“I have an appointment with Veronica,” I said.
The boys turned as they said as one, “Follow us.”
They led us toward the entrance of Veronica’s lair. The passage was wide and tall, leading into a large cavern. Five different passages led into other parts of the lair, and a pale yellow light glimmered against the walls. Even though I’d been here before, I still couldn’t pinpoint where the light was coming from.
Ghosts and members of the Unliving filled the chamber, and most of them stopped to watch us enter. I heard gasps, and I realized they could sense the dagger I was carrying in my bag.
Whispers raced through the cavern but I ignored them, focused solely on the tunnel into which the twins led us. Within minutes, we reached the throne room and the twins separated, one to each side, as we passed through the entrance.
The throne chamber was adorned with black and gold velvet, and a large firepit in the center of the room flickered with etheric fire, giving off a chill rather than heat.
Toward the back, Veronica sat atop her throne. The throne was made of woven bones, a lacework in ivory. How old the throne was, I had no clue. But it was weathered by time. Whatever energy the original wearers of those bones had possessed was long gone.
Veronica was dressed in a crimson gown made of jacquard, embellished with black lace. Her breasts swelled over the sweetheart neckline, the alabaster of her skin contrasting with the rich garnet of the material. Her hair was long and black, caught up in a chignon with a diamond comb holding it.
Veronica’s eyes were mesmerizing. They were emerald, surrounded by a ring of blue fire, and her pupils were white-hot, glowing like neon. She stood as we stopped in front of her throne, towering over both Bryan and me.
“So here we are again,” she said. Her voice sounded reedy, like wind whistling through the trees at night. “Spirit shaman, thank you for attending my call.”
I inclined my head. Interacting with the dead was very much a chess game, filled with nuance and parlaying. After a moment, I said, “I have questions for you, Queen of the Dead.”
She tilted her head, the light in her eyes flashing. “The dead are walking quite frequently, are they not?”
I gave her a slow nod. “Yes, and that’s why I’m here. I want to know what’s going on. Why are you rousing them? Ellia and I have been run ragged the past couple weeks catching Haunts and pushing them back to their graves.”
“And you think I called them out of the ground, out of the endless night?” She crossed her arms.
I paused. Something in her voice told me that, while she knew the dead were getting out of control, she was as confounded as I was.
“Haven’t you?” I decided being blunt was the most advantageous way to go.
Veronica glanced around, then motioned to the Unliving who were wandering through her chamber. “Go. Shavon, Ivan, take them out.”
The twins rounded up everyone who was haunting the chamber and escorted them out through a different tunnel than the one through which we had entered. They returned, standing beside their queen, staring pointedly at me.
“Go, and return when I signal.”
“Your Highness—” one of the twins began, but Veronica held up her hand.
“I know very well she carries the dagger. She will not use it on me, nor you, as long as you mind your orders.” Veronica turned to me. “That you bring such a dagger into my presence could be construed as an insult, but both you and I know why you will never use it against me unless…” She paused.
I nodded. If the Morrígan ordered me to destroy Veronica, both of us knew I would do it in a heartbeat. But barring that, given the Morrígan had turned Veronica into who she was now, we also both knew I wouldn’t interfere unless my life was on the line or she went rogue.
The twins turned and hightailed it out of the chamber. The only ones left were Veronica, Bryan, and me.
“So, have you been rousing the dead? You’ve done so in the past. The ball—”
“I am not inclined to throw a gala at this time. So the answer to your question is no, I’m not the one rousing the dead and calling them out of their graves. Quite the opposite. Someone is doing it and I’d like to know who, because whoever it is, they’re intruding on my territory.” She motioned to a bench near her throne. “Sit. This is why I called you here tonight.”
“If you’re not doing it, then…” I paused, trying to recall whether Grandma Lila had left any mention of how the Unliving and Haunts could be summoned back from the Veil. I knew Veronica could do it, but could anybody else?
“Occasionally, Haunts and the Unliving return on their own, but there have been far too many over the past few weeks for that to be the case,” Veronica said, pacing in front of her throne. “Someone out there has to be summoning the dead, whether wittingly or unwittingly.”
“It can happen without someone knowing they’re doing it? And who can call up that many in the first place? Ellia and I have been running our butts off chasing down Haunts.” I paused, then said, “Is it possible another queen might be seeking to claim your territory?”
Veronica shook her head. “No. You know my secrets. There are never two queens in the same area. You can cross that worry off the list.” She paused in mid-step. “But…some humans have the power to summon the dead. A necromancer could call on the Haunts and Unliving.”
I frowned. “I know mediums can talk to the dead, but necromancers are real? I mean, I’ve seen them mentioned in movies and the like, but…”
“With all the things you’ve seen and dealt with, you still doubt? Look who you’re talking to,” Veronica said, laughing, though I sensed no mirth in her laughter. “Of course necromancers are real. In fact, some of them take advantage of their powers to fleece gullible people. They call up the dead, convince the house owner they’re haunted, and charge a great fee for dispelling the ghosts. It’s a common scam.”
I stared at her. “I had no idea that went on. I worked for a ghost hunting agency in Seattle, but we were on the up and up.”
Veronica regarded me with faint amusement. “Yes, I can see you doing that.” She paused for a moment. “You do realize that most necromancers tend to be on the other side of the law? And I’m not talking about the law of the land. They work in shadows and shades, and the majority I have met over the centuries have been self-serving in their agenda.”
“Do you think that whoever it is has been around Whisper Hollow for a while?” That Veronica was so serious about the subject worried me. And then it hit me. “Can necromancers have an effect on you?”
To my surprise, Veronica took a seat on the bench opposite of us. As tall and macabre as she was, for a moment I could almost see her as she had been when she was alive. When she, too, was a spirit shaman.
“While I would be a match for any of them, the truth is, yes. Necromancers can affect Queens of the Unliving. We are not immune to their magic, and that can be a problem if they try to control us. If you think I’m dangerous, imagine me used as a weapon by a psychopath.”
Her words hit me in the gut. The thought that someone could use Veronica’s powers for their own ends was terrifying. “Would you be able to contact me if that happens? How would we know?”
“If someone took control of me, I could destroy part of the town. I could send all of my court to attack the citizens of Whisper Hollow. And no, if someone else happened to be in control of my actions, I doubt that I would be able to contact you.”
Another question came to mind. “Can a necromancer control Penelope? She’s the Gatekeeper for the dead.”
“No. No one can control Penelope except for the Morrigan herself.” Veronica placed one foot on the bench, wrapping her arms around her knee. “As to your question about whether the necromancer has lived in Whisper Hollow for some time, I don’t think so. I could be wrong, but I think I would know if someone like that lived here. Although…” She paused, looking uncertain.
“Whatever it is, say it. You and I may not see eye to eye on most th
ings, but we both want this town intact.”
Veronica straightened up, lowering her foot to the floor. “You’re correct on that. All right. While he’s no necromancer, I have doubts about the undertaker. The old one was respectful to all the dead. But I’ve heard rumors that the new undertaker… Shall we say… Takes liberties with his charges.”
I let out a little groan. Next to me, Bryan shifted uncomfortably. “You aren’t saying what I think you’re saying, are you?”
The last thing I wanted to deal with was a necrophiliac. Then again, the serial killer had already crossed that line from what the medical examiner had told us. Which made me wonder: could there be some connection between Jonah Westwood and whoever had killed Rosemary and Emmet?
Veronica shrugged. “Honestly? I can’t tell you for sure. All I know is there’s something going on with the undertaker and whatever it is disturbs me. And if something disturbs me, you know there’s a problem.”
I thought for a moment, debating whether she would have any information on Rosemary’s killer.
Finally, I said, “I sent two spirits through the Veil last night. They were both murdered, brutally. And Penelope told me that another spirit passed through last week who looked like she had been murdered as well. I think we’re dealing with a serial killer. Do you think the murders could have a connection to the necromancer who is rousing the dead?”
“That I don’t know,” Veronica said. “But it’s certainly not out of the question. The very presence of a necromancer is like a flame to the moths. The dead walk with them. So it seems as though we have several problems to deal with. Or, rather, you have several problems to deal with. There’s not much I can do, locked within my mountain lair here. But whatever help I can be, you have only to ask.”
I waited for a moment but she said nothing else. Finally, she stood. “Keep me informed of what you find out. And I will send messages to you if I hear of anything. The secrets in this town go as far back as the beginning of the town itself. But eventually they come to light. And eventually, we’ll find out what’s causing the problem with the dead who are walking.”
Bryan and I stood to go, but I suddenly had to ask a burning question. “Veronica, have you seen my grandfather? Duvall? The Lady took him, and she hasn’t given him back as far as I know. Unless he’s here, in your kingdom?” I hoped to hell she’d say no. If Duvall was here, in her underground kingdom, then I would dread coming here again. If he were here, I’d have to ask her to release him to me so I could destroy him.
But at least she could set my mind at ease on that. “No, Kerris. Your grandfather is still in the depths of the water, in the embrace of the Lady. If he surfaces and I find him walking, I will give him to you. I give you my word.”
And with that, we were dismissed.
Chapter Nine
The next morning, I headed out to do the shopping. I was on edge from the night before, but I needed to think things through before taking any action. I needed to research just what necromancers could do, and I needed to talk to the Matriarchs and the Crescent Moon Society about what was happening.
I pulled into the curb by Carter’s Market and, grabbing my shopping bags, headed into the store. I had barely managed to put a five-pound bag of potatoes in my cart before I heard a voice I recognized one aisle over. I quickly pushed the cart forward, peeking around the end of the aisle.
There, shopping together, were Starlight Williams and Tonya Pajari. Starlight was a socialite, a soccer mom and—inexplicably—the leader of the Crescent Moon Society. That she was shopping with Tonya seemed odd to me, given Tonya was a carpenter, a tarot reader, and about the furthest thing from girly that I could imagine. They did a double-take when they saw me, but Starlight’s bestie-smile came out full force as soon as she realized I was staring at her.
“Kerris! What are you doing here?” she asked, swarming me with her personality. That was the only way I could think of to describe it. Starlight smothered people, draping them in hugs, downing them in air-kisses, basically mobbing them so they wouldn’t have a chance to say anything she didn’t like. Now, she swept around her cart, intent on giving me a huge hug.
I quickly sidestepped, putting my cart between us. “Starlight, Tonya, what a surprise! It looks like we all have empty cupboards.” I found it hard to talk to Starlight. We had gotten off on the wrong foot, and even though we had passed that divide, I still found I could only handle her in small doses. A little of Starlight went a long way.
Tonya gave me a brief nod. She, too, was in the Crescent Moon Society, but her I liked. She was a fortune-teller and a carpenter by trade, an odd combination, but it worked for her, and from what I heard, her clients on both sides of the fence loved her work. She was also a lot quieter than Starlight, and much less effusive.
It occurred to me that now was a good time to ask Starlight to convene a special meeting of the Crescent Moon Society. A little thought squeaked that I might want to talk to the Matriarchs first, but I shook it away. A serial killer in the town was everybody’s business, and it had already been made public via Sophia’s newscast. And the presence of a necromancer concerned the society.
“Starlight, I’d like to ask a favor,” I said, tossing a bag of egg noodles in my cart, then adding two packages of spaghetti and a bag of elbow macaroni.
“Pasta lover, eh?” she said, still smiling. “I never eat it. Too fattening.” She paused, then added, “A favor? Sure, what do you need?”
I ignored the obvious dig. Starlight was society-thin and I wasn’t, and I didn’t give a flying fuck. I glanced around to make sure we weren’t being overheard. “I need you to convene an emergency meeting of the CMS. I had a talk with Veronica last night and we have a problem, and the Society needs to know about it.”
The smile vanished from her face, and she, too, gave a cursory glance around us. “All right. When? I don’t think I can get people together before tomorrow night.”
“Then that will have to do, but as quickly as you can. Trust me, it’s necessary.” Even though Starlight and I butted heads a lot, she knew that I wouldn’t call a meeting unless it was absolutely vital.
“As soon as I get home, I’ll start the arrangements. Tonya, can you help me man the phone tree?” Starlight glanced at Tonya, who shrugged and nodded.
“Whatever you need. I can rope Nathan into helping, as well. He’s refinishing our living room floors, but that’s a multi-day job, so he can spare a few minutes.” She glanced at me. “You look pale. Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah, but this may have to do with…did you hear about Sophia’s news conference?” It struck me that Starlight might not know about the double murder.
Starlight looked confused. “No, I’ve been incredibly busy the past couple of days. What happened?”
I glanced at Tonya, who also shook her head. “Rosemary Leeland and Emmet O’Malley, two high school kids, were killed. Double murder. Brutal slaying.”
Starlight paled, and Tonya let out a little gasp. Both of them had teenagers at home.
“You can’t be serious?” Starlight whispered. “I know Rosemary’s parents through the country club. I can’t believe I didn’t hear about this. When did it happen?”
“Several nights ago, but Sophia kept it under wraps while they tried to gather evidence. They had absolutely no leads, so they asked me to come in and try to talk to Rosemary’s and Emmet’s spirits. I did, and we learned a few things that prompted Sophia to hold a press conference. They replayed it on the news yesterday morning. Sophia’s asking all parents to be aware of where their children are, and the cops are considering a curfew until they figure out whether—” I paused as my phone rang. A glance at the caller ID told me it was Sophia. “One moment, please.”
I walked a few steps away and held my phone to my ear. “Hey, what’s up?”
“We found Nancy’s body. I thought you’d want to know. She was found in the woods across from Raven Tree Farms, not too far from where we found Rosemary and Emmet. I’
m going out on a very short limb here and say she was killed by the same man. She was brutally stabbed, and the ME says that she was sexually assaulted after she died.” Sophia sounded bleak. A serial killer preying on kids was the worst kind of freak. “I was wondering if you could…”
“If you’re going to ask me to look for her spirit, it won’t do any good. Penelope said she passed through the Veil last week. I guess one of her deceased relatives was there for her when she died, and guided her over to the Gatekeeper. Do we have any psychics who might be able to pick up residual…” I paused, glancing back at Tonya. “What about Tonya Pajari? She reads the cards. Maybe she can come up with something.”
“Can you ask her? I know who she is, but we haven’t had many dealings. She’s in the Crescent Moon Society, though, correct?”
“Right. Hold on. She’s right here—I ran into her and Starlight at the grocery store. I’ll ask her and call you back.”
“Thanks, Kerris. If she can do anything, I’d be grateful. We have a description of the killer from Rosemary and Emmet, but we found no leads except the DNA he left on the body, and we’ve run it through the national database. While it links to other kills around the country, there are no leads as to a name.”
I murmured a quick good-bye and hung up. “Tonya, can you help us?” I asked, hurrying back to her and Starlight. I lowered my voice. “They just found Nancy Westerford’s body. I know for a fact that Nancy’s spirit passed through the Veil. Penelope told me. So I can’t talk to her. But if you have any psychic powers beyond using the cards, maybe you can pick up on something at the crime scene.”
Tonya stared at me with a stark look. “I’ll do what I can. I don’t know how much help I can be. I do have some ability with psychometry, but I’m not sure how accurate I am.”
“Any help would be welcome.” I lowered my voice even more. “Unfortunately, the fact that Nancy’s wounds match Rosemary’s pretty much means we have a serial killer on our hands.”
“When do we need to be there? I really have to finish shopping. We have nothing in the house and Nathan needs lunch.”
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