Page 52 of Sugar, Spice, and Magical Midlife

“How do you feel about it?” I brushed a strand of wayward hair out of his eyes.

He frowned. “Sad.”

“It’s okay to feel sad.” I squeezed his hand.

“Lots of kids here,” he whispered.

My veins turned to ice. How did he know about the children’s bones? Was he a clairvoyant? I doubted he’d researched the crypt beforehand. “Do you want to turn back?”

He shook his head. “We need Ric.”

I gave a start at the mention of Ric’s name. I made a mental note that Des has been absorbing a lot more than I’d realized.

Frederica cleared her throat while Puffy perched on her shoulder. “Sorry, but we need to go before we’re spotted.” She nodded toward the brooms buzzing in the sky like a kicked hornet’s nest.

Ethyl miniaturized and flew into my pocket.

“Eww, it smells in here!” she squeaked.

“Sorry,meine blume,” Frederica whispered. “I got the uniform out of the dirty laundry chute and didn’t have time to wash it.”

Well, that explained a lot. I tried not to think about who or what had worn it before me.

We followed Frederica down the steps into the basement. Two things. First, I wasn’t a big fan of dead bodies and death in general. Could have been a result of being traumatized after watching a succubus kill my parents. Second, the smell of mold made me want to hurl, and this place was no exception. The cool, musty air below reminded me of old earth and death, and it took all my willpower not to vomit all over my hot-dog smelling jumpsuit.

The Crypt of the Three Skeletons was the first room we walked into, and my heart broke at the sight. I couldn’t describe the multitude of bones that decorated the cavern walls, from femurs to leg bones to every bone in between designed in symmetrical patterns all along the walls, though the back wall was an altar of sorts with the skeletal remains of three children who couldn’t have each been more than six years old. At the base of their feet was an inscription in several languages that read: ‘What you are now, we used to be. What we are now, you will be.’

“Cheery,” I whispered, even as a sickening chill swept down my spine.

“Come,” Frederica said, waving us forward.

I jerked back when I nearly tripped over a robed figure on the floor. “What happened?”

“That’s a portal guard,” Frederica said with a wink. “I brought him magic brownies this morning.”

“Will he be okay?” I nudged the furry arm of the sleeping creature. I wasn’t sure if he was a satyr or a shifter, though I spotted two short horns sticking out of the top of his head.

“Ya.” Frederica nodded. “The spell will wear off soon, and he won’t remember passing out.”

“Thosearemagic brownies,” I said appreciatively. “I’d love if you taught me that spell later.”

Frederica gave me a funny look. “I don’t like giving out my secret recipes, but I’ll make an exception for Ethyl’s cousin.”

That was no surprise. Most witches didn’t like sharing recipes, unless it was with family. Not sure if it originated with our need to protect our secrets from succubi or because witches preferred to hoard their magic to themselves, but we couldn’t exactly Google recipes when we needed them. Which meant that Homewrecker Barbie was especially pushy and annoying for asking for my apple pie recipe.

“Thank you,” I answered, motioning toward that guard sprawled out on the floor. “For everything.”

Frederica swallowed and looked away. “I do it all for her.”

And byher, I knew she meant Ethyl. Wow. My pixie cousin sure had the minotaur wrapped around her delicate, little pinkie.

We followed her beneath a skeleton that held a scale Frederica had said represented good and evil. I wondered if evil tipped the scale now that the succubi had acquired so much power.

Which reminded me, we needed ammunition, just in case there were succubi in the Tribunal. I zipped open my purse, then cursed when I noticed my butterscotch candies were missing. “Damn gnomes! I don’t have any candy.” I gave Frederica a pleading look. “Don’t suppose you have any?”

She shook her head. “I put enough sugar in my drink to last me the day.”

I chewed my lip, my gaze shooting from Des back to her. “Do you think it’s safe to go in there without candy?” Sugar was the one thing that repelled demon spells, after all.

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