by L. A. Kelley
“Once I open the door,” chirped Esther, “Peter’s gonna whup Feu De L’enfer good. There’s gonna be demon parts flying every which way.”
All eyes turned to me. I gulped. “Absolutely.” I excused myself as soon as breakfast was over and wandered outside.
Mrs. Hart trailed behind. “Worried?”
I put on a show of bluster. “No.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“Sure. I’m…um…working out the bugs.”
She nipped at my heels. ““Don’t lie to me, Peter Whistler. You haven’t got the slightest idea what to do.”
I sat on the porch step. “I know the basics. Destroy Feu De L’enfer’s glowing eyes. Easy, right? Clovis believes I’ll think of something. They all do.”
Mrs. Hart reclined beside me. “I have no doubts. Once you come face-to-face with the creature, you’ll find a way.”
“If I get that far. Feu De L’enfer will know the instant we step through the door. It’ll hunt both us and the exit.”
“Therefore, we must keep one step ahead of the demon and its minions.”
“Minions?” I goggled at her. “There are minions?”
“According to Odile.”
“Well that might have been nice to know,” I sputtered testily.
“Don’t be concerned. I’m certain Renny and I will keep them at bay. The last few months we’ve perfected our hunting technique. Despite the fact, he can’t hear me, we work surprisingly well together.”
“Mighty sure of yourself,” I teased. “You and Renny are spending an awful lot of time together. Admit it, you like him.”
Mrs. Hart hesitated as if searching for the right words. “He’s not as bad as he would have one believe. He bears a lot of guilt.”
“Renny told me. I said his father’s death wasn’t his fault—hey, how did you know?”
“He talks to me when we’re hunting. He doesn’t understand my thoughts, of course, but I believe his mind is eased to have a sympathetic ear. Renny knows I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my time and won’t judge.”
“Did you really—” I began and then clapped my lips shut, embarrassed.
“Kill Mr. Hart? I suppose I can thank Esther for blabbing gossip. What do you think?”
“You didn’t.”
“You are certain?”
“Yes. You’re cleverer than that. That’s not to say he’ll ever trouble anyone again.”
“You’re right,” she said, amused. “He won’t. Renny told me the same thing, and stated whatever punishment I devised, Mr. Hart deserved and if he ever dared to show his face in New Orleans he’d face ten times worse.” Her voice softened. “Renny is quite kind.”
“Aha,” I chortled. “You don’t just like him, you like like him.”
She made the equivalent of a dog snort. “Now you sound like Esther.”
“What’s the problem with liking Renny? You won’t be a dog forever, you know. Odile promised.”
“Perhaps. I’m not counting on returning to human form soon. In any case…” For an instant I got a flash of something sounding like regret. “Those years are far behind me. I’m too old for emotional entanglements—old enough to be his mother, in fact.”
“That’s perfect,” I insisted. “He’s immature. You two were made for each other.”
She growled. “Why don’t we talk about you and Amelie now?”
I shifted uncomfortably. “Why don’t we change the subject?”
“Agreed.”
We were interrupted by Renny. He was off to check the traps and asked Mrs. Hart if she cared to go along. She wagged her tail in response. I couldn’t help myself.
“You two make a lovely couple,” I cracked. She nipped my ankle—not playfully, either.
“What’s that, Peter?” Renny asked, confused.
“Nothing. Don’t keep her out too late, you young whippersnapper.”
He grinned. “Lucy, remind me to tell Clovis he’s working our young friend too hard. Peter is beginning to sound like him. Next thing you know he’ll be flipping turtles.” With a jaunty wave, he jogged off with Mrs. Hart at his heels.
To quell my nerves, I spent the rest of the day walking the boundary of the property, testing to make sure the invisibility barrier held around the entire perimeter. Late in the afternoon I borrowed the pirogue to check on the duplicate Benoit house. Everything was perfect from the outside. Not until I went to a window and spotted the sweet bay tree growing in a completely empty shell, did I realize the spell hadn’t been specific enough in the interior details. One glance inside would show the house wasn’t real. I had no time for a complicated fix, so I darkened every window and hoped for the best.
Esther hailed me from across the water. “Odile says come to her cabin, now. The potion is ready.” She held her nose. “It sure does stink.”
Stink was right. I smelled the putrid odor a dozen yards away. Clovis and Amelie were in the kitchen with Odile. An old black pot bubbled on the cast iron stove. I fought a gag as the musty rancid vapor wafted through the room.
Neither shaman was bothered, but Amelie vigorously fanned the air. “It smells like sour wine and armpit.”
“You’re too kind,” I insisted, suppressing a heave. “I think I’ve found the weapon to defeat Feu De L’enfer—wave a bottle of that stuff under the demon’s nose and it’ll keel over dead.”
“Pity, it doesn’t have a nose,” remarked Clovis dryly.
Before I could ask if he was serious, Odile harrumphed. “Nonsense, the potion is simply a trifle zesty.” She hefted the pot from the burner to the table. Carefully, Odile transferred the contents into a small mason jar and screwed the lid tight. She plucked a tablespoon from the cutlery drawer and placed everything in a sack. “One dose for each should do the trick.”
“I don’t have to drink the stinky stuff,” Esther chortled smugly. “I’m specialer than you.”
I ignored her. “How long will the potion last?”
“Hard to say…a few hours, perhaps. These things aren’t exact.”
“That’s not very comforting. I don’t suppose you bothered to run tests?”
“What’s the point?” Odile observed cheerfully. “Either the potion works or everyone is dead. Clovis, will you need long to prepare?”
“No. I completed the mystic groundwork required for the summoning. All that remains is to locate an adequate clearing. The appearance of the entrance kills all the vegetation in the area.”
“We have plenty of appropriate spots on the property, but do not call the door forth near Marie’s garden or Feu De L’enfer will be the least of our problems.”
The door would open tonight. I swallowed hard, fighting to keep hold of my nerves. By this time tomorrow, I’d have either killed a demon, die, or be nuttier than one of Marie’s pecan pies.
The screen door opened with a squeak. Chris poked his head in. “Has anyone seen either Renny or Lucy?”
“Not since this morning,” I answered, immediately concerned.
“The sun is setting. They should have returned an hour ago.”
“Don’t fret,” said Odile. “If they ran into trouble, we would have heard gunfire.”
“I’m sure you’re right.” He shot a troubled glance toward the bayou.
I pushed away from the table. “Maybe we should go after them.”
“If they’re not here in ten minutes—”
A warning bark sounded and we rushed outside. Mrs. Hart bounded along the path. Renny trotted behind carrying something wrapped in an old handkerchief.
“What did you find?” called Chris.
Renny’s teeth set in a tight edge. “Trouble.” He unrolled the cloth. The body and severed head of a rat tumbled to the ground.
I sucked in my breath. “Did it have—?”
“Flaming eyes? Yes. Lucy and I spotted fresh rat tracks, but the creature ran into a hungry fox before getting here. We decided to backtrack and followed the trail for a mile or so. He nudged the carcass. “We
discovered our little friend nose down along the same path.”
Chris wrinkled his face in disgust. “Where?”
“At the water’s edge, near the big bend. The rat followed along the channel.” I mentally charted the map of the waterways in my head. The big bend wasn’t far. “The barrier works, by way, Peter,” Renny continued. “We shadowed the creature making a beeline for the Benoit’s. It came to the invisible wall, and then stopped short as if the scent disappeared. Before we killed the foul thing, Lucy and I watched it sniff the air and then peer across the water to the phony house.”
“Did you find signs of Pike?” I asked. Beside me, Esther shuddered.
“No, but I fear he isn’t far behind.”
Odile turned to me. “We’re out of time. Esther must go immediately.”
“We can’t leave all of you alone.”
“We’ll be fine. The barrier is holding.”
“Why not open the door before Pike arrives?” said Amelie.
Odile shook her head. “The conjurer is too close. He will know the portal to the Lower Worlds is open and will try to stop us. The false scent trail will fool rats, but not Pike for long, and once he breaks the spell, Esther can be tracked. You need to be far enough ahead to give Clovis time to summon the door.”
As much as I hated to admit the truth, Odile was right. “Where should we go?” I said.
“My cabin is far from neighbors,” answered Clovis. “If we fail at least Odile and the others will have time to warn the rest of the bayou.”
I swallowed a sharp response. How does one warn people the end of the world is at hand?
Chris ran ahead to tell Marie of the change in plans. The entire family escorted us to the dock.
“Peter!” Amelie pointed down the channel. “Over there!”
At first I thought the sun’s fading rays reflected in the water, but then I saw the churning froth and realized the horrifying truth. The light was glowing rats’ eyes. Hundreds of them swam toward the opposite shore. They moved silently, mindlessly, all united in a single purpose.
My blood ran cold. “Chris, we can’t desert your family.”
“We’ll be fine,” he declared stoutly, “the barrier will hold.”
Mrs. Hart nudged my feet. “Peter, a boat engine is closing in.”
I turned to the others. “Pike is coming.”
“Take the Sweet Marie,” said Chris. “Clovis’ cabin can’t be reached by water so you’ll have to anchor downstream and then travel the rest of the way on foot.”
“Come with us—”
“No. Speed is essential. Too many people will weigh down the boat.” Chris frowned at the sky. “Not much daylight remains. Clovis, can you find the way to the cabin in the dark?”
The shaman squared his shoulders. “I will.”
“Good. Peter, man the helm. Keep to the water as long as you can.” Chris clapped me on the shoulder. “Remember your lessons and you’ll do fine.”
Marie kissed Amelie, Esther, and me goodbye. “Bon chance.”
We all hopped on board. Amelie took Esther and sat with her in the wheelhouse. Renny untied the boat while I started the engine. I steered the Sweet Marie as close to the shoreline as I dared, hoping to keep the boat under the protective cover of the barrier.
As we edged into the channel, more and more rats piled onto the opposite shore. Their blazing eyes cut through the twilight and cast eerie yellow beams across the trees. When a new wave of rodents arrived, they scrambled on top of the ones already there, making the ground appear to writhe and heave. I suppressed a shudder, thankful for the first time Esther was blind.
Mrs. Hart scampered to the stern. She placed her paws on the edge and cocked her head. “Peter,” she called, “the other boat is drawing near. The engines are very powerful.”
Amelie pointed. “I see something.”
Around the distant bend, a sleek craft sliced through the water. Disregarding safety, I pushed the Sweet Marie’s engines to the max. We roared down the channel and after a sharp turn the other craft was out of sight.
Renny loaded the rifle and took a position next to Mrs. Hart. “Their boat is much faster,” he yelled over the straining engine. “If the conjurer chooses to follow, we won’t have much time.”
“I wish I knew what Pike was doing,” fretted Amelie.
Esther huddled at my feet, eyes staring blankly into the distance. “Hush. I’m concentrating.” Frown lines appeared on her face as she hunted frantically for a connection to Pike. “I see now! He’s in the boat…Delphine is with him…and her goons.”
“How many?” called Renny.
She dabbed her finger in the air counting off figures visible only to her. “Six, seven, eight…Peter, they reached the shore across from the Benoit’s.”
So soon? My heart sank. “Do they see the real house?”
“No. Pike’s eyes don’t see anything on the other bank. The boat stopped. Delphine is saying something to her men. Everyone is getting off, including Pike…Yuck, rats are all around, hundreds of them.” She wrinkled her brow. “The rats are backing away clearing a path to the fake house. The men…they’ve got guns. They’re breaking down the door. Pike sees the tree growing in the middle.”
Unexpectedly, she giggled. “Delphine is real mad. Good thing I can’t hear what she’s saying ‘cause I don’t think it’s very ladylike—” Esther frowned again.
“What’s happening?” I prodded.
“Not sure…Pike is walking around like he’s hunting for something. I—wait a minute. He stopped at the tree…he pulled something out. He found the handkerchief with my hair….” Esther gasped. “He’s looking across the water.”
My stomach knotted up. “Does he see the Benoit’s house now?”
“No. I can’t, so that means the house is still hidden from him, too, but something’s happening…” she concentrated again. “The path is fading.”
“Keep trying,” Renny urged.
“All the people are on the boat, but the rats are going in the water. The boat is turning downstream. Wait—one rat is left in the bow sniffing the air. The others rats are swimming…their eyes are on fire…” Her face paled. “The rats are headed right to the Benoit’s!”
Esther blinked rapidly. “I lost the path. Peter.” She grabbed my arm with ice cold fingers. “We have to do something. The rats are going to get T. Chris and the others. They’re all going to die.”
“Have no fear, child.” Clovis had been listening outside the wheelhouse. “Peter’s lie will hold. The rats won’t find the house.”
“Are you sure?” I asked anxiously. “Pike saw through the spell around Esther’s hair soon enough.”
“Pike knows magic is afoot, but won’t stop to investigate. All the conjurer cares about now is the rat in the bow of the ship following Esther’s scent. The spell will hold and the Benoit’s will be protected until you cross the door’s threshold into the Lower Worlds.”
I stared at him open-mouthed. “Are you saying the lie will collapse?”
“Your mind keeps the spell in place. Crossing the threshold severs the link.”
“You might have mentioned that before,” I said harshly.
Clovis raised his eyebrows at the outburst. “The knowledge would not have made a difference. The spell was meant to buy time.”
“They’ll be eaten,” Esther said tearfully.
Clovis placed a comforting arm around her shoulder. “The Benoit’s are very resourceful people. Odile is not unaware of the danger. We must believe she has a trick or two up her sleeve.”
“For how long, Clovis?” Amelie whispered.
A shade passed over his face. “Let us hope, long enough.”
I gripped the wheel. A gruesome image floated before my eyes of a tidal wave of savage rats, flaming eyes aglow, boiling up from the channel. They surged over the Benoit’s property directly to the house. Ripping at the siding in mindless fury, they forced a way inside to where the family huddled together.
> Fear gave way to rock-hard determination. I would not have the Benoit’s deaths on my conscience. Once through the door, I vowed to kill Feu De L’enfer or die trying.
Clovis pointed to the bank. “Pull in here, Peter. We can’t go farther on the boat.”
I swung the wheel hard over and slowed the engine to a crawl. We were still several feet from shore. Renny carried Esther. The rest of us jumped off and splashed behind him. I stumbled to dry ground, keeping a tight grip on Odile’s potion.
Clovis strode off confidently into the brush. The terrain was rough. Thick vegetation snagged our legs and tore at our clothing. Esther especially had difficulty. Being blind was a hindrance moving through unfamiliar territory. None of us thought to bring her cane as she hadn’t used it in weeks. Now Esther clung to Renny’s arm, but every vine and tangle of undergrowth seemed determined to trip her feet.
Our only rest came when Clovis stopped to take his bearings. After the sixth time Amelie muttered, “Are you sure we can trust his sense of direction? Floundering around here won’t help us.”
“He seems to know where he’s going,” I assured her as Clovis took off once again. Truth is, I had doubts as well, but we had no choice except follow the shaman deeper into the bayou.
Renny glanced behind with an uneasy expression. He placed a hand on my shoulder. “Peter, take Esther with you. We left a clear trail for the rat to follow and Pike was not far. At this rate he will catch us long before we reach the cabin. Clovis needs time to open the door. I’ll slow our pursuers. Lucy, care to go hunting?” Mrs. Hart growled an accord.
Amelie protested fiercely. “Renny, the plan is crazy, even for you. Pike has at least eight armed men with him, not to mention Delphine. She would gladly put a bullet through your head. Those are not good odds.”
Renny kissed his sister. “Don’t worry. I excel at self-preservation and Lucy will watch my back.” Mrs. Hart yipped affirmatively.
I held out my hand to Renny, but he grabbed me and Esther and pulled us into a bear hug instead. “Be careful, mes amis.”
“We will,” I said with tightness in my throat. “You, too, Mrs. Hart.”
