by K E O'Connor
I puffed out a breath. “It’s a long time to have hope. Eden’s been gone for years. Was there an ex-boyfriend on the scene causing trouble?”
“Eden dated a bit, but there was no one serious. The guys she dated were questioned, but they had alibis, and they all helped search for her. The whole village turned out to look for her. Everyone was devastated when she vanished.”
“I bet. I liked Eden.” I shook my head. “It seems like dark magic is messing with Witch Haven more and more.”
Another look passed between Odessa and Luna.
“Is there a problem in the village?” I asked.
“We started having issues after you and your stepmom ran into... trouble,” Odessa said.
I grimaced. “You don’t have to sugar-coat it. We went rogue, killed a load of people, and severely messed up.”
“Yes, that’s what I meant.” Odessa shuffled about on the bed. “Since then, there’s been an increase in the amount of dark magic seeping into the village.”
“Seeping in? There’s an outside force doing this?” I didn’t like where this conversation was going.
“Maybe. Although some people think you opened a doorway for it to enter,” Luna said. “We don’t believe that, but there has been a rise in the presence of dark magic since then.”
“You think this is my fault?” A shudder ran down my spine. Had I opened the door to dark magic? Witch Haven had always been a peaceful place when I was growing up. It didn’t seem that way any longer. Had I left behind the worst kind of legacy?
“No! No, I’m sure this has nothing to do with you.” Odessa didn’t look at me. “Almost positive. Eighty percent sure. Maybe fifty. Evens it’s a coincidence.”
“Yes! It could be a sign of the times,” Luna said. “Magic is always shifting. Sometimes the good guys get control, and sometimes the bad guys get to have fun.”
Unease shifted through me. All of this felt wrong. I should never have come back. What if me being here only made things worse? I should have left Magda’s things and the house, and turned my back on it all. My life hadn’t been so bad. Sure, it had been lonely, and it always felt weird, having my magic restrained by the Magic Council, but I was getting by. Now I was here, and everything felt thrown up in the air. I hated that feeling.
“Let’s focus on getting this ghost back,” Odessa said. “I can reinforce the magic traps and we can try again. We should go back to the apartment and see if he’s returned there. Or if he hasn’t—”
“I can’t help anymore,” I said.
“You must!” Odessa said. “We’re so close to catching this ghost and making sure Luna gets better.”
“We’re really not. And I’m running out of time. I was only planning on being here for three days so I could clear Magda’s house. That’s all the time the Magic Council allowed me. After that, I’m leaving.”
“Oh! I didn’t know you were going so soon.” Luna sounded croaky and feeble. “Do you have to go? I just got my friend back, and I like having you around. I don’t want you to leave me again.”
That felt like a dagger in the gut. “You should. After everything I did the last time I was here.”
Luna beckoned me closer to the bed. “Stay. It feels like old times now you’re back.”
I didn’t want to stay. This felt massively out of my comfort zone. I wanted a quiet life again. Tackling a violent ghost was the last thing I should get involved in. But one look at Luna’s tear-filled eyes, and I couldn’t say no to her.
“I’ll try to stay a few more days. I’ll see if I can negotiate something with the Magic Council. No guarantees.”
Luna blinked away her tears. “I’d like that. I like having you around.”
“And we can definitely help fix up the house,” Odessa said. “With all of us helping, you’ll have it cleared in no time. Then you can decide what you want to do next.”
I nodded. The extra help would be useful, and even though I wasn’t staying, I needed to get the place fixed up so I could sell it and pay the debts. “Okay, some help to get the house tidy would be good.”
There was a knock on the door, and it was pushed open.
I turned and frowned at the sight of Olympus looming in the doorway.
Luna sat up in the bed, shooting me a worried look. “Hello. Can we help you?”
He stepped into the room, his attention on me. “Indigo Ash, you’re under arrest.”
Chapter 13
“You can’t arrest Indigo. She’s done nothing wrong.” Luna struggled to get out of bed.
I placed a restraining hand on her arm. “Stay where you are. You need to rest.”
“They can’t take you away, you’ve been helping me.”
Olympus walked closer, all brooding and superior. “You need to come with me. And come quietly. This is a hospital.”
“Why are you arresting Indigo?” Odessa stood from the bed and came to my side. She wrapped an arm around my waist.
“For her illegal use of magic.”
“She hasn’t been doing anything like that,” Odessa said. “Indigo’s power is restrained. She can’t use strong spells. I know because I’ve been around her most of the time.”
“Do you deny that you summoned a spirit in your stepmom’s house?” Olympus said to me.
I gritted my teeth. How did he know about that? It was most likely the trolls snooping. “What if I did?”
“Was it the spirit who injured Luna you brought forward?”
“We had everything under control,” Odessa said. “There were three of us there. We know what we’re doing.”
“How did you plan to subdue a dangerous, out-of-control malevolence?” Olympus said.
Odessa glanced at me as she fidgeted with her hair. “We’re strong witches.”
“So you had no idea what you were doing,” Olympus said. “Indigo knows the rules. She cannot use spells above a certain level. She’s also aware that summoning a negative force breaks the terms of her probation.”
Odessa looked at me and bit her bottom lip. “I didn’t know that. You should have said.”
I shook my head. “We were trying to help Luna. We needed to make contact with the ghost to find out what he wanted.”
“You’re admitting you broke your terms of probation?” Olympus said.
“Limpy! It was for a really good cause,” Odessa said.
“My name is Olympus. Do you want me to arrest you, too?”
“For using a cute nickname on you? I don’t think that charge will stick, but you can always try.” Odessa batted her lashes at him. “Luna has to get better, and until we figure out what’s going on with this ghost, she’ll be stuck in here wasting away to nothing.”
Luna ducked her head. “I hope it won’t come to that, but I do feel terrible.”
I glanced at Luna. She was gray and sweaty. We had to do something about this ghost, or there was a real chance she’d die.
“Let’s move,” Olympus said to me.
Odessa stepped between us and fluttered her lashes at him again. “This is a simple misunderstanding. Why don’t you drop by my farm and you can pick whatever pumpkins you like? I’ll even throw in a free scarecrow. Mine are top of the range, and I guarantee a crow free yard. They’re hard-working and reliable.”
“Bribery won’t work on me,” Olympus said.
“Don’t think of it as bribery. This is me making sure our magic enforcers are always well-fed and have no problems with crows,” Odessa said.
“I’ll pass. Indigo, will you come quietly, or do I have to make this arrest formal?”
I tugged Odessa out of the way. She could offer free pumpkins for a year, and he wouldn’t budge on this matter. “I’ll come with you.”
“That’s the most sensible decision you’ve made since you’ve been here,” he said. “Let’s get this over with.”
“What’s going to happen to her?” Luna said. “You’re not sending Indigo back to prison, are you?”
“That’s what usually h
appens when someone breaks their parole,” Olympus said.
Odessa and Luna talked over each other, protesting my innocence and saying it wasn’t fair.
I waved a hand at them until they were quiet. “I’ll deal with it. I knew what I was doing when I used that magic.”
“Then you’re a fool. We’re always watching you,” Olympus said. “You’re one of the most dangerous witches we’ve ever had to deal with.”
“We’ll get you out as quickly as we can,” Odessa said. “And if you need us to testify about your character, just ask.”
“That won’t help. We already know what her character is like.” Olympus gestured to the door. “This way, Indigo.”
I trudged ahead of Olympus, along the corridor and out of the hospital. I should have stuck to my original plan and not gotten involved with helping Luna.
“Where are we going?” I said.
“I have a temporary office here. You can answer my questions when we get there.”
“You set up a special office just because I was in the village?”
He smirked. “You’ve made a reputation for yourself. That’s gotten you noticed.”
“I’m almost flattered.”
“Don’t be. It’s a terrible reputation.”
I glanced at him. “All you care about is what I did wrong. Until I came back here, I hadn’t put a foot out of line. I was trying to live my life, keep my head down, and not get in any trouble.”
“I know. We’ve had tabs on you ever since you got out. And I’ve been monitoring your weekly therapy sessions.”
It shocked me he’d been paying such close attention. “So you know this is a one-off. I tried to stay out of Luna’s problems, but we used to be good friends. And... I owe her.”
“I also know that.”
“Is there anything you don’t know about me? What’s my favorite color? Do I have a favorite flavor of ice cream? What side of the bed do I sleep on?”
His gaze ran over me. “Probably black, I’d go for rocky road, and you sleep on the left side.”
I turned and stared at him. “Purple. I hate all ice cream. And yes, I do sleep on the left side. How did you know that?”
“I had a fifty-fifty chance of getting it right.” Olympus slid a glance my way. “I should have guessed about the purple, considering the color of your hair. Although what’s the deal with the ice cream hating?”
“I get brain freeze and a weird aftertaste. I like eating it, but I always get this gone off milk taste in my mouth afterward. Now, if you want to treat me to ‘nice’ cream, it’s a date.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s dairy free. You mix up fruit, sweetener, and peanut butter, stir it all up, stick it in the freezer, and you have all the yummy goodness without the aftertaste or the calories.”
“Huh! You learn something new every day.”
“If you really knew me, you’d know I didn’t come here to cause trouble. I really came to sort out Magda’s things. And only after you forced me to come back because you want to get paid.”
“I didn’t have a hand in that.”
“You run the Magic Council.”
“I chair the head committee. All decisions happen by democratic agreement.”
“That sounds like a lot of hot air. You’re in charge.”
“Only of some things.”
“So you’re not here out of choice? Who made you come here?”
He hesitated. “It was my choice to ensure your visit went smoothly.”
That stopped me for a second. Olympus Duke had a personal interest in me. I wasn’t sure whether to be scared or curious. “And it would have been smooth if a ghost wasn’t after my best friend.”
“Yet you still got involved, knowing it would take you along the wrong path.”
“Because Luna’s a friend. At least she was.” I tipped my head back. “Maybe I should have ignored her problem. What would you do if your best friend reached out and asked for help?”
Olympus stopped by a small office set back off the main road and unlocked it. “Probably the same as you. This way.”
I walked in ahead of him into a compact open plan office. The only furniture in there were two chairs, a table, and a cabinet. On top of the cabinet was a kettle and some paperwork.
“Take a seat,” he said. “Do you want anything to drink?”
“I’ll take the largest glass of rum punch you’ve got.”
“I meant coffee.”
“I’ll pass. Let’s get this over with.” I perched on the edge of a seat. I couldn’t figure out how to get out of this. I had broken the rules, and I knew what I’d been doing, but I just haven’t been able to turn my back on my old friend.
I tapped my feet on the floor as Olympus took his time making a coffee for himself.
“Are you sure you don’t want one?” He held out the mug.
“Positive. How bad will this be for me?”
“That’s not for me to decide. I’m here to gather the relevant information.” He sat in the seat opposite me, sat back and took a sip of coffee. He placed several pages in front of him. “Tell me about your visit to Luna’s apartment.”
“There’s not much to tell. You already know she’s been having problems with a ghost. I went there to see if I could get rid of it.”
“What did you find?”
“An aggressive spirit with an attitude. He wants Luna as his plaything, and he’s not letting her go.”
“I’m guessing you weren’t happy about that.”
“You guessed right. I tried to reason with him, but as you know, he tossed me out the window and I landed on top of you.”
“And I have the bruises and jarred back to prove it.”
“You have my undying gratitude.” I narrowed my eyes. “I did appreciate it. My magic wouldn’t have saved me.”
“I was doing my job. I have to protect people from danger.” He shifted the papers in front of him. “I’ve followed your case with interest. What happened with Magda has never made sense to me.”
“You’re not the only one who is flummoxed. But why the interest?”
“I want to know why you did it.”
“Killed sixty-six people?”
“Yes. There has to be more to the story.”
“No. The story is complete. My stepmom got in over her head with dark magic, it infected me because I was living with her, and we decided to have some fun.” I didn’t meet his gaze. I’d never been able to explain what happened that day and still woke drenched in sweat as my subconscious replayed the horror of what went down.
“You’re an Ash witch. Your biological mom was one of the strongest witches ever to have lived in Witch Haven.”
“I don’t see your point.”
“You should have been strong enough to resist dark magic. You can control the elements.”
“I wish I had answers for you. Maybe I’m not as strong as my mom. Besides, she wasn’t all powerful. After all, she died giving birth to me.”
Olympus shook his head. “Which was a tragedy. And your dad died five years after marrying Magda?”
“He did. And she took me in as her own. But Dad never got over losing my mom, and even when he remarried Magda, he wasn’t truly happy.”
“He admitted that?”
“No! Not to me, but I was his daughter. I could tell he was sad. So could Magda, and she tried so hard to make him happy.”
“She looked after you?”
“She did. Magda was a great stepmom. There was nothing wicked about her. I don’t know what changed her, but it happened so quickly.” I shifted in the seat. “Anyway, we’re not here to talk about my family.”
“We are. It’s relevant. It may help me understand why you went rogue.”
“I messed up. I made a mistake. I lost my way with magic. Is that not enough of an explanation?”
Olympus tapped one finger on the table. “It’ll have to be for now.”
I sat up straight. I didn’
t want any more chats about my family. It was none of his business. They were all dead. I didn’t want him dragging up painful memories because he was on some crusade to bolster his already huge reputation in the Magic Council.
“So, you don’t deny using magic to summon the spirit?” Olympus said.
“You know I did, so there’s no point in denying it.”
“And you know the terms of your probation. You broke them.”
I nodded, a coldness settling in the pit of my stomach. “I understand. What happens next?”
“Lucky for you, Judge Zimmerman is out of the area. He’s coming to Witch Haven in three days. He’ll be the one to pass sentence on you.”
“Have you any idea what that sentence might be?”
“I have a good idea.”
“Do you care to share the good news?”
He was quiet for a few seconds. “You’ll lose what’s left of your magic.”
An ache radiated out from my middle. “You’ll turn me into a shadow?”
“Maybe it should have happened after you killed all those people, but you got the benefit of the doubt because of your age. You’ve shown you can’t control yourself as soon as you’re around magic. There have to be consequences.”
“But... but where will I go? No one will want me if I have no magic. I’ll be an outcast in the magic community.” I also wouldn’t fit in anywhere else. Magic users drained of all power give off a vibe that makes other non-magic users shy away from them. They don’t know what the problem is, but they don’t want to be around you. I’d be a freak wherever I went. I’d find nowhere to call home.
Olympus looked away. “I don’t make the rules.”
“You could bend them to help me. Is there another option? More rehab? I’ll take that.”
A flicker of indecision passed across his face. He shook his head. “You’ve been through rehab. It failed.”
“Consider putting in a good word for me. I didn’t fight you when you ordered me to come here. I’m behaving. I’m being a good little witch.”
“Only because you got caught. What would you have gone on to next?”
I sighed. I had been planning on ghost hunting and destroying the thing messing with Luna. That would have involved using powerful magic. “I guess it doesn’t matter now.”