“I saw her, Hack,” Roland said for the third time. “I saw my daughter, and she’s beautiful.”
Hack, loyal and patient as always, nodded his head. “Yes sir. She certainly is. So happy you could see her again.”
Hack didn’t look happy about the close confines of their Earthly Plane hideout, however. It was dark and cramped, and Tiger Spirit took up most of the available room. Hack had not been required to don his human form this time, but he wouldn’t be here long; he’d fulfilled his master’s wishes for now.
The narrow crack in the rock opened up into a small, subterranean anteroom, and at the back of this hidden cave, Hack had installed a portal leading back to the Underworld. Now Roland could come and go as he pleased, and in any shape he chose. He checked over Tiger Spirit once more before returning to the Underworld. He would be fine here by himself now. The clean, fresh air of the Earthly Plane was better for him. Roland had grown fond of Deegie’s guardian and was somewhat loath to leave him behind, but he would be returning soon enough.
“You’re almost well enough to return to Deegie,” he murmured to Tiger in an uncharacteristically gentle tone. “Won’t that be wonderful? Just think how happy she will be. She is very near, just right down the hill, but you must not leave until I say. Understood?”
Tiger grunted and Roland felt a rough tongue rasp over his hand.
Although he knew that Cobalt’s hunter had been eliminated, Roland could not rest easy until the old man himself was removed from the picture. Cobalt’s conjuring powers may not have been as impressive as they used to be, but he was convinced that the old man was still capable of harming Deegie. There was always a chance that the next hunter he conjured would be successful.
Hack cleared his throat. “Ah … sir … not to interrupt, but we really should be going now. You are expected at the officers’ meeting. They will no doubt be concerned if you are absent.”
Roland nodded wordlessly and patted Tiger’s head once more before slipping through the hidden entrance to the Underworld with his servant.
***
When Zach could stand it no longer, he took his phone from the pocket of his jeans and called Deegie’s number. Gilbert had been gone for two hours now, and Zach still didn’t know what was going on with Deegie. She usually called him when she needed help with something, and, as far as he knew, she really didn’t care much for Gilbert. The mystery of it all was too much to bear.
Just calling to say hello, like I always do, he reminded himself. Not jealous at all, nope, not me. Just calling to say howdy, and—
She answered on the first ring, her voice strangely guarded and stiff.
“Deeg? How’s it going?” He kept his tone light and friendly. Just saying hello, that’s all.
“Zach. Hi.”
“Is … uh … is everything okay? You sound, I don’t know, a little off. Is Gilbert still there with you?” Damn it, now why did you have to go and say that? It’s none of your business if he’s there or not. Deegie’s not your girl, she’s not anyone’s girl, and she can do as she pleases with whoever—
“Gil’s not here, Zach. He’s—he’s following a trail of footprints up the hill for me.”
“Wait—what? Since when is Gilbert an outdoorsy type? Come on, Deeg.”
“No, really, Zach. He is.” Zach heard a catch in her voice now, heard her draw in a huge, shuddering breath. “I called him because … because I need help again, Zach. Something happened, and I …”
“Deegie, you’re not making sense. What’s going on? Is Gilbert okay?”
“I—I don’t know. He hasn’t come back yet.”
Just as Zach was about to announce that he was on his way over, he heard the distinctive slam of a door on Deegie’s end of the line, followed by the sound of running footsteps and his brother yelling something unintelligible. That was enough; Zach hung up and grabbed his keys. He broke all posted speed limits on his way to 14 Fox Lane.
The feeling of déjà vu was strong in Deegie’s living room. Here they were again, baffled by yet another instance of weird goings-on. Gilbert was none the worse for wear, despite his scare and his downhill sprint. Zach was still amazed that his somewhat metrosexual brother had volunteered to follow a trail of footprints up a steep and snowy hill, but he left it alone for now and listened to Gilbert as he repeated what had happened to him.
“It’s the Underworld, alright,” Gilbert said, nodding. He adjusted his chair so his snow-dampened pant legs were closer to the fire. “No doubt about it. Those rocks were as scorched as a barbeque pit. And that smell …”
Zach nodded ruefully. He too recalled the evil stench. “Maybe that Chul demon is out for some sort of twisted revenge. We did kick its ass, after all.”
“The thought crossed my mind too, but if that were the case, then why didn’t that guy just take care of Deegie right then and there? Why just walk off like that?”
Zach let out a long breath and laced his fingers together. “Yeah,” he said, forced to admit his brother was right once more, “I didn’t think about that part.”
“Well I can’t stop thinking about that thing in that little cave,” Gilbert went on. “Another demon? Chul himself, maybe? Whatever it was, it sounded huge and pissed-off.”
Deegie sat quietly with Bast as the brothers discussed this latest phenomenon. “I think he may have been one of my father’s agents,” she said when there was a break in the conversation. “I think he came to warn me.”
“Your father had agents in the Underworld? And warn you? About what?” Gilbert leaned forward, his posture one of extreme interest.
“My father had strong connections to the Underworld, even after he renounced witchcraft, I’m willing to bet.” Deegie stared into the fire as she spoke.
“Warn you about what, Deegie?” Gilbert asked again, an expression of alarm growing on his face. “Are you in danger?”
She nodded. “Yes. I’ve been in danger since my parents were killed when I was sixteen.”
She told them then. The story of the events that took place all those years ago came spilling out of her mouth in a verbal flood that she seemed powerless to stop. She told them everything: the dinner party, the men who’d burst through the door, the screams, the dark sanctuary of the closet where she’d hidden for hours afterward, Moley, San Francisco. Everything. When Deegie finished her tragic tale, Zach was surprised to see that her cheeks were dry and her hands were still steady on her lap.
“Moley—I mean, Mr. Hack—never told me everything about my parents’ murder, but he does tell me to be careful, to not discuss my past with anyone, and to always watch my back,” she said. “He says there are people who would … would … hurt me if they knew who I was.”
“You never told me any of this,” Zach said, sliding closer to her on the couch.
“Well, it’s not exactly good dinner conversation, Zach,” she replied.
But her attempt at humor fell flat; he simply stared back at her, his eyes troubled.
Gilbert stood up, rubbed his hands together briskly, then sat back down. Zach had a feeling he was about to say something profound.
“Deegie,” Gilbert said. “Your father was a Dark Witch, wasn’t he? And your mother a White Witch?”
She nodded. “Yes. That’s right.”
Gilbert stood again and paced a circle once around the living room, tapping his chin and looking thoughtful. “Have you ever heard of Arlo Cobalt? Does that name ring a bell, Deeg?”
“No. It doesn’t. Who is he?”
“You’ve been sheltered quite a bit, haven’t you? Cobalt was what you might call a radical White Witch. He devoted his life to the complete annihilation of the Dark Flock. It was a huge thing right around the time your … well … around the time of your tragedy. You’re sure you’ve never heard of him?”
“She said she hasn’t!” Zach snapped, leveling his brother an irritated glare.
Gilbert kept talking. “A marriage between a Dark Witch and a White Witch would have infuriated him, especially if they’d had a half-breed child.” He glanced at his brother and added, “Forgive me, Deeg. I know that sounds awful, but, well …”
“That’s what I am,” she said with a one-shouldered shrug. “Go on.”
He cleared his throat and continued. “I’m willing to bet Cobalt had a hand in the murder of your parents, Deegie. I’m also willing to bet that you’re right—that man came to warn you. Cobalt must have found out about the way you—we, I mean—opened a door to the Underworld. Strictly forbidden stuff for a White Witch, you know.”
“He must have been stalking me for years, just waiting for me to screw up.” Deegie slid a thumbnail between her teeth and began to chew. “All this time I’ve been convinced I was safe, that the assassin had moved on or died. No wonder Moley’s always so full of warnings. He knows! He isn’t just a paranoid delivery man, he knows Cobalt’s been watching me all this time.”
“Can’t you just, I don’t know, move away for a while, or something? Go somewhere safe?” Zach cut into the conversation. The thought of Deegie moving away to an unknown location was heartbreaking to him, but the thought of her being in danger was even worse.
“No,” she replied with a firm shake of her head. “I don’t run from anyone. Besides, what about Lisbet and The Silent Cat? And the cat sanctuary? I can’t just abandon all that, Zach. I’ll stand my ground.”
“Sounds like we’ll need an army of our own if we’re going to take this guy on, then.” Zach said morosely.
Gilbert took out his phone and scrolled briskly through the address book. “Alright then,” he said. “Let’s call in the troops.”
“Wait, what are you doing? Who are you calling?” Deegie made a grab for Gilbert’s phone, but he held it just out of her reach.
“You don’t really think that you and I are the only natural-born witches in Fiddlehead Creek, do you?” Gilbert smiled mysteriously and winked. “I’ve got friends in high places. Low places, too.”
***
By evening, Deegie’s living room was full of witches, eight of them so far. They varied in age, gender, and affiliation—some White Witches, some Dark—but all of them shared a common goal: eliminating Arlo Cobalt once and for all. Nearly all of them had a story to tell regarding the murderous radical, and two of the Dark Witches present had lost family members to his violent crusade.
Deegie could not remember a time when she’d been in the company of so many of her kind. The feeling of camaraderie had helped to ease her fears, but still she had to keep wiping her sweat-slick palms on her skirt, and her smile felt too wide and strained. All eyes were on her, and she was beginning to feel like some weird sideshow attraction. In her nervousness she’d already forgotten half their names. She scanned their faces once more, trying to appear casual about it.
Okay, there’s Danny Q., Nix, Jinx, and … and—oh dammit! Deegie hoped the others wouldn’t notice her inner turmoil. This wasn’t like having a busy day at the shop. Not even close.
“That would be just like Cobalt, spying on you like that, tracking your whereabouts. Yup, that’s his style, all right.” An enormous, bear-like man named Mike Rosenstraum spoke up. He rubbed his hands together and nodded, as if he was giving himself permission to tell the rest of the story. “That bastard took a girlfriend from me about ten years back,” he went on. “Killed her dead as a doornail while she was collecting field mint down by the creek one day. Ain’t never been another one like her.” The huge man hung his head; his scraggly beard brushed against his broad chest.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Deegie offered cautiously. She felt uncomfortable when people spoke of deceased loved ones, especially when it was someone she had just met. Rosenstraum raised his head and smiled at her, much to her relief.
“Thank you,” he said. “It was a long time ago, but I swear I can still see her face when I close my eyes at night.” He blinked rapidly and nodded again. “She looked a little like you, as a matter of fact.”
“I had a feeling Cobalt was up to his bullshit again when I heard about that creature roaming the woods over here.” An older woman called Flower spoke up now. She moved closer to Rosenstraum and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Horrible man, that Cobalt, just horrible.” She shook her head, making her long grey braids sway, and then reached over and patted Deegie’s knee. “Sorry about your folks, sweetheart,” she said.
Deegie nodded her thanks and fought tears. She liked Flower immediately; the woman had a calming, comforting presence that Deegie hadn’t felt since she lost her mother. “I’d never heard of this Cobalt guy before,” she admitted. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been around other witches. I—I guess I’ve been a little sheltered. More than a little, actually.”
“He killed my dad too,” Danny Q. said quietly. “I don’t remember it, though. I was just a baby. My mom talks about it every once in a while, though.”
“I’m … I’m so sorry.” Suddenly realizing that she was being a terrible hostess, Deegie excused herself, promising to return with refreshments for all. Once in the kitchen, she closed the door behind her and leaned over the sink, breathing deeply and hoping she wouldn’t throw up. They were all here to help her, and she was both amazed and grateful, but things were just happening too fast. Life with her ex-boyfriend, Spencer, had been boring as hell, but it had been safe. The most stressful things she’d dealt with back then had been what to have for dinner, and whose turn it was to clean the dog crap off the carpet. Now her life was a non-stop thrill ride featuring demons and ghosts and the very gates of Hell itself.
Maybe it’s the house, she reckoned as she splashed cold water over her closed eyes. I’ve had nothing but trouble since I moved in. Maybe it’s cursed or something.
But of course that was ridiculous. This was just an old house with a weird past, and she was just a disabled half-breed witch who had been courting disaster for too long. But this time she wasn’t alone, and despite her extreme nervousness, she was grateful for Gilbert and his friends. His army.
She dried her face on a dish towel and returned to the task at hand: preparing drinks and snacks for the cluster of witches in her living room. She heard the squeak of the kitchen door opening as she filled a bowl with tortilla chips, and she knew Zach was there without even turning around.
“Deeg?” he said. “Everything cool? Need any help, or … anything?”
She turned to look at him. His face was a mask of worry. She put the bag of chips down and went to his side. “I’m okay, Zach. Everything’s fine.” But she knew her tone wasn’t convincing, just as she knew Zach hadn’t really come in here to help her with the snacks.
“Everything’s fine?” he echoed. “Hardly. It’s far from fine, and you know it.” He blinked at her, then took her in his arms. “Why didn’t you tell me about all this? Someone’s been stalking you all this time, and you never said a word. Why? I could have at least done … something.”
She returned his hug, tightly, fiercely, then pulled away. “I appreciate that, but it wasn’t any of your business, Zach. Not to be an asshole about it, but it wasn’t.” She softened the blow a bit more by giving him a peck on the cheek, then she pointed to the refrigerator and said, “There are some sodas and bottled water in there. You can help carry them out for me if you want.”
She went back to the bowl of chips so she wouldn’t see the pain in his eyes.
Once the snacks had been served, Gilbert stood and clapped his hands smartly for attention. “Okay everyone, listen up one sec, okay?” When all eyes were on him, he continued. “Just one thing you should know about Deegie here before we plan our attack. She has Witch’s Cramp, so any huge energy expenditures will have to be up to us. Please respect that.”
Now all eyes were on her once more, and there were mutters of sympathy. Deegie reddened and looked at the floor.
“Witch’s Cramp? What the heck is that? Is it contagious?” Danny Q. spoke up.
“It’s a disability that affects some Natural Born witches,” Gilbert replied immediately (as Deegie knew he would). “She gets debilitating headaches if she tries to do more than a few spells at a time, and no, it’s not contagious.”
“Damn, that must suck!” Danny Q. said. “I’ve never heard of it before.”
Deegie managed an embarrassed smile.
“I think we should begin by heading up the hill behind this house and checking out the little cave I found up there.” Gilbert was taking charge once again and appeared to be fully in his element. “I’m sure there are enough of us here to take on anything that might—”
Something smashed into the living room window, hard enough to crack the glass. Deegie caught a glimpse of a black, hovering thing. It peered at her through the glass with glittering orange eyes. She scrambled backwards, away from the window. “What is that? Gilbert, what is that thing?”