by A. J. Locke
My mouth fell open, but I quickly closed it and left Jacob’s office, heading to the elevators as fast as I could without flat-out running. I passed by a confused-looking Amy without saying bye, and couldn’t get on the elevator fast enough once it got there. When I was in the elevator, it was all I could do not to slump to the floor.
I hadn’t bothered to read the information I brought up on Vivienne as thoroughly as I should have. Once I saw Affairs of the Dead, it had just set me off. Vivienne wasn’t a current ghost, she was a crossover ghost, and that meant her two pals likely were as well. It fit the pattern then, because I already knew the ghost from the memorial was a soul-sucking crossover, and the attacker from the Underground had to have been one too.
Whoever was sending ghosts after me was specifically using ghosts that had crossed back from the In Between. I couldn’t even begin to puzzle out the significance of that amid my embarrassment of this entire situation. Jacob didn’t know about the crossover ghosts, so now he probably thought I was a lunatic who couldn’t tell one ghost from another.
My emotions had been riding high since I woke up due to the attack last night and the fact that I had to say good-bye to Ilyse. That’s why I had done sloppy research and ended up here throwing accusations at the one person I knew had a vendetta against me. It was frustrating to be back to square one with not knowing who the hell was sending ghosts to attack me. I just wanted to cut off the head of the snake to make sure it didn’t happen again. Now I’d probably have to wait for another attack and then try to get to the bottom of this. Fantastic.
I was sitting in my car, but felt too wound up to drive. I sat there and took deep breath after deep breath, and only felt the tiniest bit calmer. There wasn’t anything that was going to work completely. I just needed to get it together enough so I could drive safely. I may have been wrong this time, but I would get to the bottom of this, and when I found out who was truly behind these attacks they would regret it more than they thought they could regret anything.
Almost twenty minutes later, I felt ready to drive. I’d have to keep a tight lid on my emotions though, because if I broke down I might end up taking myself and a few other drivers out. I’d have to save the tears until it was safe to release them.
It was time to say farewell to Ilyse.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The drive out to Long Island was a long one. The dead witches took care of their dead in areas with as much nature as possible, and Central Park was as good as it was going to get in the city. So they built their sanctuary for the rituals they needed to do on the outskirts of Manhasset in a wooded area near the water. I didn’t mind making the drive for Ilyse.
I wasn’t sure if Micah would be there. I knew he would if he was able to, but it seemed as though working with the Rune Development Department took up a lot of his time. I wasn’t quite ready to face him after our last encounter, but our issues took a backseat to saying good-bye to Ilyse.
Finally, I made it. The dead witches had a main building near the highway with offices and space for them to work with runes, but the place where the dead were taken lay somewhere within the woods that stretched out behind the building.
I headed into the lobby and signed in as a guest for Ilyse Nurou, unable to stop a tear from slipping down my face. There were quite a few people here to see her off; including just about all the witches from Affairs of the Dead. I made small talk with them as we waited to be taken to her. The atmosphere was, of course, somber, and full of stories about Ilyse and how amazing she was. Micah wasn’t here. I didn’t bother with calling or texting him.
Finally, it was time to go and we headed through a back door into the woods, following a dead witch dressed in a long white robe with the hood drawn over her head. All of the dead witches wore similar white robes, as it was the color worn when they were in mourning.
There was a well-worn path through the trees to the intimate structure where Ilyse’s ghost was waiting. After her body had been purified and the residual magic absorbed by her ghost, her corpse was laid to rest in a dead witch cemetery. Then the only thing left was this ceremony where the ghost had their final moments with their loved ones, and then faded.
Ilyse never married and didn’t have any children, and her brother had passed away several years ago in a car accident, so she did not have much in the way of family. Biological family at least. She was well loved by the local dead witch community, and had many friends outside of it. There were dozens of people here.
We emerged off the path into a small clearing that was bordered by trees. I could hear the water from the nearby lake lapping against the shore. It was quiet here, and I watched the sunbeams stream down while a cool wind drifted through. Occasionally, the lilting sound of a bird’s call was heard from among the trees. The dead witches had planted flowers all around, and there was even a small rock garden off to one side.
I was at the front of the group, and the dead witch leading us stopped and turned to me.
“She requested a private audience with you. Go on in, we will wait here.”
I nodded, and my throat tightened. Any request a dead witch’s ghost made was honored. I hadn’t thought I would get alone time with Ilyse, but was glad I did, even though it would make saying good-bye harder. There might have been a chance that I could keep it together among a crowd, but alone with her, there was no hope.
But this was what I needed. Ever since she had died, I hadn’t allowed myself to properly grieve. I guess part of me thought that if I did, then I would have to accept that she was really gone. It made no sense, but that’s how I chose to deal with the death of someone I loved. When Grams died, I’d lived in horrible denial of it for a long time until one day I shattered and cried almost three days straight.
I approached the small, quaint building that looked like a cottage out of a fairy tale. It was made out of wood, and there were vines and moss covering it in a way that seemed very artistic, as though it was purposely done. With my hand on the doorknob, I took a deep breath, then opened it and stepped through.
The single room consisted of huge windows on all of the walls except the one I had walked through. There were a few chairs, and nature-esque decorations such as branches, leaves, and flowers.
Ilyse’s ghost stood at the front of the room looking out the window, but turned when she heard the door. She was not wearing energy runes so I couldn’t run up to her and give her a hug, but I still closed the distance between us very quickly.
“Selene.” She gave me a smile that was warm, even with her ghostliness. Tears were already slipping down my cheeks.
“Ilyse, I can’t believe I’m here to say good-bye to you. I’m so sorry for everything…”
“There is no need for apologies,” she cut in.
“The last time we saw each other, we fought. I hate that our last interaction when you were alive was not a good one.”
“But at least it is not the last,” Ilyse said. “I hold no animosity toward you, or Ethan. I can admit to feeling sad that I am no longer among the living, but I do not hold you accountable for my passing.”
“But it’s my fault,” I whispered. Staring at Ilyse’s ghost, I felt a huge wave of guilt crash over me. That was probably another reason why I had resisted mourning my friend. I wanted to avoid feeling the guilt I had over the fact that it was because of everything I was involved with that she’d died.
“Selene, I am so proud of everything you have done, of who you have become. You risked so much, sacrificed so much, were brave and strong when you needed to be, and lost so much because of it. I could not believe it when I heard that you had shot Renton while he held your reanimation power. There are not many people willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of others.”
“Never really thought I was one such person, to be honest,” I said. “Guess I’ve grown.” I flashed a smile, then sighed. “But the problems never seem to end. Now there are ghosts from the In Between wreaking havoc over here.”
“
I have heard about what’s going on,” Ilyse said. “With the revenge-seeking ghosts and their victims who become poisoned by their ghost energy.”
“It’s a mess. Tielle doesn’t know how to save these people. The only idea she has is that reanimation power might be able to draw the ghost energy out of them.”
“It is plausible,” Ilyse said, looking thoughtful.
“There was no solid explanation for how I survived Renton’s death, only the theory that it was because not all of my reanimation power had died with him. And it’s true. I realized that there was a bit of my power stored in each binding rune I used over the years. But I have no idea how to get it out.”
“I think I can help you with that.”
“Really?” My eyebrows rose. “How? My reanimation power has caused me a lot of problems, but I don’t feel right without it. And if I can help these people, even better.”
“It is part of who you are, and you need to get it back, not just to help others, but to be whole again.”
“So how do I do that?”
“I was acquainted with a powerful dead witch who worked in the Underground a long time ago. I don’t know if she’s still around, but you should try to seek her out. She’s by far the most powerful and knowledgeable dead witch I have ever encountered. Especially when it comes to runes. I told your grandmother about her, and that is actually where she obtained those binding runes to help you hide your reanimation power.”
“I never did know where she got them from.”
“Because she taught you never to ask certain questions, I bet,” Ilyse said, smiling. “Anyway, last I knew, she worked beneath a mausoleum in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Technically she’s part of the Underground, but she likes to work alone.”
“A mausoleum?” That didn’t sound like a fun place to seek someone out.
“More like a converted mausoleum,” she said. “It was used as hideout many decades ago. There is a labyrinth below the graveyard and that’s where she set up shop. As for the crypt, no one was actually buried there. Once you enter and open the coffin inside it, you’ll find stairs leading down to where she works. She doesn’t make herself easy to find, so she is only receptive to those who are able to get to her.”
“Sounds creepy, even by Underground standards.”
“But that was over a decade ago. She may have moved, or she may not be around anymore. Though if she died, her body was never registered with the dead witches or I would have seen it.”
“Yeah, but how likely is it that an Underground dead witch’s death would hit your radar?”
“Very likely. Sweeps are periodically made, especially in the Underground, to uncover dead witch corpses that died off the radar because they need to be sanctified and drained of magic. Anyway, I believe she’d be your best shot at getting your reanimation power back from those binding runes.”
“All right, I’ll seek her out. What’s her name?”
“She went by Magda,” Ilyse said. “The mausoleum where you can find her is on the eastern side of the cemetery. There are two statues of weeping angels on either side of the gate. It should not be too hard to find once you’re in the area. The other crypts in the area have different statues. Wait until tonight, then seek her out. She does not do business during the day.”
“Got it.”
“And Selene, be careful. I remember Magda as being very mysterious, but vastly knowledgeable and extremely powerful. Take your gun and use every ounce of caution you have.”
“You think she’s dangerous?”
“I think she is a largely unknown entity with a lot of power, so you have to be careful.”
“Sounds peachy,” I said. “But thank you for the help.”
Ilyse smiled. “It seems I am still able to be of use to you. One last time.”
There came the tears again. “Don’t say that.” Even if it was true.
“I will always be watching over you,” Ilyse said. “As I am sure Amelia has been all these years.”
“You can watch over me together,” I said. “Grab the popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the crazy show that is my life.”
“All of your hardships will only make you stronger.”
“Ilyse, I will miss you more than you could ever know.” My voice was choked up and the tears fell freely, but I didn’t try to compose myself. I needed to feel this pain, this loss, this immense sadness for someone who meant so much to me for so long.
“As will I,” Ilyse said softly. She looked as sad as I felt.
“I wish the past few months never happened. I want to go back to being reckless with my ghost clients and having you scold me while you draw off ghost energy. I don’t know what I will do without you. When we met and became friends, I found a comfort in you that I hadn’t known since Grams. And now you’re gone too. Why do I keep losing people who mean the most to me? Things are such a mess, Ilyse. Ethan is missing, Micah and I are broken, possibly beyond repair. Bad things are happening again and I just can’t get a grip on any of it…”
I hadn’t meant to ramble but it had just poured out. I had a lot pent up inside me and Ilyse would have been the one I spilled my guts to. Her being a ghost didn’t change that.
“I would take your pain with me to the other side if I could,” Ilyse said. “Just know without a doubt that you can overcome any burden. It may not always feel like it, but you have all the strength you need. Promise me you will always try to fight. Even on your worst day, even when you feel like there is nothing left worth fighting for.”
“There always will be something,” I whispered. “You, and the belief you have in me. I promise.”
“Good. I will see you one day on the other side. Just not too soon. Promise me.”
Recent events had made me less sure about making that promise, but I did anyway.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
After our one-on-one time, everyone else came in and spent some time with Ilyse. Then, standing among her colleagues and friends, Ilyse’s ghost faded with her eyes on mine and a smile on her face. There had been no stopping the tears once they started.
After she was gone, we walked back to the main building for a small reception. I was glad for it because it gave me time to get myself together enough to make the long drive home. By the time I got back to Brooklyn, I was emotionally drained and tired, so I took care of Luna, let her do her business in the backyard, then lay down and took a nap.
It was a long nap, judging from the darkness that met my vision when I opened my eyes. It was around eight. Physically I felt better, but emotionally I was still wrapped up in having to say farewell to Ilyse. There was no denying she was gone now.
But I couldn’t dwell or else I’d end up back in bed, crying my eyes out all night. I had to try and find Magda. I freshened up, fed Luna again, wolfed down a sandwich and some juice, and then got the bag of binding runes.
Just as I was about to leave, I got another text message from Carlos. There was a ghost on Fifty-Seventh and Lexington Avenue. I quickly dialed Micah and told him. The conversation was not long enough for me to question his absence at Ilyse’s fading because it was important that this location reach Tielle and the PTF as soon as possible. The ghost on Liberty Island had been caught, so I hoped they’d be able to catch this one too.
I drove out to Sacred Heart Cemetery, which was in Queens. I was a bit apprehensive about heading back to the Underground after my last experience there, but it made me feel better that Magda kept herself away from the rest of the Underground riffraff in that area. Of course, step one would be to find out if she was even still there. And if I did find her, step two would be finding out if she could help me.
I parked some distance away from the cemetery, picked up the pouch, and started walking.
I avoided the front gates of the cemetery. Only a rookie would think it best to try and get in that way. I headed to the east wall and walked about halfway down the block. Lucky for me, the stone wall that surrounded the graveyard was not very high, or in the best sh
ape, so the irregular stones made for good foot and handholds.
Once I made sure no one was around, I hoisted myself up and over the wall. I had a brief moment of déjà vu as I recalled climbing over the stone wall that led to Renton’s hideout. I hoped my current journey over another wall wouldn’t be quite as horrific. Although seeing as I was jumping down into a cemetery, my chances weren’t great.
The moon was full and not obscured by clouds, so there was just enough light for me to see my way through the cemetery. The last thing I’d want would be to trip over someone’s headstone and twist my ankle, or fall into an open grave. An uncomfortable feeling rippled over me as I moved forward, and I had to beat down my overactive imagination or else I’d be convinced that zombies were about to jump out of all these graves and devour me. One would think being a necromancer, I wouldn’t be susceptible to such irrational fears, but I was only human after all. And I’d once binge-watched three seasons of The Walking Dead over one weekend. That was a bad idea.
All right, time to focus.
Find the crypt with the angel statues and see if Magda still set up shop below it. I inspected every crypt I came across, and after about ten minutes of searching, I found one that matched Ilyse’s description. Now nervousness and apprehension came over me. I stood there for a moment and took a deep breath. Despite Ilyse saying no one had been buried here, I doubted I could find someone who wouldn’t pause at the prospect of slipping into a crypt at some hour of the night. Plus, if Magda wasn’t down there, it’d just be me below ground…surrounded by hundreds of corpses.
OK, time to stop psyching myself out or I wouldn’t do this.
I took another deep breath, walked up to the wrought iron gate that served as the mausoleum’s door, and put my hand on the knob. The thick darkness behind the gate spooked me even more. It really just had to do with the position of the moon and the way the shadows were cast, but to me it seemed like an impenetrable wall of darkness that would either push me back or swallow me whole.
