With a massive sigh, Brian hung up, shoved his phone in his pocket, and stabbed a finger into the entrails picture. “Don’t you dare hide anything or lie. Who sent these?”
Joe fished a hankie from his back pocket and sopped a glistening brow. “I don’t know. Like I said, ditching the Bronze Phase wasn’t the right move. But the good news is the Silver Phase is next week, and when you go you can make amends.”
“Fuck off,” Brian yelled at Joe. Hurrying into his shoes, he turned to Helen. “I need to leave. Come to the airport with me. You’re welcome to fly to Los Angeles, but if you need to head back home, I understand. I apologize, I’m…” His voice broke like he battled tears.
Helen’s heart hurt for Brian, but at the same time a sense of duty and obligation crystalized inside of her. Literally, crystalized. She had an idea for how to use the crystals and bust out a Left Hand spell that could help them get to the bottom of this insanity.
The universe had already punished her for choosing the wrong magic, so no putting the genie back in the proverbial bottle. Might as well use the powerful Left Hand path to maximum advantage.
She’d better get bold, take control, and use her witch powers to put Joe in his place and protect Brian and his daughter from harm. This dire situation called for hardcore witchcraft.
“I’ll stay. I have to wrap some things up here before I leave, but I’ll be fine. I promise. You go take care of your daughter, and we’ll be in touch soon.”
Brian closed his eyes. “Are you sure? We have another few shows on the Western seaboard. I’m going to take Tilly along with us for the rest of the tour, never let her out of my sight. After the performances are over, I’ll be free for a bit. The finale is in LA, eight days from now.”
Joe made a nervous noise, like he struggled to suck in oxygen, a second after Brian mentioned the final show. Rubbing Brian’s arm with comforting touches, Helen studied the manager. He picked a sore on his cheek and sent a darting gaze this way and that. Why had he reacted to Brian’s comment about the finale? Did the final show relate to this Silver Phase?
“I’m fine. You focus on your family right now,” she said.
Brian hugged Helen, pressing her to his body and encircling her with both arms in a gesture no doubt as much about his comfort as hers. “Thank you. I’ll ring you as soon as I can.”
She didn’t feel right about letting him slip away, but no way would she stop Brian from taking care of his child. “Sounds good. Keep me updated.”
“Bye for now.” Brian broke the hold, kissed her lips, and joined Thom in the hallway.
“Bye for now.” The words washed her tongue with poison. But this moment was not about Helen or her feelings.
Thom grabbed Joe above the elbow and dragged him behind as he followed Brian.
“My room’s right over there. I’m staying on this floor.” Joe writhed against Thom’s hold.
“Not anymore you aren’t. I texted the front desk and had them disable your key card. My mate Brian said you were fired. Meaning if you don’t cooperate, I’ll have someone much less pleasant than me escort you from the building.”
The three men walked to the golden elevators, Joe bitching his protests.
Helen secured all three locks on the hotel room door. A heat-seeking missile on a mission, she dashed into the living room, shook the bag of crystals onto the carpet, and cracked the grimoire. Her intuition churned like a whirlpool under the sea, frantic and strong.
Chewing her lip as a hunch festered, she arranged the incomplete set of crystals, the sets of seven each missing their clear ones, into two lines. Different shapes and sizes, some shiny and others matte or waxy, they made a motely crew of rainbow nuggets.
Two paths, two groups of crystals.
Dark magic caused a lot of trouble, but she couldn’t turn back now. At some point, perhaps she’d try the Right Hand method of drawing from her inner strengths, but now was not the time. She couldn’t afford to sacrifice power to chance, not when she needed quick results for getting the drop on Joe and helping Brian and Tilly. She had to work harder than ever to protect relationships with those she cared about, and at least she had experience in that area.
Wait, why was she interpreting her actions that way? This situation was completely different from the times she’d labored to win the approval of foster families with her brains, moxie, humor, and adaptability. Right?
Helen made a blubbery noise with her lips and evicted herself from the funhouse of her spinning thoughts. Dipping into the past wasn’t allowed. Time to act, to move, to fight for safety.
She picked up the yellow stone in the Left Hand sequence, its sunny hue bringing a bit of cheer. Yogis associated the color yellow with the manipura chakra, the energy wheel at the navel. And boy, did she have fond memories of finding her inner strength doing meditations associated with that one. Strength sounded useful right about now, too.
The feel of the stone in her palm, smooth and round, pleased her. Meditation centered around this color had helped Helen find conviction, self-confidence, and personal empowerment during a time when she’d lacked all three.
But again, no point in nostalgia. Helen opened the book to the approximate page of the spell she’d done in her apartment before an idea struck her. She could mix Right and Left magic and perhaps mitigate fallout from the darkness.
Speaking of Right Hand practice, astral travel could help crack the demonic sacrifice plot. She’d start by accosting Joe and scaring him into giving
