That evening, Katie went to Yuli’s house where she knew Zoya would be waiting. They sat at Yuli’s round table where a bank of fat candles was already lit.
“I know who blackmailed Adrienne Thorne. It’s the photographer who took our family portraits,” Katie shared. “Denny Kincaid or Sebastian Kincaid, depending on who you talk to.”
“I knew it!” Yuli revealed, “There was a darkness around him, and his thoughts were oppressive.”
“Sebastian Kincaid? I know that name!” Zoya said, “He was talented but full of himself. After the scandal broke in the eighties, he sent me an enormous wooden crate to get my attention. Inside was an autographed photograph of the controversial cover he did for Luxe Mode. I think it’s still around the compound somewhere. It’s really quite lovely and was groundbreaking for its time.” She remembered fondly. “But it was all a desperate ploy to wrangle an invitation to my Equinox Ball and surround himself with models to get back into the good graces of the designers."
“No wonder he’s so bitter,” Yuli added. “I’m sure that rejection just added fuel to the fire. It takes a long time to nurture a pit of hatred of that magnitude.”
“Davina’s got the police and the FBI involved,” Katie informed them. “It’s only a matter of time before they locate him. If we are going to intervene, the time is now.”
“Rotting in jail is too gentle of a punishment for a man like him,” Zoya mused. “Ordin justice takes far too long and is far too soft. There’s no need to rush, Katia. We have plenty of time to deliver his rebalance.”
“If you say so.”
“I do.”
“It turns out he’s a collector of many things,” Katie added, shifting directions. “Some depraved, but of particular note is his collection of antique cameras.”
Zoya’s eyes sparkled at the mention. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Katie nodded with glee. “Suspended Libertines?”
Zoya let out a delighted squeal and clapped her hands. “Love it, darling! It only seems fitting that a man who called himself a photographic genius becomes part of the exhibit.” Zoya took joy in the irony. “Creating the tableau will be the most challenging part of the rebalance. So many ideas come to my mind, but remember, you explicitly asked me not to intervene.”
“I remember, but I don’t know if I’m cut out for retribution and revenge.”
“You are going to have to get more comfortable, darling. Life is not all rainbows and puppies. You must learn how to shoulder the responsibility of seeking justice for the ordin Karma assigned to you. A mere slap on the wrist is not enough! You will have to learn to stomach the punishment phase to keep Karma satisfied, or she will no longer trust you as her partner.”
“I’m not built like you.”
“Few women are,” Zoya said, taking it as a compliment.
“Katia, there have been all types of judges throughout the ages. Some of them were kind yet fair, while others dominated with terror and revenge,” Yuli reasoned. “There is always a choice on which you become.”
Katie nodded in agreement as she thought it over. “The punishment should fit the crime.” She tried to come to a compromise. “He exposed Adrienne in the most intimate and public way possible. She is the sweetest soul, and he exploited….” Katie stopped short as an idea clicked in her mind. She snapped her fingers, exclaiming, “I’ve got it.”
“Good. I, for one, cannot wait to see what you’ve decided.” Zoya steepled her fingers together and rippled them against each other in anticipatory delight.
“Do I have to enjoy it?” Katie asked, horrified that she would turn into the type of person who would savor another human being’s suffering, no matter how repugnant she found him.
“No,” Yuli instructed. “That part is optional.”
“How do we get the camera to him?” Katie asked.
“Another great learning opportunity has presented itself, darling.” Zoya closed her eyes and tried to demonstrate. “Concentration is key. You must see the object in your mind’s eye. First, you must focus on the details and feel its weight in the palm of your hand. Rub your thumb over the textured gold ridges on the grip. Hear the click of the shutter and the mechanical sound of the crank when you advance the film inside. Feel the heat that sears your skin where you touch it.” Her instructions floated out of her mouth as Katie tried to focus.
Her palms warmed and her breath hitched in her chest as her pulse quickened. Katie floated in a state of altered consciousness as Zoya’s instructions took on a dreamy quality. Far away, she heard the mesmerizing twang of a tuning fork before a blast of light blinded her. When her eyes readjusted, the gold camera was clasped in her hands.
“Whoa,” she exclaimed, yelping as the heat intensified. “Did I do that?”
“Mostly,” Zoya answered with a wink. She was winded from the combined effort.
“Impressive,” Yuli said. “It took me the better part of a month to learn that spell.”
Zoya stumbled, letting out a whimper as her knees buckled, and Katie rushed to her side. Operating on instinct solely, she scooped Zoya up and was shocked when Zoya felt light as a feather in her arms. Katie walked her over to a velvet sofa and laid her down on it. A few moments later, her eyes fluttered open.
“What happened?”
“Another transfer of power,” Zoya said. “It is nothing to fear, darling. All is happening as it should.”
Yuli stood and walked to a drawer, pulling out a sheath of papers she handed over to Katie. “Speaking of transfers…”
“What’s this?”
“It’s a DNR, Katia, and it gives you medical power of attorney for me.”
Now it was Katie’s turn to yelp in pain. “No,” she refused, attempting to push it back toward Yuli.
“Burying your head in the sand changes nothing, Katia,” Yuli said softly. She held up her arm where a medical alert bracelet was now fastened. “It’s done.”
“I know.” She swallowed hard against the knot in her throat, willing herself not to cry. Reaching out, she reluctantly accepted the paperwork.
“The Spring Equinox is approaching. That is when our magic will reach a heightened state and the major shift will occur.” She pulled out a blanket and walked it over to where Zoya was resting, taking the time to tuck it around her. Before she walked away, Zoya thrust out one hand and grabbed Yuli’s.
“Thank you,” Zoya mumbled before her eyes fluttered and she fell into a deep sleep.
A few minutes later, as her great-great grandmother lay snoring, Katie studied her face. There were now deep ridges of crow’s feet etched into the corners of her closed eyes and a soft sag underneath her chin that was never there before.
Yuli joined Katie and wrapped her arm around her granddaughter. “It’s happening faster now,” Yuli whispered in the quiet that surrounded them. “Not unlike an ordin suffering from a terminal illness, she will continually decline. There will be a few bursts of intense energy as her soul prepares for transmutation.”
“Do you think the coven will allow her to reincarnate?” Katie asked. “She’s desperate to unite with Sally.”
Yuli studied her again, taking in the rise and fall of her chest and the softness that sleep brought to her features. “I can now honestly say, I hope so.”