The ghost queen’s lips curl up even further. “I think you know the answer to that by now. It is an important rule in the magical world.”
“Ah!” I raise a finger. “Is it by any chance you’re not ready?”
“I think it must be. The more you grow as a Mage, the more spells you’ll be able to see in the book.”
I turn the book around in my hands. “What about you? You should be able to read all of it, right?”
I want to hand it to her, but she shakes her head. “It doesn’t work like that. The book was written for you. The spells will only appear when you are ready.”
With a sigh, I put the book down again.
D’Maeo straightens up. “Back to business. We’ve got two people to save. How are we going to handle that?”
“We need a tracing spell to find my mother.”
D’Maeo wrings his hands together. “We already did some digging. Word is, she’s been taken to Hell.”
Flames appear before my inner eye. A figure being held, a dark form looming over it.
It vanishes when I try to remember more.
Vicky grabs my hand. “What is it? What did you see?”
“My premonition. I think it was Mom in it, not me.”
She squeezes my fingers. “What happened to her? Can you remember?”
I stare at the red leather of Dad’s notebook until the flames appear before my eyes again. Shutting out all sound, I reach for the buzz inside me and push it into my memories.
Blazing eyes stare into mine and a big hole full of sharp teeth snaps closed inches from my nose. I scream and lean backwards. With a thud, I land on the floor. Heat shoots from my ankle to my knee, but when I touch my leg, there’s nothing there.
Vicky helps me up. “Did you see something?”
A shudder runs through me. “Just a very ugly creature.”
She looks me in the eye and lets go of me as if I burned her. “The Devil.”
“Yes, I think so.”
“He has your mother? And you saw this in your premonition?”
I shrug. “You already knew she was taken to Hell, so why is this a surprise?”
“Hell is a big place, Dante.”
A knock on the front door makes us all jump. I tiptoe into the hallway and listen for hissing or growling.
Taylar startles me by asking, “What are you waiting for?”
“It could be a demon,” I whisper.
He chuckles. “A demon that knocks on the door?”
“Why not? Anything is possible.”
Maël joins me and points her staff at the door. “Dante is right. We don’t know what tricks they’ll use.”
“Guys?” a familiar voice calls out. “Are you okay?”
I let out a sigh of relief. “It’s Charlie.”
While I open the door, Maël keeps her wand aimed at it.
Charlie hugs me. “I’m so sorry about your mom. I wish I’d been there to help.”
I pat him on the back. “It’s okay.”
He holds up a bag. “Quinn told me about the plan to put some spy cams in Myah Pullus’s office, so I got some for you.” He smiles at the ghost queen who hasn’t taken her eyes off him since he stepped in. “Hey Maël, are you feeling better?”
She vanishes without a word and Charlie wrinkles his forehead. “What’s that about?”
“It’s a touchy subject,” I whisper.
We go into the kitchen and work out a plan to find out more about Myah Pullus. While the Shield and I go to Myah’s house, Charlie will put a new protection spell on our house, this time with salt, and try to find a way to get Mom back.
I’d rather do it the other way around, but D’Maeo and Maël insist I go to Myah’s, because I was chosen to save her. I can’t argue with that, so we wrap it up and leave the mansion, equipped with all the weapons we can carry.
CHAPTER 21
From the moment we arrive at Myah Pullus’s house in Silverton, I have a feeling we’re being watched. All is quiet, except for the wind rustling through the line of trees that separates the road from the valley. There are no demons blocking our way to the light green wooden house, which makes me even more certain there’s someone or something hidden in the bushes.
I scan the surroundings, but there’s nothing out of the ordinary.
“We should go inside,” Jeep says, getting out of the car.
We all follow his example, but something tells me to stay here.
“What are you waiting for?” Jeep asks, rubbing the tattoos on his arms.
“Something’s wrong.”
“Well, if something attacks us, we fight back.” He flexes his fingers. “I can summon a couple of zombies, if you want.”
I grin. “That’s not such a bad idea!” I turn to the others. “What if we put a spy cam on a zombie and let it enter the house? We can see if the coast is clear before we go in ourselves.”
Taylar laughs out loud. “I love that.”
Jeep cracks his knuckles. “Just tell me when.”
“One minute.” I stroll towards Myah’s house, whistling softly.
When I reach the steps to the front door, I drop down on one knee and pretend to tie my shoelaces, meanwhile taking in the house. Eyes burn in the back of my neck and I’m pretty sure they don’t just belong to my Shield.
Before walking on, I open the mailbox and check the name on the envelopes. Then I turn, walk back to my car, get in and drive away.
It takes a second for the ghosts to get in, too.
“Why are we driving away?” Jeep asks.
“I want the ones guarding that house to think we’ve gone. Your zombie will be a great distraction. When they attack it, we jump them from behind.”
“I didn’t see anyone guarding the house,” Vicky says.
“Me neither,” I reply. “But I felt them.”
I park on the next street and sneak around the back gardens until we see Myah Pullus’s house. All is still quiet. The feeling of someone watching me has passed.
“I think they’re only watching the front,” I whisper. I turn to Jeep. “Can you summon someone quietly and make him come to us without being seen?”
The tattooed ghost pushes the bowler hat firmer on his head. “No problem.” He closes his eyes and holds out his hands in front of him, as if feeling the air. “The cemetery is too far away, but a raccoon can do the job just as well.” He moves his hands in all directions, like a choir director conducting an intricate piece of music.
I keep scanning the trees, bushes and houses around us for any sign of demons. My hand goes to the athame tucked behind my belt, next to Dad’s notebook. I can’t depend on my powers yet, so I take the dagger with me everywhere I go.
I almost dive forward when something moves in the shrub surrounding the neighbor’s garden. My hand, clutching the weapon, is already raised. I drop it as soon as an elongated white skull emerges from between the leaves. A spine and two long legs follow.
“That doesn’t look much like a raccoon anymore,” I say from the corner of my mouth.
Jeep beckons the animal closer. “It’s been dead for a long time.”
The bones softly clank together when the skeleton walks towards its master.
“Sit still,” Jeep orders and the raccoon sits on its tail.
Jeep takes the camera I hand him and attaches it to the skeleton’s head, just above the empty eye sockets. Then he moves his hands again and the raccoon walks to Myah Pullus’s garden.
I take out my tablet, which is linked to the camera. “Look inside first. After we check the house, we can draw out the guards.”
The zombie moves slowly through the bushes and then we get a view of the back garden. Jeep makes the raccoon look up.
“There,” D’Maeo points out, “an open window.”
The skeleton makes its way up the rain-pipe and slides through the window. A bedroom comes into view. It’s so neat that it almost looks like
a showroom.
“Only one bedside table is used,” Maël observes.
“So it’s not the husband planning to blow her up,” I comment.
Jeep looks up from the screen for a second. “Unless they’re recently divorced.”
“Watch out!” I say, seeing the raccoon bump into the wall.
Jeep’s head jerks back to the screen. “That’s strange. It should find its own way through the house now.” He moves his hands again and the zombie steps into the hallway. He steers it into the next room.
I squint to make out what’s in it, because the blinds are closed. The zombie walks closer.
“Computers, what a surprise.”
“Can you make it open a drawer?” I ask.
“I can try.”
A skeleton paw reaches for the nearest drawer. It pulls it open and rummages through the contents.
“Don’t do that,” I whisper. “Myah will know someone was in her house.”
Jeep holds up his hands. “I’m not doing anything. This raccoon is out of control.”
“Can you make it hide the camera and come back out?”
He rubs his hands together and starts his fluid hand motions again. He grunts when the zombie just turns and turns and slams its head against the desk over and over.
“If it keeps making this racket, the guards will know we’re here,” Vicky warns us.
Jeep’s face is scrunched up in concentration. “I’m trying to get it out. But it’s cursed or something.”
I slam my hand against my forehead. “Of course. They know what we can do now. They knew we were coming and made sure we couldn’t use your zombie armies.”
Jeep lets out his breath. “It’s on the move again.”
The camera shows the bedroom again and then the window. But instead of climbing out, the raccoon just drops to the ground. Bones fly everywhere.
I put the tablet in the backpack I have with me. “We have to get that camera back.”
“I’ll do it,” Taylar says and he vanishes before anyone can object.
We wait, but after several minutes, he still doesn’t return. I take out my tablet again and connect to the spy cam. Taylar is holding it in front of him, gesturing like a madman.
“I wish we had sound,” Vicky comments.
Maël moves closer. “He says he’s stuck.”
“Oh great.” I sigh. “Another spell?”
D’Maeo takes out his sword. “Someone was definitely expecting us. You’ll have to leave.”
I recoil. “What? Me? Why do I have to leave?”
“Because Taylar will flash back to Darkwood Manor automatically when you’re too far away.”
Vicky pushes me backwards gently. “He’s right. It’s our best option. Go quickly, before those guards find Taylar. We’ll stay here in case we have to fight.”
Jeep takes off his hat, ready to throw it. “We can come straight back here and fight the guards if you want to.”
“Good idea.” I stow away the tablet again and give a quick wave. “See you all in a bit.”
On the quiet drive home, I remember something about the Cards of Death. I turn up the heat in the car and hold the pitch covered card in front of it. Soon, it starts dripping and I take a look at the pictures underneath.
See, it’s not just a hair bun. It’s a hair bun on fire. But why? What does that mean?
I rack my brain for an explanation, but by the time I reach Darkwood Manor, I still have nothing.
Before I even stop the car, the Shield has popped up inside it.
Taylar is merged with Vicky as usual.
“Glad to see you’re okay,” I comment when I turn back onto the dirt road.
“Nobody saw us.”
Vicky grins through Taylar’s head. “The perks of being a ghost.”
“I can imagine it comes in handy in certain situations.” I look at Jeep beside me and the others in the back seat. “So everyone is okay?”
When they all nod, I bring up the thing that’s been bugging me. “Does anyone have an idea why Myah’s hair bun could be on fire?”
Taylar splits himself from Vicky by leaning forward. “You mean the real hair bun or the picture of it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe both?”
“She could be a dragon,” Jeep offers.
Taylar taps his shoulder. “Or a fire starter.”
“Or-“
D’Maeo coughs. “She could be lots of things. The point is that she’s probably a magical being and she might be evil. We have to be careful. For all we know, she cast that spell on her house herself.”
Countless options of magical creatures that have something to do with fire are offered during the ride back.
“Please stop,” I say after a while. “My brain is about to explode.”
I can’t believe how many beautiful creatures from the movies are real. And how many monsters from scary bedtime stories, too.
The Shield laughs. “Those weren’t even half of them.”
I swerve from Blackford’s magical road onto the normal road leading to Silverton. “So all the stories are true, right?”
Jeep snorts. “Of course not.” He turns a bit in his seat to face me. “Let me tell you the truth about movies. Half of them are made by humans, who don’t know anything about us so they make stuff up to make things a bit more exciting.”
“As if our lives aren’t exciting enough,” Vicky interrupts with a grin. “If only they knew.”
Jeep winks at her, which makes my stomach do a backflip. I hope he’s not flirting with her, I really don’t want to fight him.
“He’s not,” Vicky says.
Jeep and I turn around at the same time. “What?”
“He’s not,” she repeats, her eyes fixed on mine.
I tear my gaze from her beautiful face and turn my attention back to the road. “Well, good.”
Jeep just frowns and absently strokes his tattoos.
“Go on,” I urge him. “Tell me more about movies.”
“Well, the other half is made by magical beings. They turn everything into folk tales that hide their true nature. They have some truth in them, but most of the characterization is made up. Their aim is to scare off human hunters.”
My head swerves to the right. “There are humans hunting us?”
“Sure. You’ve heard of witch trials, right?”
“Of course.”
“Well, those are the most famous ones. But the witches they caught weren’t always witches. They took all kinds of creatures, good and evil. So the magical world made up stories to frighten them. Sometimes they would think of the most unlikely traits, so people wouldn’t believe it anymore. But in those stories a lot of truth was hidden.”
I ponder that the rest of the way. The Shield is also silent.
When I park Phoenix one street away from Myah Pullus’s house, the ghosts wait for me to make the first move.
Our conversation about movies made me think of the creatures I saw at the bar. And that gave me an idea. “What if I cast the unblocking spell again? That should draw the guards around the house out, shouldn’t it?”
D’Maeo fingers his beard. “Sure, but what do you want to do then?”
I shrug. “Fight them?”
Jeep adjusts his hat. “I like the way you think, boy.”
I get out of the car. “Then let’s do this. I feel like kicking some ass.”
The Shield pops up next to me.
While Maël scans the street, Vicky observes me with her hands on her hips. “Getting a bit cocky, are we?”
“Not at all. I just like to catch them by surprise instead of the other way around.”
D’Maeo stretches his neck. “I think it’s a good idea. We have to find out more about Myah Pullus to save her, which means we have to take out the ones guarding the house.” He turns to me. “Do you have everything you need?”
I point at Vicky. “I figured she can pu
ll it out of her endless pocket.”
She grins. “Sure, I think I’ve got some useful stuff here. What do you need?”
I tilt my head. “I thought you’d know. Aren’t you the spell expert?”
She gives me a little push. “I don’t know every spell in the world, Dante. Do you have any idea how many there are?”
“Not really. Good thing I wrote it all down.” I whip out my spell book and start flipping the pages.
“Wow!” Vicky puts her hand on mine and gapes at the pictures of the demons. “Did you draw those yourself?”
“Yeah, why?”
“They’re really good!”
My cheeks heat up. “Thanks.”
She moves closer to me. “Not just handsome and powerful, but also talented. No wonder I find you so attractive.”
Smiling like a maniac, I lean over to kiss her.
“Ahem.” Jeep pulls us out of our bubble. He’s leaning against the car, twirling his hat around in his hand.
“Sorry,” I mumble. Vicky takes a step back and I search for the right page. “Here it is.” I read out everything I need, and Vicky’s hand slides into her pocket over and over. When I mention the dandelion, she gives me an incredulous look. “You don’t really think I’ve got flowers in here, too, do you?”
“I don’t know. That might explain why you smell so good.”
“Oh please,” Taylar breaks in. “Ghosts don’t smell. I’ll get you the stupid dandelion.”
He vanishes and appears half a minute later holding out the flower.
“Thank you,” I say. Once more I check the list. I crack my knuckles. “That’s all we need. Are you all ready?”
CHAPTER 22
We sneak as close to the front of Myah’s house as we can without being seen.
Everyone has pulled out their weapons and Vicky is also carrying a small bucket with a bit of water in it, which we found in one of the gardens we passed.
I point to the spot where something feels wrong.
“I can’t believe you can sense them. I can’t even do that,” Vicky whispers, putting down the bucket.
I wink. “I guess that’s one of the benefits of being the chosen one.”
While I prepare everything, the Shield hides the candle flames from the guards.
Cards of Death Box Set Page 34
