Punished by Kira Saito Page B

like hours later, Aunt Mae finally released me.
    I gasped for air, furious at her. “What the hell!” I screamed. “Why did you do that? I can’t swim. I can barely hold my breath for two seconds! I could have died!”
    Her green eyes were serene as I shrieked and fumed like a lunatic. I wanted to leap out of the tub, but I was naked, so that plan was out of the question.   She wasn’t at all offended by my little outburst. “It’s for your own good my child.”
    She kneeled down beside me and softly stroked my cheek. “I don’t ever want to lose you.” Her voice quivered slightly, and I felt myself calm down. “You need to take a spiritual bath after you experience something like you did tonight or when you need extra guidance, support or protection. The recipes vary, but the impact is always the same. They heal, protect, and strengthen, but you need to be immersed from head to toe.”
    “Some kind of warning would have been nice,” I said.
    “You’re too stubborn to listen to warnings.” She laughed. “If my interpretation of your swamp dream was correct, Louis Beau is still lingering around this plane. If he needs something from you, he’ll stop at no cost to get it. You need to be prepared,” she said firmly.
    “I don’t get it; the cards said possession that means he’s a ghost? Or is he a spirit? And if he is a ghost or a spirit he should technically want to help me, right? He would want Lucus to be freed, so he could be free too. Maybe Mad Marie made a mistake and both of them are trapped here.” I tried to think of all the possible reasons why Louis’ spirit/ghost would have it out for me. “None of it makes sense. I need to know more about the curse.”
    Aunt Mae let out a heavy sigh, and for a second, her face showed her true age. “The truth is Arelia; no one knows the specifics of the curse.”
    “But Lucus said it was a soul for a soul or something like that,” I argued.
      “Those are some theories that we’ve come up with over the years, but all of it is just sheer speculation.”
    “That means maybe your card reading was wrong. Maybe my dream meant nothing. Maybe Louis has safely passed on.”
    “It’s a possibility my child. Nothing is ever certain when it comes to the spirits, they’re a fickle bunch.”
    “Then how am I supposed to know what to do? And why am I even here? If all of this is maybe or possibly, it’s all just a waste of time!”
    Her eyes met mine and her expression was stark. “You are here because Erzulie wants you here. She doesn’t throw around her blessing for no rhyme or reason. The night before I made an offering to her on your behalf, she appeared in my dream.” Her voice was full of vigor as she recalled her vision.  
    “Erzulie was beautiful, graceful but inconsolable. Her hazel eyes were filled with miserable tears. Her expensive gown was torn, and she was covered in blood. Wails rang in my ears that spoke of a cruel imbalance and a destiny reserved for the brave. It was then and there, she whispered in my ear that you were needed, and with that, I did what I had to do, without question or uncertainty. Now, I won’t take any more of this doubt. You need to trust there is a greater purpose behind all of this, Erzulie has plans for you and you need to have faith in that. Is that clear?”
    “Yes, Aunt Mae,” I said, as I lowered my gaze. I didn’t want to mess with her; she was pretty scary when she got angry. Plus, she could try to drown me again. “Well, do you have any of Louis’ things like clothes or a picture, at least?”
    Aunt Mae shook her head furiously. “No, the few belongings that he did have were all taken by Marie after she left Darkwood. I managed to dig up dirt from his grave, but that was well over forty years ago. His body was buried in that old slave cemetery next to the swamp. However, each queen needs to collect her own dirt otherwise any type of uncrossing spell won’t work.” Her tone was compellingly ominous