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“I believe you did that about a hundred years ago when you torched most of downtown Bangor.”

“Shush,” she said, waving her hand in front of her face as if there was a sudden odor in the room.
 
“That was a mistake.
 
You know it.
 
I got ahead of myself.”

She came over to me and linked her free arm in mine.
 
“So, what do you say, Seth?
 
Why don’t we all sit down and talk about what’s taken place so far?
 
I already know all of it, but I want to hear you tell it from your point of view.
 
Then we’ll have another drink and talk strategy.”
 
She leaned close to my ear and lowered her voice to a whisper.
 
She smelled faintly of lilacs.
 
“Then we’ll figure out a way to get you out of this mess.
 
Okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She whipped her head around to Jim and her face broke into a smile that must have crushed hundreds of men’s hearts.

“I haven’t been called ma’am since Roanoke.
 
Oh, blazing saddles, Jim, it looks like we’re going to have a war!”

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

I told her everything from the beginning, leaving out nothing.
 
What I sensed she wanted to hear was the emotion in my voice, because whenever I got angry or overwhelmed, she leaned forward and watched my face intently.
 

It was obvious she could feel what I was feeling.
 
She was connected to me in ways that nobody ever had been connected to me.
 
She was feeling what it felt like to be me—not just for the past few hours, but during the entire course of my lifetime.
 
It was at once liberating and humiliating to share it with her.
 
But she was learning all of it.
 
And I didn’t hold back.

When I was finished, she put her hand on my knee and there was a kindness on her face that was almost motherly.

“I’m sorry about all of it,” she said.
 
“I’m sorry about the cruelty you’ve endured and I’m sorry about your parents.”

“So, am I.”

“You’ll grieve one day.
 
I know you’re struggling with the reasons why you haven’t, but right now, you’re too angry to do so.
 
You want revenge.
 
You’ve been busy seeking that out.
 
Today, things went wrong.
 
You’re more distracted than you’ve ever been in your life, which is saying something considering the life you were dealt.
 
You haven’t had time to truly feel your parents’ loss.
 
But you will and part of you will be able to allow them fully into your life again when you do.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because my parents have been dead for three hundred forty years and I still think about them every day.
 
No so much with remorse, though I do miss them, particularly my daddy, who was a card.
 
I think about them and I have fond memories of them.
 
You will, too.”

“I don’t have many fond memories of my parents.”

“Sometimes, like a friend, you need only one.”

She finished her martini and stood.
 
“This Anna person who’s been charged to get those amulets from you—I know her.
 
We go way back.
 
I was there when she was turned.”

Jim looked at her.
 
“You were there?”

“Oh, I was there.
 
This was maybe three hundred years or so ago.
 
Before some of us branched off on our own, I was part of his coven, just as everyone else was who came over on the boat to the States, and I watched him do it to her.
 
We needed people back then.
 
Only a dozen or so came with us from Europe.
 
When we arrived, he selected people to turn so he could grow his coven.
 
Anna was one of them.”

“Who is ‘he’?” I asked.

“The man you saw with Anna in your dream.”

“What’s his name?”

“Darien Cromwell.
 
He’s the Dark King of the Witches for the Eastern Territories.
 
Since I was turned about fifty years before him, I’m more powerful, at least in theory, but he nevertheless was chosen by the High Priestess to build a coven here.
 
He’s more ruthless than I am.
 
If he wants those amulets—and I think we all can agree that he wants them as much as a whore wants a twenty—he’ll go to a certain point to get them, as Jim pointed out to you, because they will indeed make him more powerful.
 
What we don’t know is how far he will go.”

“How far do you think he’ll go?”

“Far, but with caution.
 
You’ve already felled two from his coven.
 
Anna herself would have had died today if you were quick enough to chop off her head when you split it open.
 
So, they know you’re a force.
 
And with me at your side, they’ll be even more leery.”
 
She asked Edward for another martini and I was aware of her watching his ass as he walked away.
 
“But not completely leery.
 
People think I’m a pussy.”

She got up and started to walk around the room.
 
“Years ago, I decided I didn’t want to use my powers for evil, so I was granted the right to be the White Queen of the Witches for the Eastern Territories.
 
My coven isn’t as large as his—people generally prefer the dark side because they get more chances to shriek and hiss like a bunch of wild animals.
 
But we are talented and as I said earlier, I can crush him.
 
He has nothing on me.”

“Unless he outwits you,” Jim said.

She turned to him.
 
“That’s right,” she said.
 
“Unless he outwits me.
 
And there’s every possibility that he might.
 
Darien is nothing if not cunning, but I’d like to think that the same could be said for me.”

She came behind me and put her hands on my shoulders.
 
“For someone so young, you’ve seen the face of evil for too long, Seth.”

“I’ve been bullied since I was a kid.
 
When they decided I wasn’t good enough, that was it for me.”

“Because your family didn’t have much?”

“That and because I was ugly.
 
I know I look this way now, but that’s my doing because I didn’t want to look like that anymore.
 
I didn’t want to give them that target going into a new school year.
 
So, I changed myself.
 
Not much.
 
I got rid of the zits, I put on some muscle and I made my hair so it wasn’t a bush, but the rest is me.”

“Any regrets since you received those amulets?”

“Just what happened today.”

“That wasn’t you, Seth.
 
That was Anna.
 
You need to remember that.”

“I created the situation.”

“There is risk in every situation,” she said.
 
“But nothing you started today began with murder in your heart.
 
You tried to set him up because you wanted him to pay for his part in killing your parents.”

“I guess I accomplished that.”

She shook me gently by the shoulders.
 
“Stop being so hard on yourself.
 
It’s boring and it’s useless.
 
That boy knew what he was doing when they burned your family’s trailer.
 
His karma slugged him in the gut today.
 
Everything that happened was destined to happen.
 
There are things working in the world that you’ll never know or understand, but undercurrents abound and they’re more powerful than any of us.
 
If it was his time to go, it was his time to go.”

“And the officers?
 
And those people who came to help?”

She leaned down to kiss me on the cheek.
 
“There’s so much for you to learn.
 
It was their time, too.
 
Nothing happens by chance.
 
It’s all part of a complicated design none of us will ever fully understand.”

Edward entered the room with her martini.
 
She took it from him and reached out for his hand.
 
“Edward is one of the most gifted witches I have.
 
There are about five dozen others.
 
We’re no strangers when it comes to going to war with Darien Cromwell.”
 
She touched a finger to his hose and said, “Please tell the others what’s happening and prepare them for the possibilities.”

He bowed his head and left the room.

“What’s your strategy, Paisley?” Jim asked.

She held out her martini.
 
“It’s been years since I’ve had a private meeting with Darien.
 
I think on some level he must miss me because who in their right mind wouldn’t?
 
I’m going to pay him a visit tomorrow and ask him to back off.
 
If he doesn’t, I will inform him that a war is coming and that I’ll be leading it to protect Seth.
 
I will tell him in no uncertain terms that he will never have those amulets.”

“There’s a fifth one,” I said.
 
“Any idea who has it?”

Paisley put her drink down on the fireplace mantle, pulled her hair away from her face and lowered the collar of her pantsuit.
 
The fifth amulet was around her neck.
 
“So, you see,” she said, “you just don’t do it.
 
You just don’t fuck with Paisley White.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

When we were preparing to leave, Paisley put her hand against my back as we walked around the corner and stepped into the grand entryway.

“I know you’re worried about your two friends,” she said.
 

“That’s because I know how they’ll react.
 
They’ll know I put Maxwell up to this.
 
I don’t think they’ll forgive me for it.”

“Would you like me to talk to them?”

“What would you say that I couldn’t?”

“Probably nothing.”
 
She shrugged.
 
“But maybe something.
 
Four hundred years of getting through the ups and downs of life gives you some insight into human behavior that you might not have at eighteen.
 
Unfortunately, just like Jim here, they are targets because they are your friends, even if they are angry with you now.”

“There are no guarantees that either wants to be my friend now, Paisley.”

She shook her head.
 
“I disagree.
 
They’re confused and angry, yes, but they’re still your friends.
 
I sense that strongly.
 
One of them is even on the verge of falling in love with you, though right now she’s questioning herself because of what happened today.
 
Darien and Anna know how much they mean to you.
 
Now is no time for you three to separate—it will only complicate things if he acts.
 
You all care for each other.
 
It’s important that the bond you’ve created with them isn’t broken if only so you can protect them.”

“I don’t even know where they are.”

“Yes, you do.
 
You can see them sitting in that park and talking about you and what happened today just as clearly as I can.
 
Should we bring them here?
 
Have a little chat?
 
Clear the air?”

She didn’t give me time to answer.
 
With a wave of her hand, Jennifer and Alex were suddenly standing in the entryway with us.
 
Stunned, they looked at me, then around the room, then at Paisley, who walked over with an extended hand.

“I’m Paisley,” she said, shaking Jennifer’s hand.
 
“Paisley White.
 
And you’re just plain pretty.
 
Those eyes!
 
J’adore.”
 
She walked over to Alex, who was staring at me but stopped when Paisley nudged his hand with her own.
 
He shook it.
 
“You must be Alex,” she said.
 
“And you’re just plain hot.
 
My God.
 
I could turn you in a minute and keep you around forever.”

“What do you mean by ‘turn’?” Alex asked, glancing over at me.

“Don’t worry,” Paisley said.
 
“Not that way.
 
We’re free-thinking here.
 
We’re just a bunch of hippie witches in better clothing.”

“What are we doing here?” he asked.

“You’re here because somebody thinks a lot of you two.”
 
She pointed at me.
 
“That would be Seth.
 
You’re also here because you don’t know everything that happened today and need to be informed before you make any rash judgments.
 
Also, your lives are in danger, but you already know that, only it’s worse than you think, but we’ll get to that later.”

“Who are you?” Jennifer asked.

“I’m a witch, dear, but relax.
 
I’m a good one.
 
The best one.
 
Just don’t expect me to drop a house on someone.
 
God that movie irritates me with the expectations it sets.”

Before they could speak, Paisley turned to the table beside her and picked up a small silver bell.
 
She rang it.
 
“Snacky things,” she called out to no one in particular.
 
“Little pizza things.
 
Pretty eaty crunchy things.
 
Drinks for the kids.
 
Scotch as old as me for Jim.
 
Martini for me.
 
You’ll know when we need more.”

As she began walking back into the parlor, she winked at me and in that wink was everything I needed to know.
 
That wink told me that everything was going to be alright.
 
She was going to create some sort of magic in that room and she was going to do so without casting a single spell.
 

“Come on, boys and girls,” she said.
 
“It’s been one bitch of a day, but we’re all friends and at the very least, friends can talk.
 
That’s the great thing about friends.
 
Things can go to hell in an instant, the wrong messages can be sent if the full truth isn’t known, but if you love each other, you can talk it through and get back on track.”
 
She flipped her long blonde hair behind her until it cascaded over her shoulders and fell down her back.
 

She moved to one of the sofas, took a seat, crossed her legs and smiled at us as we entered the room.
 
Alex and Jennifer must have looked like ghosts because Paisley’s smile faltered.
 
Uncertainly was all over their faces.
 
She craned her head around to see if Edward was coming.
 
“All I need is that damn martini and we can we begin,” she said.

*
  
*
  
*

It went better than I expected, but that’s because Paisley’s performance was masterful.
 
I didn’t know what to expect from her, but she kept everything rooted in the truth and laid out the day for Jennifer and Alex so they knew exactly what happened and how it happened.

“So, Anna is behind the deaths?” Alex asked me.
 
“None of this was because things got out of hand and you screwed up?”

“Do you want to see how it went down?”

He nodded.

“Jennifer?”

“I’d like to see it.”

I asked Paisley if I could use the large wall across the room.
 
She waved her hand and removed the huge mirror that was hanging from it.
 
“I think it would be good if they saw what happened.
 
Words can only do so much.”

So, I showed them.
 
I closed my eyes and allowed today’s events to unspool upon the wall like a movie.
 
When I was finished, Jennifer’s was a shade paler.
 
Alex looked haunted.
 

“She’s going to do that to us,” he said.

Paisley got up.
 
“She could—that’s the unfortunate part of the situation.
 
It’s also why we needed to have you here tonight.
 
Before I go to see Darien myself and ask that he put a stop to this nonsense, I needed to be sure that the three of you are still friends.
 
Because if he tells me to go to hell, we’re going to war with him and his coven, which means that the bond you three have formed will need to be tighter than ever.
 
The closer your friendship remains with Seth, the better connected he will be to you, which is critical.
 
Where do you two stand with him now?”

“Seth is my best friend,” Alex said.
 
“Anna killed those people—he didn’t. But I admit I had my doubts.
 
I know how much he hated Maxwell.
 
And he keeps taking larger risks.
 
I thought this one might have gotten away from him and he accidentally killed Rob.”

“I also thought that might be the case,” Jennifer said.
 
“That’s what we were discussing when you brought us here.
 
We understand what Seth is doing.
 
We support it.
 
If any of this had been handled by the police and the courts, who knows how it would have played out?
 
The people who murdered Seth’s parents could have walked free.
 
He’s made certain they won’t.”
 

“So, where do we go from here?” Jim asked.
 
He leaned toward the coffee table separating the two sofas, took one of the
hors d'oeuvres
and popped it in his mouth.

“Tomorrow, I’ll make an appointment to see Darien,” Paisley said.

“And if he won’t see you?”

“It’s his duty to see me.
 
We’re equals in the Eastern Territories.
 
But don’t get your hopes up.
 
He’s a stubborn son of a bitch and it’s unlikely that he’ll back down because of me.
 
But I’ll try.
 
You’ll hear from me when I know something.”

“What if Anna comes for us in the meantime?” I asked.

Paisley tossed back the rest of her martini and stood.
 
“Well, that’s simple,” she said.
 
“Cut off her damn head.”

*
  
*
  
*

Later, after I dropped off Jim, Alex and Jennifer, I returned home to find an envelope taped to my apartment door.

I checked the amulets, but they were cool.
 
I stepped out of the car, looked around and listened to the night.
 
Nothing but the sound of the breeze through the trees, leaves falling to the pavement, a car passing in the distance.

I went to the door and plucked off the envelope.
 

Inside was a card.

The moment I removed it, the amulets got hot.

On the card were two words:
 
“Turn around.”

When I did, Anna was standing behind me.
 
In her hands was a gun with a silencer attached to it.
 
It was aimed at my face.
 
“At least you take direction,” she said.
 

And then she fired.