Chapter 11

11

ROWAN

"What are you doing?" Violet asks and points at the rough runes drawn in the dirt by Marci, who holds a short stick in one hand. "What is that spell?"

Marci looks at her, unperturbed. "We're offering our services."

The others remain silent, the human girls shuffling well away from Violet.

"Services for what?" asks Violet.

"Are you alone?" continues Marci. "You're never far from at least one of your guys." She pauses then calls, "Rowan? Do join us."

Fighting rolling my eyes, I step out to join Violet and wander over. The simple circles and triangles are easily deciphered—the type humans expect, as seen on TV shows and movies. They could offer protection, focus and other random needs, but not here, in a place dead of magic.

I don't respond to Marci, as the items in the circle's center catch my eye. Brooches. Oh. I understand completely now. The human girls inside the academy do wear brooches supposedly charmed by Marci and her witches. But, if the witches are faking a spell used on the brooches, they're tricking the humans.

"Are these humans paying for protection?" I ask. "Do you bring a different selection of girls here each time or just Helen and Isabella?"

The humans glance nervously at each other and retreat behind the largest rock as Violet steps closer. "Helen and Isabella already wear brooches," she says. "Ones charmed by a fake spell such as this one?"

"Why say that the spell is fake, Violet?" asks Nita tersely.

"Yes. What would be the point in that ?" continues Marci.

"Is she right?" asks Isabella sharply.

Violet opens her mouth, and I pull her to one side. "Let's not start shit between humans and witches," I whisper.

"Witches who are pretending to charm brooches and evidently selling them to dumb humans," Violet whispers in annoyance. "There'll be more trouble than a squabble in the woods when that's discovered."

"Everybody knows that the stones are a place witches performed rituals over the years," interrupts Nita. "Watch."

What a load of crap.

Marci takes a small silver tube from her coat pocket and sprinkles glitter over the brooches, then Zoe passes a brown bottle for Marci to pipe a few drops of a green tincture. A fluorescent purple light flares, momentarily highlighting the witches' faces before dissipating.

"A party trick," mutters Violet.

"The humans feel extremely vulnerable due to the current situation at the academy," explains Nita. "Our aid in protecting against malevolent forces helps ease their minds."

"Malevolent forces?" Violet chokes out. "Do you mean the ghosts and wolf? And how are the humans involved in this scheme?"

"Helen and Isabella sell the talismans. They can confirm that they've seen the spell that charms the brooches with protection." She gestures at the circle.

"Humans don't always trust witches," adds Isabella. "They trust us."

"And you genuinely believe that Marci and her friends have enchanted these brooches?" asks Violet in disbelief. "Does human gullibility know no limits?"

Sell. My mouth parts. "Violet saw a lot of money change hands. Let me guess, Isabella. You take a cut of the sales."

"Good grief!" exclaims Violet. "Marci and her coven are lying to you! You'll be implicated in their crimes."

"We can't expose Marci here," I whisper. "Speak to the witches when the humans leave."

"These girls aren't stupid," she says through gritted teeth. "I bet they suspect but don't care since they're making money too. How mercenary."

With one eye on us, Marci gathers the items from inside the circle and places them inside a black velvet pouch. "Unfortunately, Violet interrupted our ritual and the unpleasant energy she brought with her will interfere. Isabella, we'll meet again tomorrow. If Violet and Rowan don't throw around accusations at the academy."

"Marci. I promised three people I'd have brooches by tomorrow," says Helen. "Can't we find somewhere inside the academy to use the spell?"

"I've told you, the ritual must be performed here, amongst the stones."

Yeah, where nobody can catch them pretending.

Violet mutters something, but the human girls remain silent. These girls must be aware that Marci isn't entirely truthful about the power of these talismans. Is Marci using mind magic to soothe away any suspicions the two humans must have? Or is their cut of the proceeds enough for them to ignore the red flags?

"Everybody needs a brooch before the full moon," Isabella protests, and Zoe sucks in a breath, throwing her a warning look.

Too late.

"Ah," Violet says. "Did you create the rumor to improve sales?"

"No, we started creating the brooches in response to the rumor," retorts Marci.

"I would like to speak to you," demands Violet. "Now. Without humans present."

Violet's darkening tone sets the human girls into action, giving them the excuse they need to escape, as Helen stands and takes her bag from the stony ground. "Uh. Maybe you should talk to Violet about this. We can catch up later, Marci?"

Marci nods curtly. "Meet you in the café for breakfast at eight? We can discuss tonight's problems then."

"Do you feel safe walking back through the woods?" Nita asks the humans. "One of us could accompany you?"

Helen smiles and touches her brooch. "I have this. Besides, we're not far from the path or the academy. No issues walking here."

"Agreed. Bodies aren't found in the woods every night," says Violet.

Isabella squeaks, and Marci touches her arm. "You'll be fine. You have the talisman."

"Yes, but look what happened to Holly…" Isabella whispers, trailing off as she looks at me.

"Holly didn't have a talisman," Marci replies.

"Mmm. Holly." Violet tips her head at the fraudulent witches. "Another interesting subject. Now, Marci. Can we talk?"

"Is this what Holly didn't want involvement with?" Violet demands the moment the humans are out of earshot. "Duping humans?"

Marci perches on the rock while Nita takes the black metal box and places it on her knee. Zoe stands behind the pair, the three girls in unity against us.

"I am creating talismans for the human girls who want to buy them," Marci says.

"How much?" I ask.

She regards me for a moment. "￡50."

"￡50?" I scoff. "So, duping and extortion."

"These girls often spend that on a dress. More. The brooches hold greater value," says Marci.

"And we have to split the money with the humans," puts in Nita. "We get ￡10 each."

Violet crouches down to study the runic circle, dipping her fingers into the fragments of glitter left on the ground. "The spell from this little show only causes the brooch to shine at night, and the so-called ritual uses human ingredients, not magic. The brooches are not talismans."

"If the girls believe they are, that reassures them psychologically," says Marci blithely. "Therefore, the brooches have the same effect."

"Until they discover you conned them!" I protest.

"And how would that happen?" asks Nita. "Hasn't your father put extra security around the academy, Violet? No more supernatural attacks to test their effectiveness."

"Good grief. If the shifter on campus attacks a human, your trickery will be exposed."

" Magical attacks," says Zoe. "A shifter would be a physical assault. That wouldn't count."

I drag a hand through my hair. "Why not just add a protection charm? Why rip them off?"

"Do you know how much the ingredients cost for that type of protection spell?" Nita asks indignantly.

"Less than ￡50?" suggests Violet.

"Why so concerned? You don't like people, Violet," Zoe replies.

"Unless you know of an imminent attack?" asks Marci.

"No wonder supes have a bad reputation with humans," I interrupt. "You're risking a lot for a small financial gain."

"We've read Holly's past messages with the group. Is this what Holly refused to involve herself in?" presses Violet. "Were you concerned that, due to her loyalty to humans, she'd inform somebody, and therefore you needed to silence her?"

The woods fall quiet, and Marci stands, the broader girl meeting Violet face to face. "Are you accusing me of hurting Holly?" she asks, voice thick with disgust.

"A possible motive, yes." Violet tips her chin. "By now, nobody believes Holly is sick. A couple of random posts on social media do not fool anybody or prove she's safe."

"And you thought I'd done something? How about you? What secrets of yours does she know? The sudden vacation to Scotland was a bit bloody suspicious."

"You have a lot of secrets," snaps Nita. "You're hiding the truth about Rory. What happened to the shifter Oz? Everything's hush hush again."

"You're aware that my father struggles at forging relationships with the shifter community. He knows little."

"But you know something ," Nita continues. "The town's covering up events. We've been back to the reno house and?—"

"What?" I interrupt. "When?"

"We saw the blood, Violet." Marci's voice lowers. "Now the shifter, Trent, has disappeared too. Something is happening, and everybody is lying to us. Including you."

"Returning to that house was a stupidly dangerous thing to do," says Violet. "I assumed you possessed intelligence and common sense, but after tonight's revelations I no longer believe so."

"Did Holly go with you to the reno house?" I ask sharply.

"No, because she's missing ," says Marci with scorn.

"Did Holly ever come to this place with you or sell brooches?" Violet asks, pointing at the ground, and Marci shakes her head.

Marci and Violet glower at each other and I tense, waiting for a conflict that might become painful for Marci if she doesn't back down.

"You have some nerve accusing me of assaulting or abducting Holly," says Marci. " You're the one she's frightened of."

Violet stills. "What?"

"She knows you attacked Grayson, and he's supposed to be a close friend—or whatever these guys are to you. Holly worries that if she upsets you, she isn't safe either. People saw you out of control at Kai's house party," says Nita.

"Wait." Violet lifts a hand, palm outwards and slants her head, eyes shifting to the gloom. "Who else knew you'd be here tonight? More customers?"

"Nobody," says Zoe. "We only deal with Helen and Isabella."

"But this is a secret meeting, and I sense another presence nearby. Either your human stooges remain in the vicinity and thus heard your admission." Violet pivots and points into the trees. "Or somebody else followed from the academy."

In a blur, Violet dashes into the woods, the witches open-mouthed by the speed at which she moves.

"Violet! Stop!" I shout.

Violet insults others for lacking common sense, but then runs into the woods alone to follow an unknown person. Someone who could be worse than the duplicitous coven?

What a perfect night we're spending together.

With a weak smile to Marci, I take a deep breath and charge after Violet.