Magic of Flesh and Bone, page 1
MAGIC OF FLESH AND BONE
THE WITCHES OF MOONFELL, BOOK FOUR
KIM RICHARDSON
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Magic of Flesh and Bone, The Witches of Moonfell, Book Four
Copyright © 2024 by Kim Richardson
Cover by Damonza
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction
in whole or in any form.
www.kimrichardsonbooks.com
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Shadow Witch
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About the Author
1
My family was part of The Forsaken, a secret order shrouded in darkness and evil.
After I’d broken into, and out of, The Forsaken’s headquarters—my family home—yesterday evening, I couldn’t shake the awful taste in my mouth, like I’d swallowed rancid coffee.
I’d kept that bit of news from my aunt, knowing I would have to tell her once she looked healthier. Rita’s curse had caused her health to deteriorate, and at ninety-seven years old, she should never have been subjected to such a terrible spell. However, as I sat across from her at the kitchen table, observing her focused on solving a sudoku puzzle, I couldn’t help but feel grateful that she appeared better than she had the day before. Her cheeks still held a slightly sunken look, but they were now flushed with color once again.
But even as she regained some color in her face, I noticed she wasn’t dressed in her usual eccentric and colorful attire. Instead, she wore a somber black dress with a short jacket draped over her shoulders. And perched atop her wispy cloud-like hair was a black beret, giving her an air of mourning. It was clear that the effects of the curse ran deeper than just physical appearance.
“What?” growled my aunt, her gaze never shifting from her sudoku. “Stop staring at me and spit it out.”
“You can see me watching you?” Amazing. Maybe she could see through her forehead.
My aunt lifted her gaze and met mine, giving me a pointed look. “No. But I could feel your eyes on me. You’ve been watching me since this morning like you think I’m going to keel over and die. I’m not. So stop.”
“Rita did curse you.”
“I’m still breathing, aren’t I? Stop tiptoeing around me like I’m only minutes away from a coffin. It’s aggravating.”
I grabbed my coffee mug and took a sip. “We need to figure out a way to remove that curse she put on you. This is no way to live your life.”
My aunt cocked a brow. “Says the witch with a rusane around her neck.”
“Ha. Ha. I’m serious. There has to be a way to remove it. I mean, have you thought about it?”
“Of course I have,” snapped my aunt.
Okay, so she was a bit grumpier than normal. I could understand that. “Well?”
“Well, what?” My aunt’s gaze was back on her puzzle.
“Have you thought of something? Anything? This is my fault. I want to help.” Rita wouldn’t have bothered with my aunt if it weren’t for me and my relationship with Dash.
Yes, I wished I could see Dash again, and I wished this thing with Rita had never happened. I didn’t believe a word that came out of that snake’s mouth, either. But I was more concerned with the long-term effects this curse was going to have on my aunt. From what I could tell, Rita’s curse was most probably a lot worse than she let on. And I wasn’t going to let my aunt suffer from it for another day. I wanted it gone.
My aunt looked up at me and folded her hands on the table. “I’m not doing anything before we take care of that thing around your neck.”
Instinctively, I reached up and felt the hard, cold metal of the rusane. The magical collar suppressed my umbra magic and prevented me from fighting back against The Forsaken. I hadn’t expected them to do this at the binding ceremony. They hadn’t used one on Dash. Just me.
I let my hand fall. “I’d rather we concentrate on you. We don’t know what else Rita put in that curse. What if there’s a timer or whatever?”
My aunt gave a one-shoulder shrug. “We all have an expiration date.”
I frowned. “This isn’t funny. How am I supposed to concentrate on finding ways to take down The Forsaken when I’m worried about you?”
My aunt was silent for a moment. Then, using her cane, she pushed herself up, walked over to the kitchen island, grabbed a small ceramic bowl, and shuffled back.
“First, we take care of the rusane,” she said as she placed the bowl in front of me. “Then I’ll look into removing the curse that demon put on me.”
I opened my mouth to argue with her, but at the determined look in her eye, I knew it would be pointless. “Fine.”
Surprise flashed through my aunt’s expression, and then it hardened to her prior frown. She sat back down with a loud exhale. “I’m just missing one ingredient.” She pointed to her potions cupboard. “Can you fetch me the jar that says Beetle Eyes?”
Eww. “Sure.” I got up and went in search of this nasty jar with beetle eyes. I opened the cupboard door.
“Third shelf,” called my aunt from behind me. “With a red lid.”
My eyes searched the third shelf and spotted the only jar with the red lid. Sure enough, when I pulled it out, the label read Beetle Eyes. I inspected the jar. “Looks more like pepper than eyeballs.”
“Give it here, please,” instructed my aunt.
I moved to the table and gave it to her. “What else is in that cupboard?”
“Never you mind,” she said and unscrewed the lid. “So? Are you going to open that envelope sometime this year, or are you just going to stare at it all day?”
I turned my head to where she was staring at a large manila envelope resting on the other end of the table. The one Orik had given me.
“I haven’t decided yet,” I told her. “I wanted to settle Rita’s curse first.”
My aunt dumped a few of those beetle eyes into the bowl and mumbled something I couldn’t quite catch. “We’ve covered that. The spell requires a few minutes for the beetle eyes to absorb properly. They need to be al dente for the spell to work. Which is why it needs to be put in last.”
The thought of insect eyes being al dente was too insane for me to think about.
“Go on. Open it.”
I leaned over the table and snatched up the envelope. Orik had instructed me to keep the job between us. Did that include my aunt? Possibly. Did I care? Not one bit.
I ripped the top open and dumped the contents on the table.
“Cash? He gave me cash?” I picked up the wad of hundred-dollar bills, surprised the fae boss would give me money for this when he said I owed him a favor. The fact that money was involved didn’t settle well with me. It meant whatever he needed me to retrieve would be extremely dangerous.
“Because it’s going to be dangerous,” echoed my aunt.
I looked over at her and noticed that the contents of the bowl, now bright green, were magically stirring themselves as though being mixed with an invisible spoon.
“I figured it would be,” I replied, counting the money. “There’s ten thousand dollars here.” The money would go a long way in covering the necessary repairs for our house and paying off any outstanding bills. It had been a while since I’d worked on a new case after Tim’s death, so this cash infusion would be greatly beneficial for us.
“You should use it to pay Dash back,” said my aunt.
The thought of Dash sent a pang through my chest. Though I’d seen him last night, I missed him already.
“I know. But it’s not like I know where he is. Besides, he wouldn’t take it.” That, I was certain of. He was just that kind of man. “He would want us to use this money for us.”
My aunt mumbled something, clearly upset about not being able to speak to or see Dash. That made two of us.
The sound of a lawn mower made me turn around. “That must be Liam.”
“Liam?”
“Annette’s husband. I forgot to tell you. He’s going to mow the lawn for us.” I waited for her to argue, but she just kept staring at her magically stirring potion.
I placed the wad of money in the middle of the table and then picked up the only other occupant of the envelope, which was a small card, like a business card. It was simple—white with only a black inscription:
897 48th Street, New York, NY
8th Floor, suite #803
Lab 6, Vial #18C
I flipped the card over to see if anything else was written on it, but it was blank.
“What’s it say?” asked my aunt.
I gave her the card. “Just an address where I’m supposed to go and steal this vial.” That part was obvious.
My aunt leaned back in her chair, frowning. “Why does this address sound familiar to me?”
“It does?” I watched as my aunt slapped the card to her forehead as though trying to get a magical reading from it. “Anything?”
She shook her head and handed me back the card. “Just a headache.”
I stared at the card. “Vial #18C. What’s in it? And why does Orik need me to get it for him?” Probably because he didn’t want to get his hands dirty, that’s why. He did come across as someone who got others to do his bidding. Tonight, it was my turn.
“You’ll find out when you get there,” commented my aunt. “When are you going?”
“Tonight. If I’m supposed to break into this building, better to do it at night.”
“Hmm. How will you get there?”
“I’ll drive. It’ll be easier. Less traffic in Manhattan at night.” I really didn’t feel like driving all the way to New York City tonight, but the sooner I got this favor for Orik done, the sooner I could concentrate on more important matters—like getting rid of The Forsaken and finding Rita. I wasn’t done with her.
“It’s ready,” called my aunt. “I need you to sit in this chair.” She pointed to the chair next to her.
I grabbed the empty chair and sat facing her. “Now what?” I stared at the green potion that resembled toothpaste, though I wouldn’t brush my teeth with that.
My aunt placed the bowl on her lap. “Kat?”
“Luna.”
My aunt glowed at me. “Are you sure about this?”
I nodded. “I am. I want this thing off of me. Why? What’s that look on your face? Are you not sure it’s going to work?” I stared at the contents of the potion on her lap, and the scent of manure wafted to my nose. Glad I didn’t have to ingest that.
Worry etched across my aunt’s brow. “Of course, it’s going to work, but that’s precisely the issue.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Okay. I’m lost.”
“You want to destroy The Forsaken, as you should. The world needs to be rid of that horrible lot.”
“I’m sensing a but here?”
“But…” My aunt sighed. “If we remove the rusane, that binding spell the group put on you, well, it might be back in full effect. Once the rusane is off, you might not be able to talk to me or anyone else about their plans or anything that relates to them. I’m not a hundred percent certain that will happen, but it might. I just want you to be prepared.”
Right. She had a point. “But you’re not sure.”
“I’m not. Maybe the rusane’s magic and the binding spell haven nothing to do with why you can speak of them and their sick plans. But they might.”
I thought about it. The last time I was alone with a group of The Forsaken, they’d tried to kill me, and I was utterly hopeless to fight back. The rusane kept me from defending myself. If it hadn’t been for Dash, they would have succeeded.
Dash was gone now. I couldn’t rely on him anymore. I had to rely on myself, as I had been for the last thirty-seven years.
“I’m willing to take that chance. Do it.”
My aunt said nothing as she dipped her fingers into the mix and started to smear it over the rusane. Though I couldn’t see it, I could smell it.
“Smells like dirty feet,” I said with a grimace.
“Hush!” snapped my aunt. “No more talking.”
I clamped my mouth shut and stilled my body as my aunt continued to spread that foul-smelling goo over the rusane.
My aunt’s face was etched with concentration. Her brows furrowed in deep focus as she continued to apply the mixture.
Then her eyes fixated on my neck as she chanted, “Spell begone, power unknown, release this one from binding tone!”
As the last syllable left her lips, she clapped her hands, and a wave of energy hit. A sudden gust of wind whipped through the room, bringing forth the scent of a mixture of sulfur and pine needles. The air around us seemed to thicken with an eerie energy, crackling with suppressed power. I could feel a strange pressure building in the room, a heaviness that made my skin prickle with unease. I held my breath, feeling a strange sensation as if a part of me was being unraveled and rewoven at the same time.
I felt the rusane began to tremble against my neck, a low hum filling the room as if it were awakening from a long slumber. The pulsing intensified, almost frantic, until I could feel it jolting.
Then I heard a sharp snap, and something fell heavily on my lap.
I looked down. A faint glow emanated from the rusane, shimmering with an otherworldly light. And then the rusane pulsed briefly before fading into a dull, lifeless band.
I felt a wave of relief wash over me, the weight of the rusane’s magic lifting from my body.
My aunt turned to me, her expression unreadable. “It is done. The rusane’s hold over you has been broken. How do you feel?”
I picked up the metal choker, disgust filling me at what this tiny object could do to a witch. I looked it over. I couldn’t see where it fastened together. It didn’t have any hook or clasp or anything, which told me it was held together by magic only.
“I feel good. Thank you,” I said, looking at my aunt. I frowned. “You look a little tired. Are you feeling okay?” Her face was drawn, and her skin was pasty and pale. Not at all like it had been a minute ago.
My aunt leaned back in her chair. “Just a little dizzy. I’ll be fine.”
My lips parted as my heart slammed in my chest. “That’s Rita’s spell. It’s done something to you. It took a chunk of your energy. I can see it. Does that mean…” I couldn’t finish the words.
“That the more magic I do, the more spells I cast, it will eventually kill me,” my aunt finished for me.
“That bitch.” I really, really hated her.
“Yeah, well.” My aunt exhaled. “I figured there was more to her curse than what she told us.”
I gripped the rusane in my hand. “We need to rid you of her spell. And we need to do it now.”
My aunt waved at me. “We will. First, have you thought about how you’re going to replicate that,” she said and snatched the rusane from my grasp. Her eyes rolled over the choker. “I could do a mending spell to close it.”
I grabbed the rusane from her. “You’re not doing anything until you’re better. I’ll get you some juice.” I stood up and walked over to the fridge.
“Either we make a duplicate, or you’ll need to figure out a way to put that back on your neck. Otherwise, they’ll suspect something.”
I came back and handed my aunt a glass of orange juice. “I know. I wouldn’t know the first thing about making a duplicate. So, I’m going to have to use the same rusane.”
My aunt took a sip of her juice. “Then I’ll make a mending spell.”
“No.” No way was I letting her do any kind of magic. Not until her color was back, and even then, I wouldn’t let her.
My aunt smacked her lips together. “And how are you supposed to do that without my help? You can’t do that type of magic.”
“It’s called Krazy Glue.”
My aunt spat some of her juice. She wiped her mouth and said, “Okay. That’ll work.”
The doorbell sounded from down the hall.
“The Forsaken?” asked my aunt. “Remember what I said. The binding spell might have a stronger hold on you.”
I nodded. “I know.” I was going to have to test that. “I doubt they’d ring the doorbell.” With the rusane in my grasp, I marched to the front door and yanked it open.
A woman with striking features and dark, silky hair that cascaded down her back stood in the doorway.
“Hello, Katrina,” she said. “Can we talk?”
Cauldron be damned. My mother was here.
2
Just when I thought the chaos in my life couldn’t get any worse, I was suddenly hit with a new dose of drama. And it just keeps coming.
My mother, Evangeline Lawless, decided to show up today, of all mornings, when I’d just removed the so-called collar that her group members had forced on me.
I had no idea what she was doing here. Checking on me? Did The Forsaken send her to try and get information out of me? We’d see.
