The lights over the cutting table fizzled and popped before they gave out.
“We’re spending the night here, aren’t we?” I asked.
“Looks like we’re stuck for a while,” said Kostya. “At least until the wind settles.”
“Not if I can help it.” Beryl swirled and launched herself toward the back of the store, the tip of her pocket wand lighting the way. “There’s an umbrella in the office. I’ll get Rosey’s car. The hotel’s holding a reservation for me. We can settle in, watch a movie, finish the champagne and dessert, and come back tomo—”
What sounded like a shovelful of gravel slammed against the windows. Beryl squeaked.
“Is it sleeting now?” Alderose asked. “My pants are going to get ruined in this weather.”
Ever-practical Beryl’s solution to our sister’s whining was to inform her there was a box of black plastic trash bags in the bathroom and that Alderose could wear one over her legs.
My ears had perked up at Beryl’s plan. Hotel Northampton had a swank factor I loved as a little girl. With the chill settling in, I was in full support of cozying up in Beryl’s room. I was about to chime in with my vote when something outside caught my attention.
Beyond the front of the store, two orange dots wavered from the depths of the pewter-colored light. As the dots crossed the street, they paused to let a flyaway umbrella pass, then stopped in front of the shop’s door. I shuffled closer to Kostya.
A being with glowing orbs for eyes, cloaked in coal-black rainwear, raised its arms. Its reach out-spanned Kostya’s. One hand pushed the slicker’s hood back while the other rattled the door handle.
Beryl squirmed against me and whispered, “Who is that? They must be a hella powerful Magical. I know my cloaking spells work.”
Kostya shoved us behind him. Now that the figure was at the window, I could see that what I thought were eyes were actually aviator goggles fitted with side shields. The being pushed the goggles to his forehead and rapped his knuckles against the glass.
“Is it waving at us?” Alderose leaned forward from the waist, then swiveled her shoulders. “It’s waving at us. Like it expects us to know who it is.”
The repeated tapping and waving drew Kostya toward the door. Within two steps, he’d fired up one hand—literally; he was a fire demon and could conjure the element at will—and flicked his wrist. The coiled metal cuff he wore transformed into a slender whip that crackled and spat like fireworks.
“Identify yourself,” he bellowed.
The being on the other side of the door showed both palms before pulling an ID badge on a chain out from underneath his shirt. Whatever they pressed to the glass brought Kostya off high alert. He doused his flames, snapped the whip back onto his wrist, and unlocked the door.
“Thank you for letting me in without prior notice,” the very tall, bald, deep-voiced visitor said. “My name is Alabastair Nekrosine. I was sent by Maritza Brodeur. Your aunt.” He waited. The drops of sleet quivering on his shoulders began to melt while Kostya studied the identification card and punched at his phone. Satisfied with whatever information lit up the screen, he passed the badge to Alderose. Beryl and I gathered close.
The ID had been provided by the same agency as Kostya’s.
“You’re a necromancer,” I said, appraising the clean-shaven visitor in the black mock turtleneck. Within seconds, he’d gone from being frightening to being an object of interest.
“I am,” he said. His pale gray eyes crinkled at the corners as he attempted a smile. “I am also Maritza’s apprentice. And her partner. Her romantic partner.”
“What’re you doing here?”
“Your aunt tasked me with the safekeeping and delivery of a magical object.” Alabastair unzipped a pocket on the inside of his waterproof cloak and withdrew a gold ring. The dull, oblong emerald sitting atop the band thrummed with magic. My mother’s magic. Even the threads outside the door recognized her magical signature. They pulsed with a matching shade of green before turning invisible again.
The necromancer offered the ring to each of us in turn but only Kostya was brave—or foolish—enough to take it without further explanation.
“Do you feel that?” I directed my question to my sisters. They pressed even closer and nodded.
Beryl noted, “This belonged to Mom.”
“You are correct. Your aunt came into possession of it this summer. The ring now belongs to you.” He extended his arm to Kostya, pinched the gold band between his thumb and forefinger, and offered it to Alderose. “Your father, Heriberto, insisted that this ring is the key.”
“The key to what?”
“He…” Alabastair’s pale skin took on a grayish cast. “He did not say. By the time I was able to circle back to ask him for more information, he’d disappeared—as had your mother’s ghost.”
“Mom is a ghost?” Alderose sat down heavily, barely catching the edge of the stool as Beryl shot up to standing, sputtering, “Wait, you met our father? Why is everybody getting time with our father and we’re getting the silent treatment?”
Alabastair looked confused by Beryl’s outburst. “Might I take a seat? I think I should start at the beginning rather than give you the background on the ring piecemeal.”
“Please, sit.” My hands shook as I draped Alabastair’s outerwear over an unoccupied chair in the alcove. Kostya brought a third seat to the table.
“This past July twenty-first was a day I will never forget.” Alderose returned from the office with another cup and offered Alabastair champagne. He accepted. “I arrived in British Columbia that morning, ready to meet Maritza for the first time and begin my apprenticeship with her.”
He
