Page 61 of Hopelessly Teavoted
“It did not.” She looked at him the same way he had looked at a student last week who had sworn up and down that he had turned in his paper, only to discover it in his own backpack later and turn it in sheepishly.
“We need to keep an eye on him. A close eye, Azrael. But be careful. He sounds like the sort we don’t want to find out any of our secrets regardless.”
“Agreed,” Azrael said. “It’s possible he’s not the person, but even so, I wouldn’t want him knowing I’m a witch.”
“Precisely,” said Evelyn. “We think we know the motives behind the fake psychic attack,” she continued, glancing at Priscilla. “I shouldn’t be telling you until the Council rules officially, but they are dragging their feet on account of the woman still being in a coma. They think the perpetrator believed she was a real medium. A witch. They’re looking for who did it.”
Tension gathered in Vickie’s chest. She really hoped this wasn’t about Chet. If it was, goddess, based on what Az had said, she couldn’t think of anyone who would be worse to add to the fray of their magical problems.
“I’ll go back to the hospital one more time. I had no luck summoning anything, but who knows. Maybe something will jump out at me.”
Evelyn sighed, dragging a hand across her face. “The Council’s been over it a hundred times, but it can’t hurt to have a nonwitch take a look.”
“I’ll go Wednesday,” she said.
“Be careful.” Priscilla looked meaningfully at her, and at Azrael.
“I’m always careful.”
Azrael coughed but said nothing. She glared at him. “Youjust focus on telling me everything you can think of about this. The more I know, the more likely I am to spot anything that I should be noticing.”
“There are few reasons to try to take the soul of a witch,” Az said, and Vickie knew it was for her benefit. Priscilla and Evelyn looked significantly horrified, and whatever he was going to reveal had to be something they had already considered. She needed to know, though.
Vickie stepped toward Az, stopping short of deadly distance. “What are they?”
“One is to trap it, to force a favor. Usually magic craft of some sort, potion work, or shadow craft. There’s old-fashioned bigotry and hate, of course—taking for the sake of killing. Either of those are better than the third.”
“Those are thegoodoptions?”
“There’s a reason we don’t tell people we’re witches,” said Prissy quietly.
“The third reason is to eat the soul. To consume it, and with it, its power. Soul eaters are the worst kind of monsters. They’re human, so shackled by their biases, but able to do magic undeterred. Undetected. It’s why we sometimes wonder how an evil man in power could get so much power. How evil could manifest in such awful ways, and how money and status can prevent human justice. Usually, if the person is really bad, it’s a soul eater. The loss of compassion is what kills the humanity in people.”
“We may have time,” said Evelyn. “Not much, but some.”
“How do you figure?” Vickie was winding her hair around her finger, nervous.
“Because those sorts of ceremonies, even by a human, only take if the veil is thin between the worlds. It’s a time for the resolution of bargains. Culmination. A harvest, often physical and spiritual. A guiding bonfire directing spirits home.”
“Halloween,” she said. “Why is it always my favorite holiday?”
Evelyn nodded. “Samhain is the closest one, yes.”
“Az, can we talk about what your dad said?”
“When I was talking to your dad…” Vickie picked at chipping nail polish on her thumb, reassuring herself with the repetitive motion that she hadn’t failed Az in this. “I didn’t realize what I’d find in here or I would have come to get you and Prissy before…”
Azrael swallowed and stepped toward her in the shed, pausing a safe distance away. The torchlight illuminated his curls, and the gold speckles in his eyes were tiny flames now.
But it was Priscilla who spoke, her voice cracking just a little. “What did he say?”
“To make sure you and Azrael are okay, but also what we know: that someone else has cut a deal with the devil for a slightly different gift. And that you need to check the family grimoire for what you need.” Vickie bit back the part where Benedict had beseeched her to be honest, but it lingered, heavy on her tongue.
The truth wanted out as much as her body wanted Az. But there was no gravedirt now, and she didn’t have to give in to either.
“This is exhausting.” Priscilla gave Evelyn a lingering look.
“Absolutely. Perhaps a trip to the home gym could do you wonders? We could work off the stress.” Evelyn threaded a hand through Priscilla’s, and she nodded. The two of them slipped out of the greenhouse.
