Page 148 of The Demon's Spell

“What worries me is that you won’t tell me,” Leroy said, sounding sad. “Cynth, we’ve been married for fifty years. I realize there’s much you can’t say as a priestess, but you’ve always confided in me when times get tough. Why must you go silent now?”

Cynthia hesitated, but she spoke in an even, confident tone that the priestesses were so good at using. “Nicholas’s death was a tragedy, and Jebediah is being put on trial for his crimes. The other incidents were… unfortunate accidents.”

“There’s contention within the council,” Leroy insisted. “I can see it in your eyes.”

“What do you want me to say?” Cynthia asked. “We inducted two young council members this past year. There are bound to be some growing pains. Lilian shows promise, but Nicholas was never fit to serve on the council. A priest, for Alora’s sake! What were we thinking?”

“Nicholas made a mistake?” Leroy wondered. “Is that why he was killed?”

Cynthia stood, looking angry. “We made a mistake by inducting him onto the council in the first place. He was our only option, but we were wrong to take it. Nicholas betrayed us, and everything that has happened since was his fault.”

I was starting to get angry. “My grandfather was trying to protect the Wands from you!” I yelled, even though she couldn’t hear me.

“So these deaths…” Leroy prodded. “They’re a result of a curse Nicholas couldn’t break?”

Cynthia’s hands curled into fists. “Nicholas himself was a curse upon the coven. He brought this on himself.”

“She’s lying!” I insisted. My grandfather had tried to protect the coven from the priestesses who wanted to take their power!

Leroy’s lips pursed. “I see that you’re not going to be honest with me. But at least give me something to tell our guests—to ease their worry.”

Cynthia stepped in front of her husband and ran her hands down his arms. “Let’s focus on us tonight and leave the worries of the coven behind. It’s our fiftieth wedding anniversary. There is nothing to fear.”

Leroy hesitated before finally saying, “Very well. I will shut down any conversation that arises regarding these deaths. We’ll allow our friends to forget their troubles for one night.”

Cynthia straightened her dress, looking pleased. “Shall we make our debut?”

“Yes, but first, you should open this.” Leroy picked up a parcel from the desk and handed it to her. It was a small, narrow box, something you might put a necklace in.

Cynthia furrowed her brow. “There’s no return address. What is this?”

“An anniversary gift, I assume,” Leroy said. “It came in the mail today, addressed to you.”

Cynthia picked up a letter opener from the desk and used it to remove the wrapping. She opened the box, but her breath caught when she saw what was inside. The box fell from her fingers. I witnessed a wand roll across the floor, but I didn’t get a good look at it before it disappeared behind the desk.

“Is this some sort of joke?” Cynthia shook as she backed away from the wand.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Leroy said.

Cynthia quickly pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wrapped the wand inside, then handed it to Leroy. “We must lock it in the safe immediately.”

She rushed around the room, looking out the windows like she expected someone to be watching. Leroy noticed his wife’s strange behavior, but he didn’t say anything. He went over to a picture frame on the wall and pulled on it. It swung open like a door, revealing a metal safe behind it. I watched Leroy input the combination. He opened the safe door and set the wand inside, on top of other valuables.

As he was closing the door, the wand rolled and slipped. Leroy caught it, then wrapped it in the fabric again. He placed it neatly inside the safe, before sealing it tight. Cynthia kept her eyes on the lake outside the window. Once she heard the safe click shut, she breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to her husband.

“Are you going to explain why you’re so afraid of a simple wand?” Leroy asked.

“I will tell you everything once the night is over,” she promised. “But our guests are waiting. Right now, we must act as if everything is normal.”

Leroy hesitated, but he finally put his arm out to his wife. “Let’s see to our guests.”

Lightning flashed, and a huge crack of thunder sounded. The next instant, the scene had vanished, and I could hear the rain pounding hard against the windows again. This must’ve happened moments before they’d arrived in the dining room, where Leroy gave his speech and became possessed.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the picture frame that housed the safe behind it. Cynthia had been so wary of that wand, like she expected someone to come and take it from her at any second. Could it be an Oaken Wand?

It had to be, and that’s why she was so protective of it. My heart hammered at the possibility of finding another Wand. We were so close…

I approached the picture frame, which depicted a vase of flowers. I held my breath and tugged on it. It swung on hinges, and my pulse quickened when I entered the combination I’d seen Leroy use. My breath wavered when I saw the Wand sitting on top, just where Leroy had left it. Another Oaken Wand! We’d found it—

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