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Chapter Seventeen
Rowan
I get dressed and head into town. First, I stop by the coffee shop to caffeinate and update Ven on the latest from the sheriff. Then I head over to Maria’s office to find out more about what the Raven Society is doing to investigate these murders.
“Rowan!” Maria says as I walk in. “What can I help you with?”
She doesn’t have any other clients there, so we sit in the small lobby instead of going back to her office. I take a green winged-back chair and Maria sits opposite me. Some sort of violin music plays in the background.
I decide to come right out with it. “I saw the YouTube video of the burn victim. The sheriff failed to mention yesterday that the person was burned at the stake. A witch.”
Maria flinches and I feel bad for my directness. “I heard this morning. It was a member of the coven. Her name was Amelia.”
I look down at my lap and then back up again, my hands clenched. “Someone is targeting witches. Though it’s odd the two murders were done quite differently.”
She nods. “I think you’re right about the witches. But the manner of death…there may be a reason for that.”
My heart goes still in my chest. “What do you mean?”
Maria raises her brown eyes to mine. “Sybil always had a special affinity with fire. Witches develop skills in different areas, and usually there’s at least one in which they have a natural talent. Controlling the weather or one of the elements, or music, or animals, things like that. Hers was always fire.”
I take a moment of silence to process this. There are so many things I didn’t know about her. “So, you’re saying that you think the killer might have tried to burn her, but it didn’t work. Poison was the second option.”
“Yes.” Maria takes in a big breath and lets it out slowly. “It’s certainly possible. Therefore, the lack of a pattern could be unintentional.”
“What are we going to do?” I ask. “It’s not like we can tell the police things like this. They’d think we were nuts!”
“Quite right,” she says sadly. “The Elders have been around to the houses of all the witches to make sure their wards are secure. It’s possible some will want to stay at Raven Manor if this continues.”
“Of course,” I say with a quick nod. “Anything I can do to help.” I pause a moment. “So, what else? That seems like good defense, but what about an offense?”
“We’re also working on things like scrying spells to see who’s behind this, future spells to try to detect the killer’s next move. Also, some things to detect dark forces.” Maria clasps her hands together and sighs. “Unfortunately, we’re not turning up much. Whoever—or whatever—is doing this has covered their tracks well. We get little flashes here and there, but not enough to go on. It appears and then vanishes again too quickly.”
I feel a bubble of frustration. “Aren’t there like, specialists or something we can call in? Supernatural investigators?”
“The supernatural community is quite segregated,” Maria explains. “Even among witches, covens are very tight-knit, and people tend to stick to their own community. Sybil was actually working on opening up those relationships, forming a broader network.” She shakes her head, a bitter smile on her lips.
It seems like the kind of thing my aunt would do. Suddenly, I miss her so fiercely it takes my breath away. After a moment to collect myself, I say, “Well, if you think of anything I can do, please let me know.”
“You’re quite remarkable,” Maria says to me. She reaches out and touches my hand. “You’ve been through so much and you’re still trying to help others.”
“It’s in my nature, I guess,” I say with a blush.
“You’ll make a great member of the Raven Society. Sybil would be proud of you. She already was.”
I feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I don’t bother asking her how she knows I’ve made up my mind.
“We can induct you officially at the celebration of life,” Maria continues. “It seems fitting.”
I nod and get up. “I agree.” A whole range of emotions is running through me right now, and I want to get out of here before I lose it.
“Stay safe, Rowan. I’ll see you Sunday.”
I wave goodbye and head back out onto the street. Now, more than ever, I realize I have to take matters into my own hands. The sheriff is hiding things. The Society doesn’t have any leads. I may be a newly-minted witch, but it seems it’s up to me.
And it begins tonight.
I wait until dark to execute my plan. My crazy what-the-hell-am-I-thinking plan. Of course, what the hell I’m thinking is that I don’t want to be the next victim of a witch-hating serial killer.
