Gray Witch (Black Hat Bureau 5)

13

“We’ve got another onryo.” I reread the email. “Parish wants us in Plantersville ASAP.”

“That’s just down the road.” Asa checked the address given for the incident. “Southeast of our location.”

The space around my father exploded into darkness as his wings unfurled, and he jettisoned into the sky.

“Losing sight of him can’t be good.” I did my best to steady my nerves. “We have to go after him.”

“Any word on who was summoned this time?”

A hard lump formed in my throat. “She has yet to be identified.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s your mother.” Asa rubbed my back. “It could be anyone.”

Without warning, the daemon burst into crackling existence, ripping Asa from me.

“What’s wrong?” I grabbed for his arm, but he shook me off. “What is it?”

He circled the area, sniffing the air, then swung his head toward me with a deep and abiding sadness.

“Rue come.”

Following his hunch, we crashed through the underbrush until he located a dilapidated chimney that was little more than a crumbling stump of handmade brick.

“Rue mom dead.”

“Yeah.” I fought the tightness in my voice. “For years now.”

“No.” He came to me, took my hands gently in his, and tugged me forward. “Rue mom dead here.”

Across the way, sitting on the damp earth with her back to a tree, was my mother. I recognized her in the foggy way you recalled a photo you had seen too often to be sure if you truly remembered or if you had only fabricated a recollection based on that captured moment.

Sixty seconds.

That was how long it took the daemon to locate her.

That was how long it took for my world to jerk to a grinding halt.

“You should run.” She kept her head down, gaze locked on her feet. “I mean it, baby.”

“Mom?” I searched for her summoner. “Where did you come from?”

Based on the pattern of our assignments, I expected the next onryo to be in Plantersville with its summoner.

“He brought me back.” She glanced up, and her eyes were soulless pits. “For you.”

“Mom?” I rocked forward onto the balls of my feet. “You can understand me?”

“Run.”A sob broke free of her chest. “I can’t hold back much longer.”

Desperation blazed a path through me, and I saw a way clear of this standoff.

Whispering the enchantment under my breath, I began summoning the grimoire. Not far enough to let it out. Just far enough I hoped its fluctuating magic would catch Dad’s attention.

Had he been tracking me via the book, he would pick up on its signature in a heartbeat.

“Lacky?” I inched closer. “Is that who you mean?”