Evelina and the Reef Hag (11 page)

“Here we are.” Sally trotted around the counter with a tea tray. “Come and sit down.”

Evelina glanced at her watch again. Maybe just a slurp. She couldn’t very well refuse. She needed that ring. She followed Sally to the little round table by the window.

“A black pearl you say.” Sally took a long sip from her chintz teacup. “I’ll check with the other vendors on market day.”

“Thank you.” Evelina took a swig of her tea. It tasted bitter and sweet all at once. But quite tasty, as tea went.

She glanced up to find Psycho Sally leaning forward, examining the depths of her teacup.

Little prickles ran up Evelina’s neck.

Evelina scooped up the cup, downing the contents in one gulp—leaves and all.

Hopefully, she hadn’t seen anything—not that she would, because of course she couldn’t, unless she was a Soul Sifter.

“Great!” Evelina rose to her feet. “Well, thanks for the tea. Thanks so much. I’ll check back with you at the market,” she babbled. “Sorry, but I’m running late,” she said as she hustled out.

Her mind screamed something wasn’t right as she navigated the busy street to her parking spot.

The warning continued to ring over the hum of the dune buggy, all the way back to the beach house.

She sat on the steps of the little front porch to wait for Kamaria, sketching everything she remembered about the tattoo parlor, including Psycho Sally. But, when Evelina got to the eyes her hand stilled. What color were they? At the pier she could have swore they were silver. But, in the shop they appeared blue.

Strange.

From the pier to the shop, everything about Sally seemed to change. Even her smile was different. The sly smirk had melted to serenity.

She morphed into a completely different person.

Evelina gazed down at the two-faced creature she’d sketched on the paper in her hand.

A chill ran up her back.

***

“I think Psycho Sally is possessed by the Reef Hag,” Evelina said in hushed tones, not wanting to be overheard.

“Really?’ Tally appeared startled, her gaze shifting about the crowd of witches in the clearing under the bright sun, as though fearing they’d be overheard. “Why do you say that?”

Abby’s brows shot skyward. “How could you tell? I mean, she’s such a freak.”

“I know, right.” To each his own, but any way you sliced it, Psycho Sally was a tad strange. “But this is different—like a Jekyll and Hyde thing. One minute she’s sweet and flaky, the next she’s cold and creepy.”

“That’s unfortunate.” Tally scowled. “I’d been contemplating getting a tattoo. Something small and discreet.”

“You!” Abby sent forth a howl of laughter. “Like what?”

“I’m not quite certain.” Tally stiffened, clearly offended. “Why do you look so surprised?”

“Sorry!” Abby shrugged. “You just don’t seem the tattoo type.”

“What type do I seem?”

“She means,” Evelina cut in. “You seem very…” she spread her hands wide. “Studious and… practical.”

Tally pursed her lips. “I feared as much.” She wrinkled her nose. “My social skills need improvement.” She
turtled
her neck, thrusting out her chin. “Which is precisely why I need a tat, in order to dispel such misconceptions. In truth, I’m very well rounded.”

“Right.” Abby cracked a wry smile. “And I’m Marilyn Monroe.”

Tally slashed her a fierce glare.

“Well, now you have longer to think about it,” Evelina said, aiming for diplomacy.

“Yeah!” Abby slapped Tally on the back. “In the meantime, you might want to avoid psychopaths with sharp needles.”

Evelina agreed. “At least, until the Witches’ Council tracks down the Reef Hag and puts her under lock and key.”

“Which isn’t
happenin
’ too fast,” Abby said dryly. “Looks like you’ll have plenty of time to get the old noggin workin’.”

Tally’s features held a mixture of relief and chagrin.

The conch shell blasted.

Evelina’s scalp tingled.

Tally came to attention like a soldier at the ready.

Abby slashed Evelina a devilish grin.

A hush fell over the crowd.

“Today is the second competition of the Glaring,”
Cordelia
Nawfar announced with much relish. “Councilors will explain assignments. As always, we are here to assist and observe. Interference is strictly forbidden.”

Murmurs and whispers flew throughout the lagoon.

The warning was clear beneath
Nawfar’s
stern benevolence.

Brooklyn Burble marched over, beaming from ear to ear. “Good morning, girls!” She trilled. “Today should be most exciting indeed.” She levelled her gaze on each of them in turn. “I hope you’re prepared.”

They nodded in unison.

What else could they do with Burble towering over them, eyes gleaming with pride?

They’d won the Flurry.

She expected great things.

Precisely what they were remained to be seen.

Burble folded her hands under her bosom. “Today you will act in the capacity of messengers.”

Evelina’s blood rushed like sap in spring.

Messengers!

That meant Air Jets.

Whoo
hoo!

No sooner did she think it, did three white Air Jets appear, hovering a foot off the ground beside each of them.

“Cool!” Abby ran her hand across the cushioned seat. “Are these the same as the Water Jets?”

“Precisely the same,” Burble declared. “Just press the throttle and it does the rest.”

Evelina hopped on hers, eager to make a quick getaway before Burble changed her mind. “Who are we delivering messages to?”

“Follow the trail to the scoring station,” Burble lilted. “
Councilor
McCrystal
will provide the clams.”

Evelina gazed about the clearing. “What trail?”

“This one.” Burble opened her hand, releasing a comet of silver dust that flowed through the tall palms like the Milky Way. “You have eight minutes before it dissolves. Good luck, girls!”

Tally swung up onto her Air Jet, pinching both handles, like the tails of two dead rats.

Abby leapt on hers and gave it the gas, shooting through the trees.

Evelina pressed her throttle.

The Air Jet sped forward, jerking her back so quickly, she nearly lost her seat.

She caught up with Abby in seconds, but not without eating a few palm fronds. “I don’t see Tally. We’d better wait for her.”

Abby nodded.

They hovered low amidst the starry path until Tally sputtered up.

She pulled up beside them with a loud volcanic backfire.

“Here!” Abby leapt from off hers. “Take mine. I’ll blow the carbon out of it.” She cranked the throttle until blue smoke rolled out, then sped off again.

Her speed demon tendencies proved infectious. Evelina felt a bubble of laughter well up in her throat as she raced up behind her. They zoomed past sparkling lagoons, over glacier-sized boulders, and around towering palms, reaching the scoring station with seconds to spare.

More messengers arrived close on their tail.

The scoring station turned out to be a conical shaped beach hut on stilts on the beach at the north end of the island.

Councilor
Acheron Wolfe appeared as sour as usual, black eyes flashing beneath his dark
unibrow
.

He wasted little time informing them of their task.

“Time is of the essence.” He slapped a clam into each of their hands. “They open in precisely four minutes after you push their homing device.”

Evelina couldn’t help but ask, “What happens if we’re late?”

“They clam up, of course.” He appeared annoyed at the question. “You cannot get a thing out of them.” He levelled a stern look on each of them before biting out distinctly, “
Lake
of the Isles forfeits the challenge and you are disgraced. Do not be late.”

Evelina turned the clam over and around in her hand, but couldn’t find any homing device.

Acheron snatched it out of her hand. He pushed two buttons on either side of the hinge, then handed it back. He rolled his eyes heavenward. “Novices!”

Evelina quickly showed Abby and Tally what to do.

And then, they were off—on another wild goose chase.

As usual there was little instruction, which drove Evelina crazy. She liked to know what she was getting into. She liked to be prepared. Being thrown into one situation after another without knowing a thing drove her around the bend.

But it soon became clear as they followed the clams what was up.

The challenge appeared to be some sort of snakes and ladders obstacle course in the trees.

Novice warlocks went shimmying up palm trees, then leaping to other trees to swing high in the air from ropes to the next tree. Sometimes, there was no rope and they hit a waterslide. They received messages at certain check points, which told them which direction to take.

It didn’t look very dangerous. There were nets everywhere. In fact, it looked like a lot of fun.

The clam putted through the air at a leisurely pace, blowing bubbles behind it like a boat motor as it guided her through the trees.

Evelina gritted her teeth.

She consulted her watch.

Thirty seconds left.

Oh man!

Was this the slowest clam on earth or what! You’d think it had all the time in the world. If only she could do something to hurry it up, but she didn’t speak clam.

She heaved a great sigh of relief when she finally arrived at the check point just in time.

“Thanks!” A warlock in emerald surf shorts grabbed the clam from her hand.

The clam burped.

A bubble floated up.

It grew and grew.

Then

POP!

It burst, revealing a bow and arrow that shot a glittering trail to another palm tree.

The warlock raced off.

Evelina brushed her hands together and smiled.

Mission
accomplished.

She cranked the throttle on the Air Jet and headed back to the scoring station.

She was almost there when she spotted something in the distance through the trees.

Or someone.