felt it strongly after the second spell we did, before I handed it over to Valensia. I touched the book just after Melody died. It burnt me and there was a foul smell. The one thing I sensed when I touched it was fear, distrust and hatred. I smelled the sweat and the blood on that book. It reeked of Witch Trials. I think the book belonged to someone who was perhaps persecuted in that time.”
Quinn’s stomach lurched and he turned to look out of the side window into the darkness beyond. “That’s an incredibly useful piece of information, thank you. It’ll help me with what I’m working on.” He turned to look at her again. “The witch that died, what happened to her body?”
Misty looked down at the floor. “Valensia ordered it to be burnt. The thing that went into Melody, that darkness, no one knew what it was. The Regina didn’t want to risk it getting out, so they burned the body to cinders in a sealed crematorium and left it there. The bones and mortal remains of poor Melody were never given a decent burial. I had the other coven members do a release chant. I hope it gave the poor woman some peace.”
Quinn nodded but his mind was elsewhere. “What went into Melody was probably old residue from the casting of any original magyck or intense emotions. They tend to have a fairly malevolent presence when they’re stirred up. As the book was already in the circle with you, the salt protection wouldn’t have worked to keep it out like it would normally.”
He felt a twinge in his shoulder and he rolled it from side to side. He noticed Misty’s concerned eyes on him.
“Old injury making itself known,” he murmured as he stretched. “You’ve told me everything you can think of about this book?” he asked. “I hope you’ve left nothing out. It’s very important I know everything.”
Misty nodded. “I’ve told you everything I know, Grand Master. There’s nothing else.”
He nodded. “Very well. Thank you, High Priestess. I know this must have been difficult for you. It’s never easy when one of your own dies, and I know Valensia can be quite an unpleasant handful. You were lucky not to get out any worse off. She has a vile temper.”
“You sound as if you know her well?” Misty asked curiously.
Quinn snorted. “It was a long time ago and I doubt she’s got any better with age or maturity.” He picked up his jacket and shrugged his arms into it, picking up the notebook and his pen and putting them into his jacket pocket.
“Thank you for the meeting; I appreciate it. If you think of anything else, contact me. This is my number. Call me anytime.”
“This is more than just a witch’s death, isn’t it?” Misty murmured quietly. “For you to be here, visiting me and giving me your number personally—this is bigger than we thought, isn’t it?”
Quinn thought she was very perceptive. “It may well be. Obviously our meeting is strictly between us. I’d prefer that even Valensia didn’t know about it. I’m sorry if that puts you on the spot, but it’s why I insisted on driving down here to meet you late at night. I don’t want this getting out to anyone.”
“You have my word,” Misty said quietly. “And if you need anything from me again, you know where to find me.”
He smiled at her. He nodded as he opened the door and stepped outside. “Stay safe and look after yourself.”
He disappeared into the dimly lit car park and walked toward his car, unlocking it, the beep of the central locking echoing in the still night air. He started the car.
That had been a very interesting conversation and one that had been worth the journey. Something was definitely wrong with that Book of Shadows and Quinn had every intention of getting the book from the Praetorium. He grinned wolfishly.
It might take a cunning plan, Valensia, but that damned book will be mine.
Chapter 6
Driving home, Quinn was disturbed at the news the witch had given him. He thought for sure now that there was a
Quinn’s stomach lurched and he turned to look out of the side window into the darkness beyond. “That’s an incredibly useful piece of information, thank you. It’ll help me with what I’m working on.” He turned to look at her again. “The witch that died, what happened to her body?”
Misty looked down at the floor. “Valensia ordered it to be burnt. The thing that went into Melody, that darkness, no one knew what it was. The Regina didn’t want to risk it getting out, so they burned the body to cinders in a sealed crematorium and left it there. The bones and mortal remains of poor Melody were never given a decent burial. I had the other coven members do a release chant. I hope it gave the poor woman some peace.”
Quinn nodded but his mind was elsewhere. “What went into Melody was probably old residue from the casting of any original magyck or intense emotions. They tend to have a fairly malevolent presence when they’re stirred up. As the book was already in the circle with you, the salt protection wouldn’t have worked to keep it out like it would normally.”
He felt a twinge in his shoulder and he rolled it from side to side. He noticed Misty’s concerned eyes on him.
“Old injury making itself known,” he murmured as he stretched. “You’ve told me everything you can think of about this book?” he asked. “I hope you’ve left nothing out. It’s very important I know everything.”
Misty nodded. “I’ve told you everything I know, Grand Master. There’s nothing else.”
He nodded. “Very well. Thank you, High Priestess. I know this must have been difficult for you. It’s never easy when one of your own dies, and I know Valensia can be quite an unpleasant handful. You were lucky not to get out any worse off. She has a vile temper.”
“You sound as if you know her well?” Misty asked curiously.
Quinn snorted. “It was a long time ago and I doubt she’s got any better with age or maturity.” He picked up his jacket and shrugged his arms into it, picking up the notebook and his pen and putting them into his jacket pocket.
“Thank you for the meeting; I appreciate it. If you think of anything else, contact me. This is my number. Call me anytime.”
“This is more than just a witch’s death, isn’t it?” Misty murmured quietly. “For you to be here, visiting me and giving me your number personally—this is bigger than we thought, isn’t it?”
Quinn thought she was very perceptive. “It may well be. Obviously our meeting is strictly between us. I’d prefer that even Valensia didn’t know about it. I’m sorry if that puts you on the spot, but it’s why I insisted on driving down here to meet you late at night. I don’t want this getting out to anyone.”
“You have my word,” Misty said quietly. “And if you need anything from me again, you know where to find me.”
He smiled at her. He nodded as he opened the door and stepped outside. “Stay safe and look after yourself.”
He disappeared into the dimly lit car park and walked toward his car, unlocking it, the beep of the central locking echoing in the still night air. He started the car.
That had been a very interesting conversation and one that had been worth the journey. Something was definitely wrong with that Book of Shadows and Quinn had every intention of getting the book from the Praetorium. He grinned wolfishly.
It might take a cunning plan, Valensia, but that damned book will be mine.
Chapter 6
Driving home, Quinn was disturbed at the news the witch had given him. He thought for sure now that there was a
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