by Sonia Parin
Reginald clutched his throat.
“This doesn’t look good.” Lexie rushed over to the bookshelves and, grabbing a couple of books, joined Taffy in trying to scare away the menace.
“It’s taken a strong hold of him,” Taffy shouted.
Reginald’s eyes widened as Lexie’s swatting came increasingly closer to his head.
“Duck,” she shouted at him before smashing the thick tome against the menace. It momentarily shrunk away, then in defiance of the unrelenting attack from her and Taffy, it ballooned and expanded to a great height casting a long shadow over them.
This was ridiculous. They were getting nowhere and Reginald was on the brink of meeting the same end as his uncle.
Lexie laughed.
The menace appeared to glare at her.
“What? You got something against laughing?” Actually, it probably did. She laughed again. The menace made a stabbing gesture toward her. She laughed harder. “You don’t like that? Well, here’s some more.” A roar of laughter exploded from her.
“Miss Alexandra, have you lost your mind?” Taffy shouted.
“Most likely, yes. Laugh, Taffy. Laugh.”
Reginald’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
The menace now looked confused. It shifted from one side to the other and tried to lunge for Taffy but at the last moment swerved toward Lexie. She roared her laughter in its inky black foggy face. “Take that, menace.”
It became incensed and shook with fury.
Then in a sudden puff, it was gone.
“When all else fails, remember to laugh,” Lexie said and collapsed on the sofa. She nudged Reginald’s foot. “Feeling better?”
“Much, thank you.”
“That was a close one.”
“Yes, next time I might not be so lucky. Any idea why it’s coming after me? Surely it must know I’m not the heir.”
“No, you’re not. But… you are the next in line.”
“So you still suspect me?” Reginald asked.
“Now more than ever. What if you put on this show to get me off your back?”
“Nonsense. Would I do that, Taffy? Taffy can attest to my honesty.”
Taffy didn’t answer.
Reginald cleared his throat. “Taffy?”
“Well, sir. As to that… you do have a history of cheating at cards. Otherwise… your record would be unblemished.”
Reginald gave a disgruntled snort. “You must have another theory. Let’s hear it.”
“How about one of your other cousins. Someone who probably doesn’t have a hope of ever inheriting unless… one by one, he gets rid of you.”
“Ellsworth and Bertie are like brothers to me. They’d never think of hurting me or each other.”
“There’s always a first time. And clearly there’s incentive.”
“Nonsense. They have everything they can possibly wish for. No one goes without in the St James family. We look after our own.”
“Someone clearly has higher aspirations. Some people don’t deal well with uncertainty and the fact there is someone else breathing down their neck and waiting in line to take over could be perceived as a threat.”
There was an idea.
“Well. I’ve had enough excitement for one day. This calls for a drink.”
“Coming right up, sir.”
“Pour yourself one too, Taffy.”
Taffy shook his head. “In all the years I have been in service…” Taffy sighed. “Thank you, sir. I think I will.”
“Make it a stiff one for me, please. Double shot of whatever you have,” Lexie said.
“Here’s to happy thoughts,” Reginald held his glass up in a toast.
They drank in silence.
Polishing off his drink, Reginald rose to his feet. “I think I’ll retire until dinner time. I need to spend a few moments thanking my lucky stars.”
“And I need to see to the dinner service. If there’s anything you require, Miss Alexandra, you only need to ask.”
When they left, Lexie enjoyed a moment of silence and then she spoke up.
“Where were you? I could have done with your help back there.” Lexie poured herself another drink and slumped down on the sofa. “Hey, talk to me. Girls?” Lexie waited for a response. “I know you can hear me so I’ll just fill the airways. Reginald was attacked. Taffy gave me some interesting background information about the menace. Serves the St James lot right for meddling with the Mackenzie spell. I’m thinking if they don’t pay for our services, we should be allowed to break the seal. In fact, it should be a condition. I have nothing against conditions. It’s only fair.” She stopped and listened. Nothing.
Swinging her legs onto the sofa she stretched out and yawned. “Don’t you think it’s strange how the menace has gone after the next in line? I would have thought it would go after the rightful heir. Surely it must know it’s Evangeline.” She yawned again. Setting her drink down on a side table, she closed her eyes. After what she’d been through, she deserved a few minutes of rest.
The rattling of a window woke her up. She rolled off the sofa and rubbed her bleary eyes.
The window rattled again.
Looking around the library, she strode across the room and peered out. There was no one out there. She unlatched it and pulled but it didn’t budge.
She thought she heard a faint whisper.
“Hello? Cat? Mirabelle?”
Nothing.
She pulled harder on the window but it refused to open.
“Okay. This can’t be good.”
Chapter Twelve
Lexie opened the library door and checked the foyer. The house felt deadly silent.
“Girls. I hope you’re not playing games with me.” She held her breath. “This is no time to leave me in the lurch. I’m getting a really bad feeling about all this.” She considered checking on the other guests but instead headed for the stairs to check on Evangeline. If Cat and Mirabelle couldn’t get through to her, Evangeline’s protection spell might have worn off leaving her vulnerable to the inky black fog.
She hurried her steps.
When she reached Evangeline’s room, she turned the doorknob but her fingers slipped. She tried again, this time grabbing hold with both hands and focusing on turning it.
There had to be an easier way. Obviously brute force wasn’t going to work.
She stepped back, closed her eyes and held her hands out. “Okay, now what?” Could she picture the doorknob turning? She peeled an eye open. Nothing. “Put your back into it, Lexie.” This time she pictured herself striding up to the door whistling a happy tune and effortlessly opening the door.
Nothing.
Nothing but the sound of a window rattling. Were the girls trying to open the bedroom window? And why? Had the house turned against them?
Huffing out a breath, she closed her eyes and thought of all the movie action heroes she’d cheered on. What would they do? Break the door down with one swift kick, that’s what.
Using the thought as her momentum, she held her hands up karate chop style, drew her leg back and gave the door a hard kick.
It flung open and crashed against the wall.
Lexie threw her arms up and did a small victory dance on the spot. Then she noticed Evangeline. She stood in the middle of the room, the book in hand.
The book.
She had the book.
When had she retrieved the book?
Lexie frowned.
The inky black fog hovered around Evangeline as if peering over her shoulder.
Evangeline’s lips were moving.
She was speaking the words.
Affirming the seal.
“Stop,” Lexie yelled.
Evangeline’s gaze lifted. She looked confused by the sight of her.
Lexie looked at the door she’d just kicked in. Evangeline must have been held enthralled by what she was reading if she hadn’t noticed that much commotion going on around her.
Then it hit Lexie.<
br />
Had they been looking at this all wrong?
What if the murderer wasn’t one of the others waiting in line to inherit? What if the evil perpetrator was the rightful heir… heiress wanting to make sure no one gunned for her position?
Taffy had said the late Henry St James had been able to control the inky black fog by feeding it anger. He’d also said the inky black fog fed on negativity, ill tidings… bad omens… sucking it all in like a vacuum.
Lexie’s mouth gaped open.
When she’d first arrived, Henry St James had been on the phone barking out orders… arguing. Had that been his way of creating discord and negativity to feed the inky black fog?
“Lexie. How nice of you to drop by. Would you like to try one of my beautiful gowns on?”
“Huh?” Oh… yes. A beautiful gown. Maybe the copper one Evangeline had worn that first night. That would be lovely.
Lexie swooned toward the wardrobe even as she gritted her back teeth. A part of her wrestled with the blossoming desire to slip on a pair of strappy heels and swirl around the room in a happy dance.
Think Rock Hard t-shirt, Lexie.
Cotton and denim when she could have satin and silk and… organza?
Organza?
What the hell was organza?
She growled. Her fingers curled into the palms of her hands. Think happy thoughts, Lexie. Laugh. Laugh.
She giggled.
Then she chuckled.
Better, she thought.
“Try the Dior, Lexie.”
She laughed. “You’ve been behind all this…”
“Behind what?” Evangeline asked, her voice calm, in control.
Lexie gave a bark of laughter. “Did you seal the windows?” Ha. Ha. Ha. How convincing could she sound when she was laughing hysterically?
“Oh, that. Yes. Needs must. Your cousins were stifling me. I told Henry this nonsense had been going on for far too long. The happy spell is in place. No further need for the Mackenzie Coven to come sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong. My ancestor had the foresight to ensure three Mackenzies never gathered together in this house. He should have excluded all Mackenzies. I’m going to make sure of that.”
“So it is you?” Ha. Ha. Ha.
“It does one good to purge oneself. And the secret has been rather a burden. But now you must put it all out of your mind, dear Lexie. Forget I said any of that. Try a dress on.”
She laughed. “You’re trying to compel a Mackenzie witch? You?”
“Yes. I am a St James and I’ve picked up a few skills along the way.”
“You’re not a St James. You’re a Hemsworth.”
“A ruse. Nothing but a ruse. It’s always been the way with us. The rightful heir is never revealed until it’s time for them to step up. Now it’s my turn and I mean to retain the position for a lot longer than any of my predecessors. And I have no desire to have any heirs nipping at my heels. What happened to Henry St James can’t happen to me. Now do try a dress on.”
“You happened. You and your greedy…” Lexie took a step toward the wardrobe even as another growl rose inside her.
“Now. Now. Let’s calm down. Try a gown on, Lexie.”
“Lexie? I’m not Lexie.”
“That’s right. I suppose you’re more inclined to do my bidding if I use your full name, Alexandra Elizabeth Mackenzie.”
Yes, she was a Mackenzie.
In fact, she was the… incoming… High Chair of the American Continent and all Circumferential Domains Pertaining to the Mackenzie Coven.
That had to mean something.
A sprinkle of light buzzed around her.
She spread her arms out and gathered its force.
“Tut-tut. You mustn’t do that.”
Lexie swung around in time to see Evangeline signal the inky black fog to get her.
“Ha. Ha. Ha. You can’t seriously believe you’ll get away with any of this.”
“But of course I will. I already have. Where are your cousins?” She gave an elegant wave of her hand. “Nowhere to be seen or heard. It took some doing, but once I got my hands on the book I was able to tweak the words.” She pointed at the book she held. “See here where it says one Mackenzie may enter, it will now read none.”
The inky black fog swirled around Lexie and poked an inky black finger at her or maybe it was a tongue. Hard to tell. Regardless, whatever power Lexie had called on was working for her because it didn’t come any closer. “None Mackenzie? That’s bad grammar. I’m sure of it.”
“Oh, but it’s already worked. The spoken word really does have a lot of power. But it will be more effective when I rewrite the words to read none. The book doesn’t have spell check or grammar check.”
“But you already had it all. You are the heiress. I don’t get it.” And why was she trying to reason with a woman who was clearly madly obsessed with power and… “You murdered your uncle.”
“Me? Oh, no. No. No. That wasn’t me. That was the inky black fog.”
“Acting on your command.”
“We’re splitting hairs.”
Her jaw ached from laughing too hard. Lexie dug deep and came up with a giggle. “You won’t get away with it.”
“I have. It’s done.”
“The others won’t stand for it.”
“They won’t be around long enough to do anything about it.”
“I meant the other Mackenzies and there are lots of us.”
“That’s quite all right. You’ll be the last Mackenzie to ever set foot inside House St James. I haven’t decided yet, but it might be interesting to keep you as a pet. Give me a minute. I’m working on it. I need to get the wording right.”
“Or wrong,” Lexie said as an intuitive thought sprung to mind. “You need to actually get it wrong.”
“What are you talking about?” Evangeline’s neat eyebrows drew downward.
“Oh, you didn’t know?” Ha. Ha. Ha.
“Know what?” Evangeline screeched.
Lexie clamped her hand over her mouth and threw in a shake of her head for dramatic effect.
“Speak,” Evangeline shouted.
“I can’t,” Lexie said, her voice muffled by her hand.
“I command you.”
Lexie laughed. “You think you have the power of words? You’re deluded. You can’t command a Mackenzie witch.”
Evangeline tapped the book. “What do you think is in here?”
“Our words. The Mackenzies spoke those words. That’s why they have power.” At least she hoped that was the case. But if it made sense to her then she might be able to convince a homicidal crazy person with exquisite taste in clothes. “You think you can manipulate it to do your bidding, but you’re wrong.”
Evangeline made an elegant gesture with her hand. “That’s not a problem. You’re a Mackenzie so I’ll just get you to say the words.”
“Good luck with that.” Seeing the inky black fog edging toward her, Lexie burst into a bout of laughter.
Evangeline appeared to grow in height. “Quiet.”
“Honestly. You’re too funny for words. Don’t you get it? It took the power of three to cast the spell and write it in the book. I have no power or control. There’s nothing you can squeeze out of me. Not a sentence, or a word or even a syllable.”
Evangeline’s lips quivered.
The window behind her rattled.
Lexie knew the girls were trying to get back inside and help her… but they wouldn’t be able to. Whatever Evangeline had done to secure the windows could only be undone by her…
Maybe. She wasn’t really sure, but she didn’t want to place too much hope on… false hopes.
It was up to her now.
Alexandra Elizabeth Mackenzie. You are the High Chair… the incoming… in training… High Chair of the American Continent and all Circumferential Domains Pertaining to the Mackenzie Coven. You can do it. You have to do it. Carpe Diem. Seize the day.
She watched Evangeline puzzle over w
hat she’d been telling her. Of course, it was all gibberish, but she didn’t know that.
Evangeline’s gaze skimmed over the page. She gave a firm nod and began speaking the words.
“Wrong.” Lexie shook her head. “Wrong. Wrong.”
Evangeline frowned.
The inky black fog caught her off guard and tried to sneak up on her. Lexie remembered to laugh.
Evangeline appeared to be taking what she’d said seriously. She started reading from the end.
Lexie held her breath. What if that made everything worse?
The window rattled.
Were they trying to send her a message?
Looking more confident, Evangeline rolled up her sleeves and began speaking again.
Panic reared its ugly head.
Do something, Lexie.
Now’s your moment in the sun…
She dug deep trawling for an idea. Anything she could use…
“99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall—”
“What are you doing?”
“Shooting the breeze.” Lexie gave her a brisk smile and whistled the tune.
“Well, stop it. I can’t concentrate.”
“If one of those bottles should happen to fall, 98 bottles of beer on the wall…”
Evangeline growled.
Lexie picked up the pace and sang louder. To her surprise, Evangeline began pulling at her hair and shrieking.
Something odd happened then.
The inky black fog turned away from Lexie and whipped toward Evangeline who was now growling her frustration. She screamed, she screeched. She cursed.
“Tut-tut. Such foul language from the head of House St James. You’re supposed to be setting an example. Ten green bottles hanging on the wall, and if one green bottle should accidentally fall, there’ll be nine green bottles hanging on the—”
The inky black fog lunged for Evangeline and swirled around her, moving faster and faster. Evangeline screamed and clutched her throat.
Okay, this had gone a bit far.
Taking advantage of the situation, Lexie ran toward the window and flung it open.
“Quick. The inky black fog is gobbling Evangeline up.” No doubt, it found all her anger a gourmet treat.
