by Martha Carr
A rush of energy poured out, surrounding all of them and creating ripples along the water surrounding Lacey's body. Leira felt the magic rise in her, making her feel light headed as she followed everyone through the door and onto a terrace that overlooked a circular system of hundreds of terraces stacked one on top of the other that looked more like the inside of an enormous beehive. The opening in the center stretched across for hundreds of feet.
Each terrace that went all the way around the opening had a series of doors every few yards. And all of it looked down over a center courtyard with an even larger basin full of the same water.
Placed on shelves here and there around the wide opening, and flush with the walls were bodies wrapped in purple silk. Leira's eyes widened and her eyes glowed from the magic floating through the room. "It's a kind of artifact," whispered Leira. "All this magic is resting here."
"These catacombs connect all the world. Those doors go to Madrid, and Senegal, and London, and Beirut, and even Cleveland," said the Reverend with a smile. "This is a magical plane created thousands of years ago that will only ever be seen by a few living magicals each generation."
The group walked halfway around the terrace, stopping at an empty space. Lois and Reverend Gleason stood to the far side of the empty shelf as Turner and Correk stepped back, Correk putting his arm around Leira. The water swirled around Lacey's body, suddenly churning faster and faster, weaving the same purple cloth that was covering the other bodies laid to rest in the catacombs. Her shrouded body floated within the churning water toward the shelf finally coming to rest as the water pulled itself away, swirling first around Lois and then climbing to the center of the open space before diving down into the eternal basin at the bottom.
"The waters have acknowledged the new choice for the head of the Silver Griffins, Lois. The ceremony is complete." The Reverend put a hand on Lacey's shroud. "Goodbye old friend."
Each one took their turn saying goodbye before following in a line out of the catacombs and back through the door. Correk and the Reverend and Turner pulled it shut with the same loud scraping, the door locking on its own. They made their way quietly back up the long set of stairs, Correk holding Leira's hand and passing down the middle aisle, to the outside courtyard.
The area had already been transformed with tables covered in white linen and trays full of ham biscuits and pickled peaches and pickled watermelon and sandwiches from a nearby deli. All Lacey's favorites. People had glasses of champagne in their hands and were telling stories about Lacey, smiling and laughing and saying hello to old faces they hadn't seen in a while.
The troll went over to Leira with his arms out and she scooped him up so he could kiss her on the cheek and hug her face. "Thank you, my furry friend. Go find something to eat. I know you're hungry and from the lack of mayhem I know you've been on your very best behavior. Go get a sandwich. It's okay."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," she said, putting him back on the ground. He disappeared into the crowd, climbing onto a table and it wasn’t long before a sandwich was bobbling up and down on a tray, walking away seemingly on its own.
Leira and Correk made their way through the crowd together, saying hello to General Anderson and hugging Lois and Patsy, meeting Earl. It took a while to greet everyone, but finally Leira looked at Correk and let out a weary sigh. "Let's take the train home. I need to be alone with you and Yumfuck for a while. I think we've greeted everyone by now."
"You're with the Fixer. Let's travel through a portal this time." Correk found the troll buried in a bowl of olives, wearing one on each arm and nibbling at the edges. He scooped him up with his olives and wrapped him in a napkin, putting him in his pocket. He took Leira's hand and they walked into a small side courtyard outside of the glamour but hidden by church walls on all sides. A ball of light grew in his hands and he pulled it apart, opening up a portal to their kitchen in DC. Leira stepped through first, heading for the back porch, shedding her shoes as she walked. Correk followed, closing the portal with sparks dancing around the kitchen floor. He went to the refrigerator and got out two long necked beers and walked out to the porch, opening them and handing one to Leira. There they sat in silence, holding hands and sipping their beers long into the night.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The heat was rising as the morning grew later. It had been a day and a night since Lacey was laid to rest and everyone had walked around the house, saying very little and eating less.
Yumfuck woke up when the sun hit his face and spent the morning meditating, wondering how to change things. "First, leave this room." The troll grabbed his favorite Batman backpack out of the closet, searching the front pocket for the twenty dollar bill Hagan had slipped him before they left the sanctuary. This time he was going to pay for his donuts. His stash was empty and Correk had been in no mood to replenish his own. He needed to get out and find something to do. "I have been sitting still long enough."
He crept down the stairs of the quiet house and down the hallway to the kitchen, pressing his face to the screen door. Leira was sitting on the back porch with a beer, gazing over the alley and occasionally letting out a long sigh. Correk had left to help a magical in trouble somewhere in Little Rock, Arkansas. He had checked in on Yumfuck before he left, barely saying anything.
"We need a little joy to come back in here," muttered Yumfuck, heading back down the hall. "I've got to go find some."
He shoved the large wooden front door open, squeezing one eye shut when it creaked and waiting to see if Leira got up to come and check on the noise. Nothing. "That's not good." His stomach rumbled and he rubbed it, licking his lips. "This mood is making me hungry."
He jumped up and down, trying to reach the handle without success. He went to the edge of the steps and looked up and down the street. Even the street was quiet. The troll went back to the door and grew to three feet to pull it tight before shrinking back down, dropping off the front steps into the bushes, crossing from yard to yard without being seen.
The aroma of someone cooking dinner floated out of a window and he stopped to breathe in deeply, feeling himself relax. He looked at the open window and thought about going inside, just for a minute, but thought better of it.
"I'm on a mission. There has to be a way to help."
He walked for blocks but wasn't finding anything that could help and there was no donut shop in sight. The day was not getting any better. He found a small park and wandered into it, crawling up onto a bench and sitting back on one of the slats. He slumped back and let out a sigh and a squeak.
"It doesn't sound like things are working out for you today," said an old man, startling the troll. Yumfuck sat up straighter, ready to drop down and find cover before anyone could pull out a phone. He watched the old man feel for the edge of the seat with his hand, holding on to his cane as he sat down hard, falling back onto the bench and smiling, satisfied.
"I hope you don't mind if an old blind man takes up some of your space. This is my favorite place to sit too." The man lifted his face to the warmth of the sun, a breeze lifting the few hairs still left on his head. The man's forehead wrinkled, and he tilted his head toward Yumfuck. "Cat got your tongue?"
Yumfuck stuck out his tongue, feeling it with his paw. "No, it's still right here," he said, still holding onto his tongue.
The old man chuckled, slapping his knee. "You sound like a young one. How can things be so dire for someone so young?"
"I'm a lot older than you think and things have not been going well lately. An old friend was killed."
"Oooh, that is tough," he said, wincing. "I've always thought it was the loss of the little things that hurt the most when a friend dies. Having coffee with them or expecting to hear their voice when you go to work."
The troll let out a sigh and crossed his paws over his belly. "When does the sadness go away?"
"Son, that is a question without an answer. Grief is something we all want to avoid, but it's really the balm we need. It's there to help us
remember what we love about the one we lost and to take it in even deeper. But how long it takes varies and it will probably come for a visit, and then leave for a while, only to return later to help open your heart again, just a little bit more."
"I need to get on with things. I can't wait for grief to be done with me."
The old man nodded his head. "Too true. Life goes marching forward all the time. That is another one of the blessings. We can put ourselves back into the flow of life and let it carry us for a while, like a river. We go about our day, we get things done and in the background, grief still talks to us, reminding us that we were loved, and therefore, we will be again."
"Going back to life for my family is not so easy. Trouble has our address and keeps knocking at our door."
"When trouble has found you, invite it in as a friend and ask, what are you here to teach me."
"I'm not sure that will work in this case. We've put up all kinds of things to make sure trouble stays outside."
"I suppose you mean the walking, talking kind of trouble, and I mean the kind that poisons you from the inside out. If you want to defeat the first one, learn to master the second one."
Yumfuck's stomach rumbled and he stood up on the bench. "I think I actually feel a little better."
"Then I was of service to someone today and that makes me glad."
The troll was about to jump off the bench and stopped. "I don't suppose you know where there's a decent donut shop nearby."
"As a matter of fact, I do, and I was having the same thought. Do you mind some company?"
"Not at all, and don't worry, I can pay for myself this time."
The man laughed and stood up, gathering his cane. "Follow me. I'm not too fast. Hope that's not a problem."
"No, today I have time."
"You're a little fella, aren't you?"
"Depends on the day."
"Now that's a good riddle. I like riddles," he said as they made their way down the street toward a line of shops. "I am not alive, but I grow. I don't have lungs, but I need air. I don't have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I? Give up? Fire!"
A man passed the odd pair, looking down at the furry creature walking next to the old man. Yumfuck looked up at him and smiled, waving his tiny paw. The man shook his head, taking another look and pressed his hand to his stomach as he kept walking. "My wife is right, for once. Enough Taco Bell and you start to see things."
They ambled to the next block and came to a stop in front of Square Donuts. The old man went to open the door and Yumfuck pulled on his pant leg. "I'm gonna wait out here. Here's my twenty," he said, slipping it out of his backpack. He jumped up onto the cement ledge under the window, holding it up as high as he could. "A dozen assorted, a few with cream filling, please."
The man put out his hand and Yumfuck waved it near him till he found it and folded the money into his hand. "Will do. Shouldn't be long." He opened the door and went in, the owner yelling out a greeting that was lost as soon as the door swung shut. Yumfuck pressed his little face against the window, watching the old man make his way carefully toward the counter. A woman at a nearby table let out a yelp and jumped out of her chair, pointing to Yumfuck and waving to her friend.
Yumfuck waved, giving her a wink. Her eyes grew wide and she opened and shut her mouth like a fish. Yumfuck laughed and imitated her, waving to her friend. The pair came closer just as the old man came out of the shop carrying two boxes. "They're still warm," said the old man. "Perfect time of day to come here. I have a little change for you too."
"Keep the change," said Yumfuck holding up his arms as the man held the box out for him, balancing it on his furry little head. "I'm paying it forward."
He neatly jumped down, walking alongside his new friend, making his way back toward home. "Do you come to that bench often?"
"Most days, around the same time. You thinking of joining me again?"
"I'm thinking that is one of the best ideas I've had in a while," said Yumfuck, feeling the ache ease just a little. Grief would have to come back and visit on another day.
Louie gripped the sword, standing barefoot in the center of the space he had cleared in his small apartment. "Big enough."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to connect with the energy of the sword. It was helping to take his mind off the battle in Texas. He was tired of closing his eyes and watching it all unfold over and over again.
He felt the handle of the sword hum in his hands and the energy grow stronger. He tightened his grip on the handle as the artifacts he had collected shook in their boxes. Patience, whispered the sword.
Just as he was about to swing the sword, tired of waiting for direction, there was a knock on the door. "Weird how you can do that," he muttered, holding the sword in one hand and walking over to look through the peephole. "Ava," he whispered, breathlessly.
Her long black hair was pulled back at the nape of her neck and she wore a white t-shirt and a pair of black jeans and boots.
"Hey!" She smiled, leaning toward the peephole. "Can I come in?"
Louie looked around at the pile of dirty clothes and the empty cartons from the restaurant downstairs. "Hang on, one second!" He grabbed the sword and ran to the narrow closet, shoving it inside, behind the coats. "Sorry friend, I'll put you in your case later." He hurriedly scooped up the clothes, puckering his lips from the smell and turning away his face. He ran into his small bedroom and dropped the clothes, kicking them under his bed.
Ava tapped lightly on the door again. "Louie? Are you coming?"
"Yeah, I'm coming." He shoved the empty cartons in the packed trash can, putting the forks into the sink and spun around looking at the room. "Not too bad," he said, jogging over to the door and pulling it open.
Ava smiled and came in, looking around at the apartment. "How bad was it?" She pulled her bag off her shoulder, setting it on the round table in the room.
"About three days’ worth of buildup. Medium bad." He rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly. "What can I do for you?"
Ava's face warmed and she dug her hands in her pocket. "I... I uh... I was just looking to hang out, you know, get to know you better."
Louie's grin spread across his face, his dimples showing. "My charm is finally getting to you. Yeah, sure. My house is practically your house, and you're always welcome." He stopped talking, at a loss for words as he caught himself watching how she moved. He cleared his throat, desperately searching for a topic as the silence grew more awkward. "Did you work today?" he finally asked. Get a grip. You never have this much trouble around a girl.
"No, Dad had enough help today and I had lessons."
"Oh yeah? How's the parkour lessons going?" Okay, found a topic.
"I managed to get across the first obstacle course, but I kissed it on the second one." She rolled up part of her sleeve and showed him the purple and green bruise blossoming on her shoulder. "So really well," she said with a laugh. "I think I'm the only one who hasn't broken anything yet."
"Tell me again why you're taking parkour?"
"Dad said a young woman has to know how to defend herself and I made a pretty good argument that getting away was even more important." She found a seat on a bar stool and cautiously rested her elbow, lifting it back up again when it stuck to the counter.
"Sorry about that. I must have missed a spot," said Louie, wiping the counter vigorously in front of Ava.
"It's okay, my room doesn't look much better. Full disclosure." Her face warmed and she ducked her chin.
She is cute. How did I miss that? Louie smiled and grabbed two sodas from the fridge, handing one to her. She looked at the label. "I'm impressed. You got the real thing."
"I was feeling rich today," he laughed. "I bought real Coke this time instead of orange Fanta. I'm living high on the hog."
"Hey, I love orange soda. That and a hot dog and I'm good to go."
"What do you put on your dog?"
Ava waved her hand. "Nothing. I like it on a bun, n
othing added."
"Heresy! You gotta do it up right. Mustard and relish. No ketchup, worse than plain."
"Got it," said Ava. "But I'm standing by my plain. Although," she chirped, pointing a finger at the ceiling, "when I was younger, I used to mash potato chips under the dog."
"Doubling up on the carbs with a little added grease. I can respect that. All you needed was some liquid cheese on top."
"Nooooo!" she laughed, waving her hands.
Louie grinned again and leaned back against the counter, feeling his shirt stick and doing his best to ignore it. And without even noticing that for just a little while, he forgot about everything else.
Sirius slammed his fist on the oak table. "I am the head of this family," he screamed.
"Past tense, you were." Agnes was yelling just as loudly. "You left, remember?"
They were standing in the sitting room of the family estate in Kentucky. Outside in the hallway, witches and wizards passed by the doors, flinching at the sound of something crashing or Sirius' deep voice carrying out to them. Opinion was mixed on who they wanted to see win the argument.
"You left to become Wolfstan Humphrey's handmaiden," said Agnes, spitting out the words. "Tell me you haven't become so stupid that you think you're his partner?"
"I made a necessary and temporary deal," hissed Sirius. "Leira Berens will be the end of the Dark Families, sooner rather than later. Our efforts have failed, over and over again. We needed a powerful ally."