Tiddly Jinx (23 page)

WHEN SELENE JOINED US in the archive, her mouth was pinched and her brows were drawn together. I shot her a questioning glance and she shook her head, her face melting back into the pretty perfection I was used to.

I refocused on the books. The coven had completely obliterated any organizational system the room once held. Now it was impossible to find anything in the haphazard stacks strewn across the room. Somewhere in this mess was a thin book, a child’s story really, about a hellhound. I never read it, but my sister used to love it. She used to tell me about it, but I only ever half listened to what she was saying. I did vaguely recollect that it had to do with a witch, though. Not that a children’s story was a legitimate reference or was going to be of any solid help where the talisman was concerned, but what other leads did we have?

“If she was possessed by a demon, where did it go?” Leslie asked with a shudder. “Like, is it still
in
her?”

“The charm is cracked,” Devin said. “I would guess the connection is lost, or…”

“Or it got out,” Selene finished. “Maybe it shifted into those weird baby creatures that came at us in town.” She shuddered.

“Maybe,” I said, not wanting to argue, but the creatures had been too easy to defeat for demons.

She crossed her legs. “Or…well, when I was in town talking to the crowd, I felt something staring at me. Something sinister, but I couldn’t see it. Maybe whatever made Jessica do what she did is still here, but why?”

Why would something possess one of Selene’s coven? And why would it stick around afterward? There was really only one reason that I could see, and it explained who was doing all the talking around town about the Pole being here, too. “To get the Pole. We aren’t the only people who know you took it. The underworld knows as well, and my guess is that they want it back.”

“Why possess Jessica, though?” Katrina asked.

I shrugged. “Maybe she was just an easy target.”

Selene nodded. “She was tired and weak after the spell. I also gave her the tea to help her sleep, so her natural defenses would have been down.” A smile grew on her face, making her eyes squint a little. “That’s it. They must have possessed her and made her do all of those horrible things.”

“But why was there an emblem at her feet? How did she get it? Why would they possess her and make her kill people instead of actually looking for the Pole? It doesn’t make sense,” Sebastian said.

Selene sat back in her chair and twirled a long, dark piece of hair around her finger as she thought.

“Maybe it’s a message,” Devin offered. “You know, like a calling card. Maybe whoever you took it from wants to talk to you, but doesn’t really have a way to reach you.”

“So he killed six people to what? Get my attention?”

“Stranger things have happened,” I said.

She sighed. “That doesn’t do us much good. I can’t summon a demon without dark magic and that isn’t a trick I would like to teach Frost at this point.”

“I’ll do it,” Edith said from the doorway. It was a bit of a surprise to see her. She had been staying with us for a while, but I barely encountered her. When she wasn’t in the archive working on writing spells for Selene, she stayed in her room.

“You can’t,” Selene said. “You said yourself you feel the pull of the dark magic on you.”

Edith nodded. “That’s why I need to do it. I am old and my life is nearing its end. Whatever urges I feel won’t have long to wear down my control.”

“It might be your best bet. If Edith wants to do it, isn’t that ultimately her decision?” I asked. I knew that wasn’t the answer Selene wanted, but we really didn’t have time to find another solution. With Selene’s father snooping around and hearing about the Pole, the last thing we needed was for him to add fuel to the fire and target Jessica. We still had no idea what his angle was or what he wanted. I motioned Selene over to the side before she could argue.

“Your father came to see me.”

Her eyes narrowed. “So?”

“He asked a lot of questions—fairly specific questions about the Pole. He is up to something, but I don’t know what yet. However, with him looking into this, we really don’t have time to find another way. We know there is someone out there who knows about the Pole and is spreading rumors of its existence. If you’re right and the hellhound is still here, perhaps it’s the culprit. When the rumors didn’t work to get your attention, it killed our people.”

I took her hand. “It’s about more than saving yourself. Yes, if people find out you brought it here, you will be punished, but at the same time a new life-altering force has been introduced to the Abyss. Everyone will be trying to get at it. If it were to fall into the wrong hands…”

She nodded. “Everyone will suffer.” Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. “I hate that I can’t cast this spell myself. Why can everyone else manage to cast at least one dark spell, but I can’t even carry the damn book?”

“I don’t know, but I would rather have you and our child safe than test it.”

She looked back at her grandma and raised her voice. “If you’re sure.”

“I am,” Edith said.

“Then let’s do it.” She squeezed my hand before she let go. “We will summon Charon.”

Once it was decided, we wasted no time. We went to the ballroom so there would be enough space for Edith to draw three circles on the ground. I retrieved the spell book for her and the witches helped her prepare and find the ingredients she would need. She placed Selene in the circle to her right and left the circle to her left empty.

“Activate your circle,” she told Selene. At that, Selene closed her eyes for a moment, and then a shimmering gold column sprung from the floor around her and rose to the ceiling. When Edith was satisfied, she began her spell. The language she spoke was strange and guttural. A dark mist formed in the circle to the left, swirling and fading in and out until it formed a human-like figure. The dark cloak covering his head cascaded down to the floor in rich folds. A long, unkempt beard appeared, starting at his feet and reaching all the way up to his thin, grim mouth and furious, glowing blue eyes that were focused only on Selene.

“Thief,” his voice boomed as he pointed a gnarled finger at her. “Do you know what you have done?”

Her shoulders straightened as she faced him. “Did you possess my friend?”

“No souls can cross to Hell. The tenuous balance of the underworld has been threatened by your impudence, elf. Return the Pole at once or I will do more than possess your feeble friends. I will absorb your world into the underworld and everyone will be punished for your pride.”

“I would gladly give it back, but I don’t have it. I should, however, have it back in my possession by tomorrow night.”

He screamed in fury and frustration, but seemed to accept what Selene had said. “A moment later and you
will
feel my wrath.”

He began to disappear. “Wait, what about the hellhound?” she called out, but he faded into nothingness as Edith collapsed to the floor. The coven went to Edith while Sebastian and I headed for Selene. When I reached her, she looked me in the eye. “Are you satisfied now that Jessica didn’t commit those crimes of her own free will?”

I nodded. “I’ll release her. Are you okay?” She looked fine physically, but her hands shook beneath mine and she swayed slightly where she stood.

“I’m okay. Just let Jess go and we can start working on the spells we will need for tomorrow night.”

I left Selene with Sebastian and headed for the dungeon. The more I thought about it, Charon didn’t actually say he possessed her. He said he would do more than possess her feeble friends…no, I was overthinking it.

Jessica sat quietly inside her cell with the guard standing outside of it. Most of the time people wept or called for someone or at the very least made friends with the guards, but not her. She sat quietly waiting, as if she knew the hour would come. I nodded to the guard to unlock the door, then I went inside.

She looked up at me but said nothing.

“Selene found who possessed you. I’m sorry this had to happen.”

She nodded only once. “I understand.”

“Had it just been up to me I wouldn’t have taken these measures. I hope you know how much you are valued by Selene and by me. You’re one of our dearest friends.” I undid her shackles.

She stood, rubbing her wrists. “I honestly do understand. This was as much for my protection as anyone else’s.” She shook my hand. “No hard feelings.”

I clasped a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you. I believe the coven is waiting for you in the archive. They are going to work on the spells for tomorrow night. They would love to see you.”

“What about the necromancer?”

“Selene feels she has been trained enough.”

Jessica nodded with a faint smile. “I imagine she does.”

She started down the hall and up the stairs. I redirected my attention to the guard. “Has she said anything?”

“Not to me, Erlking.”

I nearly accepted his answer, but something about it bothered me. “Not to you or not to anyone?” I asked.

The guard shifted from foot to foot nervously. “She hasn’t said a word to me, but I could hear her in there whispering.”

“Whispering?”

“I don’t know what she was saying, but she was whispering something, then she would go silent like someone was talking back, then she would whisper again.”

I had a bad feeling about this. I had a bad feeling about her. Selene would never listen. Not after fighting so hard to get her released. I hoped my feelings were misplaced and that Jessica was fine, but I needed to be sure. I turned to address the guard again. “I would like you to follow her. If she shows any signs that she might hurt someone again, contact me immediately.”

He nodded.

“She will be in the archive with the queen.”

“Yes, Erlking.”

The elf left and soft, musical laughter drifted from down the hall, deeper into the dungeon. There was only one person it could be. The one person who remained here awaiting judgment. Alanna.

“Poor Erlking. Betrayed at every turn,” her lilting voice drifted down the hall toward me.

I looked toward the stairs then back down the damp hall that was barely glowing with torchlight. I didn’t need the complication of talking to Alanna now, but if she knew something I couldn’t risk not talking to her.

Her cell was dark like all of them, but fairy lights decorated the inside ceiling, giving the impression of the night sky and lending the room a pleasant glow. Her long, flowing red hair looked perfect and a dress that accentuated every curve clung to her. How could she have been in here this long and still looked so good?

“You should have chosen me. Do you not yet see? We would have been partners. We would have ruled the fae like no others and they would have loved us.”

“What do you want, Alanna?”

“To help, only to help.” She ran her perfect fingernails down the thick iron bars.

“And why would you help me?”

“I was frustrated when I betrayed you, but now I see you’re just blind. I want to help you see who your prized little half-elf really is.”

“I know who Selene really is. If this is all you have for me, then I’m leaving.”

“Do you know she met with the vampire, quite hidden and far from respectably, only a few hours ago?”

“Yes and what of it?” I asked. I actually had no idea she’d met with him, but this was hardly earth-shattering news.

“And after their little rendezvous he went to visit the necromancer, but she followed. She didn’t look happy at all when she came out of the garden. I think
someone
may have been jealous. Now, what would your perfect, loyal little queen have to be jealous about, hmm?”

Selene’s expression when she came into the archive came back to me. Was she upset over Corbin and Frost? Or was Alanna lying as she so often did? “How do you know all of this?”

“Spies, my dear, spies,” she said bluntly. “I have them everywhere.” Her white teeth flashed in the darkness. “And now she has convinced you to let her psychotic human friend go. By the time she’s done with you, Cheney, you will be the laughing stock of the entire fae race. Unwrap yourself from her finger while you still can.”

“Who are you passing what you learn from your spies to?” I asked. Maybe Alanna was our leak.

“Wouldn’t you love to know?”

I grabbed Alanna’s wrist and pulled her hard against the bars of the cell. “If you do anything to threaten my family or position, the last thing I will do as Erlking will be to take your life. Do you understand?”

“When are you going to realize, Cheney, that I am your only true friend?”

“When are
you
going to realize that I will never fall for your trickery or deceit? I mean it, Alanna. Whoever you are working with, you better stop now if you value your life at all.”

“And if you value the life of your pretty queen, then I would put her friend back in the dungeon. She’s dangerous.”

I stared at her for a moment, debating whether or not to believe her. “Like you would ever do anything to help Selene.”

“Perhaps not, but are you willing to gamble on that? Admit it. You’re not sure yourself. Can the human be trusted? Tick-tock, Erlking. You’re living in a house of cards, and the wind is starting to pick up.”