“It’s what I feared—they want more proof. I mean, the person I talked to made some vague comments about making ‘inquiries,’ but I didn’t really feel like he was taking me seriously. I think he thinks I was using it to deflect from you and Sydney being outside of Court.”
My hopes fell as I looked at Sydney across the room. She was trying to sit in an overstuffed beanbag chair. The thought of her going off to sneak around the Warriors’ compound made me ill. It had been one thing when she’d left with Eddie and Ms. Terwilliger, but now she was walking right into the hands of some of our enemies. What if she was found out? What if the Warriors tried to renew their friendship with the Alchemists by using her as a bargaining chip? What if the Warriors decided to make an example of the woman who’d married a vampire?
No good can come of any of this, Aunt Tatiana reiterated.
“I’ll keep working on them, though,” Lissa continued, oblivious to my churning thoughts. “And I assume you guys are doing your own things to get answers?”
“So it seems,” I said.
“Well, let me know if I can offer any help. I talked to Rose earlier, and it sounds like you’ve already got her working on something. Feel free to use her and Dimitri and Neil however you can if it’ll help get Jill back.”
Lissa’s tone sounded perfectly innocent, and I realized Rose must have kept the news of Declan secret even from her best friend. It made me grateful but also drove home the precariousness of Declan’s situation. Lissa’s mention of Neil also reminded me that we still hadn’t yet had a chance to sit him down and explain what’s going on. Too many complications just kept coming up.
The rest of the day was spent waiting for Jackie and Eddie to come by. Marcus, who’d spent so much of his life on the run, seemed perfectly at ease cooped up in the cabin’s small living room. Sydney and I, who’d grown used to our freedom, short as it was, had a harder time. We made all the plans we could with our friends remotely, and then mostly tried to pass the time. Despite the private location, we were hesitant to go outside. The house’s one TV was in the basement, and the secondhand smoke coming out of there was strong enough to keep us away. That left a stack of old Reader’s Digests as our remaining entertainment.
“There’s a car pulling up,” said Marcus later that evening. He’d been standing near the window, occasionally looking out the drawn curtains. A frown crossed his face. “I don’t see Jackie or Eddie.”
Sydney leapt up and joined him at the window. After a few moments, her tension faded. “It’s okay. I know them.”
Marcus opened the door, and two women I recognized entered. One was Maude, the senior member of Sydney’s coven, who’d helped at the lake. The other was feisty old Inez, giving me a wink as she stepped across the threshold. Maude lingered at the door, keeping it open as though she expected someone else to come through. No one did, and after several seconds, she nodded for Marcus to close it. I knew enough from Sydney to realize someone invisible had entered, and as that realization hit me, the spell surrounding that person broke.
“Eddie,” Sydney exclaimed, running to give him a hug.
He grinned back. “You guys okay?”
“Fine,” I said. “Just stocking up on carbs and waiting for the next phase of craziness to start.”
“You’re sure no one followed you?” asked Marcus, tugging the curtains around the front windows closer together.
“Positive,” said Eddie. “We met up in a public place, and the Alchemists sent to watch me never even knew I left with these two.”
Inez was sizing up our surroundings with a critical eye and didn’t look impressed. “Jaclyn sent us since she couldn’t get away from your friends. They’ve staked out her house.”
“The Alchemists aren’t my friends,” Sydney retorted.
“Well, whatever they are, they’re a pain in the ass,” Inez said. “But we told her we’d help you, so here we are.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Sydney said, adorably polite as ever. “I know what an inconvenience it must be.”
Maude smiled kindly at her. “It’s not as inconvenient as some people would have you think.” She set down two large tote bags, stuffed to overflowing with mysterious ingredients. “Now then. I understand we need to make you stronger.”
“Do you?” Sydney asked in surprise.
Inez pushed up the sleeves of her rose-printed dress and peered into one of the bags. “That’s what Jaclyn says. Says you’re going to be getting in fights or some such nonsense.”
“Well, yeah, but I just figured I’d use the evasive techniques Wolfe taught me.”
“Wolfe?” Inez snorted in disgust. “That hippie that Jaclyn’s dating? Believe me, smarts and ‘evasive techniques’ are fine if that’s all you’ve got to rely on, but if you get a chance to be the baddest and strongest, always be the baddest and strongest.”
There were a number of things wrong with what she’d said, starting with her referring to Wolfe—who owned more weapons than anyone I’d ever met—as a hippie.
Inez carefully took out an innocuous-looking canteen from the bag. “What’s that?” I asked.
“A very special and complex potion,” said Maude. “One that several of us worked on for most of today.”
As she spoke, I took note of the dark circles under her eyes and fatigue in her voice. Sydney saw it too. “You didn’t have to do that . . .” she said.
“We did,” said Maude simply. “Cleaning up after Alicia is our responsibility—and if that involves preparing you for these bizarre acts of brutality, we’ll help you do it.”
“What’s in it?” I asked. The scope and randomness of human magic was still kind of amazing to me. Plus, focusing on it distracted me from thinking about Sydney and “bizarre acts of brutality.”
“You’re happier not knowing,” Maude told me. “Now then. We need to finish off the spell by—”
We heard the sound of a door opening. A moment later, the beaded curtain separating the living room from the kitchen rustled, and Howie stepped through. He looked surprised to see additional people here and blinked a few times, as though ascertaining that we were all real and not some hallucination. I imagined in his life, that was a distinction that had to constantly be made. And, considering my increasing interactions with Aunt Tatiana, it was something I could relate to.
“Hey, man, Marcus,” he said, pushing up his glasses. “Didn’t know you had more people over, man. We’re looking for the Doritos. Have you seen the Doritos?”
Marcus pointed to an end table by the couch. Howie brightened as he lifted the Doritos bag, then turned dismayed when he saw it was nearly empty. “You were up here eating them around lunchtime,” Marcus reminded him.
Howie looked pleasantly skeptical. “I was?”
“Yeah,” I confirmed. “You said you were watching some mutant-shark movie that was on commercial.”
“Trey was watching that earlier today too,” remarked Eddie in a too-casual way that made me think Trey hadn’t been the only one watching it.
“Was it a double feature with Raptorbot Rampage?” Sydney asked dryly.
Howie held up a warning finger. “That stuff’s not made up, you know. Real life is stranger than fiction, man. The government’s hiding it from us.”
“Totally,” said Marcus, steering Howie back toward the beaded curtain. “Why don’t you take some cookies back down in the basement instead? I think I saw some Nutter Butters in the kitchen.”
Marcus got our host situated and then sent him on his way. None of the rest of us spoke until we heard the basement door close again. Eddie remarked, “Real life is stranger than fiction.”
“Tell me about it,” Sydney said, turning back to the canteen. “What do I have to do?”
“Drink it,” said Inez. “We mixed in some Tang to help it taste better. Emphasis on ‘help.’”
“But first we
finish the spell,” said Maude. She and Inez linked hands, forming a circle around where the canteen sat on a table. I’d heard Sydney recite spells enough to recognize the sound of Latin. I’d also learned enough to know that most of the spells she used were simple ones with immediate results. The kind these witches were dealing with now—spells with multiple parts that required multiple magic users—were heady, and Sydney’s awed expression reflected as much. When they finished the chant, Maude handed the canteen over to Sydney with a flourish. “Bottoms up,” said Maude.
Sydney unscrewed the lid and grimaced at what she saw inside. I was standing near her and shared her disgust. The concoction smelled like wet rope . . . and Tang.
“The faster you drink it, the better,” added Inez. “Plugging your nose wouldn’t hurt either.”
Sydney did both, but none of it stopped her from gagging. “It better not come back up,” warned Inez. “Because we don’t have any more of it.”
Sydney winced and shook her head as she handed the canteen back. “It’s staying down. What now? Am I really stronger? Mostly I just feel like I want to brush my teeth.” She certainly hadn’t sprouted giant muscles nor begun compulsively pumping iron.
“And how much stronger?” asked Eddie eagerly. “Like lift-up-a-car stronger?”
Maude smiled. “Sorry to disappoint, but no. For one thing, that would attract too much attention, and you probably don’t want that. For another, our power has limitations. We can’t go around creating gods. I’d say . . .” She glanced between Eddie and Sydney speculatively, her smile growing. “I’d say you’re strong enough to hold your own with a dhampir in an arm wrestling match.”
“I would kind of love to see that,” I admitted. Eddie’s face said he would as well.
Sydney groaned. “Really? That’s so barbaric.”
Eddie leaned over and propped his arm up on the table that had previously held the canteen. “Come on, Mrs. Ivashkov. Let’s do this. Besides, if you’re squeamish about arm wrestling, how are you going to handle going head-to-head with the Warriors?”
He had a point, at least based on the stories Sabrina had told us. Sydney stood opposite him at the table and mirrored his arm position. Their arms clasped, and Marcus counted them down, looking nearly as excited as Eddie. To my astonishment, when they started, Eddie didn’t immediately slam her hand down as I’d expected. His eyes widened, as did his grin. He increased his effort and began making progress. Gritting her teeth, Sydney pushed back, and amazingly, she soon took the upper hand, so to speak.
“It’s so strange,” she said. “I can feel the strength within me . . . as though it’s both part of me and yet not part of me. Like it was something I put on. Like clothing.” Ultimately, Eddie pushed his strength to its limit and finally defeated her, but not without her holding her own for a while. I held up her arm triumphantly, like a victor at a boxing match.
“My wife, ladies and gentlemen. Beauty, brains, and now brawn.”
“Awesome,” said Eddie, in a rare moment of delight. “How long will that last?”
“Four days,” said Maude, looking apologetic. “Like I said, we can’t create gods.”
“Four days,” Sydney repeated. “Sabrina’s taking us later tonight. So we’ve got three and a half days to find out what the Warriors are hiding about Jill.”
“Or just kick everyone’s ass the first day so they leave you alone after that,” suggested Marcus helpfully.
Noting the second tote bag the witches had brought, I asked, “What else is there besides super strength?”
Maude began unpacking the bag’s contents. “Jackie says we need to do some appearance changes too.”
“I’ve done those kinds of spells before,” Sydney told them. “You don’t need to do anything more.”
“Hush, girl,” snapped Inez. “You need to conserve your strength for whatever madness you’re getting involved in. Besides, maintaining a sustained spell of change is no easy task. You ever done it for a week?” She glanced at Eddie. “For two people?”
“No, ma’am,” Sydney admitted.
Maude tossed Sydney two boxes of hair dye in “Burnished Chestnut.” “One for each of you,” she said. “You can do it after we leave. The less we have to change with magic, the better.”
Eddie took one of the boxes and raised an eyebrow. He made no complaint, however. Some guys would’ve thrown a fit about having to dye their hair, but not Eddie. I supposed when you vanquished evil undead creatures as part of your normal life, a little salon treatment in no way threatened your masculinity.
The rest of the bag contained what I recognized as standard spell components: herbs, crystals, powders. Maude and Inez began building a spell circle on the table, and I realized I was watching another complicated act of magic that had required multiple people and parts. Sydney realized it too.
“So much,” she murmured to me. “They’re helping so much.”
“Take it,” I replied, squeezing her hand. “You’re worth it. Jill’s worth it.”
When their materials were ready, Inez set two silver rings in the middle of it all. She glanced at Maude. “Are you ready?”
Maude nodded and walked over to Sydney, wielding a wand. Reluctantly I stepped away from her, remarking, “How come you never wave a wand?”
Sydney smiled back. “Despite the clichés, witches rarely use wands. They’re necessary for detailed work or if part of the wand contains an element that can focus or amplify the magic.” She eyed the crystals on the wand Maude held up to her face. “I’m guessing focus here.”
“Correct,” said Maude. “Now hold still and close your eyes.” She recited a Greek verse, and a faint glow lit the wand. A moment later, she touched the tip of Sydney’s nose with it. Slowly, carefully, Maude moved the wand around, going on to Sydney’s eyelids, then her cheekbones and chin. Each place the wand touched, it was like Maude was airbrushing a picture, changing each of Sydney’s features. Her cheekbones rounded a little, her face grew narrower. They were small, subtle changes, but taken all together, the results wholly altered her. Even with her normal hair color, I doubted anyone would’ve recognized her. Soon even Sydney’s tattoo disappeared. The biggest shock of all was when Maude stepped back and told Sydney to open her eyes. What had once been brown were now as vivid a blue as Marcus’s.
I couldn’t help a gasp, and Sydney turned to me with a sheepish smile. “Still recognize me?”
“I’d know you anywhere,” I said gallantly.
“I wouldn’t,” said Eddie.
Immediately, Maude directed her attention to him. “Your turn. Close your eyes.”
He did, and she repeated the spell. I watched in wonder as his face changed appearance every place the wand passed. When she was finished, he no longer looked like the Eddie I knew, but he certainly looked like he could be related to the new Sydney.
“Can I see?” asked Eddie excitedly.
“Wait,” said Inez, taking the wand from Maude. “We have to act quickly to save the spell.” She waved the wand over the rings and chanted in Greek again. Sparks jumped between the wand and the rings. When she finished, she gave one ring to Eddie and one to Sydney. They slipped them on, and Sydney’s breath caught.
“Strange . . .” she murmured. “I feel like something just locked into place.”
“Those rings bind the spells to you now,” said Maude. “Take them off, and your original appearances will return. Otherwise, they should last for about a week.”
“That’s your real deadline,” added Inez. “You can probably hide when your strength’s gone. But when your face comes back, the jig is up. Then you really will have to rely on your smarts to explain that away.”
Her voice was as sarcastic and crotchety as always, but underneath, I could tell she was worn out. A quick aura check proved as much. The magic they’d just performed here had been substantial, and it was only part
of what had been started earlier today with the help of other witches. Sydney turned to Maude and Inez.
“I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done. Really. This means so much to me and—”
“No need to gush,” interrupted Inez. “We know you’re grateful. And you should be. But now you need to prove it and go clean up Alicia’s mess. Save your friend.”
Sydney straightened up. “I will, ma’am.”
The witches gave a few more last-minute instructions, both for Sydney and for me since I’d be joining them later to release Alicia, and then went on their way. Eddie and Sydney made a beeline for a mirror and exclaimed in amazement at their change in appearance. They had previously been mistaken for siblings, and now they just looked like a different set of siblings. They had the same blue eyes, and Maude had done a neat job of making them look pleasantly average. Hopefully it would ensure no one gave them a second glance.
I’d just finished helping them dye their hair “Burnished Chestnut”—a shade that was dark brown with a faint red cast—when Sabrina showed up. Her normally cocky persona faltered a bit as she took them in. She’d grown used to a number of weird realities, but human magic wasn’t something she’d had a lot of experience with.
“Incredible,” she murmured, looking back and forth between their faces. “I’d never think it was you. You could walk right past the Alchemists now.”
Marcus, watching with amusement, crossed his arms and leaned back into Howie’s overstuffed sofa. “Maybe your friends can hook me up with that spell once in a while. Going incognito would be pretty handy.”
“I’ll let them know,” Sydney said. To Sabrina, she held up the hand wearing the silver ring. “Are there any rules about jewelry? Will they let us wear these in?”
“They should,” she said. “They’ll search for weapons or anything else they think is suspicious. Cell phones too—they don’t want any way for people to track you. You’ll go blindfolded when I take you in.”
“Sounds a lot like when I went to their arena,” Sydney remarked. She took off her engagement and wedding rings and walked over to me. “I don’t want anything to happen to these while I’m there.”