“Are you saying the dead woman built her house on the ley line?”
“No, but she lived in a house that was. An old sanatorium built by the church. They probably detected the power of the ley line running underneath. Non-witches don’t always understand what they are feeling, but they can sense it. That’s why a lot of churches and other important buildings end up built on the lines.”
“We’re going to an old, abandoned sanatorium?” I asked. “Is that the secret? We could have gone to any secret or spooky place.”
“It’s not the fact that it’s an abandoned asylum that gives it the power,” Dad said.
“I was going to say, that’s not much of a secret,” I said as Dad drove us out of Coventry and into the countryside surrounding the town. “Also, that I probably should have worn pants.”
“You look beautiful, sweetie,” Dad said. “It’s perfect.”
“Are you going to tell me why it’s perfect?” I asked.
“Okay, so a lot of people associate necromancy and death work with dark and mysterious things. They practice it, like I said, in dark basements and graveyards. They light black candles and chant heavy, depressing dirges. Part of that is our fault. We want people to think that’s they way you work with the dead because it keeps them from accidently becoming powerful necromancers.”
“Accidently becoming powerful necromancers? So, that can happen?” I asked.
“Yeah, it’s surprisingly easy to attract and interact with the dead once you know the secrets,” Dad said with a chuckle.
“So, we’ve misled people and witches?” I asked.
“It’s for their own good,” Dad said solemnly.
“I can see that…” I said. “But, you’re going to tell me, so tell me.”
“The dead don’t like all that dark and spooky crap,” he said and turned down a dirt road lined on both sides by trees. “They like things that remind them of being alive. They’re already dead, so they don’t get all excited about stuff that reminds them of being dead. Because the ones that are still here want to be alive. Even if they can’t be alive, they want a taste of it again. Most of them will do anything.”
“Oh,” I said. I thought about it for a moment. “That makes perfect sense, though. That’s why people dress up in scary costumes for Halloween, right? So, the dead will leave them alone. No, that makes perfect sense, but I didn’t put that together.”
“Most people don’t,” Dad said. “We actively discourage people from putting it together because anybody can tempt them. You don’t even have to be a witch to become a necromancer. You just have to bake some cookies.”
“Bake cookies?” I asked.
“So, they love anything that reminds them of the best parts of being alive. Salt, sugar, bacon…” Dad said and looked over at Meri. Since Laney was in a car seat in the back, he was curled up on my lap. “But, it’s not just food. They love bright colors too, and emotions. Laughing, crying, fighting… and other things. It all attracts their attention.”
“But salt circles protect us,” I said.
“They do,” Dad said. “But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get their attention. And once you have that, you’re in business.”
“I don’t know how many times I have tried to summon spirits and it’s gone badly,” I said. “You never told me.”
“I would have,” Dad said. “I was waiting for you to be ready. Think of it as leveling up.”
“I’m not sure we should have brought Laney along for this,” I said as Dad pulled up in front of the sanatorium the dead woman used as her home. “What’s her name?” I asked. “I keep thinking of her as the dead woman. I texted Thorn to get the details, but I haven’t heard back.”
“Her name was Samara Delarosa. She was a witch, and a distant cousin of yours,” Dad said. “News of her death has already spread around Coventry.”
“Well, I’m sort of out of the loop,” I said. “Do you know how she died? I was hoping Thorn would tell me, but if it’s already out there.”
“Strangled,” Dad said, “with a length of silk ribbon. Probably a binding tool.”
“That sends a message,” I said. “So, were they trying to bind her, or did she tick off someone else?”
“That’s what we’re here to find out,” Dad said. “And you should have Laney here. She’s safe with us. Or more like we’re safe with her.”
“We’re safe with her?” I asked.
“Just a theory I’m working on, nothing I can really talk about yet. It’s still a nebulous tangle in my brain, but either way, I’ve got a bone necklace to put on her. No dead will come anywhere near her.”
“Witch’s bone?” I asked.
“Probably better that you don’t know,” he said with a chuckle.
We got out of the car, and Dad tied the bone necklace around Laney’s waist. Once she was tucked into the baby sling, she couldn’t reach the artifact and potentially rip it off. With her secure against my chest, Meri at my feet, and my dad at my side, I turned my attention to the ancient building we’d come to explore.
“It still looks sort of abandoned,” I said. “Are you sure she lived here?”
“I think she wanted it to look that way on the outside,” Dad said. “Nice and scary to keep nosy people away.”
“Well, it’s not working on us,” I said. “Are you sure no one is here?”
“I think whoever killed her just left the lights on,” Dad said.
“That makes sense,” I said.
After all, what murderer would stop to shut the lights off on their way out? They had more important things to do like take Samara to my house and kill her. Or, if she was killed here, then transport her body to dump on my front lawn.
Several lights on the
