Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

S alima moved the soulglass in her hands, and as she turned, the picture within its illuminated depths shifted. The room we had glimpsed began to reveal more details: shelves lined with books and artifacts, a large, ornate table in the center, and ancient symbols etched into the walls. It was like peering through a window into another world, one filled with knowledge and power.

As Salima stepped back, the vision within the soulglass moved with her. She began to back out of the vault, and we followed, giving her space to maneuver the artifact. The image remained clear and steady, providing us with a continuous view of the room. Each step she took revealed more of the space, showing us details we might have missed in our initial glimpse.

We ascended the stairs, the air growing warmer and less oppressive as we left the cool depths of the vault behind. Salima's focus never wavered. Her eyes locked on the glowing artifact as it guided her movements. She exited the stairs, making a few turns through the house, but the picture within the soulglass changed. It no longer showed the room with the shelves and artifacts; instead, it depicted a hallway, narrow and dimly lit.

In the kitchen, the soulglass showed various images of the inside of a house, but it seemed different from my own. The pictures revealed a basement, cluttered with high-end furniture and forgotten items. Salima's steps quickened, and she moved with purpose toward the front door. We followed, our curiosity and anticipation growing with each step.

Salima descended the porch and aimed the soulglass at my home. The image within the artifact transformed once more, showing a house that was much different from mine, yet vaguely familiar. I was sure I had seen the house before, but I couldn't recall where.

"Where is this?" I murmured, more to myself than to anyone else.

Faith and Eve stepped closer, peering at the vision in the soulglass. Faith's brow furrowed in concentration. "It looks familiar. It's massive, so I'm thinking the rich area of town, but there are a few larger ones on the outskirts and by the Morrison Mansion."

Eve nodded, her eyes narrowed in thought. "Could it be showing us another realm or time period?"

Salima's gaze never left the artifact, her expression one of intense focus. "It's here in Ravenholde and there is no temporal displacement," she said softly. "The artifact wants to keep going."

I glanced around at my friends, seeing their determination mirrored in my own. But Salima's gaze was fixed on the soulglass and I didn't like the rapt fascination of her features. "Then we follow it," I said firmly. "But we do it without the soulglass. It is too dangerous to leave this property."

Faith touched Salima's shoulder. "Salima, you need to give the artifact back to Tegan, so she can return it to the vault."

Salima clutched the soulglass with both hands, her fingers gripping it so tightly her knuckles turned white. She seemed utterly oblivious to Faith's words, her entire focus consumed by the glowing glass. It was almost as if she were speaking to it, her lips moving in silent conversation. I wondered if she was using her connection to the dead, tapping into some ancient power that we couldn't comprehend.

Faith's voice cut through the air, firm and insistent. "Salima, you need to let go. Hand over the soulglass."

But Salima didn't respond. Her eyes were wide and unblinking, locked onto the artifact as if it were alive, pulsating with an eerie, mesmerizing light. The strange artifact had a hold on her, a grip she couldn't seem to break free from.

"Salima," Faith repeated, stepping closer. "Please, give it to me."

Still, Salima remained unmoved; her attention riveted to the soulglass. It was as if she was in a trance, and nothing we said or did could reach her.

Nishi pulled out her phone and took a step closer to Salima. She angled the phone to capture the image within the soulglass, snapping a picture of the glowing vision. The flash from the camera momentarily illuminated the scene, casting stark shadows that danced across Salima's face.

"Got it," Nishi said, her voice a mix of relief and determination. She glanced at the picture on her phone, studying the captured image. "We just have to figure out where this is."

I moved closer, my concern for Salima growing with each passing second. "Salima, can you hear me?" I asked gently, hoping to reach her through the haze that enveloped her.

Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. The light within the soulglass seemed to pulse in time with her breathing, a rhythmic glow that held her captive.

Faith tried once more, her voice softening, but when there was no response, she snatched the soulglass from Salima's hands. "Sorry Salima, but we can't let you continue."

Finally, a flicker of recognition passed through Salima's eyes. She blinked, as if waking from a deep sleep, and she lowered her empty hands. She looked up at us, her expression a mixture of confusion and awe.

"I... I couldn't let go," she whispered, her voice trembling. "It wouldn't let me."

"It's okay," I said, reaching out gently to take the soulglass from Faith.

"We're in this together," Faith said, her voice reassuring.

Salima nodded, her strength slowly returning as she stepped back. The glow from the soulglass dimmed in my hands, returning to its black, polished stone appearance. Whatever power had held Salima captive had faded when she wasn't touching it.

I turned the inert soulglass in my hand. "I need to put this away. Let's take it back to the vault and decipher our next move."

We moved back inside my house, the ladies trailing behind me as we made our way down to the vault. Our steps were heavy with the weight of the recent events, each of us preoccupied with our own thoughts. Nishi still had her phone out, her eyes fixed on the picture she had taken of the mansion in the soulglass. Every few steps, she paused to study it, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Eve and Faith were deep in discussion, their voices a low murmur as they debated possible locations for the mysterious mansion. Their theories ranged from abandoned estates on the outskirts of town to hidden coven properties known only to a select few. Each suggestion brought a new layer of possibility, but no concrete answers.

Salima, however, remained silent. Her eyes were haunted, a shadow of the trance that had held her moments before. I couldn't help but worry that we had pushed her too far, too fast. The power she wielded was formidable, but it came with its own set of dangers and burdens. I hoped we hadn't scared her off by asking for her help.

We reached the vault, the familiar cool air wrapping around us as we descended. The walls seemed to close in, the dim light casting long shadows that danced with each step we took. The echo of our footsteps was a constant reminder of the secrets this place held.

Nishi's gaze never left her phone, the picture of the mansion offering a silent clue to our quest. "It looks so familiar," she muttered, more to herself than to anyone else. "I swear I've seen it somewhere."

Eve nodded, her mind racing through the possibilities. "There are a few places it could be," she said, her tone thoughtful. "Its architecture is similar to many homes in the empowered area."

Faith sighed, running a hand through her hair. "We'll figure it out," she said, trying to sound optimistic. "We always do."

Salima stayed close to me, her silence heavy with unspoken fears. I glanced at her, trying to offer a reassuring smile. "Your help is invaluable. I don't know what we would have done without you. But I don't think it's safe for you to use the soulglass. That was a little scary. We won't risk you for a lead."

She looked at me, her eyes reflecting the turmoil inside her. "I appreciate that."

We gathered around the center of the vault, the soulglass now resting on a pedestal where we could all see it. The light within it had dimmed, but the memory of its power still lingered in the air.

"Mother," I whispered.

My mother's form started as tendrils of mist then solidified before she held out her hand. I pointed to the soulglass, and it seemed to shimmer before it disappeared.

Faith's eyes widened. "I didn't know your mom could portal objects."

"Only within the vault. This is the source of her power. The soulglass is safely within its case in the dark vault."

My mother nodded to me, but there was a look of pride before her form dissolved.

Faith stared at the shelves at the end of the wall where the entrance to the dark vault was concealed. "We are looking at this all wrong. We don't need to find this mansion."

I arched my eyebrows. "Yes, we do. I got a glimpse of the items in the room. They are mostly black market, and I won't be surprised if there is more than the Temporal Echo from my heist in there."

Faith shook her head. "I didn't mean we weren't going after the artifact. I just meant we don't need to look for the house."

She pulled out her phone. "Nishi, send me that pic."

Nishi's phone made a whooshing sound before Faith's pinged. She texted quickly before sending the picture to someone else.

"Greyson has contracts with the majority of homes in the empowered area. Even if this isn't one of his, I bet he knows where it is."

"You are brilliant," I said.

Faith winked at me. "You didn't just think I was a pretty face, did you? I got brains under all this sexiness."

Salima coughed, and Nishi laughed.

"Don't ever change," I said before Faith's phone rang and she answered with her speakerphone on.

"Hey babe, you are on speaker so save the dirty talk for later."

Greyson grunted. "I'm on my way to the prison, honey. I'm pretty sure you are safe."

"Any idea where that home is?" Faith asked.

"Yeah. It's not one of mine, but it's a few miles down the street from Marco Madison's house. His name is Asham Wager, and he is the owner of New Age Imports. He is Marco's largest competitor."

Faith grunted. "Since Marco is about as shady as a three-dollar bill, I'm going to guess this guy is as well."

"Asham has been suspected of procuring artifacts without proper license, but nothing was ever proven. Marco and he have been at each other's throats for years, but it's all business related."

Faith nodded. "And him being on the shadier side is why he doesn't have you running his security."

"That is likely why he has never employed my services. I have no idea who runs his security. I've had little contact with him."

"Have you heard anything else about him or his home that could help us? We are kind of going in blind," Faith said.

Greyson was quiet for a moment. "I hate it when you put yourself in danger like this."

Faith sighed. "A bounty hunter has to do what a bounty hunter has to do. And since I don't have a lead on any demons or the missing coins right now, I might as well find out who is targeting Tegan and her family."

"I understand why you do it. I just don't like it."

"Fair, enough," Faith said.

Greyson was quiet for a moment, but I could hear the clink of metal in the background. He was passing a construction site as he drove. "Asham was suspected of taking out another competitor."

"He killed someone?" Faith asked.

"No. At least nobody could prove that. He set him up. It was a smuggler with ties to the Salem coven. He ruined the guy financially, and when rumors of Asham's involvement leaked out, the smuggler disappeared. Without an eyewitness and no proof, Asham wasn't convicted of anything. That was fifteen years ago. Be very careful around this man. He has no scruples, and he has friends in the council."

"Why wouldn't the council pursue him if they suspected he set up that smuggler and possibly killed him?" she asked.

"Asham donates to the council coffers on a regular basis. They won't touch him unless the proof is irrefutable. Be careful Faith."

"For money? The council left him alone for money?" she hissed.

"The supernatural community is just as political as the mundane one and it's expensive to run a town," Greyson said.

"Since you or the council could literally create money, that is a piss poor excuse."

Eve shook her head. "They can't. Printing money or altering the financial structure would make both our world and the mundane one collapse. If you get caught creating any form of currency, then you are imprisoned for life. It would devalue even the most priceless of artifacts. And even the dark witches and warlocks don't want that."

"Oh," Faith said.

My mind raced as I processed the information that Greyson had given us.

"I'm at the barrier, Faith. I will have to let you go. Love you." He hung up before Faith could respond, but Nishi winked at Faith.

"I wonder if wedding bells are in your future, too?" Nishi said.

Faith scratched her nose using her middle finger, and Nishi laughed.

Salima was staring at me for a few seconds before she spoke. "Tegan, are you alright?"

I shook my head. "I was so focused on Marco and Clark Madison, I never considered there was someone else. That my family being targeted might have nothing to do with me."

Faith put her phone away. "If Marco is Asham's biggest competitor, he could have used Clark's connection to Kacey to try to cast doubt on Marco. Being accused of attempted rape would put a major damper on Marco's business and his relations with the council."

"What would be his ultimate goal? Get Marco arrested?" Faith asked.

I shrugged. "Maybe. Or simply discredited. If the council shuns Marco, he is financially done for. I have no love for Marco Madison, but I don't want to ruin him and his son for something they didn't do. We need to find out who is behind drugging me. If it was done remotely, I can detect that, and both Marco and Clark wouldn't have needed to use a spell. They had direct access to me and Kacey."

Nishi put her phone away. "We need more information on this Asham asshole. Greyson didn't know much about him, just the rumors about his past."

I nodded. "Asham is Marco's biggest competitor. He will want that jerk exposed if he is attempting to discredit Marco or his son. Why don't we ask him everything he knows about Asham Wager?"

Faith smiled. "That's brilliant."

Nishi nodded. "I guess we need to interview Marco Madison."