2 Hungry, Hungry Hoodoo

by Liz Schulte

  Cheney knelt in front of me, taking my face gently between his hands. “Destroying the castle won’t bring her back, and it will hurt your other friends. You need to calm down so we can find her. There’s still time. Listen to my voice and breathe.” He continued talking until my fists loosened and my heart slowed. I didn’t want them involved in this.” I closed my eyes and my voice was barely a whisper in my aching throat.

  Cheney leaned his forehead against mine and ran his hand down my hair. “I know.” He took a deep breath. “We’ll get her back. I promise.”

  “You can’t know that.”

  “I told you. I will never let anyone or anything hurt you—”

  I kissed him softly, appreciating his calmness and self-assurance. His words resonated with me and I knew they were true. Cheney would help me fix this, all of this. He stroked the back of my neck and broke the kiss, but he didn’t move away. “Selene—” he rasped before kissing me once more and moving back to his seat. “You should read the note.” His eyes didn’t quite meet mine.

  The supple paper trembled in my hand. I blinked away tears and struggled to focus on the scrawling writing. All it said was, “Perhaps this one will mean more than the last.”

  Guilt and regret pierced me. Michael had died, and now Devin—Devin!—was in danger. All because I didn’t follow the finger. I didn’t play the sick game. Whoever was behind this was right, though. Nothing would stop me from following the clues this time. Immediately. Traps be damned. I wouldn’t fail again.

  I kept the letter clutched in my fingers and stood up. “Do you need this for anything?”

  He leaned back, rubbing his chin. “You can read it?”

  “Of course.” I frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be able to?”

  “It isn’t English.”

  I looked again. Sure enough the words were made of odd scrolling symbols that should have been gibberish, but they weren’t. I read them all as easily as a sign on the road.

  “You’ve remembered a lot, haven’t you?” he asked.

  I bit my lip. “I have more important things to do than discuss my memories. The killer is practically taunting me.”

  Cheney stood. “And why do you think this letter is for you? It was left in my castle, in my office, and if you turn it over, you will see my name on it. Someone is holding your friend to get to me.”

  I narrowed my eyes. I had the urge to tell him everything and the urge to reveal nothing. “Why would they take Devin to get to you?”

  “Everyone knows I love you. They have taken your friend to make me deal with them. I didn’t involve myself with Michael’s disappearance. It’s my fault he is dead.” He looked truly regretful. “But why did you assume this was about you? Have you gotten a different letter?”

  “There was one at my house with Michael.”

  “What language?”

  I thought back. “English.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “Yeah.” Holden and Olivia were able to read it; it had to be English. “Have demands been made?”

  “Sit down.” He gestured to a chair. I sat. “Were demands made last time?”

  “They wanted me to give you the rebel leader for public execution.”

  Cheney frowned. “I too received a letter regarding Michael. It wanted me to purge the kingdom of half-elf insolence.”

  “You didn’t tell me?” I snapped.

  “Not so hasty on the indignation. You didn’t tell me either. It seems we both have our fair share of secrets. But there’s nothing new in that.”

  “So both letters wanted the rebels to be killed.”

  He met my gaze full on. “Or both letters wanted you dead.”

  “But if you kill me—”

  “I kill myself. Yes, I know.”

  “Another little detail you failed to mention.”

  He nodded slowly.

  “That’s why you came back for me, isn’t it?”

  “I told myself that was why, but it wasn’t, no matter what I wanted to believe.”

  I took a deep breath. I didn’t have time to get into this now. We needed to focus on getting Devin back, safe and unharmed. I cleared my throat. “Where’s your father being held?”

  “My father couldn’t have done this.”

  “How can you be certain?”

  “He is under constant watch. I double-checked everything after I received the first letter. It isn’t him.”

  I sighed. “If you don’t need the letter for anything, I’m going to see if I can trace it back to the person who wrote it.”

  “Do you believe me?”

  “I don’t know what I believe.”

  “Selene—”

  “Cheney, I can’t discuss this right now.” I folded the paper and slipped it into my pocket. Then I left the room without looking back. I checked with each of the girls, except Katrina, who was in the shower. None of them had the book. Whoever had Devin had the Book of Shadows too. Jessica and Leslie came with me to Devin’s room.

  We got Devin’s brush and worked together and made a circle. Tracking spells were fairly simple, so it should have worked. But the crystal turned black and began to shake.

  “Oh, that’s not good,” Leslie said.

  We all covered our heads just as the crystal exploded, showering the room with glittery shards.

  “What the hell happened?” Jessica asked.

  I shook my head. I’d never had a spell react like that. “I don’t know, but this isn’t over. I’ll find another way. I promise I will bring Devin home.”

  Sebastian and Sy were standing in the garden, chatting pleasantly, while Femi investigated the body.

  “I’m glad you rushed, Selene. It isn’t like I had things to do today,” Sebastian said without looking at me.

  “Devin was taken,” Cheney said behind me.

  Sebastian’s head snapped back. “How? She was in the castle.” Sebastian looked more frazzled than I had ever seen him. Apparently my friends had grown on him. “What are you doing to protect the others?”

  “Was she in your coven?” Sy asked.

  I nodded and swallowed against the lump in my throat. I had to be strong right now, not so human. “She is a member of the coven.”

  “The others each have personal guards assigned to them,” Cheney told Sebastian.

  “It’s not enough.” Sebastian made steps toward the castle and Cheney stopped him.

  He nodded to the body. “Selene needs your protection.”

  “Selene doesn’t—” Cheney gave him a look. Sebastian’s jaw clenched, but he gave a curt nod and turned back to me. “Where’s your grandmother’s book?”

  “It’s gone.”

  “I assume you have another plan?”

  Femi stood apart from us, her eyes contracting with interest as she took everything in. I pulled the letter out and waved it in front of Sebastian. “I’m going to try to find the source.” I rattled off what I needed and Cheney went inside to get it. I could have used the coven’s help, but I didn’t want the same thing to happen to the letter that happened to the crystal when we tried to track her—in case our collective amped-up nerves were overcharging what we were trying to do. I read the letter to Sebastian, Sy, and Femi. When I finished I looked over to Sy. “Why are you here?”

  “I brought Femi.” He patted my shoulder. “How are you?”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  I moved away, not knowing who was watching. Whoever took Devin had access to the castle and knew about the church that Cheney took me to. “Why didn’t Cheney just do the thing where he pulls stuff out of the air?” I asked Sebastian with a frown. The longer I waited, the more my stomach twisted into knots.

  “I doubt he had those particular items in his holding,” Sebastian said, but he stared back at the castle too, his eyelid twitching.

  I thought back, trying to place what a holding was but came up empty. “What’s a holding?”

  He sighed. “It’s a small room, if you will, in the in between only
accessible by a particular person’s magic.”

  “Do I have one?”

  Sy shook his head. “You have to be royalty.”

  “Why?” That hardly seemed fair.

  “It’s a difference in magical ability,” Sy explained. “The ancient families who rule the different houses have less, let’s say, ‘snags,’ in their lineage. Their magic is stronger.”

  Femi scoffed. “A.K.A., inbreeding.” She winked at me.

  “I’ve seen you do it,” I told Sebastian.

  “And what does that tell you?”

  “You’re royalty?”

  He nodded.

  “Then why do you work for Cheney?”

  Sebastian laughed. “I am the advisor to the Erlking. Many would love to be in my position.”

  Cheney returned with everything I’d asked for. I drew the circle and meditated for a quiet minute, trying to find my center. When peace eased through me, I began the spell, submerging the parchment into the bowl of water, along with the large, clear crystal. I poured energy into the crystal until I was woozy. Then I broke the circle and clutched a rock in my hands, focusing. A throbbing energy pulled me directly to Sebastian.

  I stared at him, my mouth open slightly, and he stared back. That couldn’t be right. I moved around him and the energy directed me back to him. I tried again, moving farther away, yet I had the same result. “You. You wrote the letter.”

  His eyes widened and he shook his head.

  Sound roared in my ears. Sebastian. No one moved. They stared at us, waiting to see what would happen.

  “Selene—”

  I slapped him, hard. “How could you? Where is she?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Where is she?” I shouted. My hand twitched, wanting to lash out at him again. I trusted Sebastian, possibly more than I did Cheney, though I couldn’t say why. Why would he kill Michael? Why would he take Devin? I wanted to hurt him. A voice in my head reminded me I could hurt him. I tightened my fist, envisioning his lungs constricting with the motion. He grabbed his throat. His face went from pink to purple and headed toward blue.

  “What’s happening? I heard you were looking for me.” Katrina appeared in my peripheral vision. “Oh my god, Sebastian!” She rushed toward him and I snapped out of my rage, releasing him.

  My legs gave out and I fell to the ground. Sebastian gasped for air.

  Cheney gently moved Katrina to the side, slapped shackles on Sebastian’s arms, and handed him to a guard I didn’t even see approaching. “Where do you think you’re taking him? I have questions for him,” I said.

  Cheney spoke in a calm, soothing voice. “You’re too emotional at the moment, Selene. You’ll kill him if I allow you to continue. You won’t find out anything if he is dead.”

  I glared at him. I was in control now. I wasn’t going to injure him, not until I knew everything.

  “Selene,” Sy said in that way of his that sounded oh-so-reasonable—totally infuriating. He was taking Cheney’s side.

  “Selene, what’s happening?” Katrina asked, kneeling in front of me with a tear-streaked face. “Is that Michael? What did Sebastian do?”

  My eyes welled with tears. I transported back to the Office and stalked through the bar, past a stoic looking Sy standing in his normal spot behind the bar. How had he beaten me there? I stared straight ahead and marched into the apartment. I crashed onto the couch, burying my face in the pillow, and cried. I cried because Michael had been killed because of me and there was nothing I could do to reverse it. I cried because Devin was gone and I didn’t know if I could get her back or even where to begin. And I cried because I was on a pity parade. Finally I rubbed the tears from my eyes, admonishing myself for being weak. I couldn’t break down. People were depending on me. I pushed myself up and took several deep breaths.

  “Well, that didn’t last long,” Olivia’s voice came from the chair.

  I looked over, not believing she was here. “Have you been here the whole time?”

  She gave me a sympathetic smile. “Femi thought you might want to talk to someone. Sounds like you had a shitty day.”

  I chuckled, wiping the remaining tears. “Are your people supposed to cuss?”

  She winked. “Holden’s a bad influence.”

  “Michael’s dead and one of my best friends is missing,” I sniffled.

  She nodded. “What are we going to do about that?”

  “We’re going to find who’s doing this.” It was just a matter of how. I didn’t want to wait for a finger to arrive to start looking.

  “Maybe Holden saw something at the ruin this morning?”

  I wanted to slap my forehead. It never even occurred to me. “Oh no. He could be hurt. I forgot he was there.” I stood up, ready to go.

  Olivia stood too. “Holden is fine. It’s sweet of you to worry. Let me get Sy and we’ll meet him at the church.” She calmly walked out of the room and I immediately felt tense again. Something about her presence was settling. She made me believe things would work out okay. Were all guardians like her? Sy followed her back into the room.

  “So how do we get there?” Olivia asked.

  “I don’t think I can explain it. Cheney took me there once. It’s an old ruin where his sister and her human lover used to meet, or something like that. He said it’s been forgotten by the elves and hidden from the humans. Have you heard of it?” I looked at Sy.

  He leaned his head back. “Can’t say I have—but you’re strong enough to take us all.” They each took one of my hands and I focused on the spell and my will. Moments later were standing in the plush glass.

  Olivia walked a few steps and looked around, taking a deep breath. “It’s lovely here.”

  “And private.” Cheney’s voice came from behind us. He frowned at me when I turned around. A moment later Holden formed next to Olivia, as if he’d felt her arrive. “What are they doing here, Selene?”

  “Helping me look for Devin.”

  “And why would she be here?” His voice was soft and too controlled.

  “This is where I found Michael.” I met his gaze. “Has Sebastian said anything?” Cheney shook his head, but guilt marred his smooth face. “You haven’t asked him, have you?”

  “He is my friend.” Cheney ran his hand through his hair. “I’ve known him longer than I’ve known you. I came to think before I made any decisions. And what do you mean this is where you found Michael?”

  Holden pointed to the ruin. “He was on the other side of the altar, lots of blood, no heart.”

  Cheney frowned. “That’s not possible.”

  We went into the church. Holden, Olivia, and Sy trailed behind Cheney and me. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, but his furious jaw was set. Why was he so angry? I almost gasped in relief. The pools of blood had dried to a crusty brown substance, caking the floor, but Devin hadn’t taken Michael’s place. I bit my lip so I had something to focus on other than emotion. Cheney looked at me.

  “And you knew about this before we found him in the garden?”

  “Yes.” We stared at each other for a long time.

  “I keep believing you will stop lying to me, but you never do.” Cheney blinked out, and I was left looking at nothing.

  I cleared my throat and pressed my lips into a hard line before turning to the others. Holden looked bored, and Olivia smiled at me sympathetically.

  “Now what?” Holden asked.

  “Now.” I thought about it. “Now I am going to see my grandmother.” They gave me perplexed looks.

  “Why?” Sy asked.

  “It was Gram’s Book of Shadows. Maybe she knows the spell I will need or at least be willing to help me find Devin.”

  “Do you still want to meet Baker tonight?” Holden asked and Olivia’s mouth fell open.

  “Meet Baker about what?”

  Holden took her hand, making her glow. “He knows a hoodoo priestess who might be able to break the bond.”

  Olivia looked back at me. “I would
n’t rush into anything just yet.”

  I sighed. “I don’t know. I’ll keep you posted.” I glanced over at Sy. “Please tell Jaron I can’t meet him tonight.”

  Sy nodded and transported out. Holden faded into his thick black smoke, and Olivia grew into a ball of beautiful white light. I took a deep breath and went to the one person who could maybe help me.

  Gram’s green-shingled house with its wraparound porch was as it always had been, but somehow it looked different. I stood outside in the pouring rain, trying to figure out what had changed about it. I wasn’t trying to stall about seeing Grandma again. Nope, not at all. The door opened and Grandma walked out, broom in hand. Finally she nodded.

  “Come inside,” she commanded and turned on her heel. I, as ever when it came to Gram, obeyed. She looked back over her shoulder. “What brings you here?”

  “You look good, Gram.” It hadn’t been just the two of us in a long time. I wished the situation between us was different.

  She gave me a cold stare, rejecting my niceties. “Sit,” she said.

  I sat on a stool in the kitchen, and she poured me a cup of coffee, keeping a wary eye locked on me at all times. “Why are you here?”

  I struggled not to roll my eyes. “Why? Can’t I just come to visit my grandmother? Why do you hate me now?”

  “I don’t hate you, Selene. But I know you. You aren’t here for just a visit. I see you making bad decisions, and you won’t listen to me. You’ll kill someone again, mark my words. You’re dangerous and need to be controlled. Cheney knows that. But what do I know? I’m just a human …”

  “What do you mean, kill someone again? Who did I kill? When?”

  She leaned against the counter. “Still can’t remember. It’s the strangest thing.” Her brown eyes pierced into me.

  “Please. For the love of God, someone needs to tell me something.”

  “I suppose there’s no harm telling you now.” She sipped her coffee. “You killed your parents. Do you still not remember the night you came to live with me?”

  My limbs lost all ability to move. I stared at her. I was just a child. How did I kill them? I remembered some of that night, but not all of it. “I remember standing in the house while it fell apart around me. I remember Cheney rescuing me and giving me to you. That’s all I remember.”