Part 11 (1/2)

Everyone laughed. I looked at Rhonda--and was sure the quip wasn't all just a joke.

We sat down for a nice meal--I ate till my jeans were too tight--drinking more tea than I should have. I had a buzz that wouldn't stop and I couldn't sit still. So while everyone else talked I got up and moved into the Botannica.

The room itself was the house's converted living room, complete with fireplace and mantel. I stuck my tongue out at the stone dragon on mantel and moved to the section of books in the back of the room. Books, statues, rune bags, candles, all manner of oogie was in this room.

”What are you doing in here?”

Tim's voice scared me and I gave a silent yelp. I turned and glared at the ghost--he wasn't corporeal at the moment but I could still see him. Don't do that.

”Sorry--but you rarely come in here without someone else with you. So--” he held out his long thin hands and gestured at the room.

Too much tea.

He laughed. ”I think coming from you, it makes sense.”

I pointed to the books. So where in here would I find out stuff on ceremonial magic?

”Why in the h.e.l.l would you want to learn about that? It's a commanding and compelling art. Something you need stay away from.”

I crossed my arms over my chest--and then winced at the pain in my arm and uncrossed them. d.a.m.ned Shadow freaks. Why would I need to stay away from it? I don't do this stuff.

”No, but you being a Wraith makes you more susceptible to their commanding circles. Ceremonials draw a circle to contain and compel, not to welcome in. If you're in Wraith form--I think if you got too close you could get sucked in. Kinda like Dags-only I don't think there's a way to mojo up a invisibility bracelet for you.”

Now that was comforting.

That's not why I'm asking. I looked back at the books. The Reverend Rollins somehow made a deal to have a Symbiont--which prolonged his life and his health. Hirok.u.mi was willing to sacrifice his daughter in order to obtain a Symbiont. So, I turned to look at Tim. Would ceremonial magic play into that kind of deal? Because when I saw him today--he felt like a symbiont, Tim. He had all the oogie--but then he didn't.

Tim nodded slowly as if he were thinking. ”So you're thinking there's a symbiont inside of Bonville?”

Maybe. I don't know. Or maybe it's just a piece of one?

”I guess anything is possible in this world, Zoe. But I'm far from the expert to talk to. I think you should try and see things with your Wraith eyes. Go with what you know.”

I started chewing on the situation. Was I going off the mark? I didn't know, but I was aware of something tingling inside--as if I was guessing right. So I think maybe learning more about Bonville's past might reveal what his motivations are in this? How Maureen got involve?

”I think you need to know that, and what's in that book,” Tim said, and I realized he'd heard my musings.

”Zoe!”

That was Rhonda. Tim and I moved from the botanica to the Tea Shop. Everyone had a book--Mom had the big book. Rhonda was motioning me to where she sat. ”I know how Maureen is involved with Bonville.”

I needed my board.

And as if reading my mind, my Mom got up--still holding the book--moved to the counter over the cakes and desserts display and picked up my dry erase board. Still without looking up from the book she handed them to me and sat back down.

I love you, Mom.

”I know.”

For a second I thought she heard me, and then I saw her half smile and knew she'd only antic.i.p.ated my mental response. Or had she?

I scribbled. OTHER THAN WORK FOR?

”She didn't work for Dr. Bonville. She worked for Alice Bonville--the ex-wife of Dr. Bonville--at the Livery Bar and Restaurant. That's where the ”Alice” person comes from. The restaurant is separate owners.h.i.+p--it was something Dr. Bonville couldn't touch,” she pointed to the journal. ”Maureen says in her diary that she and Alice were usually late at the restaurant cleaning, taking stock, and sometimes sharing a gla.s.s of wine upstairs. Alice confided in her one night that the restaurant was the one thing that was hers alone. And that's the place she kept all her secrets.”

Dags looked up. ”Was Allard taking things from her in the divorce? Doesn't it work the other way usually?”

”Yeah,” Rhonda said. ”Alice was an heiress. She had the money--but apparently he signed a pre-nuptial agreement. But, he hired a pretty crooked lawyer and was able to find a few loopholes. Where he couldn't touch the family money, he could and did try and take everything they'd worked together on. So she hid most of it--and kept the restaurant by signing it over to Maureen. But for some reason he wanted the restaurant more than anything else--” she looked up us. ”You think it has anything to do with the Shadow People in there? Or those doc.u.ments? Or--maybe he's after the grimoire? Maybe it's buried in there like the papers?”

”I doubt it,” Mom said from where she sat with the book. ”According to this--” she looked up at us. ”I have the Cruorem Grimoire in my hands.”

That shut some books. Rhonda sat up. ”You're kidding. You mean it was in Maureen's apartment?”

”Yes. The encryption used in this is extremely elementary--I'm surprised you didn't see it immediately.”

I looked at Rhonda. She didn't look happy. My mom can be a bit much.

Yah think?

”And?” Dags said as he nodded to the book.

”Most of it is pretty much the ramblings of an idiot--though albeit a pretty evil idiot.”

”Are there lots of spells?”

”There are lots of grandfathered spells.” Mom held up the book and we all gathered around. There were lots of older pages, worn and smudged, with a very scriptive handwriting as well as diagrams and symbols. But the newer pages in the back weren't as nicely rendered, nor were there any intricate drawings. ”As you can see--the front of the book is part of the older Grimoire, and the back is his new stuff.”

”So is the spell he used on me for these,” Dags held up his hands indicating the circles that were now invisible. ”In the front of the book--the grandfathered stuff?”

”Yes. But you're not going to like it.” She pursed her lips as she looked at him. ”He made you a component of the Shadow Door.”

Everyone stopped and looked at her.

The what?

Rhonda licked her lips. ”The what?”

Mom held up the book so everyone could see a full page image of a person being sucked through a portal in the air. I s.h.i.+vered. Tim pointed at the book. ”That's just wrong.”

”A Shadow Door is a man-made doorway into the Abysmal plane. Sometimes they're created by Coyote Flame.”

”That's neutral magic,” Rhonda said. ”That's not right--not even in the ceremonial world. You don't learn that stuff and then write it down for other people to use--you have to go through years of discipline and training to ever learn that level of magic. I mean, if I understand what I'm seeing, this spell actually pulls or pushes someone physically into the Abysmal plane. What in the h.e.l.l would you use that for?”

”Well, to enter another plane, or to make someone disappear. Great way to get rid of someone so the authorities never find them.”

Everyone grew quiet. Finally I erased my board and scribbled. WHAT HAPPENS TO SOUL WHEN BODY IS SUCKED?

I held it up. Dags grinned. I looked at the board, scowled and added IN to the last word.