Page 71 of Sigils & Spells

“That’s not right.” The information in front of me, spells, diagrams, poems, they were all in the wrong order. I rearranged the information.

This made more sense, but it wasn’t in the order Merle had gathered the information.

I put everything back in Merle’s chronological order, with the cuneiform poem as the last item.

“Huh?”

I stared at the documents and images. Without moving them, I found the list documenting all of Merle’s recent acquisitions. Picking it up, I walked to Dr. Bronson’s office.

“Do you know what Merle, Dr. Armitage, has been researching?” I asked as I handed over the one piece of information he wanted.

“I can’t say I’ve really been paying attention. His focus has been so scattered as to not make much sense.”

I nodded and left. It made sense to me. Merle had always been interested in a deeper way of curing a curse. But then again, I did more of the actual research than Dr. Bronson. I had always thought it was Merle researching on a more generic level. A catch-all curse dispeller.

But that last cuneiform poem had been for tearing something apart at its foundations. I returned to the information I had left on the floor. In this new configuration, each piece of information fit together with more fortitude.

He needed to call on old powers. Earth-old powers, and bring in elder gods. Whatever it was he wanted to render was— What? It was what? What was I missing?

I pointed my way through the configuration, translating the fragments to the best of my ability. This was to render, no not render, rend asunder. Something was missing in the poem I had copied. But what? What had I missed?

I grabbed the leather case and practically launched the scroll from inside. Unfurling it, I held it up, so light would fall across it. Instead, the light illuminated from behind, and— “Oh fuck.”

I slammed the scroll back into the case and scrambled to get everything off the floor. Shoving it all into my messenger bag, I ran. I forgot my helmet and coat, but I had magic for that.

I hit the walkway running when I got to the Capitulum. A few chickens squawked as I bum-rushed them out of my way. There wasn’t time for the fur ball of fury when the little fancy rooster decided I was fair game since the big Brahma wasn’t around to run interference.

I kicked at the tiny bird that still thought it was a dinosaur and kept running up the stairs until I was at Merle’s apartment.

I pounded on the door.

“I thought you were angry with me,” he said as soon as he saw my face.

“Yeah, well, I did too. But clearly I’m not so angry as to want you to end up in whatever hell you are about to invoke down on your ass.”

“What is she doing here?” Ramsey complained.

I locked eyes with him. Why hadn’t I ever seen it before? “You’re the demon possessed.”

“What are you talking about? What is she talking about, Merle? You said you never told anyone.”

Merle looked from me to Ramsey. “I haven’t told her anything.”

“He didn’t need to. I figured it out.”

“I don’t want her here, make her leave.”

We were all yelling over each other.

“I can’t just make Pandora leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere until I show you this. It’s why your spells haven’t been working.”

“If she won’t go, then I’m leaving.”

I ignored him as he stomped about and pulled on his coat.

“Everything has been out of order. You’ve been working your spells in the order you’ve gotten the pieces, haven’t you?”

---