damp and sticky when I stepped out of the bathroom. I put down breakfast and a drink for Butch. The crunch of him enjoying his kibble sounded, but I didn’t have to worry about waking the other two; they were both up before I stumbled into the bathroom.
Shannon stood on the balcony, her eyes wide with awe. “Look at the pool!”
Sometimes I forgot how young she was. But in all fairness, it was impressive. From our vantage point, the waters gleamed azure; there was a pale blue waterslide and a stone waterfall. Flowers bloomed in the center, lending the impression that we’d awakened in some tropical paradise.
The lake itself caught my eye. It was so big I couldn’t see the opposite shore, and it lapped right up to the edge of the property; the land behind the hotel was a narrow slice. There was no pier, but I could see a place where the boats presumably pulled up. Down some distance, there was an earthen hut and a small swimming beach.
I considered before I made the offer, but it should be safe enough, and the waiters circulating among the guests looked fit and strong. “If you want to stay here and swim while we go looking for the island witch, it’s fine with me.” I did glance at Kel for confirmation. “That would be okay, right?”
He nodded. “I have no reason to believe they know where we are right now. Of course, that could change.”
Yeah. Whomever Montoya had found to hex my Eros saltshaker might be able to scry our location. That was a pretty powerful and specific spell, however, and so it wouldn’t be accomplished with a flick of the wrist. Such things took time and preparation; we couldn’t waste our head start.
“That’d be cool,” she said. “I’ve never really been on vacation.”
I didn’t let my emotional response to that show on my face. My mom had taken me camping. Maybe we’d never gone anywhere like this, but I had those memories, at least. I didn’t envy Shannon’s recollections of her own mother.
“You have a suit?”
“Duh.” She grinned. “I looked this place up, remember?”
“Then just charge your food to the room when you get hungry.” I managed not to tell her to put on sunscreen. Besides, Shannon didn’t want to lose her Goth pallor, so when she wasn’t swimming, I was sure she would sit in the shade.
It was early, and she hadn’t showered. If it were me, I wouldn’t bother if I was going to the pool in a little while. Butch hopped into my purse, which answered my unasked question—it seemed he wanted to go in search of the island witch with Kel and me.
The guardian waited by the door. “I arranged a boat downstairs.”
Wow, that was fast.
“So they know Nalleli here?”
“I didn’t ask about her. They do, however, handle lake tours for their guests.”
It made sense. Tourists who came looking for the famous Catemaco witches would be referred to charlatans in the zócalo . Likewise, those who wanted the grand tour of the lake . . . well, the staff helped out with that too. I wasn’t sure if the locals knew the name Tia had given us, but we didn’t want to leave a trail a mile wide.
“Are you sure Shannon will be all right?” I asked as we went down the stairs.
We passed through the small garden and through the lobby out into the pool area before he replied. “Do you want a detailed analysis?”
“Please.”
“Should Montoya manage to uncover your location by arcane means, the spell will be keyed to you, so as long as you’re not with Shannon when the attack comes, then she’ll be fine.”
“You’re saying this is safer for her.” Damn . I wished I’d left her in Mexico City to run the shop. Not that she would’ve agreed to it.
“No question.”
There were a few sunbathers already, and some Europeans were eating on the patio, basking in the sunlight. They spoke German, as best I could tell, and the older woman in the group had painfully fair skin. I hoped she put on sunscreen too.
Palapas lined the lakefront, the kind you
Shannon stood on the balcony, her eyes wide with awe. “Look at the pool!”
Sometimes I forgot how young she was. But in all fairness, it was impressive. From our vantage point, the waters gleamed azure; there was a pale blue waterslide and a stone waterfall. Flowers bloomed in the center, lending the impression that we’d awakened in some tropical paradise.
The lake itself caught my eye. It was so big I couldn’t see the opposite shore, and it lapped right up to the edge of the property; the land behind the hotel was a narrow slice. There was no pier, but I could see a place where the boats presumably pulled up. Down some distance, there was an earthen hut and a small swimming beach.
I considered before I made the offer, but it should be safe enough, and the waiters circulating among the guests looked fit and strong. “If you want to stay here and swim while we go looking for the island witch, it’s fine with me.” I did glance at Kel for confirmation. “That would be okay, right?”
He nodded. “I have no reason to believe they know where we are right now. Of course, that could change.”
Yeah. Whomever Montoya had found to hex my Eros saltshaker might be able to scry our location. That was a pretty powerful and specific spell, however, and so it wouldn’t be accomplished with a flick of the wrist. Such things took time and preparation; we couldn’t waste our head start.
“That’d be cool,” she said. “I’ve never really been on vacation.”
I didn’t let my emotional response to that show on my face. My mom had taken me camping. Maybe we’d never gone anywhere like this, but I had those memories, at least. I didn’t envy Shannon’s recollections of her own mother.
“You have a suit?”
“Duh.” She grinned. “I looked this place up, remember?”
“Then just charge your food to the room when you get hungry.” I managed not to tell her to put on sunscreen. Besides, Shannon didn’t want to lose her Goth pallor, so when she wasn’t swimming, I was sure she would sit in the shade.
It was early, and she hadn’t showered. If it were me, I wouldn’t bother if I was going to the pool in a little while. Butch hopped into my purse, which answered my unasked question—it seemed he wanted to go in search of the island witch with Kel and me.
The guardian waited by the door. “I arranged a boat downstairs.”
Wow, that was fast.
“So they know Nalleli here?”
“I didn’t ask about her. They do, however, handle lake tours for their guests.”
It made sense. Tourists who came looking for the famous Catemaco witches would be referred to charlatans in the zócalo . Likewise, those who wanted the grand tour of the lake . . . well, the staff helped out with that too. I wasn’t sure if the locals knew the name Tia had given us, but we didn’t want to leave a trail a mile wide.
“Are you sure Shannon will be all right?” I asked as we went down the stairs.
We passed through the small garden and through the lobby out into the pool area before he replied. “Do you want a detailed analysis?”
“Please.”
“Should Montoya manage to uncover your location by arcane means, the spell will be keyed to you, so as long as you’re not with Shannon when the attack comes, then she’ll be fine.”
“You’re saying this is safer for her.” Damn . I wished I’d left her in Mexico City to run the shop. Not that she would’ve agreed to it.
“No question.”
There were a few sunbathers already, and some Europeans were eating on the patio, basking in the sunlight. They spoke German, as best I could tell, and the older woman in the group had painfully fair skin. I hoped she put on sunscreen too.
Palapas lined the lakefront, the kind you
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