Casting Curses

by Yasmine Galenorn

  “I’m just afraid that if I don’t use my powers, they’ll back up and cause an overflow. You know how it is.”

  He nodded.

  When I had been with Craig, I had to secretly use my magic because he didn’t like it. He knew I was a witch when we got married, but apparently he changed his mind on just how well he could handle a Pretcom wife. And I wasn’t Samantha from Bewitched, I wasn’t willing to knuckle under and try to play the good little housewife to soothe my husband’s ego.

  Aegis entered the room, a glass jar in hand. It was filled with black powder. “Hi, Jordan. Will this be enough? There is a bit more that I could gather if you like, but this is about eight ounces of it.”

  Jordan gingerly accepted the jar. Aegis had taped it shut and now he produced a plastic bag, handing it to the doctor.

  “I thought you might want to put it in here, just in case something happens and the glass breaks. That’s a mason jar, though, so it should be all right.”

  “Thank you,” Jordan said. “I appreciate the thought. The last thing I need is to spill the stuff all over myself.”

  My phone rang, and I glanced at the caller ID. Sandy.

  “Hi. How’s Henry?” I asked, hoping that she’d say he was all right.

  “He’s alive. They say he’s had a serious stroke. They want to keep him at the hospital for at least a few days. Right now, he’s conscious, but he can’t talk very well, and his left side appears to be paralyzed. The doctor says he thinks Henry will regain use of his arm and his leg, but to what degree, he can’t tell.”

  I closed my eyes, taking in the bad news. “I couldn’t find any sign of any next of kin.”

  “That’s no surprise. I’ll be there for another hour or two to see how he does. He’s not fully stable yet, but they’re making headway.”

  As I hung up, I thought that this night couldn’t get any worse. Then, quickly, I canceled the thought, not wanting to invoke even more bad luck.

  MORNING CAME, AND with it a splash of sunshine filtered through the windows. I opened the French doors to my balcony, walking out to take in a deep breath of fresh air. Aegis had screened it in a month or so ago so that Luna and Bubba could come out and enjoy the fresh air too, without chancing falling off the edge. Sandy had arrived home at about ten p.m., with news that Henry was stabilized, but in serious condition. The doctors expected him to pull through, but they weren’t sure just how much the stroke had damaged him. Aegis had sat up all night, watching over the rest of us as we slept.

  Finally, I dressed in a warm turtleneck and a pair of jeans, zipped up my ankle boots, and swept my hair back into a long ponytail. I dashed on a quick base of makeup, and then headed downstairs. Kelson was making breakfast and Max and Sandy were already at the table.

  “How did you sleep?”

  Sandy yawned. “Like a log, though I could use another couple hours. I’ve already called about Henry. He made it through the night and they say he’s now in fairly stable condition. He’s awake, but he still can’t speak. They explained to him what happened, and asked if he had any next of kin. He indicated no, so we’re pretty much it.”

  “That’s sad, really. But I’m glad we were here for him.” I was just accepting my quint shot latte from Kelson when Franny materialized in the center of the kitchen nook. Startled, I almost spilled my drink, but I didn’t chastise her this time. Come to think of it, outside of announcing her presence in a non-corporeal voice, there wasn’t really any way she could prepare us for her visitations.

  “You’re awake!” She looked delighted to see us. “I have something to report. I know Aegis was up watching all night—in fact, we had a nice conversation at one point. For a vampire, he’s actually not too bad.”

  “You have news?” I gently prodded her. Franny had a way of rambling off onto disconnected subjects and she was the queen of the non sequitur.

  “Yes, actually I do. I was hanging out in the basement for a little bit, and I heard a voice down there. It wasn’t Aegis—he was upstairs watching the bedrooms. I heard someone growl, and then I heard somebody say ‘I’m coming for you’ in what sounded like a threatening voice.” Franny blinked, twisting her fingers around her handkerchief. “I don’t know who he was talking to, and I hope it wasn’t me, but it didn’t sound friendly.”

  “You’re right. That doesn’t sound friendly at all. Did it feel like it was directed at you?”

  “I’m not sure. I didn’t feel personally attacked, if that’s what you mean. But I didn’t stick around to chance it, either.” She paused, then glanced over at Sandy. “If I may ask, how’s Henry doing?”

  “He’s in stable condition, but he had a serious stroke. He won’t be coming home for a few days.” Sandy shifted in her seat. I had told her about what happened between Franny and Henry.

  “The next time anybody goes to the hospital to talk to him, can they please take my best wishes to him? And please tell him I’m sorry we argued. That I didn’t mean anything I said.”

  “We’ll make sure he knows,” I said. I didn’t want Franny to have to revisit her unfortunate choice of suggestions. I had the feeling she had been prompted by something other than her own conscience. In fact, I had a feeling that the dark shadow she had talked about had instigated the entire argument.

  “Thank you. I’m going to go read for a while, if you don’t mind. It calms me down.”

  “Go ahead. I added a couple books to your library that you might find interesting,” I said.

  “Thanks, Maddy. I appreciate it.” She vanished before I could tell her welcome.

  I waited for a moment, until her presence was gone from the room.

  “I think Franny was influenced by this curse, and by whatever it is that got loose from that jar. There’s no way in the world she would have ever suggested that to Henry without being prompted. So if this creature—or spirit—whatever it is, can influence both mortals and spirits alike, it must be extremely powerful. When did you say the professor from Neverfall is coming over?”

  “Two o’clock. So we have some time to fill.” Sandy glanced at the clock.

  I frowned, accepting the plate of eggs and bacon from Kelson. She set a platter of toast in the center of the table, then joined us for breakfast.

  “I don’t dare take any bookings until we get this taken care of.” My phone went off and I glanced at my text messages. Jordan had texted me. “Trey died.”

  “Did Jordan say what he died of?”

  I quickly texted Jordan, asking him. He texted back.

  it’s as though the life just bled out of his body. i couldn’t find a damn thing wrong, except his heart kept getting weaker, and his brain functions went flat. something ate his energy. i’m going to do an autopsy, see if i can find an answer. leonard asked me to tell you that he and his crew will be back tomorrow morning to finish the job on the roof.

  I texted back a thank-you. “Whatever it was, it basically ate Trey’s essence.”

  Max offered to help Kelson rearrange the pantry, a big job but it needed to be done before the holidays, while Sandy and I headed out back for a walk. Even though the sun was shining, it was chilly, so we wore our jackets, huddling against the breeze that gusted past. The air smelled clear and fresh, and I realized that I felt much better outside than I did in.

  “I’ve got to get rid of this curse. I didn’t realize it was hanging over the Bewitching Bedlam like a cloud. Franny talked about a dark shadow in the basement. I’d love to do a Divining spell, but I don’t dare. I can’t even be in the same room when it’s being done.” I glanced over at Sandy, finally expressing my fear. “What do I do if this allergy doesn’t go away? How can I be a witch if I can’t perform magic? And it’s not like the magical energy is gone. I can feel it inside me, pressing. But I don’t dare let it out.”

  “We’ll get you through this. You know Jordan is brilliant, and he’ll find an antidote to the curse. Have you called Garret yet?”

  I shook m
y head, scuffing through the leaves on the grass. The scent of wood smoke drifted past from a neighbor’s house. The thought crossed my mind that we should plant apple trees out here, and make our own apple cider in the autumn.

  “I want to wait to see what the professor from Neverfall has to say. Garret may or may not be able to do anything, but if he can, the more information he has, the better.” I shivered as a strong gust blew past, swirling the leaves into the air like a whirlwind in bronze and copper.

  “Max and I have decided on a wedding date,” Sandy said.

  Delighted at the change in conversation, I clapped my hands, then thrust them under my arms again to keep them warm. “When?”

  “We’ve decided to get married on Ostara. Well, not on the actual holiday, since our coven has to lead the town in the celebration, but we thought maybe the day before? And of course, we want you to be the priestess.”

  I slipped my arm through her elbow, pulling her close. “Of course I will. You know that. I’ll do anything for you guys. Have you decided where?”

  “What about the grove at the temple of Arianrhod? Has anybody booked it yet?”

  Our temple—dedicated to the goddess Arianrhod, whom we all served—rented out one of the groves on our land for community events or for private parties, although they had to be spiritually oriented.

  “I don’t think so. If we haven’t, you know that it’s yours.”

  “I’d ask you to be my maid of honor, except you’re going to be the priestess. So I thought I’d ask Jenna to walk with me up the aisle.”

  “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” I said. I paused, then added, “What about Fata Morgana? Do you think she’ll be coming in for it?”

  Sandy shivered—I could feel it through her arm.

  “Isn’t the question really, Do I want her to come in for it? On one hand, it wouldn’t feel right without her. But given the way she is… I’m a little scared to have her here for my wedding.”

  I knew exactly what Sandy was talking about. It’d been both lovely and tragic to see Fata again. She was growing into something neither Sandy nor I could understand. She was becoming a goddess, and in so doing, she had already lost so much of her humanity. It wasn’t that she was malignant or evil—although she could be cruel and vicious—but she had evolved beyond the life we were living. And she was confused and afraid of what she was becoming, even as she reveled in it.

  “I guess we’ll have to wait and see. She’ll do as she will. I don’t know that we can stop her. Anyway, let’s talk about more pleasant things. What about your dress? Have you any ideas yet?”

  Sandy shrugged. “You know, I always thought I might want a designer dress if I got married again. But the more I think about it, the more I’m thinking I might go simple. When Brad and I started out, we had a big wedding but look how it turned out. Max has been married before, and so have I—several times. I thought you might go shopping with me to see what we could find. I don’t want to wear white. For one thing, it’s not our tradition, and for another, I think for a spring wedding I want something in pale pink or a sage green.”

  We chatted a bit more about the decor and themes until we came to the edge of the forest.

  “How goes plans for your campground?” she asked.

  “Fairly well. Aegis is clearing out a lot of land. He comes out and works during the early morning while there’s enough light to see, but the sun hasn’t risen yet. We have time. He could afford to have it done all at once, but we decided we wanted to take it at a slower pace—to figure out exactly the way we want it.”

  “How are you two doing?” Sandy asked. “He hasn’t proposed yet, has he?”

  I laughed. “You have weddings on the brain, woman. No, Aegis has not proposed and I haven’t asked him to. And I haven’t encouraged him either. Just like this campground, we’re taking things at our own pace. I know he loves me, and he knows I love him. And right now, that’s all that matters.”

  The sky overhead darkened slightly, and we could see an army of clouds rolling in from the northwest. Moisture hung heavy in the air, and it would be raining by noon. But the brief sojourn into sunshine had been welcome. As we turned and headed back to the house, I realized that I almost dreaded going inside. And that wasn’t like me at all. I loved my home, I loved my bed-and-breakfast. Yes, a pall had been cast over my house, and I wanted it gone.

  Chapter 8

  WHEN LEORY JEROME arrived, he brought a welcome breath of fresh air with him. The man could light up the room like a disco ball—tall, with a smooth shaven head, his skin was a rich brown and his eyes flashed with both life and magic. Good to his word, he had brought with him another professor. She was about four and a half feet tall, and looked as old as the hills. She probably was, given that she appeared to be Fae.

  “Maddy, Cassandra, may I present Ms. Weatherhaul? She’s the professor I told you about.” He motioned to us. “Alaysia, this is Maudlin Gallowglass and Cassandra Clauson.”

  The elderly Fae looked us up and down before nodding. “We actually met, long ago. Let’s hope we don’t have need to employ your services again like we did back in Europe.”

  I blinked. We had met Alaysia Weatherhaul before? I had no memory of the meeting, but then a lot of things from that time were a blur. But Sandy stared at her for a moment, then snapped her fingers.

  “Back in Kerrville.” She glanced at me. “You remember, that tiny little village outside of Dublin? We spent a couple of nights there before we moved over to the continent, when we first started hunting.”

  I blinked. Of course. Alaysia Weatherhaul had been working in an inn, and I remembered that she had led us to our rooms. She had looked younger than she did now, although she had probably been old as the hills even then. The Fae only looked old when they were ancient—and they aged rapidly toward the ends of their lives.

  “You warned us about the witch hunters staying in the inn. I remember now. You helped us get away early in the morning before they were up and scouting around.” I held out my hand. “I don’t know if we thanked you properly back then, but I’d like to now.”

  Alaysia smiled, nodding graciously as she shook my hand. “Aye, girl. That was me. I knew who you were. Rumor ran quickly through the grapevine back then. And I knew where you were headed and what you were going to do. I couldn’t let them catch you.”

  I felt faint for a moment, as the past suddenly collided with the present. “It’s amazing what a few hundred years will do to bring people together.”

  “Why don’t you tell me what your problem is? Unfortunately, I have a class in a couple hours.” Her eyes crinkled at the edges, as her lips slightly tilted into a smile.

  As we let them upstairs, Sandy and I ran down what had happened. Max followed, and he opened the trapdoor and pulled down the ladder for us. I didn’t really want to go back up those stairs. I was growing to hate my own attic, but somebody had to show them what we were talking about. Before I set foot on the first rung, I turned to Sandy.

  “You stay down here. There’s no need for both of us to be in the line of fire.”

  She nodded, backing away as I began to ascend the ladder. Behind me Leroy and Alaysia nimbly followed. For such an old Fae, Alaysia was pretty damned spry. I led them to the attic, gauging how much of it had already been patched as we went. It looked like Leonard’s crew had finished for the most part, but I knew that within a few months they would be tearing the whole thing up again. Hopefully, they wouldn’t find any other hidden surprises.

  I opened the door to the secret room and stood back for them to enter.

  Leroy went first, and then Alaysia. I ducked in behind them and turned on as many of the lights as I could that Max had set around the room.

  Alaysia gasped. “I haven’t seen this in years. Centuries, in fact.” She slowly made her way to the walls, not touching them, peering closely at the glyphs.

  “You recognize the language, then?”

  She nodd
ed. “Yes, definitely. This is Sumerian cuneiform.”

  “Then you can read what it says?” I held my breath.

  Finally, something went right. Alaysia nodded.

  “Yes, I can translate it for you. It will take me a little time, and I have to use magic to do so, but I can probably have a rough translation of all of these glyphs for you within an hour. I may be old, but my memory is fully intact.”

  I cleared my throat. “I can’t be up here, if you’re using magic. Before you begin, please do understand that this is some sort of curse—Jordan Farrows has determined that. And I got hit with the brunt of it. Well, me and one of the Alpha-Pack. He’s dead now, and I’ve developed an allergy to magic.”

  “Then go downstairs and wait for us,” Leroy said. “We’ll be all right. I’m a shadow witch.” He shooed me away. Shadow witches worked on the astral, more than with any one particular element. They were extremely powerful, and they were few and far between. Sandy and I suspected that Jenna was going to be a shadow witch, but we hadn’t been able to have her tested yet.

  I scrambled down the ladder, getting as far away as I could from the attic. I explained to Sandy and Max what they were doing up there.

  “Why don’t you go downstairs?” Sandy suggested. “I’d feel better if you had plenty of distance between you and the attic. Max and I will wait here.”

  I thanked her, and then headed downstairs to wait. Kelson was busy cleaning the kitchen, so I decided to pop into the library and see how Franny was doing.

  Franny looked up as I entered. “Hi, Maddy. Did you want something?”

  I shook my head. “No, I’m fine. I just need to be away from the attic while the linguist is up there. She’s using some spells to translate the language. Apparently those glyphs are ancient Sumerian in origin.”

  “How interesting. You know, that rings a bell. The woman who lived here around the turn of the century? The one I said I kind of remembered? There’s something about her that makes me think about ancient civilizations. Something I caught in passing, but I can’t remember what. I’m sorry. If I can think of it, I’ll let you know.”