Hedge Witch Diaries Complete Series Boxed Set, page 49
Jonesy’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Clearly, he hadn’t expected that response. I was done playing games, though. I met Jonesy’s gaze steadily, challenging him to make the next move.
Jonesy held my gaze for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Around us, the bar’s chatter continued obliviously. Finally, he sighed and rubbed a hand down his face.
“All right, Miss Bloom. I can see there’s more going on here than meets the eye,” he conceded. “I know you’ve always tried to do right by this town. So I’m choosing to trust you on this…for now.”
I released a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
“Thank you, Jonesy. I know it’s asking a lot.”
He nodded grimly. “Keep me updated if anything else happens.” He hesitated. “If you see cops on the scene, leave before people ask too many questions. And for god’s sake, avoid doorbell cameras.”
“Got it. Will do, Deputy!”
Jonesy tipped his hat and turned for the door. As it swung shut behind him, I sagged against the bar in relief. That had been too damn close.
“Well, that was exciting,” Charlie deadpanned, appearing beside me to collect empty mugs. “If we’re going to do this, I need a little help. Aiden, care to man the grill?”
“Sure thing, boss.”
Sydney stepped up. “I can wait some tables. I’ve waitressed a few times. Sort of comes with the territory when you’re trying to pay your way through a law degree.”
Charlie nodded. “You’re hired.”
I nodded at Sydney and mouthed, “Thank you.” She winked back at me. When I first found out she was dating Aiden, I had to admit, I was skeptical. She was a Morai witch and intelligent, not to mention beautiful. Aiden was handsome enough, but why would an educated girl give a guy like Aiden the time of day?
It took me a while to figure it out. What Aiden lacked upstairs, he made up for with his heart. He was sweet. He’d do damn near anything for me, as his sister, and just as much for Sydney. Hell, he’d risk his life for pretty much anyone.
He didn’t have any magic at all. Truth be told, though, I’m not sure if any of us would still be alive if it weren’t for Aiden. More than once, he’d risen to the occasion. It didn’t take a lot of bravery to do his job, to man a grill, but it was needed at the time.
“Come on,” I told Charlie. “I’ll show you the way.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
The damn cicadas were screaming so loud I thought my eardrums would burst. Didn’t help that the humidity was thick as pea soup, either. Sweat trickled down my back as I led Charlie and Gareth through the woods, swatting mosquitoes away every few steps.
Up ahead, those spirit critters fluttered between the trees again. Squirrels, songbirds, more deer than I could count, all transparent and glowy. They’d be creepy to anyone else, but to me, they were beautiful, their presence comforting. They seemed happy I was there.
“We close?” Charlie asked, huffing. The path twisted on forever.
I glanced back, lips curled in a sly grin. “Can’t keep up, old man?”
Charlie chuckled. “I’m not that old! Besides, if I wanted to, I could become an eagle and fly ahead. If I knew where I was going.”
I tilted my head. “You can fly? That’s cool.”
“Yeah.” Gareth rolled his eyes. “He can become a bird. What a pecker.”
Charlie glowered at him. “For your information, eagles don’t really ‘peck.’ They devour.”
I chuckled. “Behave, boys. I’d really like it if you two could get along. If we do this, I’m not sure what it will be like. Tapping into old memories from some past life as a goddess. I’ve barely scratched the surface, and what little I’ve managed to access is overwhelming.”
“Heaven forbid,” Gareth chuckled. “You’re going to remember what it’s like to be worshipped as a goddess. Must be tough!”
I flipped him off, making him laugh. We all knew I wasn’t too thrilled about this past life regression crap. But if it helped stop the apocalypse…
“Right over this ridge,” I announced. We crested the hill, and there it was. The stone circle, nestled amongst the trees. Massive slabs of granite standing over ten feet tall, encircling a clearing. I’d seen plenty of pictures of places like Stonehenge, but this was different. Magical.
Memories already charged the energy of the place. Where Dorian and I kissed the first time. The nights we spent under the stars. The first time I realized my abilities were more than a quirk, that I was actually a witch and cast a few spells.
“Hot damn,” Charlie whispered. “Ain’t nothing like this anywhere this side of the Atlantic. It’s almost like this place was lifted right from the British Isles and dropped in the Ozarks.”
I drifted toward the center, fingers trailing along the weathered boulders. Power thrummed under my touch. “Dorian made this place. I’m not entirely sure how he did it. He has a unique connection with forest and water spirits.”
Charlie joined me in the circle and started unpacking a knapsack of supplies he’d retrieved from his office back at the bar. Candles, incense, crystals. He arranged them carefully around the perimeter while I stood awkwardly, not sure what to do.
“Have a seat right there in the middle.” Charlie motioned to a flat stone.
I sat cross-legged, trying to calm my nerves. Gareth lingered at the edge of the trees, giving me an encouraging smile. I drew a deep breath and closed my eyes.
The flutter of wings made me open them again. Little blue lights danced amongst the trees, spirit animals that had followed us from the bar. I grinned. Having their energy around always gave me courage.
“All right, let’s begin.” Charlie lit the candles. Their glow softened the shadows. “I want you to relax and open your mind. Let my voice guide you into a meditative state.”
I closed my eyes once more. Charlie began a low chant in a language I didn’t recognize. The sound wrapped around me, soothing and rhythmic. I felt myself sinking deeper like I was floating in warm water.
Then, a wave of energy rippled through my body. I gasped softly. It was Charlie’s magic, resonating with my own, blending together. An image took shape in my mind. A tall, regal woman with dark hair and kohl-rimmed eyes. Isis. Myself, from another life.
I stared at Isis, transfixed. The image sharpened, and suddenly, I was no longer in the stone circle. I stood in a golden wheat field, the sun warm on my face. I didn’t see Isis ahead of me. Now, I was Isis. Her eyes were mine, but I wasn’t in control of my actions. I was in my own mind like a spectator. In the distance, I saw the Nile River glittering.
Isis bent next to a wooden box on the riverbank. With a jolt, I realized it contained Osiris’ remains. This was the moment when Isis had brought her beloved back to life.
I watched as Isis began channeling her magic. I knew that power. The air shimmered with magical energy. It was the same power I’d used when I’d raised the dead before. Slowly, Osiris emerged from the box, resurrected.
Minus an important organ between the legs. A fish had gotten the worm. That part was gone forever.
That wasn’t the strangest thing. His face was blank, devoid of any features. I couldn’t manipulate Isis’ eyes to squint and focus more. I could only see as she saw, and for whatever reason, she didn’t react in any way that suggested she was shocked.
It wasn’t that Osiris’s face was gone. More like it was blurred, absent from my memory. He certainly didn’t appear in his natural form, the way I’d encountered him before. This was in the flesh, in a body mostly like a man. Then again, perhaps the animal head came and went. Yes, that was it. I remembered now. Why was his face blocked from my memory?
All I knew was it couldn’t have been by accident. Someone had altered that memory, prevented it from being passed along through whatever whacked-out realm my spirit floated across between my prior life and this one. Or, maybe someone had wiped my mind after that. Before I realized who I used to be in a past life. Perhaps I didn’t want to remember. Was his loss so painful on a subconscious level I erased his face from my memory as a defense mechanism?
All a bunch of theories. Any one of them could be right, or none of them. It was strange, though. Someone, whether myself or someone malicious, didn’t want me remembering what Osiris looked like.
His appearance was only part of the issue at hand. I saw my hand grab Osiris’ as an energy enveloped them both. A crowd gathered around, all tracing strange geometric patterns through the air. Different ingredients were brought forth and cast back into the river from which Isis had drawn Osiris.
Then the river burst with power into the sky, forming a wall as high as my divine eyes could see.
We were sealing the veil. Raising Osiris broke the veil between life and death, as I’d done when I resurrected Darth Gareth’s victims. At the time, I hadn’t recovered the memories to know what I was doing, the consequences that would follow, or how to fix it.
The problem? This ritual to fix the veil was more complex than the power Isis used to resurrect Osiris. Far more complicated. It involved dozens of magicians, Djedi, and Egyptian netters. After they deposited the ingredients into the river, the two gods—me and Osiris—combined their power to cast it.
The vision faded. I was floating back up through layers of consciousness. With a gasp, I opened my eyes. I was sitting in the stone circle again, my heart pounding.
I had seen the secret to repairing the veil and stopping the apocalypse. Now, I had to figure out how to make it happen. Something told me Balzac wouldn’t make it easy.
I inhaled deeply, trying to steady myself after the intense vision. The stone circle hummed with residual energy. I glanced at Charlie and Gareth.
“You all right there?” Charlie asked, his brow furrowed in concern. He could always tell when I’d had a rough spellcasting sesh.
“I’m good.” I got to my feet shakily. The spirit animals were still fluttering amongst the trees, their presence reassuring. “It was intense, but I saw what I needed to see.”
“So you know how to fix the veil now?” Gareth asked eagerly, stepping closer.
I nodded. “I saw how Isis did it when she resurrected Osiris, but I’m not sure we have the resources needed to pull it off.”
“What do we need?” Gareth asked.
“Well, I saw several ingredients native to Egypt,” I explained. “Things like red sandstone and the oil of a Terebinth tree.” I paused, counting off more items on my fingers. “We’d also need magic from at least twelve Djedi as well as the power of another god added to mine.” Unless any Djedi and gods were running around willing to help, that might not be possible.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? I looked at Charlie and Gareth.
“Any ideas, guys?”
Gareth pinched his chin. “The Morai are basically the descendants of the netters, the Djedi. Sydney can gather enough of the coven to help. The ingredients shouldn’t be difficult, given my ability to teleport. Finding another god who is willing to help? Well, Set clearly won’t do it. Any chance you could summon Osiris or talk to Horus again?”
I dragged in a breath. “Maybe, but Osiris was incarnate when he did it. I can’t tell you how, but that was a necessary part of it. The spell has to be cast using a single front from one side of the veil. In other words, it must be a god reincarnated like me.”
Gareth scratched his head. “But not Set.”
“How many gods are there walking the earth?” Charlie asked.
I sighed. “We don’t know of any others. How do we even go about trying to find another reincarnated god? I didn’t even realize who I was until I put on that ring. I might never have learned of my past life otherwise.”
Gareth tilted his head. “Perhaps we can reach out to some of our brethren. It stands to reason that if there’s another god or goddess in the flesh, he or she is among our witches. It’s a matter of figuring out whose abilities might stand out, like yours did, suggesting they’re something more. Something unique.”
Charlie paced around the circle. “Does the god have to be Egyptian?”
I shrugged. “Not sure. I mean, I sort of assumed. I don’t know why or why not.”
“If you cannot find any of your Egyptian deities reincarnate, I might know someone from my Celtic tradition.”
I interrupted Charlie. “Wait, are you saying there’s a chance we could use a Celtic deity to help fix the veil?”
Charlie nodded. “Yes, a few come to mind. The Morrigan, for example, is known for her ability to control fate and death. She could potentially help us with this task.”
Gareth furrowed his brow. “Would she be willing to help us? We don’t exactly have a good track record with the deities we’ve encountered so far.”
“It’s worth a shot,” I stated. “We can at least try to reach out to her and see if she’s willing to lend her power to our cause.”
“Okay,” Charlie replied. “I can send a message to my contacts in the Celtic community and see if they know of any possible reincarnate deities. I can also try to make contact with the Morrigan and see if she’s willing to help.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Charlie.”
“I’ll do the same,” Gareth added. “Sydney and I will reach out to other Coptic witches and see what we can find out. I’ll also work on gathering the necessary ingredients. Teleportation helps.”
“What about me?” I asked. “I need something to do!”
“Want to go wait on a few tables?” Charlie asked.
I snorted. “Not really. Still, it beats sitting on my ass waiting for you guys, or waiting until Balzac does something bad, or some dead guy goes homicidal.”
Charlie laughed and slapped me on the back. “That’s the spirit! Let’s head back to the bar. You can relieve Sydney, train her, or whatever, so she can go with Gareth. I’ll need some time in my office to reach out to my contacts.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The hazy glow of neon beer signs and dusty track lighting greeted me like an old friend as I pushed through the tinted glass door and walked into Charlie’s. Sydney stood behind the bar, her blonde hair frizzing out every which way like she’d stuck a fork in a socket.
“Oh, thank goddess, you’re here.” She wiped her hands on a rag. “This shit isn’t easy. It makes my contract law classes seem like child’s play.”
Grace winked at Sydney. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You did great!”
Sydney laughs. “Thanks, Grace.” She turned back to me. “That woman is a gem.”
“Hey, Syd,” Gareth called. “Come with me. We have work to do back at Morai HQ.”
“Says who?” Sydney cocked her head. “Lest you forget, I’m in charge there now, you dirty hedge.”
Gareth laughed. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll explain on the way.”
“Thanks, Sydney,” Charlie told her. “You’re welcome to work a shift any time. Might have to get you on the books, you know, to make it legal and all.”
“I’ll think about it,” Sydney replied. “Appreciated!”
“I’ll take the apron,” I offered. “I could use something familiar at the moment. Never thought I’d crave monotony, but given all this craziness…”
Sydney handed me her pad and apron. Mine were back at the trailer. I could make do.
With a nod, Charlie shuffled back to his office and shut the door firmly. Gareth and Sydney left to do their research. Everyone was off looking for gods. Thankfully, the bar was bare, and the restaurant was mostly empty. Only a few locals enjoying coffee in the corner.
I leaned against the bar next to Grace, who inclined toward me, her red curls dangling in front of inquisitive eyes.
“So, how are things going?” Grace asked, her voice low. “You ran off earlier looking stressed as all get out. Charlie too. Everything okay?”
I sighed, wiping down a section of the bar with a rag. “It’s complicated.”
“I’ll bet.” Grace glanced toward Charlie’s office. “What’s up with you two anyway? He sure lit out of here quick when you called.”
I shook my head. “Men are the last thing on my mind right now, trust me.”
“Oh really?” Grace raised an eyebrow. “Could’ve fooled me. That Ken Doll follows you around like a lost puppy. And Charlie, well, that man has it for you something fierce.”
“We’re friends,” I stated firmly. “I’ve got way too much going on to even think about anything else.”
I gave her a small smile before turning back to wipe down the bar. Grace meant well, but she didn’t understand. How could she? Ever since remembering my past life as the goddess Isis, it seemed every man I came across was trying to get with me. Charlie, Gareth, even that bastard Balzac. It was getting ridiculous.
Grace must have noticed my brooding expression. “What’s eating you, sugar?”
I tossed the rag down with a huff. “All my life, men have barely noticed me. They noticed my ass, that’s about it. Never me.”
Grace made a sympathetic noise. “Story of my life, hun.”
“Now, suddenly, every dude I talk to for more than five minutes thinks he’s in love with me.” I threw my hands up in exasperation. “I don’t get it!”
Grace laughed a throaty chuckle. “Aw, poor you. Must be so hard having all those hot men falling all over themselves for your attention.”
I shot her a look. “Oh, shut it, you. It’s not as great as it sounds.”
Her eyes twinkled with mirth. “In that case, you should take two at once. Could be fun.”
I rolled my eyes at her suggestion. “Yeah, no thanks. I’m not interested in juggling multiple men.”
She leaned on the bar, eyebrows raised. “Not even slightly tempted by the idea? Come on, live a little!”
“Maybe in some other life, but not this one.” I snorted.
Grace sighed dramatically. “You’re no fun. I guess you’ve never been the type to jump right into bed with someone.”
“Not really my style.” I started wiping down the bar again, hoping she’d drop it.
