Freaky Rites (A Mystic Caravan Mystery Book 6)

by Amanda M. Lee

  “We’re not normal people,” Raven drawled, tracing the blade of a silver letter opener with her fingertips as she stared. “We’re something a little more than what you’re used to dealing with.”

  “You probably want to believe that, but it’s not true.” Marie was back to being defiant. “You’re common, everyday gutter trash. There’s nothing special about you.”

  Instead of reacting out of anger, which I was worried about, Raven only snorted. “You’re terrified. I don’t blame you. Things are about to change for you and all of your … sisters.”

  “They are,” I agreed, exerting control over the conversation. “Now, we need to know how it is that you control Gillian. There has to be something you’re doing to keep her from killing you.”

  “I have no idea who Gillian is.”

  “Don’t lie!” Raven was clearly at her limit. She took two long steps, stopped in front of Marie and slapped her hand against the woman’s forehead. “Reveal.”

  “What are you doing?” Marie struggled against her bonds, panicked. “Stop whatever it is you’re doing.”

  “Reveal,” Raven repeated, keeping her hand in place.

  Marie made a growling sound as the magic coursed through her. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with. We will end you.”

  “Reveal,” Raven commanded. “Reveal. Reveal. Reveal.”

  Marie stopped struggling. Her body went slack and she stared at her feet as the shimmering lamia magic washed from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. She was completely under our control now. It was about time.

  “How are you controlling Gillian?” I asked. “There must be a trick to it.”

  “I don’t know how they control her.” Marie sounded defeated, her shoulders slumped. “They don’t tell us stuff like that. Only the originals get that information.”

  “Who are the originals?”

  “The ones who were there from the start.”

  I looked to Raven, confused. “Are you telling me that the women who first cursed Gillian are still alive?”

  “No, but the lines are.”

  “Oh.” Realization dawned. “The ancestors of the originals are the ones with the power.” I ran my tongue over my teeth, considering. “Who are the originals? Who has the power?”

  “I only know about Caroline.”

  Something stirred inside of me. “Caroline Olsen is one of you?” That didn’t jibe with the woman I’d met the second day we were here. That woman was a loner, clearly not part of a coven. “How can that be?”

  “She’s an original. She has the power to control everyone if she wishes.”

  “But … is she the one behind all of this?”

  “I only do what I’m told.” Marie’s voice turned whiny. “I didn’t plan this. I didn’t want this. I can’t turn back now. It’s too late.”

  “What’s too late?” Kade asked. “Why can’t you turn back?”

  “My soul will shatter if I do. You can’t come back if your soul is shattered. I’ll become … her … if I turn back. I’m part of this. I have to fight or I’ll be truly lost.”

  She wasn’t making sense, blathering and whining, but I managed to partially follow her train of thought. “You were recruited, promised something of value, and then threatened when you wanted to back out. There are a lot of recruits, aren’t there?”

  “More all the time.”

  “And Caroline is leading you?”

  “Caroline is an original.”

  That wasn’t really the answer I was looking for, but it seemed to be the only thing Marie could offer. “And the men you’re with,” I prodded. “What’s wrong with them? Can they be fixed?”

  “They’re the price.”

  “The price for what?”

  “To live forever.” Marie let loose a shaky breath, causing me to realize she was softly sobbing. “They’re the price and the prize is to live forever. It’s not worth the price. It’s so not worth the price.”

  I shook my head. “Criminy. This is such a mess. That old lady built her own army and now she’s wielding it against us, while the woman who is supposed to be the monster is actually the victim. How do we fix any of this?”

  Raven shrugged. “I have no idea, but I’m looking forward to trying.”

  That made one of us.

  27

  Twenty-Seven

  “We have to go back to Caroline’s house,” I announced to everyone at lunch. “We don’t have a choice.”

  “Are you sure?” Max was calm as he ate his pasta salad and sipped his iced tea.

  “I’m sure.” I related my adventure with Marie, leaving nothing out. “She’s locked in a cage in the animal tent right now until we can decide what to do with her. We soundproofed it and charmed the doors so no one can enter. We can’t keep her in there forever.”

  “Definitely not.” Max used his napkin to wipe the corners of his mouth. “Do you think Caroline will willingly give you information? If she is behind this she’s probably more powerful than you realized.”

  “I didn’t sense any magic that first day,” I pointed out. “Maybe she’s not powerful. Maybe she keeps control of Gillian with a cursed object or something.”

  “I guess that’s a possibility.” Max rubbed the back of his neck, uncertain. “I don’t think you should go alone.”

  Kade, who had been largely silent while I told the story, stirred. “She’s not going alone. I’m going with her.”

  Max gave his son a sidelong look. “That’s a start. I think we need to send another person.”

  “I can go,” Luke volunteered, his hand shooting in the air. “I wouldn’t mind seeing that old bat a second time. I thought she was harmless, too. Obviously I missed something.”

  “I think you should stay here,” Max countered. “I think Poet needs magical backup.”

  Raven groaned. “You’re talking about me, aren’t you?”

  Max nodded. “I am.”

  “I already did a lot of work today,” Raven whined. “I also hiked into the woods last night. I don’t want to go again today. I’m tired.”

  Max ignored the whining. “I want two of you with magic there to back each other up. I will hold down the fort with Naida while you’re gone. Kade can serve as something of a lookout for both of you.

  “It’s daytime, so I don’t expect to run into trouble with the apparitions,” he continued. “It should be a quick walk and easy interrogation. You said she was old. She shouldn’t be a match for you if that’s truly the case.”

  “What if she’s more than we realized?” I asked. “I didn’t sense anything about her the first time. Maybe that’s because she’s stronger than I am.”

  “I don’t believe that.” Max forced a smile. “While we’re getting closer to answering all of the questions lingering over this one, I don’t think we’re there yet. Caroline seems too easy of an answer.”

  “I dosed Marie with magic myself,” Raven argued. “She couldn’t lie to us. She didn’t have the power to fight what I did to her.”

  “I didn’t say she was lying. I think she’s a foot soldier and doesn’t know the whole truth.”

  “And what do you think the whole truth is?” Kade queried.

  “More than we’ve been led to believe.” Max focused on me rather than Kade. “I suggest you make your trip to Caroline’s house now. I want everyone back on these grounds an hour before dusk. We will be under siege tonight.”

  “Not if Caroline has the answers,” I pointed out. “This might all be over in an hour.”

  Max patted my head and grinned. “I like that you still have a naïve streak every now and then. It shows that you’re not completely jaded.”

  I scowled. “You don’t know. We might be able to solve everything with this visit to Caroline.”

  “I don’t think so, but I’m hopeful you will.” Max shifted his eyes to the table. “No dessert?”

  And just like that we were on our own. Ah, well, sometimes I preferred it when the bi
g dog didn’t want to jump in and save us.

  IT DIDN’T TAKE US LONG to find our way back to Caroline’s house. The hardest part was picking the right path. Ultimately I remembered what Luke said and scanned the trees. It was the roof that gave it away.

  “There.” I pointed. “Hopefully she won’t give us too much grief about stopping in unannounced.”

  “Yes, that would be the true travesty of the day,” Raven drawled.

  I ignored the sarcasm and headed straight for the house, allowing my senses to unfurl in an attempt to pin down Caroline’s location. The house was empty. I picked up on that right away. The small storage shed to the left of the house was another story. “She’s in there.”

  “Then let’s get her,” Raven said, adopting an expression that had me believing she was gearing up for war rather than a pleasant conversation.

  I laid my hand on her arm to still her. “We need to talk to her first. Max is right. We don’t yet know what’s happening.”

  “We know most of it,” Raven challenged. “We also know this old lady is in the thick of things. I’m not going to give her a pass because you’re suddenly feeling sentimental. You know as well as I do that we need answers and she’s the only one who can give them.”

  “I’m not saying that we should give her a pass. I’m simply saying that we should ask questions first and attack second.”

  “And what if I don’t want to do that?”

  “Then we’ll take a vote.” I expectantly shifted my eyes to Kade. “Who votes we talk to her before smiting her?”

  Kade met my gaze without blinking. “I think we should kill her.”

  I openly gaped. “She hasn’t done anything to us.”

  “According to Marie, that’s not true,” Kade countered. “Marie said she was one of the originals. That means she’s in charge.”

  “Yes, but Marie was hardly one of the great thinkers of our time,” I pointed out. “She didn’t understand what we were asking. She has no knowledge of the important stuff.”

  “I still think we should kill her.” Kade was firm. “She can’t hurt us if she’s dead.”

  I was flabbergasted. It was rare I could use that word and mean it. “I can’t believe you guys.” I rubbed my forehead as I tamped down my churning emotions. “She could be innocent.”

  “Really?” Raven looked smug when I risked a glance in her direction. “You think the old lady who lives in the middle of the woods is harmless? We’re talking wendigo-infested woods here. She has ties to the original family that enslaved a woman because they thought she was a witch, then force fed her human flesh … but only after torturing and sexually assaulting her. You think she might be innocent?”

  I refused to back down despite Raven’s rather obvious feelings on the subject. “We don’t know what she’s guilty of. I’m not going to allow anything to happen to her until we find out.”

  “Then you’re an idiot,” Raven fired back.

  “And you’re a bloodthirsty pain in the butt.” My temper got the better of me and I planted my hands on my hips. “I’m in charge. What I say goes. No killing until I say it’s okay. Understood?”

  Raven looked as if she wanted to argue, but ultimately she held her hands palms out and shrugged. “You’re the boss.”

  “That’s right.” My anger was still firing on all cylinders when I turned back to the house and found Caroline leaning against a nearby tree. Her goat was not around this time, but she had an amused look on her face. “Well, hello.”

  Raven jolted at the woman’s sudden appearance. “Where did you come from?”

  “I was about to ask you the same,” Caroline said dryly. “I recognize this one.” She pointed at me. “You other two are newbies. I thought I told you I wasn’t the sort who enjoyed visitors, girlie?”

  I gave her a considering look. “You also told me about shadow hunters, mentioned fractured souls and indicated you had nothing to do with outsiders. I’m sure you understand that I have a few questions about all that after recent events.”

  “What recent events would those be?”

  “The ones where the witches in the woods are conducting rituals and enslaving a wendigo to their cause,” I answered without hesitation. “The ones where the wendigo is sending dreams to try to protect us. She’s also sending ghosts to cut us off, make us afraid, and keep us away from danger. Those are the types of things I want to talk about.”

  Caroline heaved out a sigh, resigned. “I knew the second I heard they were planting you folks in the field out yonder that it wouldn’t end well. I told Gillian things would get bloody.”

  I thought about Amanda Stevens’ license and the puddle of blood. “I think things turned bloody before we got here.”

  Caroline scuffed her foot against the ground as she shook her head. She looked to be debating a big decision. “How much do you know? I mean … you figured out the wendigo stuff. You’re the first to do that without coming face to face with her. How much do you know about the rest?”

  “Treat us like newbies.”

  Caroline squinted at Kade, taking an extended moment to look him up and down. “I think the blond guy was more handsome. You should go back to dating him.”

  Kade shook his head. “Hey!”

  “I don’t date the blond guy,” I said hurriedly. The last thing we needed was to go off on a tangent. “Tonight is a super moon. We know something bad is going to happen as soon as the sun sets. What we don’t know is what part you play in all of this.”

  “Don’t you know? I’m the bad guy.” Caroline’s eyes twinkled when I stared. She sobered quickly. “My great-grandmother was the bad guy, though I’m still part of it to a certain extent.” Caroline didn’t invite us into her house to get comfortable for the story, so I remained in front of her, arms crossed, and tapped my foot as I waited for her to continue.

  “Those were different times. You have to understand. I don’t think the women of Falk started out wanting to be evil. In fact, it wasn’t all the women who got involved and set this thing in motion. It was three of them.”

  “Three townspeople?” Raven asked.

  Caroline nodded. “They thought the run of bad luck was the fault of one person. I don’t know why they focused on Gillian, although I have my suspicions. She was recently widowed and a workhorse, from what I can tell. She was also young and the men liked to look at her.

  “The group was made up of three people,” she continued. “Harriet Spencer, Laura Bishop and Grace Olsen. Grace was my great-grandmother. They got everyone worked up and insisted that Gillian needed to be cleansed to save Falk.”

  “I saw all of that,” I offered. “Gillian showed me. I didn’t realize what I was seeing at the time. Why did they make her eat human flesh?”

  “I have no idea. They never said. It’s not in any of the journals I’ve read.”

  “Did they realize what they were creating when they did that?” Raven asked.

  “No.” Caroline almost looked sad. “I think they wanted to torture her before killing her. It was important they make it look like a ritual that was supposed to save her, even though they offered her up to their husbands for sex first. She was tossed out like garbage after that. And when she rose she was out for blood.”

  “She killed people,” I noted, “but she still maintained part of her soul. How?”

  “Her soul was cracked, like your friend you brought out here the other day,” Caroline answered. “But it wasn’t broken. She managed to hold onto a sense of self. She ruled the roost around these parts, but not for long. The same women who insisted she be cleansed managed to enslave her.”

  “How?” I pressed. “We need to know how if we want to free her.”

  “They took a mirror that belonged to Gillian – something passed to her by her mother – and cursed it. It was an old ritual. A blood ritual. As long as someone has the mirror and Gillian can’t find it, she’ll always be under that person’s control.”

  “Do you have the mirror?” Ka
de asked.

  Caroline shook her head. “I’m sure this is hard for you to believe, but I’ve been trying to free Gillian for years. I was born into this position. My mother raised me to know I had to keep control of the wendigo, that it was evil. I believed that, right up until I got lost in a storm.

  “Gillian found me,” she continued. “I was terrified and thought she was going to eat me, but she saw me home. I was deeply grateful, but my mother tortured her for the good deed. That’s when I realized my mother was the monster.

  “The problem is, it’s Harriet who kept possession of the mirror,” she said. “It’s her ancestor who has the power over Gillian. I stayed with the group a long time trying to get my hands on the mirror. It never worked out.”

  “Did you ever see it?” I asked hopefully.

  “No. I left the group twenty years ago. This has been my family homestead since long before I was born. I hear those women when they come out to dance and cavort. I know what they’re doing. I’ve been trying to figure a way to save Gillian before it’s my time to pass over, but the clock is winding down for me. Once I’m gone, Gillian will be on her own again.”

  “Do you communicate with Gillian?” I asked. “Can you talk to her?”

  “She communicates with pictures in her mind,” Caroline explained. “Very rarely she can muster words, but it’s not easy for her. I think that’s how she tried to talk to you, right? The images in your head. She saw you in the woods that day, realized you were different. She’s so tired and ready for rest that she was hopeful you’d be able to help her.”

  I chose my words carefully. “Even if I could find the mirror, I don’t know that we could help her. She has to survive somehow.”

  “The rest of them feed her scraps, not enough to thrive but enough to survive,” Caroline supplied. “Gillian doesn’t kill people. She hasn’t since she first woke as a wendigo and went on that initial killing spree. She’s been good ever since.”

  “She’s still a wendigo,” Raven pointed out. “How do you expect her to survive out here once we free her?”