by Carolina Mac
C
IS FOR
CROW
MOONBEAM CHRONICLES: BOOK THREE
Carolina Mac
Copyright © 2021 by Carolina Mac
C IS FOR CROW - 1st ed.
ISBN 978-1-989827-39-0
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Love for life in all its forms is the basic ethic of witchcraft
―STARHAWK
CHAPTER ONE
Sunday, November 1st.
Tampa. Florida.
“Are we finally stopping for lunch?” Ardal sat up straighter in the back seat of the truck and tried to smooth down his unruly dark hair with his hand. He smoked and the window had been down all morning for the sake of the other passengers, namely Moonbeam who didn’t smoke. With all that wind blowing into the cab of the truck there was no hope for Ardal’s hair.
My adopted brother, Ardal, was sixteen—three years younger than me—but he was already six feet tall, dark hair and brown eyes. Although unaware of it, he was rapidly becoming a chick magnet. Before any girls took advantage of my little brother, they’d have to get past me and it wouldn’t be easy. Ardal deserved the best and I was on hand to make sure he got nothing less.
Rufin parked my Jeep Gladiator in front of Five Guys and turned off the engine. I glanced up at the sign in the window and my mouth watered looking at the picture of the thick juicy patties and the cheese and tomato slice. “I can’t wait to sink my teeth into a great burger.”
“You don’t eat enough, Gilly,” said Rufin. “I’m going to monitor your calorie intake for rest of the day.”
“You do that, sugar pop. Starting right now you’re going to run out of paper.”
Rufin chuckled. “I’m not using paper, Gilly. That’s something my mother would do. I’m keeping track on my phone.”
“For a witch, Ruf, you’re a bit of a phone freak.”
“Let me out of the truck,” growled Pete. “Are you ever going to open one of the back doors?”
Moonbeam giggled. The spirit of her dead son and my dead husband, Sonny Hart, was possessing the body of our dog, Pete. The change had happened recently and we were learning to deal with it. Having a talking dog was unnerving at times, not to mention that now with Sonny running the show, Pete had a mind of his own. Almost his own.
“I’ll walk Pete before we eat,” said Rufin. “Go on in and order, Gilly. Get me anything that looks good.”
“Looks like there’s a lineup inside,” I said. “I’ll get in line. Come on, Moon. Walk around a little and stretch your legs.”
“Wait for me,” said Ardal. “I don’t want to be last. I’m starving.”
“I’m starving too, and it’s unusual for me,” I said. “I think the reason I’m so hungry is because I’m not smoking. I hope I don’t gain fifty pounds while my lungs are turning pink.”
“You won’t gain weight as long as you stay active,” said Moonbeam. “You’re going to resume your morning running routine, didn’t you mention that?”
“I’m starting again tomorrow morning.” I counted the people in line in front of me and I was sixth. Looking over my shoulder through the glass front of the restaurant I could see Rufin leaning on the truck talking on his cell.
Probably his mother again. She’s going to hate me. I know it. I hadn’t realized Rufin was such a ‘mama’s boy.’
We picked up our orders when they were ready and carried our trays outside to the patio. When he finally finished his call, Rufin came running over to our table and flopped onto a hard plastic chair. He wasn’t wearing his happy face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Were you talking to your mother again?”
He nodded as he unwrapped the burger in front of him.
“I’m guessing you told her about all of us being with you, and she only wants to see you. Am I right?”
“Something like that,” he said between bites. Rufin had something heavy on his mind and he wasn’t elaborating or sharing details with me.
“The rest of us will stay in a hotel until you find out what her dilemma is and we’ll work it out. She doesn’t know us and if she’s in a big mess, she naturally wouldn’t want house guests she’s never met. Makes sense.”
Rufin nodded and shoved an onion ring in his mouth. “Mama gave me a hint about what’s going on. I was surprised when she told me she couldn’t handle the crisis on her own. I’ve never known her to ask for help—ever. After I finish eating, I’m going to call Misty.”
Moonbeam nodded. “That would be wise, dear. It never hurts to have more power on your side even if you don’t need it.”
Pete growled under the table and I gave him a bite of my burger. Rufin saw me sneak the piece of meat under the table and gave me the stink-eye.
“Doesn’t count for calorie intake if you feed your lunch to the dog, Gilly.”
“Pete needs more calories than me. Look how big he is and he gets tons of exercise every day.” Pete’s huge head rested on my knee.
We finished eating and Rufin called Misty in Austin while I gathered up our trash and disposed of it. When I came back to the table, he had Misty on speaker.
“When y’all get to N’Orleans, I want y’all to stay in my house,” she drawled. “You can draw strength and power from the house. It’s always been good to me.”
“Thanks, Misty,” said Ruffin. “That’s a generous offer.”
“Y’all call if you need help from me or if Antoinette needs me. I can be in N’Orleans in a couple of hours by air.”
“Thanks,” I said. “We don’t know what the trouble is yet.”
“If Antoinette can’t handle it herself,” said Misty, “I’m sure it’s a major problem.”
“She hasn’t given me all the details,” said Rufin, “but I can tell by her voice she’s fearful of something and she’s desperate to have me back home.”
“The spare key to my house is in the back porch on the window sill. You’ll see it there but you won’t be able to touch it without removing the ward.”
“Uh huh.”
“This is the spell to remove the ward,” said Misty. “You may want to write it down.”
Ardal pulled out his cop notebook and his pen. “Shoot, I’m ready.”
Goddess of the house
Guardian of the key
Release the ward
And set the key free
So mote it be.
“I’ve got it down,” said Ardal.
“Also,” said Misty, “there is a ghost living in the basement and he’s not particularly friendly. His
name is George Washington Claiborne the Third. He has a cat living with him named Mojo.”
Ardal nodded. He had it all written down.
“Just tell George y’all are my guests and he’ll mind his own business.”
“Thanks, Misty,” said Rufin. “I’ll call when we get to N’Orleans.”
We headed back to the truck and Rufin took my hand. It was easy to see how unhappy he was. “She’s not going to like me, is she?” I asked.
“Mama has wanted me to settle down for a long while, but I’ve never met anyone I wanted to take home to meet her, until you, Gilly.”
That was about the nicest thing he’d ever said to me. I gave his hand a squeeze in appreciation.
“I’ll have to wait until the time is right, Gilly. I want her to meet you, I do, but now is not the time. She’s too upset by the upheaval in her life.”
“I get it. You’re nervous because I’m young and a bit unstable. I’m quitting smoking and concentrating on developing my powers. I’ll soon be a poster girl for a dandy witch girlfriend.”
Rufin laughed. “You’re dandy, just the way you are, Gilly. You don’t have to change a single thing.”
Hearing Rufin say the words made me happy. I could deal with his wicked witch of a mother if I had to. The new powers I’d received on my nineteenth birthday hadn’t even been given a trial run yet. I might be a formidable opponent if it came down to it and I had to fight for Rufin. If I couldn’t have Farrell, Rufin Pictou wasn’t a bad second choice.
I’d never tell Rufin he was my second pick. There would never be another Farrell. I just couldn’t have him.
I slid behind the wheel to take my turn driving. One glance at the GPS told me it was nine hours and thirteen minutes to New Orleans. A long, long way.
“Here we go. Y’all can take a nap. I’ve got this.”
Rufin smiled as he reached over and patted my thigh.
That’s progress, I guess. With Rufin, I could never be sure. He wasn’t an affectionate person by any means.
Tallahassee. Florida.
“There’s a rest area.” Ardal pointed at the blue roadside sign. “Pete is whining to get out, and I could use a bathroom break myself.”
“We all need a break,” said Moonbeam. “I could use a bottle of water too.”
“I’ll walk Pete,” I said. “It’s my turn.”
Pete growled. “I can walk myself. I don’t need an escort, Gilly.”
“There are rules in the rest areas, Pete,” said Rufin. “You have to be on a leash.”
“Fuck the leash,” growled Pete. “Just let it drag.”
Moonbeam giggled. “Don’t curse, Sonny. It sounds rude coming out of Pete’s mouth.”
“Sorry, Mama, just one of those dog days.”
Moonbeam and I hit the ladies’ room, then loaded up on snacks, water, and Cokes from the line of vending machines in the alleyway between the men’s and the ladies’ facilities.
We were the first ones back to the truck. Ardal returned next with a Coke and two candy bars, and Rufin was the only one we were missing.
“I’ll drive,” said Ardal. “My turn and if I’m driving, I’m the one who gets to pick out the place we’re eating dinner.”
“Sure,” I said, “that’s on you, sugar. I wonder what’s taking Rufin so long?” I peered down the hill and scanned the designated dog walking area and couldn’t see him.
Two old ladies were walking twin Pomeranians, both white and fluffy. Pete would enjoy scaring the crap out of the little fuzzballs if he got the chance.
Trying to resist delving into my shoulder bag for a smoke, I ripped open my bag of Lays and began stuffing salty chips into my mouth as a deterrent.
“There he is.” Holding his cell phone to his ear, Rufin plodded up the hill with Pete trotting along beside him. As he came closer, I could hear a snippet of his conversation.
“We’re coming as fast as we can, Mama. Yes, I’ll be there by tonight no matter what time it is. I’ll call you from the driveway so you can take the ward off the house and let me in. I am hurrying, Mama. I’m only a few hours away.”
Rufin’s face was tightly drawn with worry and stress as he removed Pete’s leash and opened the back door of the cab to put the dog in beside Moonbeam.
“I’ll ride in the back,” I said. “You navigate and help Ardal.
Rufin sighed. “Mama is hysterical and she’s never been that way. She’s a calm, self-assured person. We have to hurry.”
“Did she tell you what’s so pressing?”
“She’s been receiving threats from a dark wizard, Virgile Gallant, and she fears he’s been weakening her powers somehow. If he comes for her she’s terrified she won’t be able to stand her ground alone, and that’s why it’s imperative for me to get home before Gallant comes to take her.”
“What’s his end game?” I asked. “What does he want?”
“Her. He wants Mama to be his wife and his partner. Together they would be invincible and they would rule the magick world in N’Orleans, or so he’s been telling her.”
“Your mother thinks this wizard is going to kidnap her from your home?” asked Moonbeam.
“That’s what she’s afraid of,” said Rufin. “She has a ward around the house and a protection spell on herself, but she’s a solitary witch, a sorceress. She works alone in her kitchen making potions and selling them to other witches. Not much of a fighter, Mama is non-aggressive towards others.”
Ardal started the truck and we rolled out of the rest area. “Let’s get to New Orleans as fast as we can,” he said. “When we get on the Interstate, I’ll let this baby out.”
“We may have to settle for a drive-through dinner,” I said from the back seat. “In two hours I’ll spell you off and drive for a while.”
Mobile, Alabama.
I was driving when we crossed the Alabama line and I pulled into the first Wendy’s I spotted. Everyone had their order ready and we were in and out of there inside of five minutes and back on the highway.
“Did you get anything for me?” growled Pete.
“I got you a junior bacon cheeseburger,” I said. “Ardal will unwrap it for you. I don’t want you eating the paper like you did yesterday.”
“The paper smelled so good and it was greasy.”
“It might have smelled delish, but eating paper is not good for your digestion.”
One quick bathroom break an hour later and Rufin took the wheel. He powered the truck across the I-10 for two solid hours before the New Orleans’ exit signs began coming up.
Wending his way quickly through the city where he was born, we were soon parking in front of an old Victorian mansion in the Irish Channel District.
Thirteen Laurel Street. Irish Channel District.
The spooky looking house where Rufin was born was in total darkness as we parked out front. Ruf jumped out and left the truck running.
“Wait here, I’m just checking on Mama and I’ll be right back.” He stood on the front step and called his mother on his cell phone, then he galloped back to the truck and said, “She’s not answering.”
“Maybe she’s asleep,” said Moonbeam.
“I don’t like this,” said Rufin. “She said she’d wait up for me no matter how late I arrived.” Even though we’d both been doing well on our campaign to quit smoking, Ruf reached into his pocket, grabbed his smokes and lit one up. “I can’t help it,” he mumbled under my gaze.
I stepped out of the truck, stood beside him and touched his arm. “You don’t have to justify yourself to me, sugar. We’re both stressed and I want to smoke too.”
Ruf offered me a drag from his cigarette and I shouldn’t have inhaled right off the bat. It made me a little dizzy.
A loud flapping of wings startled me. A crow as black as the night itself flew out of a huge tree on the front lawn and landed on Rufin’s shoulder.
Ruf reached up and stroked the bird’s shiny feathers. “Banjo. I missed you. What do you know about Mama?”
<
br /> “The circus wagon came and a man in a long cloak took her. She’s gone.”
“Circus wagon?” I didn’t know what that meant but I didn’t ask any more questions.
Rufin was clearly in no shape to answer. He sucked in a breath and wobbled a little. I slipped my arm around his waist and walked him back to the truck.
“I want to go inside my house and search for Mama but I can’t get in because of the ward,” said Rufin.
“We’ll go to Misty’s house, and make a plan,” I said. “She might have coffee in the pantry and we’ll brew a pot to help us think.”
Nine Saint Gillian Street.
Rufin parked in the lane that ran behind Misty’s house on Saint Gillian Street. We approached the restored mansion through the back garden. All in darkness and reminiscent of the Adam’s Family residence, Misty’s house was plenty scary in the middle of the night.
Moonlight shone down on the pointy things on her roof and they glowed like they were radioactive. That did it for me. I seriously considered sleeping in the truck.
Moonbeam noticed and she pointed up at them. “Look at that. The lightning rods are glowing to welcome us.”
“Cute,” I said. “Are you sure that’s what they’re doing? I think they might be telling us to keep out.”
“No, no,” said Moonbeam. “Misty said her house had powers of its own.”
“Uh huh. That could be the reason why I’m so nervous about going inside.”
“Come on,” said Ardal, “I have the code for the key on the window sill. I want to see if it’s there.”
“It will be there.” Rufin set down the two suitcases he was carrying and his pet crow that he hadn’t bothered to mention to me. The bird cawed loudly and flew up onto the roof of the sunporch.
Ardal opened his notebook. “One of you say the magick words. It won’t work if I try. I’ve got no powers.”
“Have you ever tried?” asked Moonbeam. “Perhaps you need to test yourself, dear.”
