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‘Hmm, let’s see. I already pamper the shit out of you. I feed you—well, get you takeout—give you a home, listen to you mock and berate me, put up with your shedding, and give you a comfy ass bed to sleep in, yet you always take MINE. But the main reason is you can’t use a debit card,’ I rattled back, and I could practically hear him roll his eyes in the silence.
‘Hmph. You might have a point… for now.’
I felt a slight punch in the stomach as we crossed over the threshold of the ward, causing me to swallow down the bile that ricocheted up my throat.
“Either these got weaker, or she’s the strongest one we’ve been up against.” Kaye pointed out, indicating our identical bracelets. She took a few gulps from a bottle before passing it over, and I drained the last of the water.
‘There’s the dock!’ Thorn called out.
‘I don’t see it. So let me guess. It’s in the one place I wish it wasn’t.’
‘Yep, it’s in the mouth of that creepy thing.’
“Am I imagining things, or are the eyes lighting up on that skull?” Kaye’s voice shook slightly.
The woman took on an overgrown snake but got scared of orbs in a skull? Sometimes, she surprised even me.
I angled the boat for the front of the jaw and glanced up, catching an unearthly green haze where the once black pits of its eyes were.
“Nope, you ain’t crazy. I think she knows we’re here,” I said as we slowed to a stop at a large tooth. The dock was on the other side and wedged between two sharp teeth that looked to have enough room for us to slide through. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I made sure the rope we had was tied properly to the boat. I don’t want to lose this sucker and be stuck out here.
‘What kind of witch is she again?’ Thorn asked, looking up at the gaping jaw.
‘Bone Witch.’
‘So that means she can control bones? Like the ones towering over us?’ He hesitated in his movements as he waited for my answer.
“No, Thorn. You’re thinking of a Necromancer. A Bone Witch just gets her power from bones, like for casting spells by wearing them. Most humans believe them to be diviners, giving them advice and never being capable of lying. Maybe Julia once was one of them, but a true Bone Witch is one that will pull the essence out of the fresh bones and use that as payment for the magic she needs to cast spells. In class, they talked about how every magic user has to pay a price and give of themselves when taking from the earth. Or something along those lines. She just happens to use bones for the exchange.”
Kaye gave me a smile and winked as she threw on her backpack.
“It’s okay, Thorn. I’ll go first.” She leaned onto the two sharp incisors and tentatively stepped onto the dock. Once nothing happened with the teeth, she turned her head and smiled. “See. Nothing.” She finished putting her weight on the wooden planks and screamed as they sank with her body weight before buoying up to hold her. She laughed nervously, “Well, nothing to be scared of except some water.”
“Here, tie us off,” I said, keeping my smart-ass comment to myself for once and throwing her the rope. While she secured us, I helped Thorn cross and handed the lanterns over once Kaye was ready. It took a little longer as the waters became rougher, and I struggled to keep my balance as the boat rocked.
With my jacket back in place and Honor wrapped securely around my right wrist, I was ready. Albeit stinky with swamp water, but nonetheless prepared to take on Julia Brown. We followed the waterlogged planks further into the beast’s narrow throat and nearly gagged at the stench.
“What’s that smell?” Kaye cried as she quickly pulled her collar around her nose. I mimicked her and slowed my steps to take in my surroundings.
I swallowed down the extra saliva that flooded my mouth and quickly turned my head after spotting the culprit. Okay, just breathe through the mouth, Rave… you can do this.
“I think I know what the smell is, but I doubt you want to know,” I choked out between my gagging sounds. Don’t throw up. Don’t throw up.
“Ugh. I can guess.” Kaye stopped and shined her lantern in my face. I’m sure my sepia skin now had a green tint to it. “You only make that sound when you see maggots.” Kay swung her lantern away from my face and, unfortunately, down onto the decomposed dog and human torso.
There were a lot of things I could handle. It wasn’t the fact that their bodies looked like exploded Hot Pockets or some of their bones were missing, but there was one thing that made my stomach squirm. And she just shined a spotlight on them. I gagged and coughed, trying to will away the urge to vomit.
“Oh shit! Sorry, Rave.” She quickly swung her lantern in the opposite direction, grabbed my hand, and led me toward the small opening at the back of the alligator’s skull.
‘Now who’s the weakest link?’ Thorn chuckled as he passed me.
I’m going to skin the little fucker. Or maybe push him in the water. Yep, that sounds better.
‘And just remember, if you push me in the water. I’ll be in the car… in your back seats… all wet… and stinky.’
An unintentional growl slipped from between my clenched jaw, and Thorn laughed, knowing he’d guessed right.
Once we passed the skull, we found a narrow, overgrown path that led deeper into the swamp.
