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Will do.
I looked behind me again. Between the shadows cast by the overhanging trees and the thick plumes of dust, it was barely visible, and yet the odd glimmer of luminescent purple flickered across the top of its coils as it moved. It would have been pretty on something other than a demonic creature hell-bent on destruction. Was that why it was up here? If we backtracked its movements from here—followed the line of dying foliage—would we find another frozen person?
Maybe, especially if Jaz was right and it had been called here to keep the rangers and the reservation witches occupied.
But what if Marie was also using it to keep tabs on us? Or, at the very least, me? If she’d somehow gotten a sense of my connection to the old wellspring, that was a distinct possibility, especially if, as Maelle had suggested, she was attracted to power.
I flicked another glance at the basilisk, but no insights were coming from my psychic senses. Which in itself wasn’t unusual—they could be annoyingly mute at vital times.
We at least had one thing in our favor—there were five of us.Howwe could use our numbers to greater effect when it came to our rogue vampire, I couldn’t say. My psychometry skills couldn’t come into play until I found something to trace Marie with, and I really didn’t want to risk using the wild magic, especially if she was already aware of my connection to it.
I guessed Icouldact as a lure, though that would be an absolutely last resort. It wasn’t only my life I’d be risking now.
Up ahead, the road between Maldoon and Castle Rock came into view. I glanced in the rearview mirror just in time to see the basilisk slither down the steep embankment and disappear into the bush. I stopped, but resisted the urge to lock all the doors—the snake was more likely to break in through the windows if it actually wanted to grab or kill me—and warily reversed back.
No sign of the snake, although the scrub die-off had already started. I reached into the glove compartment, grabbed the small flashlight I kept there, and shone it out through the driver side window. Just for an instant, iridescent purple glimmered in the distance, then it was gone. The basilisk had moved beyond the flashlight’s capabilities.
I reached out to Belle.The basilisk just stopped following me.
I hope you’re not now following it.
Silly, I am not.
Reckless, you can be.
I laughed.I think it might be more beneficial to see exactly what it has been doing up here.
There was a beat or two before she replied.Monty agrees.Where are you?
Still on the road to Katie’s wellspring, just before the main road.
We’re probably about ten minutes away. Have you called Aiden?
No.
Might be worth it, just in case he decides to drop by the café early.
As the mental line went down again, I carefully turned around so that the SUV was pointing the right way, then pulled off road as far as possible and killed the engine. Though sunset was still a good hour and a half away, heavy clouds were now visible through the breaks in the treetops. That generally meant there’d be a glorious sunset followed by a summer storm. I hoped the latter was strong enough—long enough—to clear the buildup of heat, otherwise it would just make things muggier.
I called Aiden, but he didn’t answer straight away. When he finally did, he sounded on edge.
“Liz, sorry to keep you waiting, but I was on another call.”
“A ‘we’ve found a frozen person’ type call?”
“No, a possible murder.” He paused. “I take it this isn’t a social call?”
“Wish it was, but no. I was up talking to Katie—”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“I just wanted to ask if she knew why the rumblings from the older wellspring hadn’t entirely settled down now that I’m back.”
“And?”
“She couldn’t say, because it appears she’s been locked out of the older spring. But that’s not what I was ringing for.” I quickly updated him and then added, “I think we need to see why it was up here.”
“I agree. I’ll assign the murder investigation to—”
