[Mystic Caravan Mystery 05.0] Freaky Places

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Under water?”

  “Oh, geez.” Naida rolled her eyes until they landed on me. “I know you like this guy, but … come on.”

  I pressed my lips together and forced my eyes to Kade. He didn’t look happy. “I’ll explain it to him when we get back to the circus. Can you tell me anything else about the cave?”

  “It looks as if it had an entrance from underwater so you can swim beneath and go up through the hole. I believe there are places inside untouched by the water.

  “It was hard to see, but if the cave hadn’t been warded I believe I could have swum through the hole and then climbed onto dry land,” she continued. “You know what that means, right?”

  I nodded, thoughtful.

  “I don’t know what that means,” Kade pointed out.

  Naida patted his arm in a soothing manner. “It really is a good thing you’re handsome.”

  Kade scowled. “You guys make me tired.”

  “Yeah, get used to that,” Naida said, flicking her eyes back to me. “I’ll draw the wards I remember and take a photo and text it to you. I know you have books. Maybe we can narrow our suspects through the wards.”

  “Good idea. Thanks for looking.”

  “No problem.” Naida waved off my gratitude. “Oh, one other thing.” She stilled before leaving. “The way the formation was designed, I think there’s probably another entrance on land.”

  Now that was intriguing. “Do you think you could find the spot during daylight hours?”

  “I think I could find the formation,” she clarified. “My guess is the door is hidden, but I’m sure if you and Raven put your minds to it you’ll find a way to discover the door.”

  “I’m sure we will, too.” I forced a smile. “Thanks, Naida. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

  “That’s good, because I’m going to have nightmares. Whatever is down there is evil, Poet. I think it’s strong, too. When we decide what to do … I think we’ll have to do it together if we want to win.”

  I was thinking the same thing. “We’ll figure it out.”

  I watched her go with a mixture of enthusiasm and trepidation. We were finally getting somewhere, although I had no idea what to do with the information she supplied.

  “What are you thinking?” Kade asked after a beat.

  “I’m thinking I want to see inside of that cave.”

  “Because you think the girls are being kept there?”

  The question caught me off guard. “I really didn’t think about that,” I said. “I guess, in theory, it could happen. Wards are meant to keep someone out of a space, not in. I’ll need to give that more thought before I come up with an opinion either way. I assumed the cave was for the creature and the girls were either somewhere else or … dead. I haven’t allowed myself to think about that too much.”

  “Fair enough. But what about the cave? What do you think it means?”

  “I think that someone is trying to hide some black magic stuff inside. You don’t ward a cave unless you’re serious about keeping busybodies away from your business. I have no idea what’s going on inside, but I’m guessing it’s something big … and dark.”

  Kade didn’t seem nearly as keen to see the cave. “Can you break wards?”

  “I hope so. I need to see the photos Naida sends me first. Hopefully I can do a little research before we go to bed.”

  “See, I was hoping we could do a little something else first,” Kade teased, poking my side as he tried to lighten my mood.

  “I’m sure we’ll have time for both.”

  The sound of high-pitched giggling caught my attention and I shifted my head to stare at Melissa and Paige. They’d moved from their previous location and were surrounded by at least eight boys as they twirled their hair around their fingers, flirting.

  Kade followed my gaze, his smile slipping when he realized what I saw. “They’re drawing quite a crowd, huh?”

  That was an understatement. “I wasn’t popular when I was a teenager. Is it normal for that many boys to talk to two girls like that?”

  As if reading my mind, Kade gripped my shoulder to give it a reassuring squeeze. “Do you want me to get her?”

  I balked. “I’m not her mother.”

  “I know that.”

  “You’re not her father.”

  “I definitely know that.”

  “We can’t stop her from having a good time,” I reminded him. “She’s an adult and she’s allowed to do whatever she wants in her off time.”

  “She is,” Kade confirmed. “The thing is, I checked her work from earlier before we left the grounds tonight and she half-assed the last two tasks on her list. In my mind, that means she needs to go back and fix it.”

  I understood. Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure I was completely comfortable letting him torture my protégé. “Um … hmm.”

  Kade leaned closer and lowered his voice. “If you’re worried about Melissa being out here with those guys … and whatever else is hunting the area … I have no problem being the bad guy and forcing her back to the circus grounds.”

  I was intrigued but torn. “What do you think she’ll do?”

  “I really don’t care.”

  I wished I shared his attitude. “I’m worried she’ll blow up and quit because you embarrassed her in front of her friends,” I admitted.

  “She won’t do that.”

  “You seem convinced of that. I would like to know how.”

  “She wants to be you,” Kade answered easily. “Right now she’s having a good time, but ultimately she wants to be you. She’s not stupid enough to let that slip through her fingers.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Kade nodded.

  I made up my mind on the spot. “Get her … and make sure you scare the life out of those boys. In fact, I’ll help you do that.”

  Kade arched an eyebrow. “How?”

  “Don’t worry. It will be entertaining, though. Trust me.”

  MELISSA WAS SPITTING MAD, so I left Kade to deal with her once we returned to the circus grounds. I conducted a quick circuit, testing the dreamcatcher boundaries before hitting my trailer. By the time I changed into comfortable shorts and a T-shirt, Naida texted with the symbols and I had something to research.

  What I found was … disturbing.

  Kade stomped his feet as he entered an hour into my research, but I didn’t bother looking up from my computer screen.

  “I don’t know how anyone deals with kids of a certain age,” he groused, kicking off his shoes and unbuckling his jeans. “I know she’s technically an adult, but right now she’s acting more immature than most ten-year-olds I’ve met.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Cleaning the main tent.”

  “I thought that was already done.”

  “Yeah, well, I didn’t think it was clean enough, and now she has something to keep her busy for a few hours.” Kade dragged off his shirt before lifting the covers and sliding in next to me. “I think she’s been taking lessons on effective complaining from Luke. I almost gave up and told her to get out three times while explaining exactly what I wanted. But I knew that was what she was trying to get me to do, so I held strong.”

  “Good for you.” I absently patted his knee.

  “That’s it? I thought you’d thank me with kisses or something.”

  I flashed a wry grin. “I will in a few minutes. Naida sent her drawings of the wards she remembered, and I’m trying to see what I can find.”

  Kade turned serious. “Anything good?”

  “I guess that depends on how you define ‘good.’”

  “Do you want to expand on that?”

  “Sure.” I tapped the screen. “See this one?”

  “Yeah. It looks like a square with small circles in three of the corners.”

  “Right. It’s an old symbol.”

  “Okay.” Kade wasn’t up on magical mystique, so explaining things to him was often an exercise in patience. “Why is it imp
ortant?”

  “I believe I’ve already told you that most modern witches are really Wiccan and they stick to the basic symbols from those tenets,” I started. “So, for example, a pentacle represents the four earth elements and symbolizes the connection between them.

  “You also have things like the Triple Moon, which represents the three phases of the moon,” I continued. “The first symbol is the new moon, which represents new beginnings. The middle is the full moon, which is when magic is most powerful. The last is the waning moon and is supposed to signify the best time for sending things away.

  “Now, that’s not technically important to this discussion, but it’s essentially a way to give you an example of the symbols modern witches use when exploring the craft,” I said. “Most Wiccan folk believe one tenet: Whatever energy you put out comes back to you threefold. That means they essentially want to be good people because they believe they will be rewarded for it.”

  “Okay, I think I’m following.” Kade rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re saying the symbols Naida found are different.”

  I nodded. “Definitely different … and darker.”

  “Darker how?”

  “Keep in mind, these symbols aren’t necessarily bad by themselves,” I cautioned. “When used together, though, they’re troubling.”

  “Okay. Lay it on me.”

  “This is the symbol for water, which is fairly obvious,” I supplied. “This is a protection symbol for a child, but it’s inverted. This is a sleep symbol … and a crone symbol … and a death symbol, which also happens to be inverted … and the purification symbol, also inverted.”

  Kade studied the stick drawings. “What’s the significance of the symbols being inverted?”

  “If they’re upside down, that means they’re being used for the opposite of their intended use … or at least a strong variation. Also, since they’re drawn in blood, they’re supposed to be stronger.”

  “If the death symbol is inverted, that means that no one is dying, right?”

  “In theory, but that’s not always the practice. That symbol is often stolen and used for different things, including mind control. The person isn’t dead, but they’re not essentially living either.”

  Kade knit his eyebrows. “Like zombies?”

  “Not necessarily. We don’t know enough about that symbol. I’m more interested in the crone, child protection and purification symbols.”

  “Does the crone mean we’re working against a woman?”

  “Maybe. We could also be working against a coven. The purification symbol being inverted makes me believe someone is trying to pollute something – maybe a soul – rather than cleanse it.”

  “Okay, I think I’m following,” Kade said. “What does all of this mean together?”

  “I have no idea.” I felt mildly defeated. “I want to show it to Raven tomorrow. She’s older than me – by a long shot – and she might have some idea what these symbols mean together.”

  “What’s our next step?”

  “We need to find the cave.”

  “How do you plan to do that when the circus opens tomorrow?”

  That was a very good question. “I don’t know.” I closed the laptop and shifted it to my nightstand. “We’ll figure it out. It would be easier in some ways to do it during daylight hours.”

  “People might see us during daylight hours, too,” Kade pointed out.

  “I know. That means we might need to go after dark no matter what might feel easier … or safer. Are you going to argue if that’s what we decide?”

  Kade shook his head as he slipped his arm beneath my waist and shifted me so I had no choice but to roll partially on top of him. “No.”

  I was dubious. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure I’m not going to put up a fight.”

  “That doesn’t seem like you. No offense, but I’ve noticed that you like to argue when we make plans to do something you think is stupid.”

  “Then don’t be stupid.” Kade kissed the end of my nose. “You know what you’re doing. You’re strong. I don’t want to be cut out of any decisions, but I’m not going to pretend that this is my area of expertise. If there are girls out there who need help, I know you’ll find them and offer help. You can’t stop yourself even if it means you’ll be at risk … and I wouldn’t want you to pull away from something like this.”

  I didn’t bother to hide my relief. “That makes things so much easier. I thought I might have to manipulate you.”

  Kade pursed his lips. “How were you going to do that?”

  “I believe nudity was going to be involved.”

  Kade chuckled. “Well, in that case, I’m putting my foot down. Under no circumstances are you to search for that cave.”

  I stared at him for a long moment.

  “That’s your cue to make me see things your way,” Kade prodded.

  I didn’t want to encourage him, but I laughed all the same. “Fine, but you should know that manipulation is often pleasurable and painful at the same time.”

  “I can live with that.”

  Something told me he was telling the truth.

  18

  Eighteen

  Evil dolls infiltrated my dreams again. This time they wore scuba gear and darted through the water, attacking legs and feet while people – including me – attempted to swim. It was almost more terrifying than Jaws. It was also a bit ridiculous, so I didn’t wake feeling cranky and out of sorts.

  I took the research I uncovered to the communal dining area and placed the computer in front of Raven while I set about making breakfast with Naida and Nixie. “What do you make of that?”

  Raven furrowed her brow as she sipped her coffee and stared. “I don’t know. What am I supposed to make of it?”

  I ran through the story, casting the occasional glance toward a petulant-looking Melissa as she purposely sat pouting by herself at the end of the table. When I was done, everyone was intrigued. Even Melissa, who I’m sure wanted to avoid talking to me, seemed to have questions.

  “A cave?” Nellie wrinkled his nose. “Caves are gross. I don’t want to go into a cave.”

  “I’m pretty sure no one said you had to,” Raven shot back. “Still, you’re a dwarf. Don’t dwarves like caves?”

  “You’ve been watching too much Lord of the Rings. That’s a myth.”

  “The dwarves in our realm like caves,” Nixie argued. “In fact, they prefer caves to direct sunlight. And they’re all really pale and twisted. They look like little yellowish potatoes.”

  Nellie heaved out a disgusted groan. “Those are gnomes.”

  “I’m pretty sure they’re dwarves.”

  “And I’m pretty sure that you’re an idiot.”

  I held up a finger to still Nellie. “Now is not the time to argue the difference between dwarves and gnomes.”

  “Fine,” Nellie gritted out, resigned. “I’ll pick a time later to explain the difference. And I expect all of you to be there with pen and paper so you can take notes.”

  “That sounds like the worst classroom experiment ever,” Luke said. “Go back to the cave. I can’t say I’m a fan of caves either. Will we have to go inside this cave?”

  “You’re a wolf when you want to be,” Kade pointed out.

  “And you’re a manly man with broad shoulders who shaves his chest,” Luke fired back. “What’s your point?”

  “I thought wolves liked dens.”

  “Oh, we definitely need to have a class to eradicate the myths,” Luke complained. “Poet, how can you let him say things like that to me?”

  This was not how I envisioned breakfast going. I thought I’d show Raven the symbols, she would come up with a brilliant idea and everyone would rally for a plan.

  “You don’t have to go into the cave, Luke,” I offered. “No one has to go into the cave. I’ll go into the cave by myself.”

  “You say that now, but when you get captured who do you think is going to have to go into the c
ave to save you?” Luke challenged.

  “I think that falls under my job description,” Kade said dryly. “I’ll go into the cave.”

  Luke made a face. “I think you do that as often as you can anyway.”

  It took Kade a moment to realize what Luke referred to. “Do you have to be such a complete and total pervert?”

  “She’s my best friend and I don’t even like the parts she’s sporting,” Luke said. “How is that perverted?”

  “You just said … .”

  “What did I say?” Luke feigned innocence. “I think you heard something I didn’t say and your head went to a dirty place. That makes you the pervert.”

  Kade shifted a slit-eyed look to me. “He’s in our lives because of you. It’s your job to deal with him.”

  “I already told you I’m not getting involved when you guys decide to thump your chests,” I shot back. “We have more important issues than your fake drama.”

  “Yeah.” Raven’s eyes flashed as her lips twisted into an impish grin. “Grow up. My boyfriend is a clown and he’s ten times more mature than you guys.”

  “Oh, thank you.” Percival beamed as he gazed at her adoringly, his fake accent on full display. “That’s a lovely way to start the day, my dear.”

  Luke stared at them a beat before rolling his eyes. “Whatever. He fakes his accent and wears chaps. If you think I’m holding him up as some iconic man hero, you’ve got another think coming.”

  “What’s a man hero?” Nixie asked, curious.

  “It’s a man who happens to be a hero.”

  “Do you say it that way because here at the circus most of the heroes are women?”

  “No. That’s ridiculous.”

  “Really?” Nixie was clearly spoiling for a fight. She occasionally enjoyed a good row and Luke was almost always willing to oblige. “I don’t hear the women complaining about going into a cave.”

  “She has a point,” Naida said. “Only the men are doing that.”

  Luke made an exaggerated face only a best friend could love – and I totally enjoyed it, for the record. “That’s not true at all. Nellie is wearing a dress and he complained first. He’s practically a woman.”