“Antelope antler, ground. Calendula. Silphium. Burdock root. Mayorka herb of Mary Rose. No, that word jumble must be rosemary.”

Peter looked up from his computer and blinked. “New recipe for…tacos?” He closed his laptop’s lid. “Maybe I should cook.”

“AI-generated translation of an ancient language that I don’t speak,” June replied absently, squinting at her tablet from where she curled on the couch, surrounded by books. “A ritual, something about waking the dead to answer a single question.”

The laptop hit the coffee table with a heavier thump than usual. “And you’re planning on using it?”

“We do have questions…what’s silphium?”

“Extinct.” Peter’s mother swept into the room with a waft of herbs and lemon. “Closest living relative is fennel, I believe. What’s this about? And where is my granddaughter?”

“Still waiting on the bus, and maybe we could get some answers about Paladin University from the founders in the crypt.”

“Right,” Peter said. “What could go wrong, swapping fennel for silphium?” He headed for the kitchen. Pots and pans banged with emphasis. “Or bringing back the dead?”

***

This week’s prompt was inspired by Parrish Baker: The ancient recipe called for an ingredient that no longer existed.

Mine went to Padre – he’s on the hunt for escaped sealife! Find more over at MOTE.

PS – Typing is still harder than it should be, so I’ve put myself on a training regimen. Will this image turn into a finished story by Friday, to be the companion to a new anthology story? Fingers crossed, we’re halfway there!