Page 39 of Memories Like Fangs
“We don’t need fitches exactly, Princess, although they will make things easier,” Rhois replied. “All we need are powerful witches.”
“Ideally, we would have seven or eight, but if we have a witch-fae or two, we can make do with five. So, we have me and Journee?—”
“Journee?” Simone interrupted Izzy with her eyebrows drawn. “No offense, but aren’t you a genie?”
Journee nodded. “I am, but a genie is merely a powerful witch. My power isn’t just from nature like a witch’s is, but human desire. Granting wishes and bending reality to their whims isn’t for the faint of heart, after all.”
“Does that mean we have four already with Babycakes and the gorgeous Rhois?” Cody noted.
While Maisie glared at him with her eyes glowing neon purple as she contemplated the different spells she could use on him, Rhois barely looked his way. Her words were the only acknowledgment that he had even spoken. “While I am a Guardian of the Archive and have magic that I can wield at my discretion, I amnota witch. I’m a baobhan sith, which is a combination of a vampire, a fairy, and a shifter. Witchcraft is far from my specialty. Instead of casting a spell to seal your voice away in a vial until you learned to not be an arsehole, I prefer to slit your throat with my nails, drain you dry, turn into a wolf, and eat the rest of you. Something, I’mdeeplycontemplating at the moment if you speak to me again.”
Cody paled at her threat, while Nat and Cole snickered. Even I fought back a smile. Chuckling, too, Journee said over the table to their mate. “Down there, Puppy. He’s just a boy. I find him charming.”
“And? I have killed men for far less.”
“Okay, so we have me, Izzy, and Journee. That puts us at three,” Maisie counted off. She paused for a moment before turning to Journee. “Is there any way we can just, like, wish for others?”
They laughed. “I like your thoughts, but unfortunately, no. If they didn’t already intend on coming here, I can’t summon them against their will. As with all things, consent is a huge part of magic, as I know you know.”
Simone groaned. “We are going to have to tell Talli then, aren’t we?”
Maise shook her head. “Worse. We are going to have to tell Everett, too.”
Simone pouted and furrowed her eyebrows. She drew out the vowels in what she said next. “Noooo! Whyyyy?”
“Because Thompson is a powerful witch, babe. He’s our fifth.”
“Oh, fucking shit.”
“Hey,” I put my hand on her shoulder to offer her some reassurance. “It’s okay. I meant what I said before. I will happily take on anything to get Byrd back.”
“Oh, you sweet summer child, you have no idea what you are saying,” Maisie said, pulling out her phone and dialing. Rhois and Journee went their separate ways to collect what they needed for the spells, while Izzy continued exploring the stacks for more literature. Maisie placed her call on speaker. Whoever she called picked up on the third ring.
“The only thing that calls this late at night is bad news. Please tell me you are going to break that trend,” A female voice answered with more of a croak to her voice.
“Happy holidays to you, too, Talli,” Maisie smiled. “Hold on, let me see if I can call Everett, too.”
“Oh, fuck, it is bad news,” Talli said.
Smart woman.
Maisie tapped on her phone until the ringing of another call echoed.
“Maisie?” This one, a male voice, picked up before the first ring could finish. “Younevercall me. What’s wrong, kiddo?”
“Hey, Everett, Talli is on with us?—”
“Wh-what? How?”
Maisie rolled her eyes while Simone failed to stifle her giggle. “Say hello to the magic of three-way calling, Grandpa. Now, is Thompson next to you, Everett?”
“I’m right here, my sister in fitchcraft. Happy holidays! What’s up?” Another male voice greeted, this one more chipper than the previous male voice.
“What Maisie has to tell y’all is pretty serious and urgent. Y’all might want to sit down for this,” Simone said, squeezing Maisie’s hand for support.
“This is about Byrd, isn’t it?” Talli asked.
“Girls, what’s going on?” The first man said in his gruff voice.
