by Jamie Davis
“Maybe it means you’re going to bring the other Sable bosses on board. She could have been referring to that, and it’s what you’re already doing.”
Danny’s phone buzzed again. He pulled it out and looked at the screen, annoyed. Maybe it was his mother trying to get him to come home. He dropped the phone in his pocket, no explanation.
“I think getting away for a weekend is the best thing we can do right now. We need it and deserve it. Then the bosses after that. If there are other chanters like you, I’m sure they’ll come forward.”
Danny’s pocket buzzed again.
“Who is that?” Winnie asked, moments from losing it. “Who keeps interrupting our dinner?”
“It’s Victor. He’s texted me like twenty times today. He says it’s important that he and I talk. Tonight. I told him I’d call him later.”
“What did he say?”
“I don’t care. I shut it off. Whatever he wants can wait.”
———
Victor started at his phone, waiting for a reply. When none came, he shoved the phone into his pocket and looked up from the dinner table at Morgan. They were in their apartment. She’d been excited for him to try her latest recipe. But Victor was distracted.
“Eat your dinner, honey. Danny will get back to you when he can.”
“This is urgent, more so now the riots. I’m afraid for what will happen next if we don’t act soon. There’s something in the air.”
“Wow, Victor.” Morgan grinned. “Could you be more cryptic or ominous? I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
“You don’t know Kane like I do, Morgan.”
“What? He’s settled down, and there’ve been tensions between chanters and Red Legs, sure, but the response has been proportional. Kane’s done nothing like he has in the past. Maybe he’s given up and is looking for a way to work out a solution.”
“The quiet is what worries me most. He only watches out for himself. I’m afraid that any solution he’s a part of will be more like the Harvester than any reconciliation with the chanter community. That’s why I need Danny. I think, together, we can convince Winnie to visit the crater. She has to see what’s happening there.”
CHAPTER 11
Danny excused himself, hoping that Winnie wouldn’t get agitated that he was going again. He knew he was pushing her, or more accurately, that Victor was pushing him.
It was strange for Victor to reach out at all, let alone with multiple 911s and several voicemails. Despite what he’d told Winnie, Danny couldn’t forget about the messages. Eventually, worry got the best of him and here he was, in the men’s room, turning his phone back on.
Another trio of urgent messages appeared on his device.
Clicking on one of the messages, Danny selected the return call option then put the phone to his ear.
Two rings, then, “Thank God you got back to me. What on earth took you so long?”
“Hello to you, too. I’m with Winnie. I didn’t want to be disturbed during dinner. What the hell is up, and if it’s so important, why not call Winnie?”
“I need your help. Winnie won’t listen to me. She needs us both to work on convincing her how important this is.”
“How important what is? You’re speaking in riddles.”
“It’s the Harvester. It didn’t just release all that magic at once, it caused something else to happen when it blew. There’s a … well, a sort … look, it’s hard to describe. But there’s another place connected to the mill now, a place that Winnie needs to see.”
“You’ve got to give me more than that. I can’t convince Winnie to go back there just because it’s ‘different somehow.’ You know what happened to her there. She can barely talk about it. People died. We lost our child. There’s nothing there for her, or me.”
“Danny, there’s magic happening there, magic like I’ve never seen or heard of. There are live creatures, things out of legend, in the crater. And that’s not all. It’s expanding. I’ve seen it grow over time.”
Victor sounded raving mad, which wasn’t in his nature. Danny had never liked the inspector. He’d come to their side later than everyone else, and Danny couldn’t forget what Kane and the Red Legs had done to him. He still had the migraines sometimes, though he didn’t tell Winnie as often as he probably should.
Victor had somehow removed Kane’s enchantment, but something inside him still felt broken. Headaches were a painful reminder of his ordeal. He was lucky they only happened every now and then. Winnie could still heal them if he told her, but he hated what it did to her. The last thing he wanted was something to pull Winnie deeper into forbidden magic. And it sounded like that’s exactly what was driving the crater.
“You’re quiet,” Victor’s voice interrupted Danny’s thoughts. “This is important, and I need Winnie’s help.”
“You don’t know what Winnie’s like around powerful magic. She can’t say no, and I’m afraid of what you’re describing. It sounds more powerful than anything she’s seen, and that girl has seen plenty. This could be the thing that sends her over the edge.”
“It won’t be like that,” Victor assured. “It’s powerful magic, yes, but it’s not like a Sable charm on a live subject. This magic feels — oh, I don’t know how to describe it. It just feels safe. It isn’t there to affect something, it simply exists.”
“I hear what you’re saying, but I’m not sure I can get her to focus on a place that she loathes. Besides, Winnie is obsessed with finding other chanters like her. She’s convinced that they might be able to help her stop the tremors and storms. She doesn’t have time for that, she won’t make time for this.”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Danny. Dust storms don’t exist at the steel mill. And the area seems impervious to earthquakes. The answer is there.”
“That’s crazy. Storms and tremors are everywhere. Winnie says it takes more power than she can summon alone to stop them for longer than a day or so.”
“There’s more to it than that, Danny. There are things I can only describe in person. Where are you? I can explain it to you both if I’m there.”
“We’re at The Half Shell, but don’t come here. Too many people know you and Winnie. If they see the two of you talking in public, it could compromise your position in the Department. We’ll come to you.”
“You could meet me at the steel mill,” Victor suggested.
“No. I won’t take her there unless it’s her decision. Somewhere else.”
“How about the shop? The other stores will be closed. I can meet you both there after your dinner.”
“That works, I guess,” Danny said. “I’ll come there on our way back home. She’s going to be pissed, but that’s on you.”
“It’s fine.”
Danny hung up and returned the phone to his pocket. He wasn’t sure what had Victor so fired up to get Winnie back to that place. He was still reluctant, but it was Winnie’s decision.
He’d take her to the shop after dinner. She could make her mind up then.
CHAPTER 12
Winnie thought Danny was much less distracted after he returned from the restroom. She appreciated that. His preoccupation with his phone was annoying, and that was the last thing she wanted to feel. They were in an excellent place, despite their external problems. Those, they faced together.
After dessert and the check, she and Danny left, then strolled through the quiet Fells Point neighborhood. Streetlights lit the sidewalk in pools. When they reached Danny’s sports car, Winnie leaned in and snuck a kiss.
Danny returned it then pulled away, smiling. “Come on, get in. We’ve got to stop by the shop on the way home.”
“What’s at the shop?” Winnie climbed into the sports car. “Can’t it wait until tomorrow? I want to go home.”
Danny sighed. He started the engine. Turned to look at her. “Win, I returned Victor’s call in the restroom.”
“Alright, what did he want?”
“He wants to talk with you. Tonigh
t. He said it’s urgent.”
“Just tell me what he wants. I hate surprises.”
“He wants you to go with him back to the steel mill. He says he has something important to show you.”
“I’m never back there. Ever. Period.”
“I understand, but — ”
“Stop.” Winnie slapped her hand on the dashboard. “You know what happened to me there? To us? How can you even think about making me go back?”
“Victor wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. He needs to tell you what he saw, then you can make up your own mind. I’m not ‘making you go,’ I’m asking you to hear him out.”
“I don’t need to hear him out, and I don’t like you ganging up on me.”
“I’m not. I swear. Just hear him out. We owe him that. He’s been on our side, feeding us information and keeping us a step ahead of the Red Legs for over a year. If you say no, I’ll respect the decision.”
Winnie looked outside at the dark streets and intermittent pools of light, breathing, trying not to get angry. But Danny shouldn’t be pushing her.
The drive was silent, until Danny pulled up in front of the shop and Winnie turned to him sharply. “Five minutes. Then we’re leaving.”
Danny nodded and got out.
Winnie climbed out of her side, looking up at the Charmed sign above the shops door. So much had changed since she and her mom had first opened the store. That it was now being used to ambush her made Winnie want to fight.
She stepped inside and looked around. Victor was nowhere. “Well, where is he?”
“I’m here, Winnie,” Victor said, stepping out from the back office. “I didn’t want to stand in front of the windows. Come back here. I have something to tell you.”
Winnie grit her teeth and shot Danny a withering stare. Then she followed the inspector into her office.
Victor gestured to her desk chair.
“I’d rather stand. We won’t be here long.”
Victor cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for all the cloak and dagger, Winnie. I know you’re dealing with a lot. But there are things happening here in Baltimore that might be important to your fight, and you don’t know anything about them. Have you been back to the steel mill since that night?”
“No. And I don’t plan to.”
“I was afraid you’d say that.” Victor frowned. He looked worried. “I think you need to come with me and see what is happening there now.”
“I don’t care what’s happening there. You’re right. I’ve got too much going on to visit my past. I’m not looking for a catharsis, Victor.”
“That’s not what I mean,” he tried to explain. “I think there are magical things happening there that you need to see.”
“No. I need to find others like me. A fight is coming, and we need help if we’re going to win. That’s my priority.”
“With all due respect, Winnie, your priorities are all screwed up. You need to understand what’s causing all the breakdowns and failures. There aren’t any storms or tremors around the steel mill — isn’t that important to investigate?”
“If something needs investigating, you do it. That’s your job.”
“Dammit, Winnie, there are things there you need to see. I don’t have the frame of reference to explain it. This is deep magic that I don’t understand.”
“You can stomp your feet. Shout all you want. Try and cajole me. I’m not going back.”
“But why?”
“We all lost things there, Victor. Danny and I most of all. My cousin died at the hands of your Red Legs. Hundreds of chanters perished, just to fulfill some sort of twisted vision in Kane’s mind. I lost a child, a child I’ll never get a chance to meet or hold or love, all because of that place.”
Winnie turned scrubbed her tears. This argument was pointless.
Why were they doing this to her?
She stiffened at the hand on her shoulder. She looked to one side and saw Danny. She shrugged off his hand and spun back to face Victor again, tears still running down her face.
“Are you happy, now that you’ve opened a few old wounds?”
“No, Winnie,” Victor said. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I only came here because I believe you need to share this experience. I’ve seen something there that could make all the difference in our fight with Kane. I’m hoping it will make more sense to you than it did to me, with my limited knowledge and experience. I think the creatures there are trying to help us fight Kane, if we’ll let them.”
“Creatures?” Winnie asked.
“Fairies, sprites, will-o-wisps,” Victor shook his head. “I don’t know what you’d call them. It’s like another magical world is crossing over into ours around the crater. I’m not sure. That’s why I think you need to come and see it for yourself.”
“Fairies.” Winnie looked at Danny. “You brought me here so he could tell me he’s seeing fairies? That’s it. Come on, we’re leaving.”
Halfway to the door, Winnie saw Danny shrug at Victor from the corner of her eye. She reeled around, then, looking at Danny while pointing at Victor she said, “Don’t you take his side in this, Danny. He says he’s on our side but I’ll never trust him like I trust you.”
Victor stepped towards her. “I took an oath to follow you. I’m not your enemy.”
“Stop. You may be helping us and I’ll not turn that away, but never make the mistake of believing that I’ve forgotten you turning Morgan against me, or standing by while all those innocent people were murdered. It was your orders that rounded them all up to begin with.”
“Those orders were Kane’s, Winnie. Not mine. I didn’t know what he was doing there until that night, and by then it was too late for me to do anything.”
“So you say. That’s between you and yourself,” Winnie snapped. “You said you took an oath. I remember that. So, follow your oath now. I said I’m never going back to that place, and that’s final. If there’s something that needs investigating, then do it. I don’t want to hear another word. Do you agree, or is your oath no good after all?”
Victor didn’t answer for a long time.
Winnie waited, holding his gaze until he finally looked away.
“I agree. My oath is good.”
“Fine. Then it’s finished. Come on, Danny,” she said, walking toward the front door. “It’s time to go home.”
———
Victor watched Winnie and Danny leave. They killed the front lights, leaving him standing alone in the back office with only the desk lamp. Gloom was a blanket, reminding him of his failure.
“Don’t worry, Victor. Momma will come around eventually.”
He turned around to find the voice, but saw no one. “Are you sure, Seelie? She seemed so final.”
“She is confused. She doesn’t understand like you do. There’s still time for her to come around. You’ll see. Don’t give up.”
“I won’t. How can I after all you’ve shown me?”
Victor walked to the desk lamp and pulled the chain, plunging the room into darkness. Then Victor left the shop, closing the door closed behind him and locking it.
“Go home, Victor,” Seelie’s voice said, growing fainter. “Morgan is waiting up. She’s worried. Danny’s on our side. He’ll bring Winnie around. She’ll see things your way. He understands that you wouldn’t say all these things without a good reason.”
———
“You were pretty harsh back there,” Danny said, his eyes on the wheel.
Winnie didn’t answer. She wasn’t sure why she’d acted like that. Victor had been loyal since coming to their side and she had no reason to doubt him. But the thought of returning to that place clawed at her soul. There were too many ghosts.
Then, finally: “I know, Danny. He made me mad and I lost my temper.”
“It’s just a visit. He’s a valuable ally. Maybe you need this to put your demons away. We could go in the daytime. It wouldn’t be so ominous then.”
Winnie considered, then, “Ye
s. It would be different in the daylight.”
“Very different.”
Winnie pulled out her phone, pulled up Victor’s secret burner, tapped two words, then put the phone away.
Tomorrow morning.
CHAPTER 13
Elaine woke feeling the stiffness of her arthritis more than usual. It had been several days since her argument with Winnie. Again, she replayed the conversation, wondering if she could have steered the discussion in a better direction. She could never tell Winnie about her father. It would devastate her, cloud her judgement about Kane at a time when he was becoming more dangerous to chanters than ever before.
She switched on the television to watch the news while she paced her apartment to loosen her joints. She was putting the kettle on for tea when a familiar voice lit the background.
It is my fear that the chanter threat has risen to a new level with the recent riots in our city centers.
Elaine hobbled into the family room and saw Nils Kane on TV. He stood behind a podium covered in microphones, the Department of Magical Containment’s seal gracing the front.
A reporter off-camera asked a question. “Director Kane, what is your department planning to deal with the problem? I understand that numerous Red Leg officers were injured in the rioting and demonstrations.”
“You’re correct, Debbie,” Kane said. “Throughout the current unrest, our valiant Red Legs have been tireless in their efforts to peacefully resolve the problems at the heart of these unfortunate chanter demands. But the violent nature of both the protests and riots has caused us to rethink our approach. As our cities face an ever-growing danger from the magical failures, we have no one else to blame. Chanters must cease their illegal use of magic so that we can all be safer. Their consistent refusal to acknowledge their responsibility for our current state of affairs makes decisive action imperative, and urgently needed.”