Hand In Ash

by Zoe Parker

  “Massive spells are like the inside of a clock. Each gear has a job, and all it takes is for one of those gears to slip to make the spell do something other than its intended purpose. A spell cast doesn’t stop because it’s done wrong; it just does something else.”

  “Would the result be worse?” Voss asks.

  “Potentially. What happens to most dangerous spells done incorrectly?”

  “They blow up,” Hank answers.

  “Exactly. I genuinely think the spell is wrong, twisted somehow. I’m familiar with magics of all branches, intimately, and this one isn’t being done right.” Devil looks at her again. “This is going to be bad when it happens, and I’m not sure how to stop it.”

  “Is there a counterspell?” Voss asks, looking slightly worried for the first time.

  “I don’t know… yet.”

  “Why are they doing a spell this large? I don’t understand.” Hank rubs his face and sits down in the recliner.

  “This isn’t the first time in our history this has been done, Hank,” Devil says softly.

  “Are you talking about the Waking?” he demands.

  “Yes, a massive spell cast over the entire world,” Sora answers for Devil, wanting to get some of the more prying questions out of their heads.

  “Is this going to do that again?” Hank sounds alarmed.

  “No, it’s not the same spell,” Devil says confidently.

  “How would you–” Voss begins.

  Sora interrupts him. “They’re using the guise of freedom from the church and other magic regulators to blanket their true purpose. I believe that their intent is to somehow incapacitate the ruling bodies, leaving huge gaps in our governments for them able to move in and take over during the confusion. At this stage, I’m not sure we can stop it. They have an unknown amount of killers who want to kill–who like it–working earnestly on their behalf.”

  “And the ritual-like killings are pieces of the spell?” Hank asks while Voss is looking at Devil speculatively. Her interruption was blatant, and any questions he has about Devil’s past will be met with the same cock-block.

  It’s none of their business.

  “It’s a way to draw power, a special kind of power–the kind that comes from a soul. It’s a horrible spell, whatever it is. However, I think their first mistake is how their victims are dying. Initially, I thought they were dying because of the sin eater magic being twisted, but now I think, no, I know, that their deaths are being caused by the feedback. Which still feeds the spell but in the wrong way. Sin eater magic isn’t good for working sorcerer-based spells. It’s almost like we have a built-in fail-safe. That’s partly where the spell is going wrong. Whoever designed it thinks because sin eater magic is so potent–because no one realizes how strong it actually is–that it’s a viable medium for substituting it in other spell work. Given that most old sorcerer magic is lost, they’re using what they consider the next strongest source.” She meets Voss’s eyes and then Hank’s. “Before you think I’m merely a jerk because I’m a sin eater, I want you to think about it. Sin eater magic pulls from your fucking soul. The very essence that makes you a higher being. No other magic does that. It’s all blood and bone with other sources. But this is deep down to the very base of your existence.” When she’s done speaking, Sora crosses her arms, preparing herself for arguments.

  “Most people don’t think about it that way,” Voss admits. “Your kind is looked upon more like a tool of magic versus a powerhouse of it.”

  “And to be fair, most sin eaters aren’t aware of the ability to do that. It’s not taught, not talked about, and most definitely not practiced,” Devil explains first, saving her the trouble of getting mad. Voss might not mean to sound insulting, but the tone of his voice speaks about his opinion on sin eaters in general.

  “Can all of them pull from the soul?” Voss is leaning back in the chair, looking relaxed now, but this is when he’s the most dangerous when he looks like he isn’t.

  “No. A normal sin eater merely brushes against it.” Devil again answers for her.

  “Are you a ‘normal’ sin eater, Sora?” His eyes are brighter than normal and intent on her. Part of her wonders if he’s looking at her like a potential enemy, and that sends a pang through her heart.

  “Does it matter? I’m not with them,” she answers somewhat sadly. To look at her that way, considering the risks she’s taken and her determination to stop the Father and his people, bothers her.

  Yet another reason they can’t be together. They don’t trust each other.

  “He’s interested in you, probably more so than most of his recruits,” he muses.

  “We don’t know that for sure, and honestly, it doesn’t matter. I’m not going to join his clown-posse. I’m going to do everything I can to stop him.” She says it like a vow and means it like one.

  “If their cause is to free sin eaters from the church, I can see that as something you’d get behind.” His words are like a small hammer hitting her in the temples. The hurt she felt earlier fades to be replaced with pure anger, which immediately fizzles and dies. Disappointment takes its place.

  “I get why you see enemies everywhere, Voss. I mean, a man who had to kill his way to the top is bound to be a paranoid person, but if I were on their side, you’d have died the first time we met. Unlike most of those idiots, I recognize a threat when I see one and would neutralize it in the beginning. Not let it run around and potentially get in my way.” She’s speaking the truth. If she were a crazy fanatic of their cause, Voss would die first. The shifters would be so busy scuffling to replace him that their gazes wouldn’t be on everything else happening in the world. But she doesn’t say that out loud.

  “Sounds an awful lot like you’re accusing her of something, Voss. Not a wise choice to make towards the only person who gives a shit about saving you, about saving all of you,” Devil cautions, his voice barely above a whisper. Sora looks at him and discovers the dark fire is back again. He’s pissed on her behalf.

  She appreciates it but doesn’t need it.

  The accusation in Voss’s gaze fades, and his good ol' boy smile returns. She’s not comforted by it and mentally prepares herself for him to start watching her even more closely.

  “Of course not, Devil. But I had to be sure,” Voss says after a moment of tension where he was trying to gauge the threat of her and Devil combined.

  A spot of meanness in Sora almost slips out a smile. Voss is an A-1 badass, there’s no doubt about that, but he’s a shifter, and she could melt his soul before he changed forms. But he doesn’t need to know that either. Going forward, there’s a lot of things Voss doesn’t need to know.

  But Sora isn’t a mean person and decides to try and alleviate the situation. “Voss, I’m not part of their fan club, and if you want, I’ll take a truth test to prove it.” She does respect the fact that a person in his position sees suspects everywhere; she doesn’t exactly trust him completely either. She’s hiding things about Devil and herself from them. So, she tries hard not to be offended when he nods, agreeing to the test. “Hank, I’m assuming you carry a truth charm on you?” Hank nods but doesn’t look happy about it.

  She holds out her hand for the charm and hisses when it pushes against her magic. Some charms don’t bother her, not even most do, but ones made with blood magic always do, and as long as she holds one, it’ll hurt.

  “Ask your questions before I get mad and kick you the fuck out, Voss,” she says through clenched teeth.

  “Are you a member of the terrorist organization run by a man dubbing himself the Father?” he asks, getting right into it.

  “This is ridiculous. I’m tempted to shoot you,” Hank mutters. Sora chokes out a laugh and focuses again on Voss.

  “Fuck no. Are you?”

  He almost smiles, but then seriousness replaces it once again. The dirty bastard is going to ask me another question. She’ll decide whether she wants to answer or not.

  “Are you planning on tr
ying to stop them?” That’s an easy question.

  “Duh.” The pain is starting to build in her hand, and if he keeps it up much longer, she might fry him just to feel better about this.

  “Voss…” Hank cautions.

  “Are you hiding anything from me?” She snarls at him and throws the charm at his face. He ducks to the side, and it embeds itself in the leather of the couch, smoking as it sinks inside. “It was burning you?” he asks, surprised.

  “Blood magic and soul magic don’t complement each other, Voss. They teach you that in second grade. I’m sure you made it through that level before you went wild and started killing everyone for a fucking shifter crown, right?” She’s angry and doesn’t even feel bad for insulting him. She holds her hand up, showing where the wound is trying to heal and can’t. She’ll have a little scar there now from this endeavor. That’s what she gets for trying to be nice.

  He clenches his jaw a few times. “I deserve that. But your refusal to answer still means you’re hiding something.” He won’t let it go, even though she got hurt in the process.

  “Of course, I’m hiding something! So are you, so is Hank, and most of the fucking people we know. It’s how the world works. But I’m not hiding anything that affects you or yours.” Seeing his face unchanged, she gets angrier. “Considering you’re not sharing the shit I can sense in you, you’re not in a position to demand my secrets, Voss. Now, get the fuck out!” She points at the door.

  “It’s my hotel.” He’s trying to tease her, but it’s not working right now. Maybe another day it will, but she’s fed up with macho men today.

  “I can leave if you want,” she threatens.

  His jaw works a few times, but instead of talking, he stands. The words aren’t coming out of his mouth, but she sees them in his eyes. A man like him doesn’t say them often, and she gets that. That’s also his problem to deal with.

  “I’d rather you stayed here in safety until you acquire a house.”

  “I’ll take care of that tomorrow, don’t worry. I also want you to call off your bodyguards, or I’ll singe their asses and blame it on you, k?”

  “You need them,” he insists.

  “Didn’t do me a lot of good today, did they?” Her anger is starting to wind down, but it’s the point of principle. Her understanding only goes so far. He let her be in pain over something stupid, and that bothers her. She answered the most important question, honestly.

  “I’ll call you when I have any more information and expect the same.” With that, he’s out the door, and it slams behind him.

  Hank whistles. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that emotionally off before,” he says, crossing his legs. “But I get why you’re pissed. He went too far with that charm. Too far period. He probably had you investigated from birth, financially, criminally–I think he’s just paranoid.”

  “A man like him always goes to extremes. It’s a shifter thing, and I understand it to some degree. In his position, I’d potentially do the same, but the charm burning me isn’t why I’m angry with him.” Devil and Hank both look at her expectantly. “It was because he kept asking questions knowing he’s holding more secrets than all of us. It’s the hypocrisy of it.”

  The old her would be more understanding of his position, maybe even blabbed her secrets, but now… she has as much right to her privacy and secrets as Voss does. She doesn’t give two figs if he’s the Alpha Supreme or not. He bullied her, and she isn’t tolerating it. Not from anyone, anymore.

  “Well, kids, this man is old and needs his beauty sleep. Let me know when you move, I have some friends who own a moving company,” Hank says, standing. He pats her shoulder and shuffles out the door.

  She and Devil look at each other. “He has a date with the mystery lady again,” Sora says with a smile.

  For the last few weeks, he comes in most mornings smelling of perfume and booze. Hank is a lot of things, but he’s not a full-fledged drunk or a fan of perfume. Sora bets it’s a human woman too. Shifters don’t wear alcohol-based scents, only the natural ones.

  When she meets Devil’s gaze again, he’s looking at her almost sadly. “You’re too smart for your own damn good sometimes, Sora.”

  “Do what now?” Devil doesn’t make a comment like that for a simple reason. Ever.

  “Figuring out that the spell they’re trying to work is like the one for the Waking.” She shrugs, she has no idea what he means by that. She took a wild guess is all.

  “It wasn’t that hard to connect the dots. There’s no other reason to use that many people unless you’re casting a spell that requires a lot of magic. I only connected it with the Waking because everyone knows it was a massive spell,” she explains.

  “It was that hard; you’re the only one of the three of you who came up with it.”

  “Well, Voss is an asshole who is mostly looking to have someone to punish, and Hank is focused on the murderers instead of why they’re murdering. I only looked at the bigger picture, is all.” She doesn’t feel like she did something they wouldn’t have both concluded on their own, eventually.

  “You’re right, ya know. The Waking was a spell cast like this, with the sacrifice of many lives.”

  The dawning realization of what he’s saying is enough to make her nearly drop her drink. “You’re talking about all the people that disappeared, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. They were all sacrificed in order to cast the spell. Except it was done by sorcerers who also died in the spell’s creation. It was the only way to end a war that was going to destroy the world, and they took it. Hell, Sora, most of those people volunteered.” He props himself on the arm of the couch.

  “How do you know that?” But really, she knows, and when Devil looks at her hard, he knows that she does too.

  “Really?”

  “I wanted you to say it. Since we’re besties and all, I should know these things.” She sets her drink on the table and crosses her arms.

  “Fine. I’m a construct or was one. That make you happy?”

  It does, but she won’t give him the satisfaction of saying it. “Do you think it’s the same spell?”

  “No, not even close. Like you said, they’re using the wrong kind of magic for it. Meaning, they won’t get the results they want. Whether Voss realizes it or not, you figured out a good chunk of the bad guy’s plot. Now we need to prepare for it.”

  “I guess. I don’t feel like I’ve figured out much of anything. It’s not like we’re any closer to stopping them than we were.” Knowing things is good and all, but not knowing enough is working against them.

  “Do you think we should tell Voss and Hank?” Devil asks, surprising her.

  “That you were a construct? No. If the wrong people find out, Devil, you’ll be in danger, and telling them doesn’t help figure this mess out.” She grabs him and tucks him on her lap to watch TV. Her head has started hurting again, and she’s sleepy. “We’ll talk with Hank tomorrow about the other stuff.”

  “Sora, the sleuth, is shut down for the night, huh?”

  “Shut up and watch TV. No more talk until my head stops hurting.”

  “As you wish.”

  “Ugh, that’s terrible. Never say that again–I saw that movie too, dork.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  She wakes up to a text from Voss requesting she call him and that because he has a formal challenge to deal with, he might not be able to answer right away. Considering how put out he was the night before, his text is nothing short of surprising. It also makes her feel a twinge of guilt. One she buries under hot tea and a bagel.

  Devil is bleary-eyed as he goes about his morning routine. She watches him from the table as he bumps into everything, including the corner of the wall–that he curses at for getting in his way. As far as she knows, he didn’t leave the apartment, so something else kept him up late.

  She passed out on the couch within minutes of demanding he watch TV with her and woke up with a crick in her neck and the outline of her
jeans pressed into her skin. It’s what she gets for not changing into pajamas.

  After finishing her breakfast, she stares at her phone screen for a solid five minutes before deciding to call Voss. She’s unsure of her reception with him and her reaction to him. She’s not mad at him anymore, but she’s not exactly happy with him either.

  He answers on the first ring. “I figured you’d tell me to go fuck myself.”

  “I considered it. Why am I calling?” There’s no room for pleasantries, yet, but there isn’t room for her to hold grudges either. Those exhaust people, and she’ll never understand why they carry them around like they do.

  “You were right about the killings being worldwide,” he says, not sounding happy about it. The news destroys any hope she had about being wrong.

  “How many?” She’s dreading the answer but already suspects the number will be high.

  “Over a hundred and the most recent one was around three this morning in a town in one of the Canadian shifter districts.” The rustling of fabric and a female sigh come through the phone, and Sora bites the inside of her cheek to keep from commenting. Not that she expected him to remain abstinent, but still. He was talking about licking sauce off her boob last night, and two hours later, he was banging some chick.

  “Were any of them captured?” It’s possible. There are some powerful people out in the world, not just her home city.

  “No, there was an altercation a few months ago, but both of the enforcers were slain. I didn’t realize the scope of this, Sora. It’s getting moved to the top of the list.”

  “I thought it was already at the top of the list?” How could it not be? People trying to take over the world should matter more than shifter business.

  “It is now, all of the alphas under my control will be actively seeking the ones behind it.” He pauses then mutters a cold ‘get out’ to someone before continuing. “Have they made any other attempts to contact you?”