Chapter Eighteen
The car feels downright suffocating. The leather seats seem to close in around me, which does little good for the rage boiling in my body. My grip on Lola”s knee tightens as my mind replays the scene at the museum over and over again. The bitter taste of failure lingers on my tongue, and self-reproach is a less than welcome companion as I try to think of what I could”ve done differently.
Now that Adrian has the knife, there”s no way I can open the compartment in Genevieve”s tomb to get to the vial. I can”t complete the ritual anymore than he can, but Adrian can”t be allowed to keep the knife either. If he manages to get ahold of Lola, he”ll find a way to convince her to play the part, no doubt using me against her. He”ll use his newfound power just to cause more harm to more innocent people, and I can”t let that happen.
I glance over at Lola and take note of the deep lines etched into her forehead, the tension that”s evident in her shoulders. She”s just as frustrated as I am, if not more so. Her expression is grim and unreadable, and I wish I could offer her some comfort.
My phone buzzes, and I check to see who it is. Sage, a witch who”s been helping our clan for years, is asking me to call her. I click on her name and dial her number.
”Hey, Drake,” she answers, but there”s an edge to her voice. ”Listen, I don”t know all the details of what”s happening, but I just got off the phone with Marina and she says something is happening with Adrian. If you need my help with anything, anything at all, please know that as always, my services are at your disposal.”
It hadn”t occurred to me to reach out to Sage, but she has abilities that could definitely come in handy here. She”s the one who helped me track Lola down to begin with. Perhaps she could do the same with the knife. ”Sage, thank you,” I reply sincerely. ”Your timing is impeccable. Do you still live in Salem? I”m here with a friend. Could we stop by? I can explain the situation, and we can go from there. Does that work?”
”Absolutely. I”ll text you the address.”
”Perfect. See you soon.” I hang up and tell Lola about Sage.
”Okay, cool,” she replies as we drive toward the address Sage sent me. ”So, she”s a witch? Like my ancestors?”
”Yes.”
”Do you trust her?”
I turn to look at her and give her a reassuring smile. ”I do. We”ve worked together for a long time. She”s been very helpful to my clan, and I consider her a friend.”
Lola nods her head slowly as she considers my words. ”All right,” she replies after a moment. ”If you trust her, then I trust her too.”
After some time, we up the drive to Sage”s house, which is a hidden gem in the heart of the city, an old Victorian mansion that stands out against the urban backdrop. The exterior is painted white with black shutters and a dark red door that stands out against the pale color scheme. A wrought iron fence surrounds the property, adding to its stately appearance, and several flower gardens line the perimeter.
”Wow,” Lola breathes as we pull into the driveway. ”This place is beautiful.”
I chuckle at her reaction as my driver parks the car and turns off the engine. ”Wait until you see the inside,” I reply as we exit the vehicle.
We walk up to the front door and ring the bell. Seconds later, the door opens to reveal a woman dressed in a flowing purple robe with long, blond hair and bright green eyes.
”Drake,” she greets as she motions for us to enter. ”Please, come in.”
”Thanks, Sage,” I reply as we follow her over the threshold.
Inside, the atmosphere is a blend of vintage elegance and mystical charm. The walls are decorated with paintings of mythological creatures and stained glass windows depicting various symbols that I recognize as belonging to the Wiccan faith. The floors are hardwood, covered in several large rugs that add warmth to the room, and the furniture is made up of antique pieces that give off an air of age and wisdom.
Sage leads us to the dining area, where a wooden table is set with crystals, herbs, and candles. ”Have a seat,” she instructs as she gestures to the chairs. ”Make yourselves comfortable.”
Lola and I do as she says, and she sits down across from us. ”Thank you for seeing us on such short notice,” I tell her.
”Always happy to be on the right side of things,” she replies with a smile. ”So, what can I do for you?”
”We need your help locating an object that was stolen from us.”
”I take it Adrian is the one who took it? The one who attacked the museum?”
”Yes.”
Sage sighs heavily as she leans back in her chair and gestures to Lola. ”And I gather it has something to do with why you needed me to locate this young lady for you all those months ago? I”m sorry, sweetheart, how rude of me not to introduce myself. I”m Sage. You must be Lola.”
”That”d be me,” she confirms. ”It”s nice to meet you, Sage.”
”The pleasure is mine,” Sage returns warmly before turning her attention back to me. ”You were saying?”
I clear my throat and continue explaining what happened at the museum. ”It turns out the object we need to get to the vial was in a museum here in Salem. Adrian took it, and we need to find it.”
”I see,” Sage murmurs as she rubs her chin thoughtfully. ”And what is this object exactly?”
”A ceremonial knife.”
”Ah,” she exclaims as understanding dawns on her face. ”I think I know what you”re talking about. There”s a knife in the Witchcraft Museum that”s said to have belonged to Genevieve.”
”Yes, that”s the one,” I confirm. ”Do you know where he might have taken it?”
”Not a clue. You”re the one who insisted on keeping Adrian around. I kept my distance from him. There”s a spell I can use, one that requires the blood of the rightful owner. That would be you, Lola. By the natural law of heredity, anything that belonged to Genevieve now belongs to you.”
”What is it with everyone wanting my blood?” Lola grumbles.
I can”t help but laugh at her annoyance. ”Don”t worry, it”s only a few drops.”
”Fine,” she relents with a sigh. ”Let”s get this over with.”
”Good girl,” Sage praises as she rises from her seat. ”Follow me.”
She leads us through a beaded curtain and into a room filled with shelves containing bottles of various sizes and shapes that contain different colored liquids. The ceiling is painted to look like the constellations, and there”s a cauldron in the center of the room that”s bubbling with a bright green liquid.
Sage walks over to one of the shelves and begins rummaging around for something. After a few moments, she pulls out a small knife and turns to face us. ”This shouldn”t hurt too much,” she assures Lola as she approaches her. ”Just a tiny prick.”
Lola swallows nervously and holds out her hand for Sage to take. The witch gently places her palm over Lola”s and draws the blade across it, causing a thin line of blood to appear on her skin.
”There,” Sage announces as she releases Lola”s hand. ”That wasn”t so bad, was it?”
Lola shakes her head and smiles weakly. ”No, it wasn”t.”
”It”s not nearly as dramatic as the movies.” Sage takes a few steps back and sets the knife down on a nearby table. She picks up a bowl that”s sitting next to it and dips it into the cauldron, filling it with the green liquid before holding it out for Lola. ”Here, drink this,” she instructs as she offers her the bowl.
After a shaky breath, Lola takes it from her and brings it up to her lips. She takes a sip, and her face contorts in disgust as she swallows it down. ”That”s horrible,” she complains as she hands the bowl back to Sage.
”I know, but it”s necessary. It”ll open your third eye and allow you to see the things your mind hasn”t been allowed to observe before.” Sage apologizes as she sets the bowl back down on the table. ”Now, sit here and think about the knife,” she tells Lola as she guides her to sit on a cushion on the floor. ”Picture it in your mind.”
Lola nods and closes her eyes, taking a deep breath as she concentrates. Sage retrieves a candle from another shelf and lights it before placing it in front of Lola. ”As you think about the knife, focus on its energy,” she explains as she sits down in front of her. ”Channel your thoughts into the flame.”
The three of us sit in silence, and Sage collects a scrap of paper, which she places in front of Lola, along with the knife. ”When you feel ready, write down whatever comes to mind,” she instructs. ”Your blood will act as the ink, the knife as the pen. Don”t overthink it. Just let the words flow.”
Lola nods and does as she”s told. As the minutes pass, she picks up the knife and uses it to scribble furiously on the paper, and when she”s finished, she holds it up for Sage to inspect.
”Hmm... that”s interesting,” Sage muses as she reads it over.
”What is?” I ask curiously.
”Well, it says here that Adrian is hiding somewhere that”s very special to him, a place where he feels safe and protected.”
”Where could that be?” I wonder aloud.
Sage shrugs helplessly. ”I”m not sure. This spell can only take us so far. Without knowing more details, it”s hard to pinpoint his exact location. But at least we know he”s somewhere familiar.”
”It”s a start,” I concede grudgingly.
”Have you ever done anything like this before, Lola?” the witch asks.
”No,” she answers. ”I”ve never even believed in any of this stuff.”
”It”s okay,” Sage assures her as she pats her on the shoulder. ”It”ll get easier with practice. With your bloodline, you”re practically destined for greatness.”
Lola blushes at the compliment as she fidgets in her seat. ”I”m not even sure I want to open that door, Sage, but thank you. Just because my family is full of witches who hang out with vampires doesn”t mean that”s a legacy I want to continue.”
”You can”t hide from who you are,” Sage chides. ”But you don”t have to embrace it either. No one can force you to accept your gift. The choice is yours, but I urge you to wait until you”re out of the darkness to make that decision.”
Lola nods thoughtfully as she considers the witch”s words. ”I”ll keep that in mind.”
”Very good.” Sage turns her attention to me. ”Drake, may we have a word in private? It will only take a moment.”
”Of course.” I follow her out of the room and into the hallway. ”Is everything all right?”
Sage studies me for a moment before speaking. ”Your feelings for Lola go beyond strategy, don”t they?”
The question catches me off guard, and I struggle to formulate a response. ”What makes you say that?”
”Oh, come now, Drake. I can read people better than most can read books. I”m trained to pick up on these things. Besides, it”s written all over your face every time you look at her.”
”I won”t deny that I care about her,” I admit carefully. ”But she”s crucial to getting control of the artifact.”
Sage raises an eyebrow at me. ”She”s more than just an asset, Drake,” Sage continues, her tone gentle. ”Your heart is entangled in this, whether you admit it or not.”
I lean against the wall, the weight of Sage”s words sinking in. The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. Lola, once just a pawn in this game, has become something more. The line between duty and personal feelings blurs, and I”m left grappling with the unexpected emotions that have surfaced.
”She deserves better than what I can offer her,” I mutter.
”Feelings are not a matter of deserving. They just are,” Sage responds. ”Embrace what you feel, Drake. It might be the very thing that saves you both.”