covencraft 04 - dry spells (40 page)

“Big green! Hey buddy! Oh, I’m so glad to see you. Look! You have a patch on your neck too.” Jade grabbed Bruce by the snout and angled his head a bit. He immediately presented his throat to Jade where he had a matching marble patch infused into his lizard skin in a separate spot from where he still had a scaly, red spot. “Sorry about that, bud. Gorgons! What can you do?”

“Pffffft.”

“That’s exactly what I said.”

Jade turned just as Lily came beside her and crouched down, her arms coming around Jade. Between Bruce and Lily, with Paris standing by, Jade felt her throat go tight and wetness spill down her cheeks.

“Are you all right?” Paris asked, bending slightly over her and placing his hand on her shoulder.

“Yes,” Jade said, forcing the word out. “I just have something in my eye. Like a branch or a tree.”

Lily guffawed in her ear and Jade couldn’t stop a giggle from escaping her throat. Bruce rolled over and presented his belly to the three of them.

“You’re back.”

At the strange, cultured voice, Bruce flipped over, belly down and stood at attention next to Jade. Lily, Jade and Paris turned to where Sakkara stood before them, staring at them with an unreadable expression. Jade could felt happiness ooze out of her body at Sakkara’s presence, disintegrating and sinking into the ground.

“Every party needs a pooper, and that’s what they called you for,” Jade muttered, pushing herself to her feet. “Honestly, you couldn’t wait five minutes? I haven’t even had a chance to get real clothes on.” She gestured to the yoga suit and flip flops she was wearing, courtesy of Yvonne.

“Sakkara.” Paris’ tone was short and clipped. It was always kind of short and clipped because, hello, British! But it was even more so as he faced Sakkara. Looking at them, Jade had the impression of a long, dark cold war; no outward emotions or breaks in protocols, only frigid questions and terse responses.

“I hoped to resolve this quickly,” Sakkara replied. Jade found it strange to have Sakkara’s gaze focused on her. Sakkara’s eyes were almost identical to Paris’. Clear, sharp, intense blue. She liked looking at Paris’ eyes, yet wanted to look away from Sakkara’s. She forced herself to match Sakkara’s gaze. “You seem none too worse for the wear. I knew you were more than capable of traversing the demon landscape and surviving the Gorgon.”

“Don’t even,” Jade said. Sakkara blinked in confusion. “You sent me to the Dearth with nothing but the clothes on my back.”

“If I recall correctly,” Sakkara began and already the pitch of her voice made Jade want to dart forward and start clawing her, “you took a demon with you for guidance.”

Jade exhaled sharply through her nose, Bruce echoing the gesture. “I guess I’m lucky he’s more trustworthy and reliable than you are.”

“Burnnnnnn,” Lily said under her breath. Jade could hear the smirk in her tone and knew exactly what expression she had on her face.

“What do you want, Sakkara?” Paris asked, coming to stand next to Jade. Bruce angled his lizard body in front of Paris and Jade, with Lily standing just behind them.

“I’ve come for the object Jade retrieved.”

“The Osiris box,” Jade stated.

“If that’s what you wish to call it, yes.”

Jade looked at Paris then down at his hand, where he held the Osiris box in a tight grip. “Well, give it to her.”

“Are you certain?” Paris asked.

“Paris -“ Sakkara began.

Paris turned his back to her. “Is what you want?” he asked Jade.

Jade frowned. “What the hell am I going to do with it?”

“I don’t know. Anything you want. I don’t want you to think you have to do this. That you don’t have any choices here.”

“She appreciates that,” Lily chimed in from behind Jade. Jade glanced over her shoulder at her double. “What? You do.”

“Just give it to her.” Jade glanced at Sakkara standing just behind Paris. “And then maybe she’ll go and never come back.” Jade thought about what she said and wished she’d done the thinking part first. “You know, unless you want to see her,” she added to Paris. “I mean, ‘cause she’s your mom. Even if she’s a bitch. Again, sorry, not sorry.”

Paris’ expression was a mixture of amusement and resignation. “Very well.” He turned back to Sakkara and held out the Osiris box, his arm straight and true.

Sakkara reached out, almost hesitating, and wrapped her long, pale fingers around the box. She sighed as she did. “My mistress will be so pleased.”

Jade patted her spa pants where there should be pockets but were none, then her chest, then held her hands out comically empty in front of her. “Oh, look at that! I’m all out of fucks to give.”

Sakkara’s lips thinned. “As I said before, you’ve got pluck, but your vulgarity is unbecoming.”

“And as I said to you, then stop becoming around.”

“It’s suppose there may be some undesirables that find your attitude attractive.” She turned to Paris and gave him the nastiest look Jade had ever seen cross the face of a woman that beautiful.

“Yeah, because you’re an excellent judge of character,” Jade replied. “B-T-dubs, say hello to your demon mistress for me.”

Sakkara gave her one more dirty look and then opened the lid on the box, the hinge of it creaking as she did. She frowned. “This is not all of it.”

Jade felt her stomach sink. “Well that’s all I was given.”

Sakkara snapped the box shut. “There was supposed to be more in here.”

“Bring it up with management.” Jade felt scared and defensive all at once. Lily’s hand landed on her shoulder, a warm, welcome weight. Bruce wiggled his butt, standing in front of her. “You sent me to get a box. There it is. If it doesn’t have what you want, that’s your problem.”

“The Gorgon was supposed to have-“

“Go talk to your mistress, or her brother,” Jade spat out, thinking of Seth and all the things he knew but kept secret. “I did what you wanted. Your runes released me.” Jesus, she hoped she was right. If she had to go back, if she was stuck there again… She took a step backward and Sakkara moved forward, toward her.

Until Paris stepped in front of her.

“Sakkara.”

Sakkara paused, shifting her gaze from Jade to Paris. Jade felt all the air she’d been holding release from her lungs.

“I’m still your mother, even if you refuse to call me that,” Sakkara said.

Paris ignored her statement. “Jade retrieved what you asked for. If you asked for the wrong thing, that’s on you.”

Sakkara swallowed, eyes darting down to the Osiris box and back up to Paris. “You think on what I said. About how to run your Coven. Things that need to be done. Decisions that need to be made.”

Jade didn’t know what Sakkara meant, or maybe she was afraid she did. While Jade had been trapped in the Dearth, Paris had been here, with her whispering in his ear, telling him god knows what.

“Goodbye,” Paris said, pausing before he added, “Sakkara.”

She visibly stiffened at the use of her name. She nodded her head once. “Goodbye.”

She was gone in a flash of light that gave off a bit of heat, flushing Jade’s skin and sending a shudder through her body.

“Okay!” Lily said, clapping her hands together. “Who wants coffee?”

#

Jade jerked awake, not sure why. She’d been dreaming of the Dearth, but it hadn’t been horrific or even particularly distressing. She’d been in the car with Seth, a long road stretched out before them, under the starless sky. Okay, the starless sky was still nausea-inducing, but she’d had worse nightmares. Even the anxiety ones where she was taking an exam for a class she had no recollection of being registered for were more distressing than sitting in that car. To her left, Lily slept soundly, curled away from Jade on her side. Bruce snoozed at the end of the bed, his pink tongue lolling out of his mouth slightly.

Then Jade felt it. A slight tug at her mind. Kind of like the feeling when she thought she left the oven on, or when she was at the drugstore knowing she was forgetting the exact thing she went shopping for, but not remembering what it was. She flipped back the covers and got out of bed, careful not to disturb Bruce or Lily. Not that it would be an issue much longer. They were going to change the guest room into a room for Lily. Though Jade hated the word, it wasn’t normal for them to keep sharing a room, a bed. They weren’t children. They weren’t the same person. They never had been, no matter what it felt like. It wasn’t like Lily was going anywhere; it was just across the hall - but Jade still felt kind of sad about it.

As she made her way downstairs, she suspected what had woken her up so suddenly before she actually made her way into the kitchen. Seth was leaning against the doorjamb, like some kind of male fashion model - as though people just stood around looking good all day. Well, she guessed male models kind of did.

“Hello, Possum. I wasn’t sure you’d hear me pressing up against your demon wards.” He dragged his finger through the air just at the barrier and Jade felt the motion against her magic, tugging at her. She crossed over to the cabinet and took out two wine glasses. One of Seth’s eyebrows came up as she set them down in front of the pantry. She grabbed a bottle of wine from the liquor cabinet and unscrewed the cap as she hunkered down, sitting cross-legged in front of Seth. He hitched his dark jeans up slightly and then mirrored her position.

“Oh, Possum. Still a screw top?”

“It’s a merlot this time,” Jade answered.

“But screw top? Ugh.”

“I can’t believe you’ve got the nerve to complain about my wine choices after what you made me drink at the demon tiki bar. That was paint thinner.” She poured Seth a generous glass of wine and then carefully pushed it through the barrier.

“I know. Why do you think I’m so particular about what I have when I’m topside? Only the finest.” He sniffed the wine and wrinkled his nose slightly. “This was probably not even twenty dollars for the bottle.”

“I’ll make sure to get something with a cork for you next time.”

He pantomimed crying and fanning his face. “Be still my heart. Are we besties now? Shall I tell you about my first time? Flaying someone, I mean.”

Jade pursed her lips and poured her own glass of wine. She may not fear Seth as much as she had, but she still definitely preferred him on his side of the demon warding. She took a large drink despite knowing it would be hell trying to sleep if she had too much wine.

Seth took a drink of his own and rocked his head side to side a little. Jade almost missed his weird pointy ears atop his head. Just his regular scalp now. Or maybe it was regular when he had ears. She didn’t know. “Not completely horrific. Not great either, but it’ll do, Possum.” He swirled the glass and then held it up, to the meager pantry light. Jade knew wine people did that to check something, but she didn’t know what. “I assume since you weren’t banished back to the Dearth that Mother Dearest got what she came for?”

“You knew that box didn’t have the
entire
thing.”

Seth shrugged one shoulder. “Honestly, it’s been hundreds of years. I can’t be expected to keep track of every bit and bauble I’ve touched.”

“Not even when it involves your sister? And her dead husband? Thanks for keeping that to yourself, by the way. Jackass.”

“I’m the devil you know, Possum. Yes, I keep things from you. You know this. You expect this.”

“It would have been nice to have some warning.”

Seth’s face went flat. “I owe you nothing. I assist you at times because you amuse me. After thousands of years, not much does. Instead of being churlish about it, you should be asking yourself other questions.”

Jade swallowed a mouthful of wine, feeling nervous. “Like?”

It was Seth’s turn to roll his eyes. “Though you amuse me, I grow weary of spoon feeding you everything.” He sighed, his entire demeanor chastising her. “Even though it ended up having nothing to do with defeating Medusa, how did Sakkara and her mistress know about your special talent with Lily?”

That very question had been poking at Jade’s brain like a forgotten clothing tag in a shirt, scratching at her, turning the skin raw and red.

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t you?”

“Why don’t you tell me?”

“Ah, but I can’t tell you about other demon deals.”

Jade frowned, confused. “I know that Sakkara has a demon deal. With your sister.”

“But you don’t know why.”

“Does it matter?”

Seth sighed, gulping down his glass of wine and pushing it through the barrier. Jade refilled his glass and carefully sent it back. “Honestly, it’s a good thing you’re relatively okay looking for a human.”

Jade didn’t care what Seth thought of her, but the comment still stung her basic vanity. She resisted the urge to check that her hair was neat, or that she didn’t have face cream blobbed on her face.

“Think about the games immortals play, Possum. Can you imagine how boring it all seems for us at times? How time stretches out endlessly?”

“Okay,” Jade hedged. She had no idea where Seth was going with this.

“How long do you suppose a human lifespan seems to us?” He snapped his fingers. “How quickly does it pass?” He snapped again. “How disposable are you to us? Faceless. Perhaps soulless. Like mannequins in the mall. Or statues in a garden.”

Jade felt her arms break out in gooseflesh. Seth’s words immediately reminded her of Medusa when she said how many others there had been before Jade, all trying to retrieve the Osiris box. She thought of Sakkara’s mistress, trying and failing to recover what she desperately wanted. She thought of Sakkara, arriving and telling her about Medusa. Jade and Lily had shared their sight then.
It’s exactly what we’d hoped
, Sakkara had said. She’d been expecting it. She’d known.

Then, another memory came to her. Jade remembered Sakkara, when she’d still been the Sparrow Lady, telling Jade she’d always had magic, that she used to be part of the Coven.

“I’m the first witch born outside the Coven. I’m different.”

“You are different. I made you different.
We
made you different.”

Wine sloshed over the rim of her glass and Jade set it down, her hands shaking.

“There you go,” Seth murmured. “It’s always so satisfying when you finally put a puzzle together isn’t it?”