“Thank you,” said Lochlan, who fast-walked me to the door.
A stunning woman with an angelic face stood with her hand raised to ring the doorbell again.
“Oh, pardon me,” she said.
“It’s fine,” Lochlan reassured the woman. “We were just leaving.”
Once we were out of hearing range, I rounded on the fae. “What’s your deal? About that –” the words lodged in my throat. Lousy blood oath. It blocked me from saying anything.
“You know what we heard. There’s a connection even if we can’t share the information with the others. We need to act on this, dawdling while he makes those love-struck puppy eyes at you is pointless.”
I smiled. Lochlan was jealous and it thrilled me. Seeing my reaction, he made a growl.
We went to Livinia’s house, and as always, she opened the door before we knocked.
“Hurry up. Sure took you long enough. Why must you always wait until it’s almost too late to see me?” she muttered.
Lochlan looked confused as Livinia left us and went into the house. He’d either get used to the diviner’s ways or he wouldn’t. His comfortability was a non-issue at this point.
“What are you waiting for?” she asked.
We followed after her and she walked deeper into her house, confident that we’d follow her into the ritual chamber. She didn’t stop until we reached her blood-stained altar. It looked the same as every time I’d visited. There was a dragon-boned dagger that she used as an athame, a bowl for the blood, and other herbs for spell casting.
“Why do you seek me out?” she asked.
“Don’t you already know?”
“Don’t be pertinent. Why?” asked Livinia.
“I need an amulet to repel or protect me from demons,” I said.
“Hmm …,” she said as her gaze shifted to Muffin. “Ebony, it’s been a while,” said Livinia.
“Actually, his name is Muffin.”
“Is that what you’re calling yourself these days? If one such as this came to you, then you need this amulet more than you know. You are on a very dangerous path.”
I shivered at her words and goosebumps spread over my arms.
“I don’t have the offering.”
“I’ll do it for free,” she said.
Livinia always required a fee because there was a price to the magic she used. And, that price was a living sacrifice. Last time, I’d sacrificed a chinchilla – one of my favorite animals. It was unpleasant to say the least.
Her offer to help without payment scared me more than anything else. What did she know that I didn’t? And, how did she know Muffin?
“Before you launch questions at me, I’ll tell you nothing. This is your path to walk and your burden to carry. I cannot interfere. Even creating this amulet for you could be seen as assistance.”
“We are grateful for your help,” said Lochlan – ever the charming diplomat. He was right. I should be grateful and I was making a muck out of the situation. There’d be time later to puzzle through what Livinia was and wasn’t saying.
“Can you help me, old friend?” asked Livinia.
Since when did she call me “friend,” but that thought was crushed when Muffin left me and knelt next to the altar. What is he doing? He nuzzled against Livinia before holding out his paw. She took it and held tightly. Livinia sliced down with her athame and blood spilled out into the bowl on the ground. Lochlan held me back with a restraining hand, or I’d have attacked her for injuring my animal.
“Easy there. I took what was freely offered. No harm will come to your companion. Look now,” she urged.
I did as she suggested and saw that the wound was already closed. Not a single mark remained to show Muffin was ever injured.
Muffin return to my side and Livinia went to the altar to work her magic. The scent of incense filled the room and she hummed, while tossing in herbs and other ingredients into the bowl.
Her chanting increased in tempo and sound. She threw a handful of herbs into the bowl. The blood sizzled and smoke filtered up from it. My ears popped, not in a painful way, but it was still unsettling.
A triumphant Livinia held up a small, colored stone roughly the size of a large coin. As she carried it to me, its colors shifted from blues to greens to yellows and even purples. It was beautiful. She tied a string to it before handing it to me.
“This does more than protect you from demons. It also keeps you safe the next time you encounter the Dark One.”
That certainly got my attention. On the last visit, I’d ask her to help me find Jennica. We found out that she’d was kidnapped by magic thieves. Until then, none of us knew that you could steal a supernatural’s magic. During that visit, Livinia had a vision and in it a spider or what she called “the dark one” was a threat to me and overcoming future challenges was a matter of life and death. I believe my father is the Dark One. What was he mixed up in and how bad is it for the world?
“You may leave now,” said Livinia, who bustled us out the door with more questions than answers.
I guided Lochlan and Muffin back to the Top Side. As before, Slav nearly passed out from fright when he saw the devil dog.
The amulet was warm against my chest and rather than provide comfort, it brought only worry and fears bubbling to the surface.
20
One trip down, another to go. After hearing what Garen and Livinia said, I’d need to get answers from them. The Sisters were keeping secrets – ones that could get Zander or the rest of us killed.
“You’re quiet. Don’t tell me that you’re nervous about seeing the Sisters,” said Lochlan.
“Oh please, I could kick their creepy butts, half blind and missing a hand.”
“So, why are you so quiet?”
“I’m worried about controlling myself. The last time I was
