by Kat Bostick
The only other answer was magic. Mari was about to get up and grab the family legacy from her backpack when a flat shape on one of the chain links caught her attention. She parted the fur over it and squinted at what appeared to be an engraved plate.
“Vinculum?” Mari scowled. “Concatenata autem infirma, torque daemoniorum. Can you speak Italian? Or Latin? I have no idea what that means.” She rubbed her thumb over the words and realized there was another line. “Dico libertatem et praevaricator vinculum.”
Despite having read aloud in a nasally Minnesotan accent and not the smooth Italian or Latin she was sure it required, Mari felt a zap of magic leave her lips as she uttered the words. There was a cold copper feel on her tongue, followed by a loud metal clink. Then, just like that, the chain fell away and coiled in a neat pile at Jasper’s feet.
“Whoa. That was cool.”
Mari gingerly ran one end of the chain along her palm. There was absolutely no sign of the connection that held it tight seconds earlier. It appeared that the chain was some kind of enchanted item. Great, this coven had magical objects.
Mari was out of her depth and in more danger than she initially recognized. She didn’t know how to use enchanted items! Or spells for that matter, save for the one she pulled off this morning. She could scarcely protect herself and Jasper from Henrick alone, much less an entire coven.
Act now, panic later.
Since the chain could prove to be valuable, she tucked it into the compartment with the spare tire. Next Mari began a frenzied search through her overstuffed tote for a pair of shoes. Tucked in the bottom she found combat boots with a chunky heel, remnants of her Goth phase. They weren’t the ideal shoe for driving or tromping through the woods—or for anything, really—but they would have to do.
Jasper listened attentively to Mari’s explanation of every event that occurred this morning, starting with her dream. He leaned his shoulder into her hip and whimpered softly when she got to the part about Gran.
“Oh shit!” Mari hissed. “I should call Dad before he reports me missing.”
Glad to have an excuse to stop talking about her grandmother, Mari snatched her cell phone from the cup holder. Twenty-two missed calls and more text messages than she could count. Most of the calls were from Dad, though a handful were from Samuel, Aubrey, and even Victoria. There was one from a number she didn’t recognize but they left a lengthy voicemail so she could assume it had something to do with Gran’s death or the fire.
She played the most recent voicemail from Dad first. Guilt nipped at her conscience when she heard the genuine distress in his voice. “Mariella, please call me. I’m worried about you. Rochelle from the front desk told me you were here this morning. How did you know your grandmother had a heart attack?”
A heart attack? That must have meant that there was no sign of assault. Mari wasn’t sure if she was relieved or distraught by that. If Henrick or his coven hurt her, Mari would be able to seek revenge. If Gran simply died of natural causes, what was she supposed to do? There was no action that could right it. She was just dead.
“I spoke to an officer about the house.” Dad continued. “They suspect arson. Why would someone set fire to the house, Mari? Are you in trouble? You can talk to me.”
Oh no. Of course they could tell if it was arson. Would they think she did it? There were several witnesses that could prove her whereabouts but that would mean she had to go back to Klein. That wasn’t an option. If she didn’t return to answer their questions, did that make her a person of interest? Could they arrest her for suspicious behavior? Well, she might just have to find out the hard way.
Mari wiped a stray tear from beneath her eye and switched to a voicemail from Aubrey. “Mar-Mar, oh my God. I’m so sorry about Gran. Are you okay? Where are you? Your dad is totally freaking. He said your house burned down! What happened? Please call me, Mar. I’m here for you. If you need somewhere to stay, you know my apartment is always open.”
Aubrey sent the bulk of the text messages she’d received, which wasn’t uncommon under normal circumstances. Her best friend had a habit of sending short little messages one after the other instead of completing a thought.
OMG Mar! UR Dad just called me!
There was a weeping emoji followed by I’m so sorry!!!
UR house burned down!
How??
So worried about U
R U OK
PLS CALL
HOLY BALLS they arrested Jacob’s mom for burning down UR house!?
Did U see her?
Where R U
MARI!!!!!!
Arrest Mrs. Nordbury for burning down her house? That wasn’t possible. It had to be Henrick. Not that Mari could figure out what the coven’s motivation would be for lighting her house on fire. Alexander seemed surprised by the accusation.
The nasty voicemail that provoked Jasper into attacking the answering machine came to mind. At the time Mari was eager to forget about it but thinking back, it could have been Jacob’s mother. She was angry enough to find Mari’s number and leave her hateful voicemails. Was she angry enough to set fire to Mari’s house? It would be a hell of a coincidence if she did it the same day someone broke in and kidnapped Jasper.
More guilt gnawed at her. It would be wrong to let Mrs. Nordbury go to jail for arson if she didn’t do it. However terrible her son was, Mari still felt for the woman. Grief was not a visitor she wanted to send to anyone’s front door. She couldn’t exactly call the police and tell them it was wizards, though. She had no proof, only knew their first names, and would have to admit why she believed it was them, making herself seem totally crazy.
Well, hopefully Mrs. Nordbury had a solid alibi.
I’m okay. Mari tapped out in a message to everyone who reached out. Don’t know what happened to the house. I need some space to process. Will call when I settle. Don’t worry.
Of course she knew they would worry. She also knew that there was a possibility authorities would be looking for her. For now, all Mari could do was find somewhere to hide and regroup.
✽✽✽
Driving through Chippewa National Forest, they passed a casino, campgrounds, and about a dozen lakeside resorts, all of which were abuzz with summer vacationers. Mari considered driving to a regular hotel but then there was the obstacle of sneaking Jasper in. Their next best option was probably to find a pull off in the woods. It wasn’t like they hadn’t slept out here before.
After getting lost about fifty times in search of a secluded road, Mari accidentally came upon a place called “Skinny’s Lakeside Retreat.” The sun was setting and the property wooded, leaving no clear view of the cabins. Darkness worked to their advantage but if they planned to leave tomorrow, they needed to get up before dawn.
Jasper was safely tucked in the shadow of the backseat when Mari left to check for availabilities. The friendly man at the front desk introduced himself as Skinny and, when she inquired about peace and quiet, offered her one of his best cabins at the far end of the lake. It was a whopping two hundred and fifty dollars a night but at this point, Mari was willing to pay her life savings for a bed and a cheeseburger. Both were available here.
After checking in, she followed the scent of greasy food to the bar and grill. The hostess grew flustered and curious when Mari ordered two Juicy Lucy burgers, a double order of fries, a chocolate milkshake, a dozen chocolate chip cookies, and five steaks, very rare with no seasoning or breading. Uncomfortable with the scrutiny, Mari quickly explained that she had a disorder that required her to consume a lot of iron, then promptly mentally slapped herself for the excuse. She didn’t have to justify her steaks to anyone.
As she was leaving the restaurant, it occurred to Mari that she shouldn’t have used her credit card. Was she a fugitive now? Should she be using cash? It wasn’t so much the cops she was worried about as it was the coven. They could easily hire a private detective to track her and credit cards would leave a neat trail.
Then again, they found J
asper and he certainly hadn’t been leaving a paper trail. Because, duh! They had magic. If Mari could use a spell to find him, so could they. Was there a distance limit on that spell? She imagined that if they were two hundred miles away it would be fairly difficult to follow that trail of light. Especially if they were taking lots of left turns.
And, hopefully, being surrounded by a pack of werewolves would serve as evil witch repellent. Cursing one werewolf was one thing but cursing a whole pack? Probably not a walk in the park. The best option was still to locate Jasper’s pack and pray that they didn’t hate witches enough to eat her.
“Speaking of eating…” Mari’s stomach was rumbling so loudly that the people one cabin over could probably hear it.
They barely got through the door before Mari was prying open takeout containers. Jasper was no doubt as hungry as she but he took the time to inspect the five hundred square foot cabin first. Satisfied that there were no intruders lying in wait, he settled on the floor beside her and hungrily accepted a Styrofoam tray of steaks.
Once the grease and cheese were licked clean from Mari’s fingers, the two of them stretched out beside the map from Dad’s camping supplies, nibbling on cookies. By some miracle Mari stuffed her notebook full of research notes into the backpack with the family legacy so most of the information she’d gathered about the pack was intact.
Jasper didn’t remember an exact location, but he continued to insistently point northeast, pressing his nose to a spot on the map north of Finland State Forest. That was a convenient direction to go if they were planning to put space between them and Klein. It would also leave them in the middle of nowhere without a plan, money, or shelter if he turned out to be wrong. Mari could only hope that as they came near Jasper’s home, he recognized it.
Otherwise…she couldn’t even think about otherwise or she might completely lose it.
Contentedly full and satisfied with their plan of action, Mari slipped into the shower to wash blood, dust, and sweat from her skin. Had it only been a day since she scrambled from her bed with a nightmare fresh in her mind? Twelve hours managed to feel like a lifetime.
The sun was long absent and the tiny cabin was so dark Mari wouldn’t be able to see Jasper right in front of her if not for the peculiar iridescence of his eyes. Outside a chorus of crickets began their nocturnal song, joined by the delicate voice of a breeze whispering off the lake.
The world grew still in the embrace of night and suddenly the weight of the day came crashing down on Mari like a landslide. The neat compartment in her mind became a Pandora’s Box and once the lid slipped open, nothing could hold back the outpouring of emotion. A sob erupted from her body so abruptly that it made her lungs burn. Another followed, not giving her time to take a breath.
“Jasper,” she wailed. “I’m scared.”
Jasper draped his body across her chest, his head resting beside hers on the pillow, breath bathing her neck in welcome heat. The weight of him atop her was calming. Even after Mari’s crying died down to quivering breaths, he stayed pressed into her. He stayed until her eyelids were heavy and she was drifting off into much needed sleep.
He couldn’t give her any words of comfort but she didn’t need them to understand his promise. “I will protect you from everything that scares you.”
Chapter 22
Mari
Mari filled her belly with sticks of beef jerky in place of actual dinner, as had become the norm in her current lifestyle. Jasper was so revolted when she offered him one that she decided not to buy them again. Maybe he smelled something awful that she didn’t. Then again, she might not live long enough to get cancer from processed meat.
They’d been travelling for almost two weeks and while no police cars or creepy white vans full of witches came barreling down the road after them, Mari had yet to feel wholly safe. She was constantly checking the rearview and expecting to see someone in pursuit. The route that was slowly taking them further northeast utilized smaller roads on the outskirts of cities and cut through small towns which, in theory, made it much less likely for someone to easily follow them. Unfortunately, that didn’t account for the wild card that was magic.
If Mari could track Jasper with magic, she had to assume Henrick’s luminary could as well.
The first week of driving wasn’t so bad. If she found a spot of sunshine and closed her eyes, Mari could almost imagine she was on that road trip she dreamt of taking after college. That illusion shattered when she got a voicemail from her father informing her of the date of Gran’s funeral, a funeral that she wouldn’t be attending.
Things started to go downhill from there.
It wasn’t Jasper’s fault that he didn’t recall specific details but there were days when Mari lost her patience with him. She’d taken off out of fear. Now she was second guessing herself. Realistically they couldn’t have stayed in Klein—Jasper wasn’t exactly welcome to join her on Aubrey’s couch—but that didn’t mean she wasn’t letting herself get wrapped up in the what-ifs.
What if Lyse gave up after Mari took Jasper back? What if Gran was wrong to send her to Jasper’s pack? What if they hated witches and killed her on the spot? What if she never found them? Mari knew next to nothing about werewolves and Jasper could only tell her so much.
Any useful dreams she might be having were frequently distorted by nightmares. Images of Gran, dead and greying with eyes as white as milk haunted her most nights. Sometimes she sat up on the gurney outside of her apartment and shrieked. Other times she met Mari’s gaze and repeated “find the pack.”
Mari hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours uninterrupted since their journey began. Morale was low, to say the least.
After an hour of weighted silence—Jasper wasn’t exactly a good conversationalist—Mari flicked on the radio. Most of what they picked up was static but eventually she found two pastors and a blue grass station. She stopped on the pastor that wasn’t booming about sin and listened out of curiosity. Christianity was foreign to her. Witches didn’t tend to go to church.
Two minutes later she was cackling. “Damn, I don’t think witches qualify as virtuous.”
Jasper huffed with disdain.
“What, don’t you want to go to heaven?” Another huff. “Well I wouldn’t mind eternal life in the clouds. I suppose all that stuff about burning witches bothers me but hey, God hasn’t tried to smite me yet. Then again, my house did burn down…”
He snorted.
“Don’t tell me you aren’t a believer. Surely you believe in some higher power, Earth Mother or the big wolf in the sky.” He groaned dramatically. “No? I can make plants grow just by singing to them! That has to be proof of a higher power. You’re a man who can turn into a wolf for God’s sake!” She lowered her voice then muttered “supposedly.”
She squealed when he nipped her upper arm. “No biting the driver! You’re going to cause a wreck.” She smirked at him and added “bad dog,” knowing it would provoke another swift bite. He was gentle—ish.
A new man came on the radio, insisting vehemently that Mari and Jasper would be devoured by hellfire if they didn’t repent. She smacked the scan button and let the stereo flip through more static before they picked up the second half of a Johnny Cash song. It was A Boy Named Sue which wasn’t one of her favorites but it was better than being berated about eternal damnation. Jasper perked his ears up and began wiggling excitedly.
“Do you like Johnny Cash?” He gnashed his teeth impatiently. “Okay, is your real name Sue? Yikes, sorry, bad joke. I don’t think I understand.”
His forepaws tapped frantically on the edge of his seat. Mari studied him in glances but was bewildered by his sudden agitation. She tried picking apart the lyrics, pausing to ask silly questions about his father and his upbringing, none of which he could answer. She even inquired about whether Johnny Cash was a werewolf but that only increased his exasperation. Eventually the song ended as did her flurry of questions. Jasper settled his head onto the center console with a
frustrated growl.
Their communication wasn’t nearly as smooth as either of them desired. At times like this they were left floundering with no clear way to share information. If Mari didn’t figure out the right questions to ask she might never know what Jasper wanted to tell her.
“I’m sorry, Jas.” She switched the radio off.
They drove another fifteen miles before Mari’s energy ebbed. They didn’t drive long distances most nights but keeping nocturnal hours exhausted her. While she got a chance to rest during early morning before the sun rose, she usually didn’t stay asleep long enough to feel restored.
“Think you could take over for an hour so can I catch some Z’s?” Mari joked as she peeled back the wrapper of a chocolate bar with her teeth.
Jasper was in no mood for teasing anymore. Mari wasn’t exactly at her best either. She was doing her damnedest to stay positive but the longer they were aimlessly driving around the state with no leads, the wearier she grew. Jasper was edgy and snappish with the approach of the full moon. Mari could relate. It was hard to keep her chin up when the closest thing she’d had to a shower in eight days was a dip in a scummy lake.
The candy bar gave her a brief lift but it wasn’t long before she was flagging again. A sign for a rest stop two miles ahead tempted her but usually they were too crowded with families traveling for summer break to sleep discreetly. Or comfortably, for that matter. She kept going until, eyes half-lidded and head bobbing, she spotted a forest service road and pulled off.
The dirt road was not ideal for her tiny Toyota. Mari had to grit her teeth as they bumped along, avoiding potholes and deep trenches left by tires during mud season. Finally, she found a space wide enough to accommodate the little car and squeezed in. The surrounding trees were nestled closely and offered no easy place to set up camp.
