Page 96 of Sigils & Spells

Hugging his box close, Mr. Abernathy took a step back. “Well. I know the police found one of the Missions cards on her. They contacted the Director last night. He, uh” —Silas averted his eyes, his cheeks pinkened— “called a few of us.”

Two witches dead, and one of them had probably been hidden behind a door magicked by two of my spells. A wave of vertigo threatened as the ramifications struck me.

Several conversations broke out at once. I retreated from the chaos, step by slow step. A woman on the periphery whispered with Silas, presumably filling him in on the conversation he’d missed. Two of the coffee-clutch witches started pumping Priya for information on the vampires. The other witches soon joined in.

“I doubt a vampire is involved,” she assured them. “Rafe keeps a tight leash on those in his territory.”

Rafe was one of twenty Primes who ruled over the US vampires. I didn’t know how a vampire became a Prime, only that they were powerful, ruthless, and old. A vampire stupid enough to step out of line was summarily executed. Unfortunately, they could leave behind a long trail of dead bodies before they were caught.

Questions hazed my mind. Was the amplification witch working with a vampire? Or a black witch? Was the man with the suitcase involved?

I needed a distraction before I drove myself nuts with unanswerable questions. I pulled the message list out of my pocket. There were four starred names on it. One was Destiny Johnson, a cousin of Ashley’s. I could predict how that call would go.

At any other time I would have gone into the consulting room to make my calls. Now I had the irrational conviction if I left the shop I’d miss hearing something that would prove Raven couldn’t possibly have been trapped behind that locked basement door. Making a compromise with myself, I stepped into the hall, arranged the curtains, and angled myself so I could keep an eye (and ear) on the group. Resigned to fate, I called Destiny.

Predictably, she wanted to pick up her unsold spells. We made the necessary arrangements. The second call was to a vendor who wanted to swing by for her check. She didn’t come out and say it, but I doubted she’d be bringing more stock with her.

I clutched my phone to my chest. Anxiety washed through me. If it got out my spells were involved in hiding a murder victim there’d be an avalanche of vendors leaving Besoins.

Priya walked toward me carrying Mr. Abernathy’s box of spells, a puzzled expression on her face.

Shoving down the rising panic, I forced myself to give her a reassuring smile (at least I hoped that’s what it looked like) as I reentered the shop.

She headed to the register and I fell into step beside her.

“I wonder what kind of magic they had?” she asked

Panic nipped at me. What had I missed?! “Who?”

“Raven and Clancy.”

Okay, I hadn’t missed anything. I was being ridiculous.

“Were they strong casters?” she continued. “Was their power what drew the black witch’s attention? Or were they on the lower spectrum of magic users like me? And easy to overpower?”

“You are not on the lower spectrum, Priya. You are a kick-ass spirit communicator.”

Her ability to speak with the dead was a double-edged sword. Most people confused communicators with necromancers, black witches who controlled the dead. Educating the public on the difference was an uphill battle.

Priya set the box on the counter. “I can’t brew a potion and most five-year-olds can cast better than me.”

We’d had similar conversations before. I cocked my head and leveled what all my employees called the “do you want me to kick your ass” stare at her.

She heaved a sigh. “Okay. Fine. But I still wonder what kind of magic they had.”

“You think it’s a black witch?” The thought made my skin crawl.

Priya scooped up three yellow golf balls (the twenty-five-yard radius locator spells) from the box and placed them on a shelf below the register. “Definitely. I meant what I said. Rafe won’t tolerate anyone stepping out of line. Especially now. He’s negotiating with Prime Alaric to take over Minnesota. The vampire who governs Minnesota is here. So are Rafe’s Governors Kievan and Millicent.”

I choked back a laugh. ”Millicent? I’m sorry. I can’t picture a vampire with a sweet name like Millicent.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that. She’s vicious. You don’t get to be a vamp Governor by beingsweet.” She made air quotes with her fingers.

“You’ve met vampire Governors? Color me impressed.”

“Gods above and below. No! I stay far away from the house when the big wigs come to town. Even Miles is making himself scarce. He’s staying with me.”

The teal-haired witch and two other women lined up, ready to check out.

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