Mystic Caravan 11 - Freaky Mage Read online

  “What’s wrong?” Aric asked, his gaze traveling to his rigid wife.

  Zoe didn’t answer. Instead, she pushed herself to a standing position and stared at a spot behind me, her fingers spread and ready for action.

  I glanced over my shoulder. The approaching figure made me automatically smile ... and then realization washed over me.

  “No, no, no!” I jumped directly in front of Zoe. “This is Max Anderson. He’s the owner of Mystic Caravan. He’s Kade’s father.”

  Zoe’s eyes never moved from Max. “He’s powerful.”

  “He can see in my head,” Sami whispered to her father as Aric tried to console her. “Even when I try to keep him out, he can look.”

  I sensed trouble. “That’s probably because you haven’t fully learned to shutter yet,” I said.

  “That’s exactly what it is,” Zoe agreed. “But he’s still really powerful.”

  “I am,” Max agreed, a twinkle in his eye as he glanced between faces. “As are you.”

  “I can hold my own,” Zoe agreed. There was no friendly smile or hint of welcome on her face. “Maybe we shouldn’t be here.”

  I balked. “We’re trying to figure out what to do about the cult. We can’t just pretend they’re not a problem and go on our merry way.”

  Max said, “Zoe has a right to be fearful. It’s not often one mage stumbles across another, especially those as powerful as she and I. I know your parents. Nancy and Ted are wonderful people. I’ve followed your progress for a number of years.”

  Zoe narrowed her eyes. “Seriously?”

  He nodded. “I met you when you were little. You were far too young to remember. As for your exploits since you became an adult, they’ve been nothing short of spectacular. I think everybody in the paranormal world has heard at least one story about you.”

  “That’s true,” I interjected, desperately trying to put Zoe at ease. “I’ve heard stories about you. I mean ... I didn’t realize it was you. I especially didn’t realize that you had ties to Pemberley, who had ties to Nixie and Naida. I have heard stories.”

  “Which is exactly the way you want it,” Max added. “You have developed a fearsome name for yourself, and it has served you well. I have no interest in hurting you. I simply wanted to meet the most powerful mage in the Midwest.”

  Zoe relaxed, though only marginally. “Don’t kid yourself. I’m the most powerful mage in the world.”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what we should be arguing about, baby,” Aric muttered as he stroked Sami’s hair. The girl still looked frightened, and Aric had shifted into protective father mode.

  “You said you know my parents,” Zoe said. “How?”

  “Not many people have left that world,” Max replied. “Your parents fell in love with one another and built a life together. They still had powerful magic when you were conceived, and almost all of it went into you, making you very powerful.

  “My situation was a little different,” he continued “My father was a mage who fell in love with a witch. I’m powerful, but nowhere near as powerful as you.”

  “Yes, well ... how well do you know my parents?”

  “I knew them quite well.” Max’s smile was kind and I was gratified that he didn’t make any movements toward Sami. The kid wouldn’t relax until her mother unclenched. “They met with me a few times to ask about my life as the son of a mage. They knew they wanted a child. They wanted to make sure it wouldn’t be difficult for you.”

  “My life hasn’t always been easy,” Zoe said.

  “Oh, no?” Max cocked an eyebrow. “Last time I checked you had an idyllic childhood – you visited my circus when you were quite young – and only learned about your magic when you turned eighteen.”

  “Yes, and from that moment on I was constantly under siege.”

  “Hmm.” Max pursed his lips. “I heard about some of the things that happened at Covenant College. You surely had your share of adventures. Unless I’m mistaken, though, you came through them just fine.

  “And look at your family,” he continued. “You have a husband you adore and a child who has proven to be even more spectacular than you.”

  “Oh, don’t say that.” Zoe wrinkled her nose. “It will just go to her head.”

  “You might’ve had to fight more than most people,” Max said, “but I hardly think you had a terrible life.”

  Zoe opened her mouth, as if to argue, and then blew out a sigh as she sank back to her seat. “Don’t do anything weird. I don’t want to have to smite you in front of your son.”

  Max chuckled. “I’ll definitely watch my step.”

  Kade stirred. “Wait ... is she stronger than you?”

  Max hesitated. “Let’s just say I wouldn’t want to test the outcome either way. Zoe has more mage in her, which should make her stronger than me. That’s before you take the Archimage into consideration. That changes everything.”

  “What’s the Archimage?” I asked.

  “Do you want to tell her or should I?” Max feigned politeness as he waited for Zoe to make up her mind.

  “It’s a book,” Zoe said. “Remember the first cult, the one at the compound I told you about? They wanted something in exchange for my parents after they took them prisoner. A magical book. I already told you most of this, but I don’t believe I mentioned the name of the book.”

  “You told me the story,” I confirmed. “You didn’t give them the book.”

  “No. I needed a power boost. Instead of risking the book falling into the wrong hands ever again, I absorbed it.”

  I figured I must’ve heard her wrong. “You what?”

  “It’s not a big deal,” Zoe said. “Well, it’s not a big deal now. At the time, I went a little crazy. My eyes turned black and I threatened to wipe out the entire compound. Aric talked me down.”

  I turned a set of incredulous eyes toward Aric. “You talked her down?”

  He shrugged. “I’m more than just a pretty face.”

  “I have control of the magic,” Zoe said. “It’s a part of me now. You have nothing to worry about.”

  “I’m not worried.” I said the words before I could ascertain if they were true. After a few moments of contemplation, I decided they were. “I’m not worried,” I repeated. “I’m just trying to figure this out. Is this Archimage book the reason you think Celeste is gaining her power from another book?”

  Zoe lifted one shoulder, allowing her eyebrow to heft on the same side. “It makes sense, doesn’t it? It has to be a talisman or a book.”

  Max sat at the table next to Kade. He offered Sami a kind smile but her eyes told me she remained suspicious. “We need to find out more about this woman. We need to find out more about the cult. I’ve never been particularly fond of any cult, but this one is extremely dangerous.”

  “I’m sure the girls they’ve taken prisoner would agree,” Zoe replied dryly. “As for the cult, I have no idea what we’re dealing with. The book might be a different story. Aric found a reference in this paranormal history we borrowed from the library. It talks about the Book of Souls.”

  “How do you know that’s the right book?” Kade asked.

  “I don’t, but the paragraph right after the one that names the book says that blood has to be spilled to gain power, and it mentions Savannah specifically. I’ve been wondering why the cult picked this location. A city like Salem or New Orleans would seem to make more sense. I think the book they were looking for was in Savannah.”

  “How do we find the book? Can the book inside you track other books?” Kade asked.

  “Not that I know of, but I wouldn’t rule it out. The Archimage isn’t really a book any longer. It’s part of me. It bolsters what I can do. I think the book Celeste is using is a separate entity. She doesn’t have enough magic to swallow a book. At least not yet.”

  “You think she’s sacrificing the girls with blood magic in an effort to bolster her power so she’s strong enough to absorb this Book of Souls,” I said.

&n
bsp; “It makes the most sense,” Zoe said. “We still have to figure out what we’re dealing with if we want to stop her.”

  “Then we’d better figure it out.” I rubbed my forehead and stared at the ground. “We need to start making strides toward a resolution.”

  “Then that’s what we’ll do,” Zoe said. “I won’t let these jerks kill another girl. I’ll end them before that happens.”

  I could only hope that was an option. I, too, couldn’t swallow the possibility of another lost girl. I didn’t want to see the horror and the ruined lives that would be left in Celeste’s wake.

  22

  Twenty-Two

  Max’s presence initially added an extra layer of tension to the table, something I diligently watched as I set about breakfast preparations with Raven, Nixie and Naida. Once Pemberley arrived and started telling stories about Zoe’s wedding — including the way she saved Aric’s life when the witches attacked — the group relaxed into uproarious laughter.

  “Your healing ability is interesting,” Max noted as he retrieved a soda from the cooler for Sami. She’d stopped cowering between her parents and had moved to sit next to him. She had gone from fearful to fascinated.

  “You don’t have it?” Sami asked.

  “I can heal, but it takes a great deal out of me. And it only works for minor injuries. It sounds as if you guys can bring people back from the brink of death. That’s a nice ability to have.”

  “I would like to say we’ve never had to use it, but that would be a lie,” Zoe said. “As for the time I healed Aric on the lawn ... I think that was just pure force of will.”

  “It was,” Aric agreed. “Somehow she used her ability to control dreams to transport us to another place and then poured all the magic she had into me. I was feeling pretty spry there for a day or two.” He winked at his wife.

  “I know what that means,” Sami complained. “You guys did the dirty stuff all night.”

  Pemberley roared with laughter. “Doing the dirty stuff is how they got you in the first place. If I’m not mistaken, you were already a hitchhiker at that time. That means you likely helped heal your father.”

  Sami perked up. “Is that true?”

  Zoe shrugged. “You’re the reason we started sharing memories and dreams. It wasn’t until you showed me one and I realized the vantage point was lower than it should’ve been that I thought to check if I was pregnant. Until that point, we assumed I was being poisoned because I was the only one getting sick.”

  “And they thought I was doing it,” Pemberley said, with a wink. “Like I would ruin a wedding.”

  “Still, it’s interesting you became a wedding coordinator,” I noted.

  Pemberley shrugged. “I’ve always loved a happy ending. As obnoxious as these two were — and they were obnoxious — I had no doubt they were built to last. That’s why I came through with the most garish cake imaginable. It’s what Zoe wanted, even if it did crush my heart a bit.”

  “A garish cake?”

  “It was a marine cake,” Zoe explained. “It had sharks. Aric and I ate huge slices of it in bed that night after I told him I was pregnant. He went into shock for a bit and I used the sugar to snap him back.”

  “You didn’t want me?” Sami fixed her father with a serious stare. “How could you not want me?”

  “Oh, don’t even.” Aric wagged a finger. “We always wanted you. I won’t pretend you weren’t a surprise, though. We thought we would have more time.”

  “And you just wanted the one?” Max asked.

  “They didn’t want to mess with perfection,” Sami replied.

  Aric smirked. “That’s so true. On top of that, given Zoe’s reputation, we knew Sami would be coveted by magical factions. We were certain we could keep one child safe.”

  “And even that wasn’t always a given,” Zoe added. “But we’re pretty happy with how things turned out.”

  “Of course you are.” Sami preened. “They couldn’t do better than me.”

  Aric chuckled. “She gets that from you, Zoe.”

  “I’m fine with it.” Zoe went back to reading the book. “I have an idea.”

  “Oh, geez.” Aric’s smile slipped. “I hate it when you have ideas.”

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “You were telling me about the dreamcatcher,” Zoe said. “You said you rigged it to bring in evil humans. We’re running on the assumption that these individuals don’t believe they’re evil, and that’s why they’re not triggering the dreamcatcher.”

  I nodded. “That’s the best we’ve got. We’ve been over the spell twenty times. It should be working.”

  “Well, is there a way we can tweak the spell so we draw in true believers?”

  I ran the idea through my head and then looked to Raven. “What do you think?”

  “It’s an intriguing option. The thing is, how do we stop true believers in other religions from descending on us? It can’t be as vague as true believers and nothing else.”

  “She’s right,” Cole said from his spot at the other side of Sami. She’d insisted he sit with her. If he was uncomfortable with her nonstop attention, he didn’t show it. “This is the South. Church is a big thing here. You’ll have to differentiate between true believers and cultists.”

  “And I guarantee these people don’t believe they’re in a cult,” Max added. “It’s an intriguing thought, but it’s going to have to be a very precise spell.”

  “Right.” I rubbed my cheek. “We need to think about this. The circus opens in an hour. We have to treat it like a normal day. If they move on us, I have to think it will be after dark again.”

  “So, if we’re going to tweak the dreamcatcher, then we have to do it this afternoon,” Zoe surmised. “Okay, well, I think that’s entirely possible.” She flashed a smile. “Aric and I are going to do regular rounds around the fairgrounds today. Maybe we’ll get lucky and snag one of the freaks.”

  That seemed unlikely. “If you do manage that, take them to the animal tent. There are cages and we’re careful with security because we don’t want people to know that we don’t have real animals.”

  “We can handle that,” Aric said.

  “What about me?” Sami asked in a plaintive voice. “If I can’t be in the big tent, can I hunt with you guys?”

  “No,” Zoe answered as Aric vigorously shook his head.

  “Why not?” Sami’s mood instantly changed from boastful to petulant.

  “Because we want you safe,” Zoe replied. “We can’t risk you wandering around with us because you tend to take off when something strikes your fancy.”

  “She can hang out in the administration trailer with me,” Max offered.

  Zoe looked intrigued and hesitant at the offer.

  “I don’t want to be inside,” Sami countered. “It’s nice out.”

  “She can work in my tent with me,” Nixie suggested. “I can keep her corralled. Plus, there’s good food around and we can make Mark deliver it to us.”

  “That actually might work,” I said.

  “I agree.” Zoe fixed Sami with a firm stare. “Go with Nixie. If you’re good for two hours, we’ll think about moving you to a new location. If you’re bad, I’ll allow her to turn you into one of those dolls you claim whisper to one another.”

  “They do whisper to one another,” Sami insisted. “I hear them.”

  “She’s not the first person to mention she can hear them,” I offered. “I just hope they don’t rise up and revolt one day.”

  “I kind of like the idea of her being turned into a doll,” Aric said. “Boys would be off the menu and I could keep her in my pocket.”

  “Oh, that’s so stupid.” Sami scorched him with a glare. “Not funny at all.”

  Aric grinned. “It’s settled. We’ll stop in regularly to make sure Sami is being good. If she’s terrible, text us. Then we’ll make her work in the House of Mirrors with Raven.”

  Raven snorted. “She won’t like that. Come to thin
k of it, neither will I. Kids are stupid.”

  “Maybe you’re stupid,” Sami muttered.

  This time it was Zoe who reacted. “Apologize.”

  Sami balked. “She said it first.”

  “She’s an adult.”

  “And she’s been around a very long time,” Aric added. “I can’t imagine still having to deal with kids when I’m five-hundred years old. Apologize.”

  A sulking Sami darted her eyes to Raven. “I’m sorry.”

  The apology tickled Raven. “If I have to watch a kid, she seems like an okay one to take under my wing. If you need to stash her somewhere, I’ll be in my office. If she’s good, I’ll teach her how to make ghosts appear in the mirror to freak everybody out.”

  Sami brightened considerably. “That sounds promising.”

  “My whole life is promising, kid,” Raven said. “Let’s play it by ear for now. Everybody will be on the lookout for cult members. We’ll also be thinking about modifying the dreamcatcher. Something has got to give here.”

  “YOU WON’T GET AWAY WITH IT.”

  My third customer of the day was a man who’d decided that he was no longer interested in being married. He’d done the math, though, and realized how much a divorce would cost him. He was now considering a hitman he found on the internet.

  Yes, Leon Howard was a moron.

  “You don’t know,” Leon challenged. “I could get away with it. This guy is only asking five grand.”

  I knew I wouldn’t like him the second he walked into the tent and mentioned how a parquet floor would be better than grass.

  “Trust me. You won’t get away with it,” I insisted.

  “Why should I believe you?”

  “Would you believe me if I told you that getting away with it was possible?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, then I can’t help you.” I fixed him with a hard glare. “I’m not here to tell you what you want to hear.” That was a lie, but there was no reason he needed that information. “I’m here to tell you the truth, and the truth is you will go to prison for the rest of your life and your wife will get all your money anyway.”