your debt. Two of you would be too much of a handful and I couldn't simply let him leave while keeping you here. Besides, spending some time in a different form is a wonderfully freeing and enriching experience. I've done it myself many times. You can try it later, if you like"
"No thanks" Nicola responded quickly "so what do you want from me?"
"That's enough questions for now"
Meredith waved her arm and Nicola felt herself levitate a few inches from the ground. Her arms and legs seemed to fling themselves out so she assumed a star like position. She wanted to cry out for help but realised she was unable, trapped painlessly but helplessly in a kind of stasis. Meredith approached her.
"Please relax, I have no intention of harming you" the witch half smiled "but the truth is you can offer me nothing more than cheap amusement. So that is how you will repay your debt"
Nicola wanted to protest, to promise to take out a bank loan to pay what she owed. But that was impossible now.
"Now, where shall we start?" Meredith cackled.