Witch Cast (A Mackenzie Coven Mystery Book 3)

by Sonia Parin

  Lexie gave a slow shake of her head. “She must have me mixed up with someone else.”

  Everyone turned toward Lexie. As if by mutual agreement, they all took a step back and cleared the way for her.

  “Looks like you don’t have a choice.”

  “Nonsense. There’s always a choice.” Lexie nibbled the edge of her lip and scrambled to come up with an excuse to bail out on her duties. She knew she’d be held accountable. As a coven member, she had to answer to...

  “Dereliction of duty,” Jonathan murmured.

  “Huh?”

  “You were probably wondering what will happen if you don’t do anything. The Coven will convene behind closed doors. You won’t be called to testify or defend yourself. They’ll simply judge you on your actions.”

  “But they’ll take into account my good behavior and... and you’ll put in a good word for me.”

  “They tend to make up their own minds.”

  She gave a nonchalant shrug. “So what’s the worst they can do to me? Expel me from the coven? Ha! They’ll be doing me a favor.”

  “No,” he said in a pensive tone, “They won’t expel you. But they’ll definitely turn you into a monkey. At least long enough to teach you who’s who.”

  “Basically, you’re saying I don’t have a choice.” She glanced at Jonathan. “Are you coming?”

  “Who? Me?”

  Lexie rolled her eyes. “Yes. You, my guardian.”

  “Hang on. I need to consider my options. There must be a protocol. I mean... I’ve never been a hands on, step into the thick of it type of guardian. We’re really supposed to remain behind and act like an anchor. A beacon... so you can find your way home. Do I get to walk several paces behind you? After all, you are the High Chair of the American Continent and all Circumferential Domains Pertaining to the Mackenzie Coven and I’m a mere guardian with little experience.”

  “You seem to have conveniently forgotten I’m only the in coming High Chair,” she reminded him.

  “But you’re still the one with tricks up your sleeves. When push comes to shove, you’ll conjure up a solution.”

  Lexie gave him a slanted eye look. “I’m seeing you in an entirely different light and I’m not sure what to make of it.”

  “Like I said, I’m good with flesh and bones.”

  A hushed murmur rose around her.

  Constance Hargreaves made a beeline for Lexie.

  “Well? Are you going to keep Miss Lucinda Cunningham waiting? You’re holding us all back.”

  That sounded promising. Almost suggesting Constance knew something she didn’t. Maybe this was a performance after all. Perhaps a prelude to Miss Lucinda Cunningham’s appearance on stage. Lexie imagined the image being projected from the stage...

  “Come on then, I won’t think less of you if you walk several paces behind me. But, you should know I’ll never let you live it down.”

  As she stepped forward, everyone closed in on her and formed a line behind them. Lexie felt like an Amazonian facing an adversary. The apparition waited for her to reach the door, and hovered for a moment as if to make sure Lexie wasn’t bluffing.

  Lexie drew in a deep breath. “Here I go.” She took another step forward.

  Miss Lucinda Cunningham, or at least, her specter or... her projection... nodded and wafted toward the stage.

  Curtain time, Lexie thought.

  “You still with me?” she asked Jonathan.

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  The auditorium had an eerie hollowness to it. Strangely, as everyone moved along the stalls, their steps didn’t echo.

  The air felt thick and cool.

  Lexie shivered. “Well, so far, I have to say, I’m not liking any of this.”

  “Ditto.”

  “But I do take some comfort from having you watching my back. Please tell me you’re watching my back. I don’t dare take my eyes off Miss Lucinda Cunningham. She might turn into... something else.”

  “Yeah, Raiders of the Lost Ark comes to mind. Specifically, that last scene where the spirits are released and they transformed from things of beauty to—”

  “Thanks, Jonathan. That’s already too much information. My active mind doesn’t need to be stimulated with any more images.” She tried to fight through the rising sense of something being wrong and of her walking straight into a trap.

  Nonsense, she thought. Besides, spirits were not corporeal. They... it couldn’t harm her. In fact, if she wanted to, she could walk right through it.

  Lexie tried to smile but only one edge of her mouth responded. She didn’t need a mirror to know she had a silly, lopsided grin on her face. Coupled with her wide-eyed expression, she was almost glad to be leading the vanguard as no one could bear witness to her clown face. No one except the specter...

  The thought made her square her shoulders.

  “Are you right there? From where I’m standing you look tense.”

  Lexie lowered her shoulders a fraction at a time. “I’m fine,” she squeaked just as the specter gave her what looked like a pointed, please-take-this-seriously lifted eyebrow look.

  Miss Lucinda Cunningham’s specter continued to move toward the stage, with everyone following a few steps behind. Every now and then, it stopped and turned to look at Lexie.

  “Yes, yes. I’m right behind you.”

  Jonathan cleared his throat. “Are we still following a hypothetical ghost or did we go back to thinking this has all been staged?”

  “For the sake of my dwindling courage, I’m going with staged.” The thought of it being real sent Lexie’s heart galloping up to her throat. The specter reached the stage and turned, her gossamer gown wafting around her like plumes of smoke.

  For a moment, she appeared to fade. Lexie wondered if whatever contraption the theater had used to project the image had malfunctioned.

  Extending her hand, Miss Lucinda Cunningham motioned to the stage.

  “This is it.” The thespian herself would now make her appearance and put an end to this ridiculous, but very effective preamble.

  The curtains parted.

  Lexie had almost forgotten about all the guests standing behind her, but at that moment, they all gasped.

  And with good reason.

  “Well, at least that answers one question,” Jonathan said, “It really is a ghost.”

  Chapter Five

  “The police released us only an hour ago. I’m tired, grumpy and in no mood to answer any more questions.” Lexie kicked off her high heels and rubbed her sore feet.

  The two orbs hovering in the middle of her sitting room bobbed up and down in protest.

  “Please leave now. If you must... Come back tomorrow.” Lexie shooed them away.

  Jonathan gave her a thumbs up and a firm, yeah, that’s telling ‘em, supportive nod.

  “You must try to remember exactly what happened, Alexandra,” Mirabelle urged her in her usual crisp British accent that brooked no argument.

  “Let me see, do I really want to hit refresh and bring up the horror of the imagery right before I turn in for the night?” Lexie tapped her chin. “Umm. Nope.”

  Jonathan stepped forward. “She’s already told you everything she remembers. The curtains parted. The specter... or whatever that thing was, faded, and the shadow I’d seen earlier rose from the stage. Picture Miss Lucinda Cunningham. Hold that image in your mind and now fill the image until it’s thoroughly pitch black. That’s what we saw. Moments later, the shadow faded and abracadabra, a body slumped onto the stage.”

  “That sounds about right. Good night, over and out,” Lexie piped in and threw in a yawn for good measure.

  “Who had access to the stage area? Was the back entrance secured? Did anyone see anyone who looked suspicious?” Mirabelle sounded exasperated.

  Luna emerged from the bedroom and sauntered over to sit by Lexie’s side.

  What’s going on?

  Nothing. Go back to sleep.

  With all this commotion? I’m hung
ry. I want a snack.

  Mirabelle’s orb brightened.

  Is she trying to intimidate me?

  Clearly she hasn’t seen you in action.

  I thought you promised you wouldn’t talk about that.

  Sorry.

  Mirabelle tapped her gavel. “It is bad form to communicate with your feline companion whilst in the presence of others.”

  Luna threw her nose up in the air and leaped onto Lexie’s lap.

  You missed your chance to volley back a retort.

  Such as?

  I think touché would have been highly appropriate. They chatter among themselves all the time and leave you out of the loop.

  “Touché,” Lexie said.

  Both orbs tilted as if puzzled by her belated outburst.

  You need to work on your timing. It sucks.

  Luna curled up next to her and yawned.

  “This is a lesson for the both you. If you’d given me some sort of heads up, I would have been better prepared and I might even have prevented Miss Lucinda Cunningham’s untimely demise.”

  Jonathan gave a firm nod of agreement and made a wind it up motion with his hand.

  “So... having made my point clear and... fully briefed you on tonight’s events I... I call this meeting to an end. Good night and thank you for coming.”

  “You are in no position to dismiss us,” Mirabelle complained, “As representative of the Mackenzie Coven, you were duty bound to do everything in your power to stop this from happening.”

  “Right, because you were so clear about what I should expect, and you’ve been so diligent in guiding me to become a fully functioning member of this coven that I went there fully equipped with foresight, and...” she made a gesture with her hand, “Ready to deal with the star of the show being gobbled up by a shadow.”

  “You were supposed to pick up on—” Mirabelle broke off in a gasp of exasperation.

  Had she driven the High Chair of the British Isles into a state of apoplexy?

  “What Mirabelle meant to say is that you have the power to sense danger and imminent trouble,” Catherine offered. “If you had been focused on doing your job well, none of this would have happened. Regardless of whether or not we filled you in on our concerns. It is part of your training. Your powers must be awakened and there’s nothing we can do to intervene and hurry the process along.”

  That didn’t sound at all like the chirpy Catherine she knew. Usually, she found Lexie amusing. When had she pulled up her socks?

  “Well, there’s nothing to be done about it now. She can’t be brought back.”

  “She’ll be fine,” Catherine offered, “Let’s just give her a moment.”

  “I meant Miss Lucinda Cunningham.”

  “Oh. Yes, well... You now have your work cut out for you.”

  “Huh?”

  “This isn’t the end. On the contrary, we must now roll up our sleeves and... identify this shadow you spoke of. Hunt it down and—”

  “Do what?” Lexie sprung up and sent Luna scurrying away, “At which point did I give you the impression I was the adventurous... heroic type?”

  Catherine cleared her throat. “Yes, well. We must all do our bit. You’ve already proven yourself quite adept at handling difficult situations.”

  “Says you... from the comfort and safety of your... Where exactly do you live again?”

  “Oh, it’s a beautiful little cottage in the hills, not far from a small town called Eden. My garden is the envy of the district—”

  Mirabelle returned in full form. Her orb doubled in size. “It is our duty to protect the innocent—”

  “Whoa! Up until a short while ago, I belonged to that group and suddenly, I don’t. Yet, as far as knowing what to do, I’m still in the dark.”

  “You know we have your back,” Mirabelle declared.

  “So you say.” Lexie tapped her chin. “Where exactly were you when I hollered for answers earlier on?”

  “We don’t always have the necessary information at the tip of our fingers. Mackenzie Hall has a vast library and I’m only acquainted with a fraction of its contents—”

  “Mackenzie Hall? You live in a Hall?” Lexie looked around her small apartment. “How exactly did that happen?”

  Mirabelle’s orb bobbed from side to side. Lexie suspected that was Mirabelle’s way of blowing her a raspberry.

  “I inherited it.”

  “That reminds me. My rent is due and what with one trip or another, on your behalf, I’ve skipped work.”

  “You’ll be duly compensated.”

  That had better mean there would be money in her bank account... or else, Lexie thought. “Where exactly is this Hall of yours? If I can’t pay my rent, I might need to crash on someone’s couch and a Hall sounds very spacious.”

  Mirabelle’s orb tilted in such a way, Lexie had no trouble imagining her pretending to look elsewhere.

  “As I said, you will be duly compensated for your lost income.”

  Jonathan made a gesture indicating she should get something on paper.

  “I need this in writing.”

  “We are of the Mackenzie Coven. We do not question each other’s honor.”

  She might not, but until Lexie saw the proverbial pudding, she’d continue to prod for proof. “Here’s the deal. Show me a job description with all its entitlements and then we’ll talk. As it is, I’ve been playing a guessing game and, let me tell you, it’s no fun going up against things I don’t understand or even expect.” She glanced over at Jonathan who appeared to have tuned out. Lexie clicked her fingers. Looking up, he grinned and gave her another thumbs up.

  “Agree? Yea or nay? Take it or leave it?”

  “We’ll have something drawn up for you by tomorrow morning.”

  “Is that my morning or your morning? We’re all on different time zones here and I’d hate for there to be a misunderstanding because it could lead to bad blood between us all and—”

  “Your tomorrow morning.”

  “Okay. Meeting adjourned.” She picked up a coaster and tapped it on the coffee table for good measure.

  Catherine’s orb rushed toward her. “You really shouldn’t do that,” she whispered, “Mirabelle is rather touchy about who gets to tap the gavel and call a meeting to an end.”

  “Duly noted.”

  Catherine’s orb left a trail of sparkles as it disappeared and Mirabelle... simply disappeared in what looked like a puff of huffy smoke.

  “That went better than expected. I didn’t let them push me around... much.”

  “I suppose I should leave before you turn into a pumpkin.”

  “Thank you for tonight, Jonathan. It was very good of you to come, and... I’m sorry to have dragged you into this.”

  “But you had to it all over again... you would?”

  Lexie grinned.

  As she locked the door behind Jonathan, Lexie reached for her necklace. She patted her neck. She dug her fingers through her hair...

  Gone!

  Her heart punched against her chest. Searching around the sitting room, she noticed her shoes weren’t where she’d kicked them off. Lexie looked under the couch and then felt around the cushions for the necklace. Nothing.

  Luna sauntered into the room.

  “Is it already morning? Where’s my breakfast? And why are you naked?”

  “No. It’s still night-time and... What?” She looked down at herself. Now her dress had disappeared? Was she really about to turn into a pumpkin?

  Do not panic. Do not panic.

  Mom.

  This had to be Morgana’s doing.

  She tried again. No answer.

  “Fine. I’m not stressing about this,” she called out. Drawing in a deep, calming breath, she padded to her bedroom and pulled on a bathrobe that had seen better days. As she waited for her mom to reply, she went to the adjoining bathroom to brush her teeth.

  “How open would Mirabelle be to negotiation,” she wondered out loud. “Knowing her...
as I’ve come to know her, although, to be fair to her, she might only be showing me her snarky side...” Lexie shrugged, “Mirabelle will want to have her way and she’ll get it by being sneaky.” Lexie pointed the toothbrush at her reflection. “Be on your guard and, for heaven’s sake, read the fine print.” Her foamy mouth smiled back at her.

  “Yes, I would strongly suggest doing that.”

  Lexie swung around and yelped. “What? Who are you?” A woman about her age stood by the door dressed in a navy blue suit with her dark chocolate brown hair gathered tightly into a bun.

  “I’m Octavia Fox-Hurst. Your new assistant.”

  “Huh?”

  Octavia stretched her hand out. Lexie shook it and then wiped the toothpaste dribble off her mouth.

  “Here, let me help you with that.”

  A towel appeared in her hand.

  “Oh, you’re... you’re—”

  “Yes. I’m from the coven. Currently working my way through an internship.”

  “Huh?”

  “It’s a long story but you are entitled to hear a full disclosure. Back in 1637, the Fox-Hurst Coven was disbanded as a result of their misalignment with—”

  “1637? That sounds like the long version.”

  “My apologies. I do have a tendency to be thorough, which bodes well for me as my forte lies solely within—”

  “Could you try shorter sentences? I’ve had one of those days.”

  Octavia pushed her imaginary glasses back. “As I said, I’m thorough. The Fox-Hurst Coven members have pledged their allegiance to the Mackenzie Coven and have, over the last three hundred and eighty years, shown—” Octavia gave a stiff nod. “Short version. I’m at your disposal.”

  “Who sent you?”

  “The High Chair, of course.”

  Morgana? “I just tried to contact her.”

  Octavia gave a small smile. “She heard you but she’s in the middle of an end of rehearsals party and she thought this would be as good a time as any to introduce you to me. So if we could get right down to business, I’m more than capable of hitting the ground running.” Octavia picked up a pair of jeans, folded them and set them down on a chair.