“Well, we could scry for the wolf demons. They could lead us to the soul we have to save.” She eyes her last bite with regret. “Or to the cards.”
“Or we could cast a ‘return what is mine’ spell,” I offer.
“Yes, but we don’t have anyone to cast a spell. Unless Maël wants to try.”
The ghost queen swallows a bite and pulls back her shoulders. “Sorry, not now. I’m not comfortable with this new power yet. I’m not sure what it will do.”
My appetite vanishes. “So, we can’t use any magic now.”
“Sure we can. Scrying is easy. Anyone with magic can do it.” She falls silent for a moment.
“I sense a ‘but’ coming up. So what’s the problem?” I ask, pushing my plate away from me. “It sounds like a good plan to me.”
D’Maeo wipes the salsa from his plate with his finger and blushes when Mona smiles at him. He pushes his chair back a little and tears his eyes away from her. “I think that Vicky knows as well as I do that scrying pendulums are hard to find. We’ll have to visit the Blackford black market, which is a place I’d rather avoid.”
Jeep grabs another taco. “I love the black market.”
“I’ve never been there,” Taylar says, his eyes glowing with curiosity.
Considering all of our options doesn’t take long. “How dangerous is this black market exactly?”
The old ghost shrugs. “That depends on the crowd. On certain days, you can stroll through and buy what you like without running into trouble. On other days, you will walk toward certain death.”
I stand up and clear the table. My mind is racing. This black market sounds dangerous but so does waiting around for all of us to get used to our powers. If only we knew how much time we had to find the next soul and save them.
When I finish cleaning the table, I look at D’Maeo, who has been patiently waiting for me to make a decision. My heart warms at the confidence he seems to have in me.
“What are our chances of finding the cards if we can get a pendulum?” I ask him.
“I’d say ninety-eight, ninety-nine per cent.”
“Where can we find this market?”
The old ghost leans back in his chair and folds his hands behind his head. “It’s not a question of where, Dante, but of when.”
CHAPTER 15
D’Maeo explains that we’ll have to wait for the ‘hidden hour’ to arrive. Although ‘explain’ is a big word, since that is all he’s willing to tell us. Some of the others seem to know what he’s talking about, but all that I can get out of them is, ‘You’ll see’.
To get my mind off things, and to prepare for any trouble we might run into, I suggest another training session. We pair up, helping each other with our powers. Jeep shows me his hand movements in slow motion while Charlie helps Maël to build a grease wall. D’Maeo and Vicky stay with Taylar while he tries my powers, in case something goes wrong. Although it’s not going very well, he seems to be enjoying himself thoroughly. Which is not surprising, since this is the first time that he’s had any power at all. What a nice twist of fate that he received the strongest powers. If I didn’t need them badly, I would’ve let him keep them.
“If you don’t focus, you won’t be able to do it, Dante,” Jeep reprimands me.
I raise my hands in an apology, making the zombie squirrel in front of me jump two feet in the air and fall into a dozen pieces.
“Oops, sorry!” I keep my arms as still as possible. “I have to say, this is just as hard as it looks, Jeep. These gestures aren’t easy.”
I move my wrist and lift my pinkie finger. The squirrel’s loose head rolls away from the other parts of its body.
“How long did it take you to get a hang of this?”
Jeep tilts his head and stares into the sky. His hat slips off, but he catches it without trouble. “About ten, fifteen years.”
I drop my arms. “Are you kidding me?”
He shakes his head. “I’m afraid not. But you’re a fast learner.”
I swallow a frustrated grunt. “Just teach me the most important moves. Making people and animals rise and attack someone should be enough for now.”
“Okay.” He takes his position next to me again and shows me the basics. After some agonizing minutes where I have no idea if I’m doing it right, something comes bouncing toward me through the grass.
“Steer it around Taylar,” Jeep instructs me, and I imitate his gestures.
The hopping thing moves right to avoid the young ghost. Cheering inside, I flex my fingers, that are turning stiff from all the strained movements.
“Don’t!” Jeep warns me. “It’s still obeying you.”
Sure enough, the zombie jumps back to the left and starts pounding against Taylar’s back. The boy turns around to see what’s going on, and the thing jumps in his face and slaps his cheeks.
“What the heck is this?” Taylar yells, ducking to avoid it.
It lands on the ground and flounders around in the grass.
Vicky’s mouth falls open. “Is that a fish?”
Jeep and I walk closer, and the tattooed ghost picks up the wriggling skeleton. “It is a fish.”
I hit my forehead hard. “I’ll never be any good at this.”
Charlie sniggers. “Well, at least you have the power to distract someone.”
Taylar sighs. “It’s better than a power that’s not working.”
I glance at Vicky. “No luck yet?”
She shakes her head. “I can’t get it to work either. Maybe it needs some kind of trigger we don’t know about.”
D’Maeo slaps Taylar on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out. But for now, you have to concentrate on mastering Dante’s powers.”
After about an hour, we go inside for a drink. Everyone has tried out their new power, but Maël is the only one able to actually attack someone. She can’t build a solid gel wall yet, but her aim is good, and she can summon grease within a second.
Taylar is doing well too, creating one lightning bolt after the other. The problem is that he struggles with the same thing I did when I first got my power. Everything he conjures is like a loose cannon, way too much or too strong, and it goes in all directions, except the one where it’s supposed to go.
While everyone discusses the troubles they’ve encountered, I turn to Vicky. “Do you know of any spells that are almost harmless? Something Maël and Taylar can practice with without causing destruction?”
She places her elbow on the table and rests her chin in her hand. “Let me think.”
Her proximity makes it hard for me to keep my hands―and lips―to myself. It’s been too long since I kissed or touched her.
My hand moves to her upper leg, and she looks up.
“Could you think a little less sexy, please?” I ask her.
She shoots me a grin. “Sorry, this is just the way I think.”
I lean closer to her. Under the table, my hand slides to her inner leg. She shivers under my touch.
“How about I show you the way I kiss?” I whisper.
Forgetting everyone around us for a moment, I pull her face closer to mine and press my lips onto hers. I can feel the passion lighting us up and with a sigh, I pull back. Only to find the others looking at us. The room has fallen silent, and heat creeps up to my cheeks.
“So…” I clear my throat. “I was thinking…”
“Didn’t look like it,” Taylar sniggers.
I take a sip from my water before I continue. “I think Taylar and Maël should try a couple of spells. Just some small ones for practice. The faster we have our own powers back, the better.”
“What if they go wrong?” Mom asks. “The spells they try. Things could get worse.”
I pull my hand back from Vicky’s leg so I can think better. “Well, that’s why they’ll only try small, harmless spells.”
Taylar shoots upright in his chair. “I’ve got it! We can cast them insid
e the protective circle in the garden. We should be fine then, right?”
Vicky nods slowly. “That’s not a bad idea, but you’ll need spells that affect the other person in the circle. I’ll have to think about that.” She takes on the same position, with her head resting on her hand, and my body reacts with a jolt of longing.
She turns her face to me, and the corners of her mouth shoot up. My heartbeat drowns out all the sounds around me.
Vicky sits up straight without breaking eye contact.
‘Are you hypnotizing me?’ I mouth.
She shakes her head with a smile and pinches my leg.
I rub my face hard when she averts her eyes. She has definitely hypnotized me, just not on purpose and not with her power.
“Hello?” Charlie’s voice shifts my focus.
“Hey!” He waves at me. “Are you back with us? Your mom wants to describe the gypsy woman to you so you can draw her.”
“Oh, sorry! Yes… yes! Good idea.” I whip out my phone and look at the time. “We’ve got about an hour left until the black market opens. Unless we need some kind of preparation for that?”
D’Maeo doesn’t answer and when I put my phone down, I can’t help but chuckle. “Well, looks like I’m not the only one with a distraction here.”
We all laugh out loud when D’Maeo and Mona let go of each other. D’Maeo’s blush is even deeper than mine. At least, that’s what it looks like.
Vicky stands up and pulls some paper, a pencil and a pen from her pocket. She hands me a sheet and the pencil and starts scribbling a spell down on another piece of paper.
When the rest of us keep staring at D’Maeo and Mona, the fairy godmother rises to her feet and walks to the hallway closet. She comes back with a broom and starts sweeping up all the bones from the collapsed zombies, helped by a couple of sparks that jump down from her arms. She hums a bit to herself and ignores Mom’s stupefied expression.
When no one moves, she stops and opens her arms. “What? Have you guys never seen a fairy godmother in love before?”
“Actually, I haven’t,” Mom and I answer in unison.
Mona pushes a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear and shrugs. “Well, now you have. Get used to it.”
D’Maeo stands up and beckons Charlie and Jeep. “Would you mind helping me prepare for the black market?”
Jeep pulls his sleeves over his tattoos. “Sure, as long as there’s no more kissing.”
Taylar meets him in the doorway and gives him a high five while the old ghost ignores him and follows them to the stairs. “We’ll be upstairs for a while, Dante. If you need us, just holler.”
“Thanks!” I pull up my feet to make room for Mona’s broomstick. “Do you need help?”
She blows me a kiss. “Thanks, sweetie, but it’s fine. I could clean this all up with one snap of my fingers, but I like sweeping once in a while.”
Vicky puts away her pen and gives me a quick kiss. “We’ll be outside practicing spells.”
“Okay, babe. Good luck.”
Mom moves to the chair next to me and follows the lines of her eyebrows with her fingertips. “This is all crazy.”
I put down my pencil and place a hand on her arm. “I know. It’s a lot to process, isn’t it? Listen, if you’re not up for this, we can do it later.”
Immediately, she lowers her hands. “No, this is important. I know what it’s like to be cursed, and Vicky seems like a nice girl. If I can help her, I will.”
I lift her hand and kiss it. “You’re the best.”
CHAPTER 16
Forty-five minutes later, we’re ready to leave.
“We’ll have to fight the non-magical way if something happens,” D’Maeo reminds us. “None of us are ready to cast a spell or use our power except for Maël, who can throw some gel around to slow the enemy down.”
“At least you still have your power,” I respond. “So you can deflect any magical attacks.”
“And I can help,” a voice says from the back door.
We all jump up from our seats, ready to draw our weapons.
Gisella walks in and tuts. “You’re all so jumpy. Relax.”
Without pause, she walks over to Charlie and presses her lips against his.
Taylar covers his eyes. “Oh please, not more smooching. I can’t take it anymore.”
The kiss takes so long that even I feel uncomfortable.
“So,” I say when they finally part, “I guess you’re officially together now, huh?”
Charlie gasps for air with a dazed expression on his face. “Yes… I guess… so.”
Gisella takes the seat next to him and smiles at us. “Charlie texted me about your power problem, so I thought I’d join you.”
Her innocent act would make anyone forget that she just groped Charlie. She’s not even blushing.
Mom, who is sitting next to Vicky across the table, has moved her chair back as if she’s afraid of Gisella. I have to say, I don’t blame her.
I tap my phone. “It’s almost time to go. Are you coming with us to the black market, Gisella?”
Her smile widens. “Oh, I’d love to! I’ve heard so much about it.”
After I put away my phone, I take out my Book of Spells to put the sketch of the gypsy woman in.
“Hey!” Gisella calls out. “You drew my aunt. Do you know her?”
We all fall silent, and Taylar, who just got up to get his shield, drops back into his chair.
“What?” Gisella’s gaze moves from one stunned face to another. “What did I say?”
Charlie slides the sketch closer to her. “This is your aunt?”
“Definitely. Unless she has a double.”
I exchange a quick look with Mom and Vicky, and they both nod. I meet Gisella’s yellow eyes, praying that we didn’t make a mistake by trusting her. “Then, I’m afraid your aunt cursed my family.”
A frown appears between her bright red eyebrows. “Are you serious?”
“Very, although I have to admit that we’re not entirely sure about this.”
Mom leans forward, suddenly not afraid of Gisella anymore. She looks a bit angry. “Well, she looked pretty livid when she appeared at my door, and my fits started soon after that, so you do the math.”
Gisella doesn’t react as expected. She doesn’t jump up with her hands balled into fists, screaming to defend her aunt. Instead, her frown deepens. “I can’t believe she did that. But I haven’t seen her in years. She might have changed. All I know is that she used to be a loving person and a good mother. I’m not sure what happened to her when she lost Lily though.”
Mom snaps her fingers. “Lily! That was the name of the cursed girl.”
I quickly explain how my father and Gisella’s aunt crossed paths and what we think happened.
“Do you know where she is?” Vicky asks when I finish my story.
“Not right now, but I might know a way to find her.”
Hope rises in my chest.
“It will be harder to persuade her to undo the curse, though,” Gisella ads, crushing my hopes again. “If she hasn’t lifted it herself after all these years, it means she’s still looking for the Book of a Thousand Deaths. And if that is the case, I’m afraid darkness has taken over her soul. Or at least part of it. She’ll be hard to get through to.” She raises a finger when Vicky opens her mouth. “But when I find her, I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”
Mom reaches out to her across the table and squeezes her hand. “Thank you so much.”
I fold the sketch and put it in my spell book. “It will have to wait though, because it’s time to go to the black market.” I gesture at D’Maeo. “Please lead the way.”
The old ghost takes us upstairs, where a square of black salt is drawn.
“Thankfully, all you need to find and enter the black market is magic,” he says. “No spell required. Anyone with magic, whether awoken or not, can get there. So this shouldn’t give
us any trouble.”
He picks up a bowl and holds it out to us. “Take out one of these psilocybin mushrooms, and please don’t do anything with it yet. These are very strong.”
I study the mushroom in my hand. It has a white stem and a light brown hood that hangs down like one of those see-through umbrellas that envelops your whole head.
Charlie has a grin on his face that almost reaches both of his ears.
“Now listen carefully,” D’Maeo says sternly. “This is dangerous stuff. For those of us who are still alive…” He gestures to Charlie, Gisella and me, “don’t ever take as much as you do now if it’s not for this purpose.”
“Just don’t take any at all,” Mona and Mom say in unison.
“If you know what you’re doing, it can’t hurt,” Charlie mumbles, and I bump his shoulder.
“Why doesn’t it surprise me that you’ve done this before?”
He wiggles his eyebrows. “Because you know I’m cool?”
“I think reckless was the word you were looking for.”
He rolls his eyes, but he’s still smiling. “You’re so boring, Dante. Live a little.”
I nudge him again, harder this time. “I will, if we survive all of this.”
D’Maeo beckons us into the square and holds up a glass card. “This has been forged out of the sand from the black market. Touch this, swallow the mushroom and we will be transported there.”
When everyone, except for Mona and Mom, has placed a fingertip on the glass card, D’Maeo counts back from three.
The mushroom is as chewy as squid and has an earthy taste, with is soon drowned out by a nutty flavor. It’s not nearly as disgusting as I had thought. Not that it matters, because as soon as I swallow, the taste is the last thing on my mind.
Around me, things are changing. First, my friends’ bodies are stretched so far I don’t even recognize them anymore. It’s as if someone pulls them by the hair while their feet are glued to the floor. Everything around them moves from left to right in waves. It’s a bit like being under water and looking through the surface. It even feels like I’m pushing through water. My arms move sluggishly as if something is resisting, and my vision and hearing are hazy. Colors are blurred, and I can’t feel the ground under my feet.
The Fourth Soul: (Cards of Death book 4) Page 7