Evelina and the Reef Hag Part 7

"Are you sure?" Abby sounded horrified. "I thought we had nine lives or something. Wow! The poor thing must have been on his last one."

"Positive."

Tally circled the body as though examining the archaeological dig of some ancient tomb. "It very well might have been his last life. Witches don't show age like mortals."

"Just as well," Evelina came to her feet. "I don't think I'd look so hot at nine hundred."

"Possibly older." Tally came to a halt, supposedly to impress her point. "Some mortals have lived to be as old as one hundred and twenty."

"Do you hear that?" Abby lifted her head like a deer opening day. "Someone's coming!"

Evelina's pulse rushed. "We can't be found here!" She didn't know what the penalty was for spying on a warlock council meeting, but she'd rather not find out. "Run!"

She'd only gone a few strides, when someone reached out and grabbed her by the arm.

Her heart shot to her throat.

"Evelina Crimm, well, well, well!"

Her mouth went dry.

Wendell Barnes.

She jerked from his grasp.

What was he doing here?

He should have been locked away after peddling black magic spells that caused so many deaths.

He hadn't changed much. He had the same auburn hair and preppy look-the same knowing smirk plastered over his face. He was wearing gold shorts, which meant he wasn't just working with the Swamp Hags-he was one of them-a Swamp Hog, as the warlocks were called. "What brings you to our neck of the woods?"

Blood whooshed in her ears. "Nothing."

"You look like you've seen a ghost." He grinned. "Surprised to see me?"

"Not really." She drew herself up to look him in the eye. "People tend to end up dead wherever you are."

"Sure you are." He threw back his head and laughed. "Let's just say...I have connections."

Her mouth went dry. They must be very powerful, considering he was charged with peddling black market spells which led to murder. Frankie must be freaking out, since his sister was one of the victims.

"The Witches' Council decided to give me a second chance-redemption and all of that. But first I must suffer and repent. I never could see the point of it, until now, of course." He smiled an almost smile. "But now I understand. I've seen the error of my ways."

It was difficult to believe a word he said. The Wendell she knew was as slippery as a snake. "Really?" she managed to croak.

"Turns out some evidence was inadmissible. Your friend Frankie Holler didn't have permission from the Council to time skip. Turns out he was on an unsanctioned mission." Wendell gave an evil chuckle. "My Time Keeper memories have been suspended indefinitely and I've been demoted to novice, that's all." He shrugged. "A little inconvenient. But any pro can handle a handicap. My powers have been erased. But it won't take long to relearn them. I have the same potential I always did."

Bile rose in her throat. That meant Wendell had gotten away with murder. It was too much to swallow. How could the Council let him off so easily? Didn't they realize what a threat he posed?

"I'll have to get even though," he said, quietly and distinctly. "Nothing personal. You understand."

Something twisted in her belly.

But she squared her shoulders, determined not to show fear. "Stay away from me and my friends. Or the next time I'll make sure you don't get off on a technicality."

"Be careful who you threaten, little witch. My powers are greater than yours, even without time memories."

"Says who?"

"My great lineage."

"The only thing great is your ego!"

Wendell's eyes narrowed. "Let me see...what was that spell. How did it go?"

Evelina took a step back, gazing around.

Why hadn't Abby and Tally noticed she wasn't with them yet?

Where were they?

"Ah yes!" Wendell swept both arms in the air. "That was it!"

CRACK!.

A jagged bolt of lightning hit right between her feet.

Evelina gave a yelp, jumping back.

She slapped at her emerald tunic to put the sparks out, frantically searching her brain for a spell of her own.

"A little something my father taught me." Wendell smirked. "Things like that stay with you forever."

The thud of footsteps thundered toward them.

"You get my drift." He pointed one long finger at her like a gun, then blew on it. "Gotta run." He tore off down the vine strewn path, until the jungle swallowed him up.

The sound of ragged breath turned her around.

Expecting to see Abby and Tally, she opened her mouth to give them a piece of her mind.

She gasped to discover Frankie standing there. "Where is he?"

"That way." She pointed down the path. He made to go, then halted when she said, "h.e.l.lo, Evelina? How are you? Nice to see you. I hope you're not hurt or anything?"

"Sorry." He flashed a wry smile. "But I can't involve you in this. Look, the best thing you can do is stay away from me." His tone turned serious. "I can't protect you right now."

"You're pretty full of yourself, Holler." Evelina gave a derisive snort. "Who says I need protecting?"

He sliced a sideways glance at the scorched hem of her tunic.

"Okay, I still have some things to learn." She flushed to the roots of her hair. "The magic isn't quite there yet."

He lifted one golden brow.

"I admit, I need some help now and then." She spread both hands in a full body shrug. "But I don't need a keeper."

"That's what I love about you." He chuckled. "You never give up."

Tiny p.r.i.c.kles rushed over her skin.

"But trust me." He walked slowly toward her-close enough to touch. "You don't want to get involved in this."

"You mean the novice."

Frankie nodded. "He was murdered."

"How do you know?"

"He had the mark of a Reef Hag on his heel."

"Wow!" Evelina let out the breath she'd been holding in a gush. "So that's what it was. What does it mean?"

"It means someone summoned her here to kill warlocks."

Evelina trembled, remembering how close she'd come to the Reef Hag on the beach. "I didn't see any wound on him." She licked her dry lips. "How did she kill him?"

"It's not like that," Frankie said in a low husky voice. "There is no mark. A Reef Hag kills you from the inside out. She poisons your spirit-a slow and painful death. Most never find the mark until it's too late."

Evelina swallowed hard. "We need to do something."

"You're right." He leaned closer.

Chapter Five.

Evelina held her breath.

For a minute it looked as though Frankie might kiss her.

Instead, he said, "I'll meet you at the fountain on Monday, after work-around five." He squeezed her hand. "Gotta go." He turned and raced off through the jungle.

It took her a moment to understand what he meant. She'd almost forgotten about the Wave Wire. Of course her brain never worked very well when Frankie was around.

What had it said? Count the coins at Cutthroat Cove', which was ridiculous, if not impossible. There were millions of coins in that fountain, even if they emptied it regularly. Everyone that walked by it must make a wish, or several. Wishes were endless. At least hers were.

Right now she wished it was Monday. But it wasn't, and nothing could change that.

She had to find Abby and Tally.

They had to get back to camp before they were caught.

Evelina rolled out of the hammock with a groan.

Sunlight streamed through the palms in beams of red and gold. It stabbed at her eyes. Too many hours wasted laying awake thinking of Frankie.

She stumbled to the bar toward the coconuts they'd cracked opened the night before.

She lifted one up to take a swig of the sweet milk inside.

Poof!

Burble appeared.

Coconut milk spurted from Evelina's lips, like spray from a blow hole.

"Good morning, girls!" A cheery smile accompanied Burble's robust greeting. "I trust you slept well and are in tip-top shape."

Evelina wiped the drips from her chin, attempting to appear alert-not so difficult it turned out. Burble's sudden appearance had jump-started her brain along with her heart.

Abby rolled out of her hammock like a soldier at reveille.

Tally stumbled behind with a dazed look.

"I've brought your a.s.signment for the day." Burble bugled on. "Lake of the Isles will act as score keepers. Mentors will join us at the challenge for further instructions. Apprentices will, of course, a.s.sist as well."

Tingles of excitement chased over Evelina's skin. Mentors and apprentices were a wealth of information. Hopefully, there'd be a question and answer session like they'd had at the Flurry. She was bursting with questions, mostly about the warlocks and their mysterious society.

At last they might learn some more magic.

"Before we begin, I must inform you," Burble looked each of them in eye, one after the other, "there has been a death!"

"Wow!" Evelina s.h.i.+fted her gaze from Abby to Tally, then back to Burble again, hoping they all appeared sufficiently shocked. "I mean that's terrible." She a.s.sumed a grim look. "Who died?"

"A novice warlock by the name of Melvin Ruggles."

"What happened?" Tally's voice trembled.

"Apparently, he was poisoned by a Reef Hag" Burble intoned. "We're not sure when it entered his nervous system. All good memories were erased until there was only bad. He died of a broken heart. It simply snapped in two-not a clean break, mind you, but a jagged crack that did unspeakable damage, according to the Soul Sifter who examined him."

Abby's dark brows converged. "I thought Water Witches had many lives."