"Death. Lots of it. All tied to carnival season." I swallowed hard, trying to organize the chaotic flood of images. "It seems someone is trying to recreate whatever happened in 1873. And like all villains, they're adding their own twisted modifications."
Dre cocked her head to the side. "Is it like they're taking the original ritual and upgrading it for maximum carnage?"
"I can guarantee that's what they're doing," Lia muttered before I could respond. "These psychos always have to go for extra credit."
"And standard murder is never enough," Kotaadded with a frown. "Are they trying to harvest a specific kind of power?"
Before anyone could answer, my phone buzzed. The caller ID showed Keryth's number. Perfect timing, considering we'd just left the council meeting where he'd expressed concerns about his masquerade. "It's Keryth," I announced.
"Put him on speaker," Dre said as she drummed her fingers on the table.
I answered and hit the speaker button. "Keryth, you're on with all of us. Marie is here as well."
"Ladies." His cultured voice filled the library, carrying that particular elven resonance that made him sound like he was speaking through crystal. "I need to meet with you. Immediately. There have been... developments regarding the masquerade."
The way he hesitated on 'developments' set off warning bells. Dre and I exchanged looks. "We're at the plantation," I replied. "Come on over."
"I will be right there," he agreed and hung up.
Marie stood, gathering some of her materials. "I take that as my cue to leave. I'll leave these books with you to continue your research. I'll return after you complete your business."
"I'll walk you out and then make coffee," Phi offered. "I have a feeling we're going to need it."
We spent the next twenty minutes trying to guess what Keryth could possibly have to share. He arrived in another immaculate charcoal suit, his perfectly styled black hair seeming incongruous in our research-strewn library. His hazel eyes had that particular elven sheen that marked him as other. He took in the chaos of books and papers with curiosity.
"I see you've been busy," he observed after declining Phi's offer of coffee. "Have you made any headway on our little problem?" There was no doubt he was worried about how this would impact his masquerade.
"Little problem?" Lia's eyebrows shot up as she gestured to her phone where there were photos of the woman. "Three dead women is hardly minor. Or did you miss the part where someone's carving people up like supernatural art projects?"
"Four, actually." Keryth's expression remained neutral, but something flickered in those otherworldly eyes. "Another body was found an hour ago. It was a mundie this time, though she was arranged in the same... artistic fashion."
The temperature in the room dropped several degrees as we all absorbed the news. "Where?" Dea choked out.
"The French Market. She was posed like a mannequin in one of the vendor stalls." He paused and brushed invisible lint from his sleeve as his expression fell. "Detective Payne is there now."
Both Noah and Lucas's phones buzzed simultaneously. Noah turned his screen toward me while Lucas showed Lia. "Ricky just sent these," Noah explained. The shifter who owned a parking lot near the Quarter was a great resource in the Quarter. He must have gone to the scene to find out what was going on.
The photos he'd snapped showed the victim wearing an elaborate mask similar to the others. The symbols carved into her skin were subtly different. These had an almost mechanical precision to them. Whoever did this was getting better at their grotesque art.
"We need to get there," I said as I moved toward the door. "We can check for magical signatures while the scene is fresh. Maybe get enough to follow a trail.
Lia nodded in agreement. “In the least, we might get a read on what kind of power the killer is wielding."
"Actually," Keryth interjected smoothly, "I was hoping you and Dre might accompany me. I have some security concernsabout the masquerade I'd like to discuss, and given recent events..." He gestured vaguely at the crime scene photos.
Dre and I exchanged looks. "We can talk on the way," I offered. "What exactly did you have in mind?"
"Several things," he replied, following us to the door. "Particularly regarding magical screening of guests and their masks. Perhaps, we can have some kind of detection ward at the entrance?"
"We usually set up a series of nested wards," Dre replied as we headed for his car. "We might be able to layer them so they catch different types of magical signatures. But we need to know what we are looking for. It’s difficult to get past with bad intentions, but not impossible."
"We could enchant the guest list," I added as he pulled onto the highway behind Lia. "Those with magic would need to disclose any glamours or magical disguises. And we might be able to screen against the killer. If we can get a feel for him." Most of what we could do hinged on us at a minimum having a sense of the killer’s energy.
"Of course," Keryth agreed too quickly, his voice carrying that silky quality that always made me suspicious. "As a concerned citizen, I want to ensure everyone's safety."
"We would have it no other way," Dre assured him.
The drive to the Quarter was tense, with Keryth asking increasingly detailed questions about our magical security measures. He took St. Charles to avoid the usual Carondelet backup. Even at this hour, traffic crawled as we neared Canal Street. The sun painted the city in shades of amber and rose, a beautiful contrast to the grim task ahead.
