Witching Bones: A Wild Hunt Novel, Book 8 Read online

  As the shop bells jangled, Jordan waved to me from behind the counter. I glanced around. The coffee shop wasn’t empty, but it looked as though the morning rush was over, and the lunch rush had yet to begin.

  “Hey, Raven! I assume you want a mocha. How many shots?” He grinned at me. He had me pegged, all right.

  “Quad shot today. And I’m hungry. Give me a sausage breakfast sandwich and a couple of the apple hand-pies to go, please. I’m due next door in a few minutes.”

  Jordan fixed my mocha, handing me the cup with a stopper in it. After popping the sandwich into the toaster oven to warm it, he bagged my pastries.

  “That will be $14.54, please.”

  I gave him three fives and motioned for him to put the change in the tip jar. Jordan handed me my pastries, and then the breakfast sandwich wrapped in a leakproof bag.

  “What’s going on with you today? You’re glowing, but you look a little sad.” Jordan was a tiger shifter, and he was good at sensing nuances in emotions and mood.

  “New boyfriend, so great sex. But I’ve got a situation that I’m trying to figure out how to solve. Totally unrelated. The situation’s a magical issue.” Nobody knew about the ferrets except Llew, and I had only told him because I needed his help to find out a solution to the curse. He had promised to keep the matter silent and I trusted him. Llew was first, and foremost, a man of his word.

  “Congrats on the new boytoy. If I can do anything to help with the other problem, please—just ask. I still feel like I owe you one.” He shrugged, grinning.

  “You and Llew took me out to dinner. That squared us up. I know you don’t believe it, but getting rid of ghosts and their cronies is my business. I don’t run the Witching Hour just to make friends. What I do is dangerous, but it’s a danger I choose. It’s a danger I was born to.” I winked at him. “Besides, Llew already paid me back in spell components, remember?” Another customer approached the counter and I took my leave, waving good-bye to Jordan from the door.

  Next door, Llew was setting out a new display of essential oils. I glanced at the blends. It looked like he had found a new supplier. Energy emanated off of the bottles in waves.

  “Whoever made those is a strong witch,” I said.

  “You don’t have to tell me that. She came in last week to show me samples. I could tell right away they were the real deal, and that she’s got more experience than just about anybody I’ve met.” He paused, then added, “She’s a good sort too. I felt an instant camaraderie with her.”

  I set my food on the table that I used for readings, then slipped out of my jacket, hanging it on a hook near my station. “Just don’t replace me,” I said, laughing.

  “Nobody could ever replace you, Raven.” Llew slung his arm around my shoulder, pulling me in for a hug. He paused, then lifted my hair back away from my neck. “I can see somebody got a pearl necklace this morning. Kipa’s keeping you busy, isn’t he?” Llew winked. “He any good?”

  “You’re talking about a god, dude. And yes, he’s keeping me plenty busy, and yes, he’s very good. So good I’m sore.” I stuck my tongue out at him, then took a swig of the mocha.

  “Careful with where you aim that tongue. I don’t know where it’s been.” Llew wiggled his eyebrows.

  I almost spit out my coffee. Setting down the cup, I crossed my arms and shook my head. “Oh, dude. You are so asking for it. But yes, Kipa’s more than a match for me. Trouble is, I need to socialize him a bit. He’s self-centered, with an ego to match.”

  “That doesn’t sound good. He’s not hurting you, is he?” Llew asked, tilting his head just enough that I knew he was listening to the undertones of my words.

  I shook my head. “No. You know me, Llew. I wouldn’t be with him if he was. Let’s just say, I brought the issue to his notice and he’s working on it.” I sorted out my things, spreading my cloth on the table. I pulled out my portable crystal ball that I kept in my traveling bag and my deck of cards and set them up. Llew handed me the candle we kept at the shop for my use. It was a beautiful black pillar candle on a dragon pedestal.

  “Okay, what else is going on? I can tell something’s wrong, and it’s not boyfriend trouble. What’s shaking?” Llew sat down on the opposite side of the table. “By now, I know that look.”

  I frowned. “Yeah, so, you’re right. It’s about the ferrets.”

  He blinked. “Are they okay? Is one of them sick?”

  I shook my head. “No, not really. But the curse is taking its toll on Gordon. He’s forgetting who he is, and Elise is scared for him. I know they enjoy the life they have now, but they should be off roaming the Aether, out in the Netherworld. You know—moving on. The curse is preventing that, and I haven’t been able to break it. I promised Elise I’d renew my efforts, but I’ve run out of options. I’ve read every book on hex-breaking that I can find. I’ve talked to so many of the magic-born that I could start my own club. And Arawn and Cerridwen aren’t being much help on this.”

  “And you feel guilty.” Llew straightened the cloth on his side for me.

  “I feel…oh,” I said, frustrated and not finding the right words. “It isn’t guilt, per se. I feel like anybody else does when a friend is hurting and you can’t do anything to help. I promised I’d do my best, and lately I haven’t been keeping that promise.”

  “Why?”

  “I’ve run out of ideas on which direction to look in next. Which brings me to a favor I want to ask. I know you looked into this for me a few years ago without success, but…if there’s any chance, could you look again?” I shuffled my cards, warming them up, then set them to one side. As I opened the sausage muffin, the warm, yeasty scent of bread, cheese, and sausage wafted out. I was so hungry, my stomach rumbled.

  Llew laughed. “Eat that before you get heartburn from being so hungry. And yes, I’ll start researching tonight. I can reach out to some of the people I know now. People I didn’t know back then. Maybe one of them will have some ideas.”

  I jumped up, dashing around the table, to give him a hug and a kiss. “Thank you. I know that it might be futile, but I have to try.”

  Llew pointed to my food. “Finish eating. I booked appointments for you starting at noon, so your first client will be coming in soon. Moira has more questions about her sister.”

  I laughed, shaking my head. “She’ll never rest, will she?”

  Moira Ness was a wonderful little old lady who came to me for advice. Every month like clockwork, she scheduled an appointment to ask about her twin sister, who died thirty-five years ago in a house fire. And every month I told her the truth. Her sister had moved on, and there was nothing I could do.

  During each reading, she would try slanting her questions in a new way, hoping for a different answer. She missed her twin so much that I had actually entertained the thought of lying to her, of telling her what she wanted to hear. But that went against my ethics.

  So, every single month, I would gently let her down, steering her to talking about her memories. She would forget about her questions and tell me stories about their lives together. I never charged her full price—I knew she was on a fixed income—and I always took extra time to listen. I had a feeling I was her only social outlet, and if she wanted to come and pay me to chat about her sister, I didn’t mind.

  I finished my breakfast sandwich, then ate the apple pies. As I was throwing out my trash and finishing my mocha, Moira entered the shop. She was dressed in a faded Chanel suit. I let out a long breath, mentally shifted gears, and went to greet her and guide her to my table. The day was officially on.

  After I finished my last reading, it was four-thirty and dark as sin outside. I waved to Llew, then forged my way through the evening hustle. The wind had picked up, and the temperature had dropped. The scent of ozone hung in the air, a prediction of more snow to come. I glanced at the sky. Sure enough, while it was dark, there was a strong silver glint to the clouds. I shivered, pulling my jacket closer. My phone buzzed as I headed to my car and I pull
ed it out of my bra, where I kept it tucked away. I glanced at the screen. It was Ember.

  hey, you up for company tonight? angel and i’ll be on the eastside and we thought we might drop over for a few.

  I smiled. Even though I had put Kipa off till tomorrow night, I really didn’t have plans for the evening. I didn’t want to be too available. sure. what time?

  we’ll be there at seven. we’ll bring dinner, since you treated last time. we’ll bring a treat for raj too.

  see you then.

  I tucked my phone away as I approached my car—a Toyota Camry—and pulled out my keys, unlocking the door. I’d rigged it so that the moment I unlocked the car, the overhead light turned on. It was a safety measure. By the time I was tucked inside, doors locked and heater running, the first few flakes of sleet began to appear. As the temperature dropped, the sleet would turn to snow. But sleet meant for a dicey drive home. Grateful I didn’t live too far away, I eased out from the curb and headed back to my house.

  Chapter Four

  Even though Ember and Angel promised they were bringing over dinner, I decided to make a batch of cookies. First, though, I fixed Raj a steak. He’d been so good around Kipa the past few weeks, and I wanted to make sure he knew how much I appreciated it. While he was happily gnawing on the porterhouse bone, I told him that Ember and Angel were coming over.

  “Raj like Ember and Angel,” Raj said.

  I sat down beside him on the floor, eating chocolate chips out of the bag. “Does Raj think he might ever want to talk to Ember or Angel?” I kept my voice light, trying not to stress him out.

  He stopped eating for a moment, cocking his head. Then he looked back at his food, as if contemplating what that would mean. After a moment, he let out an odd noise, then said, “Maybe. Someday, Raj say hello to them. Raj eat now?”

  “Raj eat now.” I stroked his leathery head. “Doodlebug knows Raven loves him, right?”

  “Doodlebug” was my nickname for him. I didn’t use it often, mostly when I wanted to reassure him how much I loved him.

  “Doodlebug knows.” He smiled then—a gargoyle smiling was almost more frightening than one with a grim expression—and went back to his food.

  By the time I finished making the cookies, it was almost time for Ember and Angel to arrive. I set out a bottle of wine and three goblets. The doorbell rang and I dashed to get it.

  “Hey, Raven.” Ember’s jacket was covered with a dusting of snow. I peered beyond her to see that several inches had piled up on the sidewalk since I’d gotten home.

  “Snowing much?” I blinked, not expecting to see the blanket of white.

  They stomped their boots before they crowded in.

  Angel shivered as she unwound the scarf from around her neck. “The weatherman said the storm took a detour and we’re right in the convergence zone—Seattle and the Eastside. We’re supposed to get at least five to eight inches tonight. Ember and I didn’t realize it was going to be this bad before we decided to make a trip over to Serena’s Day Spa.”

  “Day spa, huh? Sounds like fun.” Actually, it didn’t. I loved massages and getting my nails and hair done, but I wasn’t into the whole bathhouse, sit-in-mud, hot-tub experience. But I knew Angel was, and I thought Ember might be, and I wasn’t going to rain on their parade.

  “I needed that,” Ember said, glowing. “It was a belated birthday present from my bestie, here.” She leaned her head against Angel’s arm. “By the way, thank you so much for showing up at my party. I love the conch shell!”

  I had attended Ember’s birthday party earlier in the week. Since I knew she was part Leannan Sidhe—and pledged to Morgana—I had traded a reading for a sea shell that had come from a siren’s collection. It was highly polished with the residue of the ocean’s energy clinging to it. It felt like just the right thing, and Ember seemed happy with it.

  “I’m glad.” I hung their coats on the coat rack as they took off their boots, then led them into the dining room. Raj meandered over to the door and looked at me, so I let him out, chaining him up by his doghouse. Raj had a propensity for taking off on walks by himself and it wasn’t safe. At least, I didn’t think it was safe. Not with the Bucks of the world out there.

  When I returned to the dining room, Ember was opening the wine, while Angel was arranging the takeout containers. Apparently we were eating Chinese tonight, and the smells of egg rolls and pot stickers filled the air.

  “So what’s shaking?” I asked, getting plates from the kitchen. “Any news on the front with the Tuathan Brotherhood?” Ember and the Wild Hunt were chasing down a ruthless hate group purporting to be Fae in nature. They had already caused massive political unrest, including getting the Fae Courts suspended from the United Coalition, an act that had far-reaching ramifications in a number of quarters.

  Ember shook her head. “No, but we’re trying to track down Nuanda. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much left of the compound, so we don’t have a lot of leads at the moment.” She looked tired.

  “You’re dragging butt, girl. What’s going on?”

  Angel sighed. “Tell her. Maybe Raven will have some insight on what’s going down in your dreams.”

  I perked up. “Dreams?” I was always interested in discussing dreams. The Dreamtime was close to the Aetheric realm, and sometimes I went dreamwalking in my sleep.

  “Nightmares is more like it,” Ember said, frowning. “I’ve been having recurring dreams that scare the hell out of me, and I’m not sure why. They don’t seem like they should be so frightening, but they are.”

  “What are they about?” I asked, pouring the wine. Ember handed me the carton of egg rolls and I took two of them, putting them on my plate. Angel was spooning chicken fried rice onto her plate, and Ember had hold of the orange chicken.

  Ember took a deep breath, then sat back, staring at her plate. “I keep dreaming of a tall man—I can’t see his face, but he’s as tall as a giant. He’s in silhouette against the sun, which is rising behind a mountain. He holds a spear over one shoulder, and behind him stands an army of soldiers, ready for battle. I can’t see them distinctly, but I can feel they’re hungry to be on the battlefield, spilling blood. The next moment, a flaming golden arrow soars through the air. I’m not sure from where it’s coming from, though I know it isn’t the man with the spear. It lands directly in front of my feet. The fire clinging to it feels clean and fierce. As I look down at the arrow, I’m compelled to take hold of it, and it turns into a sword in my hand. I pull the sword from the ground, and find that it was actually caught in a low well, and the blade’s dripping with water and moss. The man with the spear lets out a war cry, and in the distance, a horn sounds. As his army begins to move forward, I realize that I’m directly in their path. Then I wake up.”

  I blinked. “That’s a pretty specific dream. You say it’s the same every time? How many times have you dreamed it?”

  She bit her lip, thinking. After a moment, she said, “About five times. It started right after we took down the compound over on the Olympic Peninsula. And yes, it’s the same every time. I know it has something to do with the brotherhood. I’ve asked Morgana, but she’s been pretty tight-lipped lately. I have a weird feeling that there’s a great deal going on behind the scenes that we’re not allowed to know yet, and I’m almost afraid of when Cernunnos and Morgana decide it’s time to fill us in.”

  “Has Herne said anything?”

  She shook her head. “He’s in the dark as much as I am.”

  I wasn’t so sure I believed that, given Herne was the son of Cernunnos and Morgana, and he ran the Wild Hunt for them, but Ember seemed sure so I didn’t question her.

  “What do you think?” I turned to Angel. “About the dream?”

  She blinked, her eyes luminous against the glow of her dark skin. She easily could have been a model—she was tall enough and lean enough, and she had a striking look to her. But she had opted to go a vastly different route.

  “Ember’s right that it’s conne
cted to the Tuathan Brotherhood, that much I can sense. But I don’t know how. And it also has something to do with a promise Ember made.” She gazed pointedly at Ember. “You know what I’m talking about. The bow?”

  “Don’t remind me.” Ember ducked her head, staring at her plate. “I just… I don’t want to do this, Angel. I don’t. But I told Morgana I would, and she’s pushing on it.”

  “Pushing you about what? Is it private, or can you tell me?” The last thing I wanted to do was force secrets out of her that she wasn’t allowed to discuss. I knew that a lot of the cases that went on at the Wild Hunt were classified, under an NDA. But she seemed so distressed that I wanted to help if I could.

  “Yes, I can tell you,” she said. “After we wrapped up the mess over on the peninsula, Morgana told me that I had to go to both TirNaNog and Navane. In TirNaNog, I’m to contact my great-uncle—my grandfather’s brother. Apparently he has a bow that’s mine, by right of inheritance. And in Navane, my great-grandmother has a crown that belongs to me. I’m to retrieve both.” The look in her eyes told me just how much those visits would cost her.

  Ember’s parents had been from the opposing Courts. Her mother had been Light Fae, her father Dark Fae. Their love had cost them their lives, and almost cost Ember hers.

  When her family—her paternal grandfather, to be specific—had reached out to her, he had attempted to strip her of her Light Fae heritage. When that didn’t work, he tried to kill her. She had ended up killing him first, which cost her an emotional fortune. Queen Saílle had made reparations to keep the whole incident quiet, but the impact had been a lasting one.