by Wendy Wang
“Yeah, I can understand that.” Lisa grabbed a biscuit from the pan sitting on the stove and a plate from the cupboard next to it. She peeled back the aluminum foil covering a plate of fried eggs and bacon on the counter. She split the biscuit, slid a fried egg and two pieces of bacon between the halves, making a sandwich. “So, what’s the plan?”
“Tom has contacts in the area, so I think I’ll go with him,” Jen said.
Lisa quirked an eyebrow and met her sister’s gaze. “Contacts? You talked to Tom?”
“I asked him if he did before I asked him to come.”
Lisa considered her sister’s words. “So that’s why he’s really here. Does he even know?”
Jen shook her head and gave her a weary eye roll. “Nope.”
Lisa pursed her lips. “We’ll have a long talk about means and ends some other time.
Do we have any leads on whether there’s a coven in the area?” Jen rolled her eyes and took a sip of her coffee.
“We passed a gem shop and an herbal remedies shop when we came through town. I thought I’d start there,” Evangeline said. “One of the them is bound to have at least one witch working there.”
“That’s good. I’m sure Jason will want to talk to the local cops. I’ll go down to the river again and run a locater spell. Maybe I’ll drag Daphne along.” Lisa took a bite of her breakfast sandwich. Part of the biscuit crumbled onto the plate.
“What if I want to check out the gem shop?” Jason’s voice sounded scratchy and tired as he entered the kitchen, but also full of humor. “Pick up some of those protection crystals y’all carry around in your pocketbooks.”
“You’re welcome to come with me,” Evangeline said, smiling. “There are biscuits on the stove and fried eggs and bacon next to it. Please help yourself.”
“Will they even acknowledge they’re witches if you bring a—” Lisa waved her hand toward Jason and chose her words carefully. “A non-believer into their midst?”
“Oh, Jason’s not a non-believer, are you, Jace?” Evangeline held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. Jason stepped up and took her hand.
“No, ma’am. I try to keep an open mind these days. You know, in case a dragon pops up and tries to scorch us to death,” he said dryly.
“Dragons aren’t real,” Jen said, teasing. “Now, vampires on the other hand,” she feigned a shiver, “are pretty nasty creatures. You’ll want to stay away from them.”
“Oh stop it,” Evangeline said. “She’s just trying to scare you.”
“Right.” Jason ran his hand through his hair, giving his head a thorough scratch. “Good to know. Maybe we can also stop by the police station while we’re in town, Miss Evangeline.”
“Good idea.” She gave him a weary smile. “We should also see if they have a library.”
“They do,” Lisa said before taking the last sip of her coffee. “They were closed yesterday. Maybe you’ll have more luck.”
A soft knock on the door startled all of them. Jen sucked in a deep breath. No one moved.
“Well, don’t everybody get up at once,” Lisa said, irritated. She rose from her seat and walked to the front door. Through the decorative stained-glass panes, she saw Tom. He raised a hand to wave. Lisa turned the deadbolt and opened the door.
Tom flashed her a wary smile. He wore clean clothes and looked well rested, but of course why wouldn’t he? He didn’t need sleep and the glamour concealing his true face could be made to look like anything.
“Good morning,” he said, his voice full of charm. “May I come in?”
Lisa took a few steps back and opened the door wider, gesturing for him to walk inside. He strode across the room and took up residence behind Jen’s barstool.
“Good morning, Tom,” Evangeline said. “Are you hungry?”
“No, ma’am. I’m fine. Thank you.” He bowed his head slightly.
“What did you find?” Lisa said.
“Something very interesting.” He placed his hands on the back of Jen’s barstool. “I went down the path and found the river.”
“Did you see the place on the bank that I texted you about?” Jen asked.
He nodded. “In fact, I tried to cross the river there.”
“You did?” Lisa folded her arms and stood next to him. “What happened?”
“I was thrown back across.”
“What do you mean? Thrown?” Jason asked.
“Just before I reached the banks of the other side I was physically repelled. I tested the boundary and it stretched for miles along the river, then it cut through the woods for several more miles. I ended up following it in a very large square. Maybe hundreds of acres.” Tom drew his lips into a tight frown.
“What kind of boundary can keep out death?” Jen asked, incredulous.
“Hey! I am not death,” Tom said, sounding defensive. “I reap souls and transport them. I don’t kill people.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” Jen said, her voice full of contrition. “But you are usually immune to magic. Has anyone ever stopped you from doing your job before?”
“No. Never.” Tom shook his head. “This definitely felt like magic. Very dark magic.”
Lisa blew out a ragged breath. “Well, that’s just fan-freakin-tastic, isn’t it?”
“It’s okay. We’re gonna get our arms around this.” Jen touched Lisa’s arm, trying to comfort her.
“I hope to God you’re right,” Lisa said. “I just keep thinking about those crows.”
“What crows?” Jason asked.
Lisa explained the encounter she and Jen had with the birds the day before. His face became very serious.
“I’ll be right back,” Jason said. He turned and ran up the stairs, taking them two at the time.
“What’s that all about?” Lisa said.
Jen gave her sister a bewildered look and shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Anyway,” Lisa continued. “I was thinking about what you said. Maybe we could turn them. Or . . . “ She paused knowing that she couldn’t take back what she was about to say. Knowing that it would delve outside of the usual realm of their white magic into something grayer.
“Or what, honey?” Evangeline asked.
“No,” Jen said flatly. “We’re not doing that.”
“You haven’t even heard me out,” Lisa said, using her calmest, most logical voice.
“I don’t have to. I can see it on your face.” Jen pushed away from the bar and stood up. She put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips.
“Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” Evangeline said.
Lisa sighed and opened her mouth to speak, but Jen cut her off. “Lisa wants us to capture a crow and send it across the river to look for Charlie.”
“Can you do that?” Tom’s expression filled with awe, and he straightened his back.
“The question isn’t ‘can we’,” Jen said, holding her ground. “The question is ‘should we’.”
“You were all for turning one of those crows yesterday,” Lisa said.
“It’s one thing to take control of an animal that’s already been compromised. But it is a wholly different thing to cast a spell on a poor unsuspecting bird.” Jen’s cheeks flushed with anger.
“Jen’s right,” Evangeline said, keeping her tone even. “It opens a door. One I’m not willing to walk through yet. Are you?”
Lisa met her aunt’s gaze. “I’m fine with it, if it helps us find Charlie.”
Evangeline clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Lisa Marie. What’s the first rule?”
Lisa sighed and frowned. “Harm none.”
“And the second?”
“I don’t need a lesson on practicing the craft, Evangeline,” Lisa protested.
“What is the second rule?” Evangeline asked, more firmly.
Lisa rolled her eyes. “Govern your thoughts.”
“Why?” Evangeline asked.
“Because they are pure energy.”
“And?” Evangeline pr
ompted.
Lisa kicked her toe against the empty barstool in front of her. “And we are duty bound to practice without malice.”
“I shouldn’t have to remind you that you took an oath to do all the good you could in this world,” Evangeline said.
“No, ma’am, you shouldn’t,” Lisa countered, “but we’ve never faced anything like this before. I don’t know if there’s enough light between the four of us to drive back this sort of darkness.”
“You can’t fight darkness with darkness and win, not without losing part of yourself.” Jen’s gaze held Lisa’s. “I would rather fight with light and lose than fight with darkness and win.”
Tom shifted his feet awkwardly. His gaze kept bouncing among the three women. “She’s right, you know.”
Lisa gave him a side-eyed glance. She scowled. “Shut up, Tom. You wouldn’t even be here if we hadn’t dabbled in dark magic.”
“What?” Tom asked. “What are you talking about?”
“The spell we used to call you that first time,” Jen explained, “was not dark magic exactly. But it was in a gray area. You know, calling death to kill someone.”
“I’ve already told you. I am not death,” Tom protested. He rubbed his chin and his forehead furrowed, causing a deep line to appear between his brows. “When you summoned me, it was to retrieve a spirit. An evil spirit if I recall. You saved lives by calling me.”
“Oh.” Jen looked confused. “So, if you’re summoned by a witch you won’t kill her?”
“No. Of course not. I’m not a barbarian. Every reaper is given a book and there are protocols in place. And if we don’t follow the rules there are consequences,” Tom said.
“Like what?”
“Like . . . “ Tom threw his hands in the air and lowered his voice. “Complete annihilation. Death is not to be tampered with willy-nilly. Rule number one: Reap only those souls whose names are written in your book.”
Jason’s heavy footfalls reached the landing above their heads, and they all fell silent as he returned to the breakfast bar.
“Everything all right?” he asked, his voice full of wary surprise as he seemed to notice they were all staring at him.
“Yeah,” Lisa said. “Everything’s just peachy. Where’d you disappear to?”
Jason patted the gun now strapped to his hip. “I just thought this might come in handy. Especially if birds are gonna be involved.”
“I don’t understand, honey,” Evangeline said softly.
“I hate birds. They scare the crap out of me. And the thought of a bird being controlled by some evil entity?” He patted his gun. “Well, I like my eyes, thank you very much. So if a crow swoops down at me, he’ll be one sorry bird.”
Lisa bit the inside of her lips trying to contain the grin that wanted to spread across her face. Her eyes met Jen’s, though, and she snorted, unable to stop the laughter from bubbling up inside her.
“What?” Jason said. “I’m serious.”
Jen and Lisa laughed even harder.
“Don’t you pay them any mind. They’re just punchy. You take whatever talisman you need, honey.” Evangeline rose from her barstool and patted Jason.
“It’s not a talisman, Miss Evangeline. It’s a weapon,” he explained, his tone wavering between condescending and defensive.
Evangeline’s amused expression said she’d dealt with this sort of energy from men her entire life. “What do you think a talisman is?”
“It’s . . . it’s for protection, right? To ward off . . . “ Jason fumbled to find the words, “ . . . things, right?”
Evangeline’s silver eyebrows went up and her lips curved into a smirk. “You use your gun for protection?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jason said.
“To ward off things, as you say.”
Jason opened his mouth to argue but closed it as if he knew better. He frowned. “Yes, ma’am.”
Evangeline cackled softly. “Our protections come in many forms, honey. Some just have more bite than others.” She winked at him. “I’m going to wake up my child now. Wouldn’t want her to miss out on all the fun.”
Chapter 14
Charlie's heel ached with every step, and her breath sounded so loud in her ears she thought for sure that Daniel would find her because of it. Every 50 feet she stopped and looked at the map and her compass, making sure she was still on the right track. What the map didn't show was how steep the incline was the closer she got to the river. She could hear the water in the distance, loud and rushing as it raced around rocks and over cuts in the river where the water cascaded into deep pools that flowed onward toward the ocean.
A chill settled around her shoulders, and she fought against the feeling that someone was watching her. Some part of her kept waiting for him to call her name, but every time she glanced over her shoulder she found no one there. No ghost. No Daniel. That didn't stop panic from becoming a large pebble lodged in her throat. She kept her eyes on the ground ahead of her, only looking up to grab hold of a tree or sapling to aid in making her way down the uneven terrain. There should've been more noise. Squirrels skittering across tree branches, chattering with each other. Birds singing in the trees above. There was only her breath and the sound of her feet connecting with the thick layer of leaf litter that felt so unstable she thought she could almost sit and slide all the way down the hill.
Dark shadows played at the corners of her eyes and her breath quickened. She paused a moment, looking right and then left, scanning the thick trees for any sign that she was not alone. No one was there. She kept moving.
More shadows danced around her this time, and she stopped and slowly turned her head. She could almost see their dark forms. Were they spirits? Or her imagination? There was no light or translucence to them. If they were spirits they were like none she had ever seen before. Again, she focused on her feet and putting one foot in front of the other. Dark red mud caked her hiking boots. If she did get out of this alive, she doubted she’d ever get the stain out of the mushroom-colored suede.
An outcropping of dirty white stone caught her attention. She knelt next to it and touched her hand against the cool, jagged surface. Quartz. The energy of it thrummed. She closed her eyes and tried to evaluate if it was magic she felt or just natural energy. There was no spark, just a constant hum that told her it was natural. Quartz could come in handy, especially if she wanted to dispel a spirit or perform a spell. She searched around her for a stick, and when she found one she used it to dig the smallest of the quartz stones out of the mud. When her stick broke she used her fingers and finally loosened several pieces away from the larger vein. She finished by brushing as much dirt off them as possible and unzipping her jacket. One by one she dropped all but one of them into the inner pocket of her jacket. The last stone she slipped into the outer pocket.
The red mud clung to her short nails and stained her cuticles. It reminded her of rusty-colored blood. She wiped her hands on her pants and stood. She did not get three steps before the girl’s spirit materialized.
“Conduit,” the girl said in her high-pitched voice. “It’s time. The mistress is waiting for you.”
Charlie’s heart jumped into her throat, and she tried to step back but her foot caught on the largest quartz stone jutting from the hillside. No amount of wind-milling her arms allowed Charlie to keep her balance. Gravity won and she landed hard on her butt. Sharp pain traveled through her tongue and the coppery taste of blood filled her mouth.
Any heat her body had gained from her strenuous descent dissipated, and the sweat on her skin turned icy. The girl glared down at her, and Charlie stared into the spirit’s pale, angry face.
“What do you want?” Charlie asked.
The girl tipped her head to the left, and she arched her left eyebrow in a quizzical way. Was that a leftover mannerism from when she was alive? Spirits, in her experience, often continued using familiar cadences of speech, facial expressions, and tics, even though they were dead. She once met a spirit with a li
mp. It was as if they never fully lost being human. Or maybe they just longed for the physical world so much that these things comforted them, reminded them what it was like to be alive.
“What do you want?” Charlie asked again, a little more forcefully this time.
“I want what my mistress wants,” the girl finally said. “And she wants you.”
A shiver crawled down Charlie’s back, but she fought it. She shook her head.
“No,” she said firmly. “I have to get home.” Charlie gulped in air and pushed to her feet. The ghost blocked her from going forward. Charlie lowered her voice, almost growling, “I will push through you, little girl. And trust me, you don’t want that.”
“Escape is futile. Your fate is hers now.”
“My fate?” Charlie said, her voice strident. What she wouldn't give for a God's eye cross at the moment to capture the spirit and get her out of the way. “My fate is waiting for me across that river. And neither you nor your mistress is going to stop me from going home.”
“You are home,” the girl said.
Charlie's bones ached at the sound of those words. What had Daphne said? People that disappeared into these woods never returned, never to be found?
“Charlie?” Daniel's voice called from behind her.
Charlie closed her eyes and let out a breath. When she reopened her eyes the girl was gone. And she could hear Daniel lumbering closer and closer.
“Daniel,” Charlie said, turning and offering him a conciliatory smile.
“You left me,” he said, sounding genuinely hurt.
“We were going in the wrong direction. The river is this way.” She pointed down the steep hill. “I found it on your map.”
Daniel’s expression shifted from hurt to disbelief. “No. It's not.”
“Daniel, I have a compass and I know how to read a map.” Charlie folded her arms across her chest in defiance.
“It’s just . . . I’ve been that way before. It seems like it would lead there, but . . . “ He scratched his head. “It doesn’t.”
“Well, I want to try,” Charlie said. “If you don't want to, that's fine. Thank you for all your help. For the food and for . . . “ Her cheeks filled with heat and she looked at her feet, “ . . . for saving me, but I need to find my family.”