Maritza Brodeur: 42-years-old. Born on Nov. 1 in a graveyard in San Miguel de Allende, México. Witch. Cultural Anthropologist. Necromancer (acquired). Professor of Necromantic Studies at University of Toronto; currently on sabbatical. Sister to Malvyn. Aunt to Leilani.
Salt Spring Island: Located in the Salish Sea, SSI is sandwiched between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia.
Malvyn Brodeur: 44-years-old. Born in México. Sorcerer. Master Jeweler. Enforcer for the Board of Magical Governance. Married to James. Father to Leilani.
James Brodeur: 45-years-old. Half-witch, half-human. Botanist. Married to Malvyn. Father to Leilani.
Margarita Bordador: Of indeterminate age. Lifelong resident of México. Witch. Wife of Carlos Bordador. Mother to Malvyn, Moira (deceased), and Maritza.
Carlos Bordador: Of indeterminate age. Lifelong resident of México. Witch. Husband of Margarita Bordador. Father to Malvyn, Moira (deceased), and Maritza.
Alabastair Nekrosine: 32-years-old. Born on Nov. 1 in a private hospital for Magicals in Toronto, Ontario. Necromancer. First-born son of Gwendolyn and Serge Nekrosine of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Felicia: 28-years-old. Personal Assistant to Malvyn and James Brodeur. House manager of the Brodeur estate on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Diego: 52-years-old. Majordomo for the Brodeur estate. Master fixer of broken things.
Leilani Brodeur: 18-years-old. Witch. Entering her final year of high school. Showing signs of becoming an Imbuatrix.
Moira Brodeur: (deceased at age 36). Witch. Skilled Binder. Wife of Heriberto del Valle. Mother to Alderose, Beryl, and Clementine Brodeur.
Demesne (dih-meyn, -meen): To belong. To be held in Demesne is to become adjoined, possessed by another being. A rare genetic condition amongst Magicals, Demesne occurs most frequently amongst spellcasters (witches, sorcerers, etc.).
Chapter 1
“Maritza, put that dish down. You’re making me nervous.”
My brother, Malvyn, the cultured and confident Enforcer for the Board of Magical Governance, was reduced to a nervous pup whenever our parents visited from México. The piece of redware responsible for giving him the vapors was produced in a village in Michoacán and our mother always stashed a few of the dishes in her luggage. Each bowl, with its crimped edges, unglazed exterior, and hand-painted motifs, arrived coddled in newspaper and embroidered squares.
“These are the newer bowls,” I reminded him. “Mamá will take her vintage pieces to the grave, just like our ancestors.”
“As long as she doesn’t ask me to entomb her under our kitchen, she can be buried with whatever she wants.” Malvyn drew a chef’s apron out of a drawer, flicked it open, and tied it around his waist.
“What? Are you afraid her spirit will stick around?” I asked. Teasing my brother was a lifelong pastime and just because we were both over forty didn’t mean either of us would stop.
“No, I’m afraid this house was built on a rock. If Mamá wanted the tomb treatment, we would have to lift this entire section and I doubt James would agree to that or to the use of dynamite anywhere near his plants.”
“Mamá would haunt you anyways, you know. She’ll never forgive you for changing our last name.” Our mother would continue to opine on that and other matters after her death. Given my talent for talking with the dead, I would be her dutiful conduit.
Heart warmed by the comfort of our sibling back-and-forth, I finished loading the shallow bowls with condiments. Finely chopped white onions, cilantro, and parsley. Pickled red onion escabeche. Tomatillo salsa verde and a multi-hued salsa fresca made with heirloom tomatoes from my brother-in-law’s greenhouse. Malvyn leaned over the prep counter and approved the offerings. “Felicia said your apprentice is here.”
“Changing the topic, querido?” I asked, arranging everything onto a carrying tray and adding a silver spoon to each bowl.
“I’m just looking after my little sister.” My brother’s head and shoulders disappeared into one of the side-by-side refrigerators. “It’s not like you to invite an apprentice to reside with you.”
I snorted. “No, you’re being nosy. My apprentice and I have a lot of ground to cover in twelve months and I would rather we establish our compatibility as early as possible. If Alabastair doesn’t work out, then I shall regard this as vacation time and reopen the application process when I return to Toronto.”
“You know we’re available should you desire our counsel.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your concern, big brother.” Peeking over Mal’s rounded back, I pointed to a package of cotija cheese. Our mother had tucked it into her luggage alongside cellophane packets of dried cascabel chilis and more of the redware bowls. With the amount of food and gifts she brought, I had to wonder how she and Papi got everything through the portals. “Hand me that, will you?”
I untied the string and unfolded the wax-coated paper. The cheese had started to crumble around the edges. I had to step onto the footstool to reach the larger Patamban bowls and ended up choosing the one decorated with facing swans painted in a rich, brown glaze.
“And just to ease your mind,” I added, breaking the cheese into chunks, “Alabastair’s referrals were stellar. His essays piqued my interest much more than any of the other applicants and as a born necromancer, he can access the dead in ways I cannot.
“Besides, the Nekrosines are such stuffed shirts about their prized lineage that to have their firstborn son campaign to apprentice with me? How could I resist?”
Malvyn’s deep laugh sounded behind me as I smiled to myself and waltzed through the kitchen’s swinging doors. They swished closed, gently nudging my backside and propelling me into the capacious room. I placed the loaded tray on the table set for eight—seven for the living, and one for the dead—and distributed the filled bowls.
“Maritza?” I swore my brother could send his voice around corners.
“What?” I asked, returning to the doors and pressing one open with my hip. “You don’t have to yell. I’m right here.”
“When were you planning to change for dinner? James should be ready for cocktails in fifteen minutes and Leilani has promised us one of her desserts.”
“I’ll go do it now.” I was thrilled that one of the benefits of my three-month stay would be more time
