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But there was no use denying it. My presence killed Peta and her child.
The pack’s howls were closer.
“Marvin, I’m sorry for your loss.”
And I wheeled and headed northeast from the swamp as fast as possible. My feet pounded through the water with a surety I never had before. I ran more swiftly than the baleful moon that had just witnessed death following my tracks. And I swear I heard the pack trail me, and though it shouldn’t be possible, I outran them.
My feet took me to the one place I called home, even though it was a twenty-mile run. Chastity had warned me not to return, but I had no choice.
So I found myself at my apartment, hoping that Chastity didn’t kick me out on my ass. Because, despite the tragedy of the evening, I still needed to find that talisman, and she was the only person who could help me do that.
19
I kept staring at the front window of my apartment, sensing someone inside.
I hoped it was Chas, not a pack member sent to annoy and harass me. I needed my books and a reading from the best witch in Baton Rouge. I heard nothing from Chas since Thorn brought her to his safe house, and I'm not sure, gauging from her last reaction, how she'll feel about me showing up here.
Chastity might not be comfortable with me working for Thorn or the Syndicate, but she's one of the few who's managed to stay out of paranormal conflicts all this time, which makes me trust Chas over anyone else who could help track the missing piece. She's been my ally the whole time.
Standing before my door, I got hit with the fragrance of simmering herbs.
I knocked and hoped I wasn't hit by a Voodoo spell preventing me from entering my home. But no. The door opened. Chastity poked her head around the corner out of the kitchen. “I was expecting you. I've started without you.”
“You started what?”
She shot me a skeptical glance. “Are you serious? Your frustration took over my cards, and if I want a decent reading about the burning issues in my life, we’ve got to clear that up. So, I’ll help.”
“Wait. Aren't you worried about getting corrupted by the Hand?”
Chastity’s mouth twitched. “It’s true you can’t stay long, and I spent hours taking a smudge stick to this place to cleanse it from your last visit, but Mama gave me a protection talisman. So let’s do this, and get it done.”
I surveyed the spread on the kitchen island, and my eyes strayed to the Queen of Cups. “I will never understand why you think I’m a cup with my hair.”
“Cards don’t always follow physical types. At times they signify personality and qualities. And you, my friend, will do anything for love. I’m Pentacles. Kye is the Knave of Swords, and your new boss Thorn—”
“King of Swords?”
“King of Cups. But I can’t say why, just yet.” She stirred the pot of simmering herbs on the stove. “This is a cleansing potion. The vapor floating through the apartment should dissipate—” She looked at me and pursed her lips.
What the hell? Did Chastity brew a magical air freshener to guard against me? But my best friend ignored my pointed stare and said, “What sense do you get from him?”
I shrugged and turned my attention to the spread and tried to interpret the reading the way she taught me. “Hey, this Six of Pentacles is in a weird spot. What does it mean?”
Chastity wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and draped it over her shoulder. “Something you’ll acquire that comes at a cost. Pentacles is money, right? And this is all a quest for you, so it could be something as simple as a toll bridge when you don’t have money on you, or it could be purchasing an item but being asked double what it’s worth.”
“So, it means a costly choice.”
“Uh, huh.” She tapped the counter. “When I was reading for myself, and you came up, the reading took a turn. What happened in the bayou?”
The horrible sight of Peta laying in an anguished Marvin’s arms struck me again. Whoever drew me out to the swamp was responsible for those deaths. “Where to begin? Someone tried to trick me. They must know about the artifact we’re searching for and are trying to stop me from getting it, but they can’t just use it as I did.”
“Why did you?” She sighed. “That’s the part I don’t understand.”
“When Kye sent me through a floor into the bayou, I nearly drowned. The artifact merged with me and saved my life. But now, I have to get it out of me, and I need all the pieces to do it.”
“Then let’s get this started.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? Because I intended just to pick up a few things?”
