by Catie Rhodes
Magic in the form of electric prickles rushed over my skin. I stood still and pushed all thought from my mind. The black opal heated on my chest. Faintly, almost beyond what I could hear, came a woman’s scream, high and full of animal terror.
“Did you hear that?” I asked Tanner and Hannah. Both shook their heads. I walked back to the building and peered inside. Nothing.
“What is it?” Hannah followed after me.
“I hear something.” I walked around the side of the building to see an employee's entrance, a delivery bay, and a dumpster.
The scream came again, this time a little more clear. I walked to the edge of the narrow lane behind the restaurant and stopped, listening. Nothing.
I walked alongside the building, running my hand over the stucco, searching for the evidence of something otherworldly. Again, nothing.
I turned to Hannah and Tanner, ready to tell them we had to make another plan. My phone rang, and I pulled it out of my pocket.
Mysti Whitebyrd requesting a video call. Ignoring it ran through my mind. I didn’t have time for this. But Mysti might have some ideas. I accepted the video call.
Mysti’s smiling face appeared. She took one look at me, and the smile faded. “I called to see if you’d gotten rid of Miss Ugly. But things aren’t going well, are they?”
I shook my head, my failures tumbling out before I could stop them. Once I finished, I realized I hadn’t even asked about her and Griff. Their case had sounded like a dangerous one. “How are things going for y’all?”
She shook her head. “Just another day for Reed Investigations.” Disappointment deepened her normal chipper voice.
I asked, “Are you okay?”
She tinkled a sweet laugh at my concern. “Neither of us is in actual danger. Let’s talk about what’s going on with you.”
An almost shameful relief spread over me, and I nodded.
“First, who’s there with you? I hear voices. Is one of them this Tanner Letts I’ve been hearing about?” Her eyes flicked to a spot near me.
I made Tanner and Hannah come over and speak to Mysti. She wiped the worry off her face and said charming things. Finished with the pleasantries, she got right down to business. “Tanner, I think you made a good call on the runes. I wish I had thought of it and warned Peri Jean to get rid of them.”
Tanner wiped some of the sulk off his face and stood a little straighter. “Sure doesn’t help now.”
“No,” she agreed. “All that matters now is finding Peri Jean’s asshole ex and getting both the runes and the wheel back. Peri Jean, you said you heard screaming. Is it possible there’s a thin place there?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t see anything, but I can feel magic.”
“And there’s no way he’s in the restaurant or whatever is behind you?” Mysti frowned as though she already knew the answer and the question was just for form.
I turned away from the cell and stared at the building, searching. “I don’t see how or why… Wait a minute.”
I took the nine irons amulet out of my pocket, went through my ritual, and held it in midair. It pulled me toward the dumpster. The smell threatened to knock me out.
Still staring at the nasty thing, I said, “The nine irons amulet took me to the dumpster, but he’s not in with all this trash.”
“Perfect,” Mysti grumbled. I turned back to face the camera again. Mysti frowned. “Come closer so I can see you.”
Confused but knowing I couldn’t win an argument with her, I did as she asked. She directed me until only my forehead was in the camera.
“What are those marks between your eyes?” Her voice had sharpened.
The sound of it made my nerves tighten up. She always sounded this way right before she made a new discovery. I reached up to touch my forehead and felt the scabs. The memory came back. “Miss Ugly pricked me there. I figured it was just part of her signature.”
Mysti shook her head. “She sees something within you that she thinks she’ll enjoy eating.”
Hannah made a disgusted noise. “Ugh. Prime Rib of Peri Jean.”
Mysti made a face and nodded. “To a being like Miss Ugly, someone as powerful as Peri Jean would taste extra good.” She frowned. “Do you know what a third eye is?”
Jadine’s weird vision again, that light coming from my forehead. Shelly’s story. My short-lived research expedition. I’d meant to do more thorough research, but I’d been on the run since Miss Ugly made her first appearance. “Only that it lets you see beyond what the human eye can perceive.”
Mysti nodded. “Close enough. Have you ever had any experiences of seeing things that you didn’t know were there?”
Coolness spread through my body. This was it. This was the new thing, and I already knew I didn’t want it. “Sometimes. When the magic is really strong. Or when Oscar Rivera’s followers blew that dust in my face. Remember that?”
Mysti swallowed. “What did you see?”
“I could see stuff like faces in trees, these huge animals that weren’t there, people within people. After Sol ate the hole in the spell covering the mantle, I started seeing this vibration, like I’m seeing the earth’s power.” Dread pounded with every heartbeat.
I glanced at Hannah, then at Tanner. I didn’t want them to see me discovering a new superpower. Hell, I didn’t want a new superpower. I turned my attention back to Mysti.
“It’s time to activate your third eye.” She had that no-nonsense tone in her voice. I groaned and slumped anyway. She stiffened. “Wipe that damn pout off your face. You have mere hours to get this straightened out. Get with the program.”
My cheeks flamed with her rebuke and maybe a little shame at the way I was acting. But I never asked for this, dammit.
“I see you have on your witch pack.” Mysti gave me the kind of smile that let me know she wasn’t angry with me.
I nodded and hooked my thumb underneath one strap.
“There’s a secret pocket inside. Have you found it yet?” Her smile turned sly.
“No.” The news worried me. Mysti had loaded my witch pack with all sorts of supplies she used regularly. My magic didn’t call for the same supplies as Mysti’s, so as I needed more space I took out the things she’d included and stored them. Now I worried that whatever she’d left might be in the cabinets in my little RV. But nothing had been in a secret pocket. I hoped.
“Give the phone to Hannah and open the pack,” she said. I did. “Unzip the compartment that rides nearest your back.” I did as she said. “Feel around the edges for a thick spot.” I walked my fingers over the padded material. Mysti kept talking. “Near the bottom, right at the edge, is a tiny spot held closed with Velcro.”
My fingers found it, but I didn’t open it. Each time some new gift manifested itself, I got a little farther from the normal girl I’d wanted to be all my life. Deep down, I knew normal didn’t exist for me. I was a freak, destined to live a freak life. Most days, I made peace with it. But on the days when new stuff cropped up, the little pang of loss came back.
“Do you feel it?” Mysti’s voice came out of the speaker.
“Yep.” I pulled open the Velcro and reached into the padded pocket. Out came a tiny plastic tub, about the size of a thimble, with a screw-on cap. I pinched the tub between my fingers and showed it to Mysti. Hannah held my phone so Mysti got a good view of my scared face.
She nodded. “That’s your flying ointment. There’s a long history of witches and flying ointments that I do encourage you to read, but for now just understand that it’s going to help you open your third eye.”
I stared at the small tub, more wary of its contents than ever.
“It does contain things that would be poisonous to ingest. Never eat it or let it get in your eyes or mucus membranes.” She paused. “Some witches disagree with me on this. But this is potent stuff, not to be played with.”
“Did you make it?” I still wasn’t sure about this flying ointment.
Mysti shook her head. “A w
itch from Oregon makes it for me. Are you ready?”
As ready as I’ll ever be.
Mysti barreled on, probably aware of my hesitation, but not caring. “Put a tiny amount on your finger and dab it on the place where Miss Ugly pricked you. The open skin will allow it to soak in faster, so beware of using too much.”
I couldn’t quite make myself do it. “After that?”
“Then wait. The door to the thin place should appear. You won’t need a spell or an invitation to get through.” She smiled.
I held the tub in the palm of my hand, wondering if there was any other way.
Mysti interrupted my thoughts. “Peri Jean, you have a gift. Appreciate it and be grateful.”
I nodded, knowing better than to argue.
“You want me to wait while you try it?” She had that teacher look on her face, curiosity mixed with authority and a little pride. The look said, This is my witch, the one I taught. Look how far she’s come.
I shook my head. “Tanner and Hannah are here to help me figure it out.” I paused, trying to think of the right way to say the next part. “Mysti, thank you for everything you do for me. Even though I drag ass and complain, you make a difference in my life.”
Red rushed up Mysti’s neck, over her face, and disappeared into her hairline. She pooh-poohed my compliment. “All in a day’s work. Helping you is my pleasure.”
“I’ll call you after it’s done and let you know how it goes.” My finger hovered over the end call button.
“Part of the reason I called is to let you know we’re flying into San Antonio late tonight. I’ll be available to help you early tomorrow morning.” The pleasure fell off her face. “Which I realize now will be too late.”
“It’s going to be fine,” I told her, even though I didn’t believe it.
“Love you, sister.” Her voice cracked. “Call me if there’s any way I can advise you.”
I nodded. “Love you back.” The call ended. The black screen somehow fostered an emptiness in my chest. I wanted to scream and cry, but it wasn’t worth the energy.
I took a deep breath and twisted the cap off the tub. Inside was a shimmering translucent paste. I dipped the tip of my pinkie in it. It felt cold and oily on my finger. My black opal pulsed.
“Here.” Hannah, out of patience, grabbed my finger and rubbed it on the spot Miss Ugly had marked.
Once the flying ointment was on my head, I rubbed the tip of my pinkie on my jeans, thinking about Mysti’s warning not to get it in my eyes. Then I waited.
“You feel anything?” Tanner crowded near.
“Not yet.” My heart was beating too hard, making blood rush under the skin. Whatever was going to happen would likely happen fast.
“We’re right here,” Hannah said. Next to her, Tanner nodded. The spirits around his head came into sharper focus, their presence a ripple in reality. They curled over Tanner’s face protectively.
“I’ve heard this stuff can get you sort of high, sort of make you trip.” The green of his eyes seemed to sharpen.
In them, I saw hurt, shame, and regret over his wife and daughters. Underneath all that, I saw a desire to start again. One of the spirits flashed out at me, teeth bared in warning. They’d eat me down to nothing if I came near him. Tanner felt shame when he looked at me. That made me a threat.
Numbness spread outward from the spot where I’d dabbed the flying ointment, cooling my skin as it went. The mantle woke, watched the spreading coolness, and went out to meet it. My vision flashed, turning the world black and white, then right back to color.
The screams came again, but this time they weren’t faint. They sounded like they were right around the corner. I followed the sound to a clump of trees separating the restaurant from the next property, which happened to have a very old house set right in the middle of downtown. Tanner and Hannah crowded behind me, almost fighting each other to be the one closer, the one who’d help. The door leading across the veil flickered right in front of those trees.
On the other side stood a house painted light blue with white gingerbread trim. The scream came again. In it was that kind of animal fear people get when they realize there’s no hope left, just the promise of death and the great unknown. The sound of running footsteps pounding on the house’s floorboards reached me. So did Oscar’s familiar evil. It rolled off the house like cartoon stink waves.
I turned back to Tanner and Hannah. “They’re in there.”
“We’ll come too.” Tanner started toward me, already reaching for me.
“No. If I don’t come back, explain what happened to my family, and warn them about Oscar. Tell them he’s coming for them.” With that, I stepped through the door. It closed behind me. Tanner shouted in frustration on the other side.
Now that I had crossed, the entire world around me changed. The huge buildings of downtown Austin faded away, replaced by houses, many of which had barns behind them.
I climbed the steps onto the porch, energy flowing into my hand from the spired wooden railing, and walked toward the white front door. The numbness had spread down my body now, and my heart beat too hard. The stained glass windows around and above the door seemed to undulate and breathe.
The scream came again.
“Come back here, you dumb bitch,” Tim yelled.
A cold laugh, one I recognized as Oscar’s, followed Tim’s order. Footsteps pounded through the house, shaking the windows in their frames.
I stopped with my hand on the doorknob. Even over here, I could out-magic Tim, maybe even kill him. But Oscar too? His power would be strongest this side of the veil. This was the realm of the dead, and Oscar was one of them. He’d had Tim bring the runes here, thus allowing him to manifest here, for reasons that probably gave him some other advantage. Fear ached at the center of my chest. There was no way I could win this fight. I glanced around, looking for Priscilla Herrera and some tough love. Nobody came.
Digging for courage, I turned the doorknob. A woman ran toward me, mouth open wide to scream. A gash had opened one cheek, and blood covered that side of her old-fashioned floor-length dress. She passed right by as though she didn’t see me and ran into the next room.
I watched her in disbelief. She was the same woman I’d seen when I’d touched the rune back in my tent. One of Oscar’s victims. My chest tightened. I didn’t want to see this.
A figure rounded the corner behind her, axe held in one hand. At first, I didn’t recognize Tim. He’d somehow stuck Oscar’s runes all over his naked body. Every visible piece of skin was slicked with blood, and he left bloody footprints.
His eyes settled on me. “You. The biggest bitch of them all.”
“She’s a thief as well,” came Oscar’s voice. It seemed to originate at the same place Tim’s did. Was Oscar talking through Tim? One way to find out.
“What do you think I stole from you, Oscar?” I’d expected a little mouse squeak to come out of my mouth. Instead, I sounded big and bossy, just like Priscilla Herrera.
Oscar’s voice came right back. “You stole my runes. You stole my grand re-entry into the world. You fouled my plans. And you’ve robbed me of valuable time.” Sure enough, his voice was coming from somewhere within Tim, maybe the runes. Heaven only knew how much power he’d stolen from me.
“But you no longer have a place in the living plane,” I said. Oscar’s determination to return to life baffled me. He couldn’t possibly think he could come out of nowhere and rise to any kind of power. It was Monday morning quarterbacking. No more.
“I can make a place. Take the turmoil in your world and cause apocalypse. Then I’ll rise as a king—a god!—once they see what I can do.” His voice had risen with excitement as he talked, and the last word boomed around me as though the world was already crashing to its end.
“You won’t have any power once you get back.” There was no way he would. He’d use it all getting himself reborn.
“I’m glad I met you, Peri Jean Mace.” Now Oscar’s words came out of Tim
’s spit shiny lips. “You’re the one who taught me how to siphon power. I’ll never be without power as long as I exist.”
“You will once I get rid of those nasty damn runes. I’m going to drop them down the deepest, darkest hole I can find, and that’ll be the end. You’ll never be able to contact anybody else through them.” And that was exactly what I intended to do, right after I got hold of the wheel. Which I had no idea how to find.
Oscar didn’t reply. Tim’s eyes, which had gone dull while I argued with Oscar, came back to life.
“Where’d that cunt go?” His eyes, completely free of sanity, darted around the room. They settled on something near the far wall.
Tim’s face changed. A little sanity flickered back into his eyes. He lowered the axe, sides heaving, and dropped his head to stare at his bloody bare feet.
I backed out of his path and quickly glanced into the corner. The wheel of life lay in the middle of an ornately drawn pentagram, the style of which I recognized from some of Mysti’s older books on magick.
Tim and Oscar must have tried merging their considerable evil. It seemed to me the experiment had failed, driving Tim mad and leaving Oscar contained in the runes.
I crept toward the wheel. If only I could get it, half my reason for coming here would be finished.
Tim’s head snapped up. The insanity crackled in his eyes again. He gripped the axe in both hands and ran toward me. My muscles trembled, begging me to run for my life, but I stayed in Tim’s path just long enough for him to think he had me.
A mad grin stretched his lips back, revealing teeth covered in blood. My muscles jerked to get away. Wait, wait. Tim raised the axe over his head. Just another second. His wild yell filled the room. He reared the axe back to strike. I dove out of his way. The axe whistled through the air and lodged in the wall.
A scream came from behind us. The injured woman stood at the edge of the room holding a butcher knife. At least she’d found herself a weapon. She launched herself at us.
Tim struggled to get the axe out of the wall, muscles bunching underneath the runes.
