Hexed (36 page)

“Then what would you suggest I do?”

“I will give you the name of a person who can help you. Her services won't be cheap, but they will be effective.”

Mr. Westinghouse repositioned his glasses on his nose and asked, “And what price must I pay you for this name?”

“You don't need to pay me anything. The person whom you represent, however, does. Once this person returns the items to you, your client must express his gratitude to her. Personally.” The Harlot leaned back and motioned to the board. “Your move, darling.”

Mr. Westinghouse, committed to his strategy, quickly maneuvered his bishop into position. “I'll have you in checkmate in one move, Harlot. As for your price, it will be very difficult. But not out of the realm of possibility. You have a deal.”

Mr. Westinghouse extended his hand. The Harlot grasped it with her own, but when the man pulled his hand away, a piece of paper rested between his fingers.

“What is this?” he asked.

“The name.”

Mr. Westinghouse nodded with a courteous smile and read the piece of paper. His smile sagged on his cheeks. “I don't mean any disrespect, Harlot, but is this meant to be a joke?”

The Harlot took the paper from his hand, read the name, and said, “No, that is correct. Oh!” She slapped her knee and laughed. “I understand your confusion now. No, the person you seek is Luci Jenifer Inacio Das Neves. However, she prefers to be called Lucifer,” the Harlot said as she handed the paper back to Mr. Westinghouse.

“That is . . . unusual,” he said.

“Ah, the great Aether itself couldn't hold all that is unusual about that girl.”

Mr. Westinghouse stood and bowed. “Well, thank you very much for your time, Harlot. And I enjoyed our game.”

“Sit, Mr. Westinghouse. Our game isn't finished.”

Slowly, the man sat back down on the faded couch. “I don't mean to be rude, but you've lost. I'll have you in checkmate in the next move.”

The Harlot examined the board. Mr. Westinghouse's pieces were scattered, while the few pieces the Harlot had in play were isolated. She couldn't help but notice how seven of his pieces seemed to form a misshapen circle, their long twisted shadows lying eerily across the board. But they were inconsequential now and no longer a part of his strategy. It was his queen that held the Harlot's attention. It was a statue of flowing elegance, a white figure of carved alabaster that sat at the edge of the board, seemingly waiting for her moment to strike.

All the Harlot had left was a rook, a pawn, and her king. The pawn was at the top of the board, small, dark, and insignificant. The piece had been worn smooth from countless years of handling, but for a single scratch toward the top.

Almost where its shoulder would be.

The Harlot touched her pawn with a delicate finger and slid it into a square at the far end of the board. “Checkmate,” she said.

Mr. Westinghouse leaned forward, confused. “But I don't understand?”

The Keeper of Secrets leaned back in her throne and said, “Your king is in line with my pawn.”

“Yes, yes, I see that,” he said. “But how does that give you victory?”

“That is the beauty of this game, darling. If it can survive the journey,” the Harlot leaned forward and whispered . . .

“. . . a pawn may become a queen.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Books do not magically appear, no matter how much we might wish them to. Were it not for the indispensable help of these wonderful people, the book you now hold would still be lost among the secrets of the Aether. . . .

First and foremost, I must thank Johanna and Ross Richie for . . . well, everything. Their constant encouragement and support over the years is the reason I'm the writer I am today. Thanks to Carey Malloy and America Young for not only sharing their creative insights and professional criticism, but also for their invaluable friendship. Many, many thanks to Lou Anders for spearheading this project and to Rene Sears for getting it across the finish line, and to Matt Gagnon, Eric Harburn, Chris Rosa, Filip Sablik, and the whole BOOM! crew for helping bring the Hexed universe to life.

Lastly, thank you to my mom and dad for filling me with a love for words. For that, my life is infinitely richer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author photo by Johanna Richie

Michael Alan Nelson was born in Portage, Indiana, and grew up in a small farming community before moving to Los Angeles in 2002. He is the winner of the 2004 New Times 55 Fiction contest for his short-short “The Conspirators” and was awarded the 2011 Glyph Comics Award for Best Female Character for the character Selena from his series 28 Days Later. Michael is the author of the critically acclaimed comic series Hexed, Dingo, and Fall of Cthulhu. He lives in Los Angeles. Visit him at his website
michaelalannelson.com
, on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/michaelalannelsonwriter?ref=hl
, or on Twitter
@roquesdoodle
.