Feeding Frenzy: Curse of the Necromancer (Loon Lake Magic Book 1)

by Maaja Wentz

  “Show me?” He held his hands out, not quite touching her.

  “No. Until you’ve witnessed magic, the Old Families aren’t allowed to use their powers against you.”

  “That’s lame. You might as well say if I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.”

  “I won’t have to. Somebody wants to do it for me.” Tonya sighed. At least Drake wasn’t laughing. She watched his expression change as he tried to process the idea of real magic.

  Finally, he held out his arms and Tonya crumpled into them. Everything was wrong, except for his warmth. She leaned her head on his firm chest and some of her tension drained away.

  “I’ll talk to Priya,” he said gravely. “She’ll be disappointed, but we’ll clean up your aunt’s tree.”

  Tonya backed away. “That’s not it.”

  “The spot where Professor Rudolph died deserves a memorial. We’ll put a picture and flowers there so his students can pay their respects.”

  “People should stay out of the cemetery.”

  “You’re against a memorial?”

  “His corpse could be contagious,” she remembered the shoots growing into his eyes. “Something evil is growing in the cemetery and it’s making people sick.”

  “Who?”

  “The diving team were competing to eat the most bowls of porridge and stacks of pizzas. Marta couldn’t stop eating. She choked on a piece of pizza until her face turned blue. If I hadn’t been there to give her CPR, she would have died.”

  “That’s disgusting but an accident isn’t a disease.”

  “My roommate Lynette has been eating so compulsively, she tied her own hands together.” Lynette’s concern for Roberto was all-consuming and that might have distracted her for a while, but the compulsion to eat must mean she was infected. How long until she went frosty-eyed and brainless?

  “The thing they all have in common is the cemetery. The diving team runs through there to train. Lynette and Roberto go to the graveyard for picnics. I’m afraid if you set up your cameras in the cemetery, you’ll end up like Professor Rudolph.”

  “That’s all coincidental.”

  “Don’t ignore me and get sick, I’ll never forgive myself.”

  “Stop worrying, nothing’s gonna happen.” Drake stepped close and brushed the hair out of her face. He was so close she could see right into his bright blue eyes.

  She sighed. “If you go into those woods you’ll die like Professor Rudolph.”

  “He was old. He was grieving for his wife. Maybe he was sleepwalking or had a mental breakdown.” The angular planes of Drake’s face were like porcelain, subtly strong but not unbreakable.

  “This thing could become an epidemic.”

  “Sit here.” Drake offered her the driver’s seat, but she remained standing.

  “You saved Marta from choking to death. You said she looked like she was dead when you started CPR. You’re still in shock, that’s all . . .”

  “Promise me you’ll help me cancel the installation, and the bonfire too.”

  “Sorry.” He looked at his phone. “I’m late. I promised Priya I’d get the last cameras to her half an hour ago.”

  “A few more minutes won’t kill you. C’mon.” Tonya led him back into the pub and downstairs to the Ninjas’ meeting room. She had been going about this all wrong. Drake was rational, and he wasn’t going to see a supernatural cause for anything, no matter how much evidence she could tell him about. He wasn’t going to believe until he saw for himself.

  He sat down at the table. Tonya pushed her chair far away from him and, breathing softly into her turtleneck, began to explain. “Lynette and I went looking for Roberto this morning.” Tonya described the Herbal Healing Shop after it got hit with the unexplained fire, the shattered jars, and the unnatural burn marks. “My aunt and Roberto went missing from the hospital. The strange eating compulsion must be related. I think they wandered out of there, unconscious, just like Professor Rudolph.”

  “I’m sorry about your aunt.” Drake reached for her hand and, although she probably shouldn’t have, she let him take it. His hand was warm and calloused, and holding it made her feel calmer.

  “You have to believe me. Something bad is happening. Help me convince Priya to move the installation. I can’t fight magic and Priya all by myself.”

  “Forget Priya. Tonight, we should remember Professor Rudolph. The bonfire will be his wake.”

  “Not in the cemetery.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s contagious, like a mummy’s curse.”

  “There’s no such thing.”

  “Isn’t there? Rudolph was eating himself to death, just like Marta, and then a magical force drew him to the Ash Tree. Remember, we couldn’t stop him, no matter how hard we tried? Look, I know it sounds nuts, but this was no natural disease.” Could the gravedigger fungus have infected her? Could she be shedding infection onto Drake right now?

  “You really do believe in magic.”

  “For hundreds of years, the Old Families have used magic in Loon Lake.”

  “I live here. Why haven’t I seen magic?”

  “We don’t practice in front of Mundanes. The mayor and his councilors are Trads who enforce steep consequences on anyone who breaks the rules.”

  “By telling me, aren’t you breaking their rules?”

  “If they find out you believe, you could get your memory wiped.”

  “Gee thanks.”

  “It’s better than dying like the professor.”

  “I want to believe you, mostly because I don’t want you to be crazy, but I don’t believe in horoscopes, or bad luck on Friday the thirteenth, or unicorns.”

  Tonya wiped her hands on her jeans and took a deep breath.

  “Of course you don’t.” She phoned the hospital and asked for Reception. When Donna answered, she set it to speakerphone, so Drake could hear everything.

  “Hello, this is Tonya. Remember Professor Rudolph? We found his body lying under the Three-Century Ash in the Loon Lake Cemetery.”

  Donna sounded excited to hear this. She listened as Tonya described the hair-like roots growing out of the ground and into all orifices of his head. “How terrible,” she said. “Evil forces are at work in Loon Lake for sure.”

  “What’s with the sarcasm?”

  “No sarcasm. Tell me how I can help, hon.”

  Finally, somebody who believed her! She arched an eyebrow at Drake and smiled. To Donna she said, “Do you think you could get word out to the other Old Families? I need help right now.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. Tonya, take care of yourself.”

  “About that. I must go into the cemetery tonight, but first I need to take some precautions. Could you loan me some equipment, off the record?”

  “Sure.”

  Tonya was surprised she agreed so quickly but she thanked Donna and hung up.

  “Well, that makes one person who believes you,” said Drake.

  “You still don’t? Donna is from an Old Family that has been practicing magic for hundreds of years. Anyone from an Old Family knows about magic, they just hide it from outsiders like you. I wish my Mom were here, or Aunt Helen. They could tell you.”

  “I admit, Professor Rudolph’s sleepwalking, and his eyes, didn’t seem natural.”

  “Finally.” Tonya took a deep breath and sighed. Drake knew, which meant with him, she didn’t have to hide who she was anymore. It would have been a perfect moment, if they weren’t all doomed.

  “So, magic is real, and it can kill you.” Drake stared at his hands, as if the town’s secrets lay there.

  “Can I borrow your car? I need to pick up a box of equipment from the hospital.”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  “Sorry. Somebody might figure out that you know.”

  “So, they’ll make me forget it. Big deal.”

  “A mind wipe is serious. It erases months of your life, not just the thing they want you to forget.”

  “But you need
help.”

  “Just stop the party tonight—without telling anybody else what’s really going on. Can you do it?”

  “I’ll try, but it’s Halloween. The students are expecting a keg party, Man vs. Nature, and a bonfire.” You’d need armed guards to keep them out of the cemetery tonight

  Tonya held out her hand. “Give me the keys.”

  If Drake couldn’t stop the students she needed a plan B, and for that she had to visit Donna at the hospital.

  He surrendered the keys. “Stay safe.”

  “See you soon.” Maybe, unless Rudolph’s condition spread unchecked and this was their last moment together. On impulse, Tonya kissed him on the cheek.

  He smiled, eyebrows raised. “Hurry back.”

  PLAN B

  Donna would know what to do. Donna was a familiar face in Loon Lake, particularly after last year’s fall fair when she won first prize for heaviest gourd. Her giant pumpkin made the record books and sparked controversy. Mom had suspected she’d cheated with magic, but the judges couldn’t detect spell traces on the winning gourd.

  Tonya was relieved to find Donna at Reception. She stooped to speak through the slot in the Plexiglas.

  “We spoke on the phone, about Professor Rudolph?”

  “I haven’t got around to sending an ambulance but don’t worry.” She shot Tonya a smile.

  Mom knew Donna, but they weren’t quite friends. “I was hoping you could loan me some equipment.”

  The smile faded. “Not my department.”

  “I need to avoid breathing some very bad stuff.”

  “Safety equipment has to be inspected and accounted for.”

  “I promise to bring it back in perfect condition. It’s only one night.”

  “Oh, I see what this is about.” Donna leaned back in her swivel chair. “We don’t loan medical equipment for Halloween costumes.”

  “Of course not. I suspect somebody cast a curse on the cemetery.”

  “Recently?”

  “I think it’s contagious.”

  “Really, how would that work?”

  Tonya didn’t want to tell Donna her gravedigger fungus theory. While it was possible to enhance living things with magic, like Donna’s pumpkin, a gravedigger fungus wasn’t exactly alive. It increased in size by feeding on dead things, and could be only manipulated by death magic.

  “I’m not sure, and I don’t want to find out the hard way.”

  “Don’t you think you should be telling City Hall about this?” Donna tented her fingers.

  If somebody was using death magic they were powerful and unethical. Before making accusations, Tonya had to know who she was up against. “I’ll tell the mayor once I have proof. Help me?”

  Donna shook her head. “Leave it to the authorities.”

  “I will. The equipment is just in case they don’t listen. I’ll probably return the stuff tomorrow without taking it out of the box.

  Donna shot Tonya a tight smile. “All right, hon, but only because your Mom makes the best coffee cake in town.”

  HALLOWEEN

  The sun was low in the autumn sky when Tonya pulled up in front of her dorm. She had texted Drake and there he was, arms crossed.

  “I’m going with you.”

  “Sorry, I only have safety stuff for one.” She dashed around to the trunk and hauled out the box of hospital equipment. “Promise me you won’t go in and make yourself sick?”

  Tonya looked at Drake over the cardboard lid, but he wouldn’t make eye contact. “I have bad news.”

  “What?” Tonya set down the box and slammed the trunk.

  “I believe you but Priya doesn’t. They’re going ahead with it.

  “I’ll try her again.” Tonya hoisted the box in front of her.

  “Let me carry that.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “No, really. I got this.” Drake carried the box into the building and held it as they stood in front of the elevator. Tonya called Priya who answered on the first ring.

  “I already talked to Drake.”

  “People’s lives are at risk.” Tonya described finding Professor Rudolph’s body. The elevator arrived, and Drake came up with her.

  “I know you’re trying to do the right thing,” Priya said, “but walking through a cemetery on Halloween will not make people sick.”

  “I can’t protect you Priya. I showed you my magic so now you have to be careful.”

  “I’m not falling for your optical illusion. You can’t suck the life out of a branch.”

  “I did. You just refuse to admit it.”

  “People walk through the cemetery every day. The diving team and cross-country teams run there to train.”

  “Which is why Lynette and Marta are sick. Lynette says Roberto is having uncontrollable food cravings too.”

  “It’s fall. People eat more when the weather gets cold.”

  “The Old Families of Loon Lake have been burying our dead by the Three-Century Ash for hundreds of years, accumulating power. Now somebody is using that power to kill people.”

  “We’re done here.”

  “I get it. You refuse to believe in magic. I don’t blame you, but you have to admit we have a contagious disease problem. People are getting sick.”

  “I worked hard. I burned through all my savings to create this installation. My art, the Ninjas’ film . . . There’s too much at stake to indulge your paranoia,” said Priya.

  “Last night you promised to stay out of the cemetery.”

  “You were supposed to come to your senses after a good night’s sleep and apologize in the morning.”

  “Trust me or people will die.”

  The elevator stopped, and they got off at her floor. She walked down the hall, unlocked the door, and Drake followed her in. Priya’s voice was getting louder.

  “First, it’s evil magic, now it’s a scary epidemic. You know what I think? You’re jealous. Your family doesn’t even return your calls but mine crowded around to listen when I got interviewed on campus radio.”

  “I was happy for you.”

  “After Halloween, the whole town will know my name.” Priya’s voice went up an octave. “You were my friend when I was nobody, but now I’m a tall poppy you want to chop down.”

  “This isn’t about you. It’s about Rudolph.”

  “One sleepwalker doesn’t mean panic.”

  “Not yet.”

  “We found him wandering around the courtyard so maybe the courtyard is contagious. If people go see my show, at least they’ll be safe from the dangerous courtyard.”

  “Not funny. You have to move your art thing.”

  “Art thing! I’ve been working on my installation for months, and nobody, especially not a jealous frenemy can ruin it.” Priya disconnected.

  Tonya stared at the phone.

  Drake raised an eyebrow. “Want me to talk to her?”

  “Too late.” Tonya sat on her chair with the hospital box at her feet. It gave her a shiver. Drake and she were alone. A boy was sitting on her bed.

  “Give.”

  She handed over the phone and let Drake redial. He put it on speaker phone.

  “Tonya is right,” he said.

  “I thought about this all night.” Priya’s voice was strong again. “Seeing Marta almost die affected Tonya. I don’t blame her for getting upset but now it’s time to look at the facts.”

  “Why are you so stubborn?”

  “I can’t believe you’re taking her side.”

  Tonya took the phone from Drake. “All right, I give up. There’s nothing we can say to stop you.” She directed her words at Drake too. “At least aim some of the cameras at the Ash Tree. There has to be a way to monitor things, so we’ll know when to call the police.”

  “No police. Are you crazy? I’ll never live this down if my friends get carted away.”

  “Now who’s being over-imaginative? I just want a camera and a monitor. The Ash Tree is where Professor Rudolph died.”

&n
bsp; “Drake told me you thought the man-eating tree concept was in poor taste so I’m turning it into a memorial. You should be happy.”

  “Good. Let’s set up a web link from the tree to people’s phones, and a laptop in the common room back at the dorm.”

  “So absent students can pay their respects. Good idea. I’ll get Drake to help me. And Tonya, I’m sorry I called you a frenemy. Of course, we’re still friends. It’s just that this installation took me years to make. So, are you mad or can we still have fun together?”

  “I’m not mad.”

  They might never have fun again, but at least Tonya would have video proof if people passed out under the Ash, and rootlets started growing into their brains. She had been so panicked at the time, she didn’t think to get a picture of Rudolph with her mobile and by now his body would be gone.

  “Drake’s on his way now.”

  “Tell him to hurry. You just wasted fifteen minutes I didn’t have.” Priya ended the call.

  Tonya looked at Drake. “Promise you’ll stay out of the forest.”

  “Where will you be?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be safe.” She patted the side of the box at her feet, pretending confidence she didn’t have.

  She walked Drake to the door, but they lingered, neither wanting to part. Tonya made comic shooing gestures. It wouldn’t do for him to see how worried she was. “Go on. Priya’s waiting.”

  When the door closed behind him, Tonya shuddered. Ever since she heard the voice of Professor Rudolph in her head she’d been worried about her friends. Tonight, the nocturnal gravedigger fungus would rise to feed and send out spores. She had to keep people out of the cemetery! She paced the small room. The equipment Donna gave her would help, but she still had to think of a way to turn back the crowds.

  Her stomach growled. Normally not a big deal but right now any urge to eat made her suspicious. She hoped it was just her mind playing tricks with her stomach. Trying not to think about eating always made Tonya hungry.

  Tonya went into the bathroom and ran cold water over her hands and face. She stood up and admired her healthy new form. She was getting strong and her curves were firmer now. She was healthier than she’d been since she was a kid. Turning sideways, she sucked in her gut, which was still round. It reminded her of all those times she had looked in the mirror and hated herself as a young teen.