Page 113 of Home to the Hollow

Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose. I may well regret involving this band of merry fools in this mission, but for the moment, I need them. I’ll deal with the political fallout later.

I fucking hate Olympus and it seems like I’ll be making a visit.

My brow arches when I realize the seer has been quiet, and no companion appeared to aid him when Kumiko called. How strange.

“I have not yet been blessed with the comfort of a companion. Most of my kind find theirs when their powers emerge, but sadly, I have not,” Hugo says, his eyes turning eerily white. “But that may change…”

Save me from the mysterious ramblings of soothsayers, I swear to Hecate.

“Fine. I will take Kumiko and scour the north. Tharin and Zasha head west. O’Flanagan, take Hugo on Aethon to the south. Julia, cover the ground to the east again. This time, you will use your powers to feel for magick. Each of you can make use of the tattoos to draw the lower tier extranormals hiding out of the dark to aid the search. Send the signal up when you find where they have set up their circle, but do not engage until we have arrived.”

“These bitches must have put on some big girl panties after Salem,” Julia hisses. “We almost wiped them out on their home turf. If the lost ones had emerged, it would have?—”

“Yes,” I cut her off. “It would have stopped this before it started. But those girls were not ready and nothing we could have done would force them to emerge until their time, Ricci. We must shut down this Samhain spell and find out who is pulling their strings. That is our mission for this evening. Now, go!”

The group splits, heading in different directions by land and sky. Kumiko and I fade to mist, soaring on the winds to the north.

The night is dark and foggy, so we blend as we fly over horse pastures, dirt roads, and farmland. I watch for telltale signs like smoke from a fire, sounds of voices, or the scent of herbs, but find nothing. I chose north because it has more open land with less population and I believed I would locate their secret spot before the others. My form is easier to hide and I might learn their plans before they realize I’m present.

It has baffled me from the beginning that a small group of unknown witches garnered enough power to threaten a historical stronghold. Magick users of all species have inhabited Salem since long before the human ‘witch trials’ and all of them survived that purge with help from shapeshifters. This coven has some sort of powerful ally and they are invested in destroying what the Society has spent hundreds of years building.

Their last attempt to remove the binding spells from all the magickal youth in Salem may have failed, but we never learned why they sought to release the veil. There is a much bigger plot at hand, and though the Society is not convinced, I feel a mutiny is underway. Only members with centuries of service are aware of how the spell is placed on the hybrids and how to remove it when they come of age. Whoever is directing this coven has inside information, and they seek to make the untrained young hybrids look dangerous.

At least, that’s the only conclusion I’ve been able to garner from these gambits. Deduction and riddles are gifts of my species and long before I joined the Shee, I was solving problems with others of my kind in Society salons. Half of the things humans think they invented were dreamt up by my people and whispered in their ears to allow progress to move them forward.

My inability to piece together their motives and endgame disturbs me. I only know that if we do not find out what the big picture is, it endangers all extranormals. Our treaties with the humans are as fragile as those with the pantheons, and breaching them will be bad for everyone.

It may be dramatic, but my gut tells me that avoiding a multi-species war may become our main objective if we don’t find out what these people are up to.

What does that human in the movies say?

Oh, yes. I’m too old for this shit.

Something Bad’s About To Happen

After the dance marathon, my guys and I chilled at the table we claimed. Drinks are flowing, laughs are echoing, and it feels like we’re all gelling as a family. It makes me smile, and I wish the rest of my companions were here.

I miss the kitties, dogs, and even Euryale. Isis’ arriving has helped the anxiety buried deep within me at being at the site of one of my deepest traumas calm, but having the full complement would be even better. I can’t help but look around the room and feel the bottom drop out of my stomach when memories flash through my mind.

“Sugarplum, you’re frowning again. Are you sure you don’t want to escape while people are distracted?” Wolfie leans over from his perch on Teddy’s lap, looking into my eyes in concern.

I shake my head. “No, it’s okay. We’re expected to stay until the last dance, and with all of you close by, I’m doing okay. I promise; I will not lose my shit.”

Edgar sits up suddenly, tilting his head in a manner that is very reminiscent of Kali and Hecate. “I’m not sure I agree. Perhaps we should go.”

“Teddy, it’s fine. Don’t get all alpha on us. I’ll let you know if I need a change of scenery.” I reach around Wolfie and Prez, squeezing his hand.

“No, Tíogair. I don’t think he’s wrong. There’s something odd in the air; even I can feel it.” Doyle’s brow furrow and he scoots his chair closer to our group. “I should dispatch Odie to fetch the other animals.”

“Who or what in the fuck is an Odie?” I ask, punching his shoulder. “I thought you said there are no secrets!”

Doyle grins and shrugs carelessly. “Odie’s not a secret, Tíogair. He’s my raven, and I haven’t brought him around yet because your house is turning into a veritable wildlife preserve.”

Giving him an annoyed look, I punch him again. “As if one more bird is going to matter when Prez is building a fucking aviary! What were you going to do when you all moved in?”

“I live by the seat of my britches. I figured it’d come up, eventually.”

Rolling my eyes into the back of my head, I sigh and rest my forehead on Wolfie’s shoulder. Doyle loves to cause trouble, even a little shit like this, and I know he’s enjoying himself. Giving him the reaction he wants will only make him enjoy it more. I lift my head and shrug. “So call this Odie and get the others if you feel it’s the right thing to do.”