Page 37 of Claiming Chaos

10

ASH

“You’re joking.” Ember paced the length of the kitchen. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“I wish I was.” I sat at the counter next to Chaos and took a sip of beer. Patrice had gone shopping again, and our fridge was now fully stocked. She’d also emptied the dishwasher and swept the floors while we were gone. Maybe we could keep her around…

“You had one job. Go to New Orleans, get the book, and come home.” Ember stopped and rested her hands on the counter. “And I specifically told you not to interact with the witches there.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not like we went looking for trouble.”

“You don’t have to. Trouble follows him everywhere he goes.” She grabbed a beer from the fridge and popped the top before taking a long pull. “Mind control, Ash? That’s not just bad. That’s goddess-smiting-you bad.”

“It was for the greater good, so I think I’ll be okay.” I hoped I would anyway. Besides, even the goddess had a few shades of gray in her.

She sighed, her shoulders drooping with her exhale. “Don’t do it again.”

“I don’t plan to.”

Chaos downed his beer and set the empty bottle on the counter. “Neither do I. I much prefer causing pandemonium.”

I laughed. “See? Problem solved. Now, where is everyone?”

“Patrice is with Miles and Shade, working on a fae infestation. We try to keep at least one person at home to protect the house, so here I am.” She hoisted herself onto the counter and swung her legs. “I’m glad you got a picture of the sigils, but Chrys has the book and the skull. I’m surprised she hasn’t summoned Mayhem yet.”

“I will feel it when she does.” Chaos stood and carried his bottle to the recycle bin. “But if we can find her first and summon him ourselves, he will be easier to control.”

“And that’s easier said than done,” Ember said. “She’s shrouded herself like she did to Shade. We tried scrying for her this morning and found nothing. Not even an inkling of where she might be.”

“Did you visit her home and place of employment?” he asked.

She laughed dryly. “And every other place in Salem she frequents. She hasn’t been to her job in more than a week. I tracked down her mom’s phone number and called her. She said Chrys stopped talking to her years ago. There’s no telling where she’s hiding.”

“I can scry with you,” I said. “Chaos helped us find Shade, so I’m sure he can cut through her spell and help.”

“I couldn’t cast a spell to save my life tonight.” She typed something on her phone and stood. “We battled three beasties and sealed two rifts this morning, in addition to the scrying. I’m spent, and the others will be too when they get back. We need to recharge.”

“Can you scry alone, or does it require two witches?” Chaos asked.

I nodded. “Chaos and I can give it a try.”

My sister crossed her arms. “Don’t bother. I just tried it alone half an hour before you got here, and even if you did find her, we’re all too weak to fight tonight. Tomorrow, she could be somewhere else. Save your vim, unless Chaos senses Mayhem.”

We both looked at him, and he shook his head. “Nothing yet.”

“I found out something else while we were in New Orleans.” I drummed my fingers on the counter, hesitating to ask my question. If her answer was yes, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel, but I had to know. “Were you aware that Mom bound my fire magic to keep me from fulfilling the curse?”

Her eyes widened, and she blinked in surprise. “No. Who told you that?”

“The High Priestess had some kind of inborn power to detect magic. She said I was blocked.”

She wrinkled her nose like she’d whiffed a foul fart. “And you believe her? She’s a dark witch. They lie.”

I picked at the label on my half-drunk bottle. “Chrys didn’t just tie me up and take my bag. She left me to die. Her roots were trying to bury me alive, and I burned my way out of it. For once in my life, my fire magic worked the way it’s supposed to.”

“You.” She paced the kitchen again. “Why didn’t you lead with this? How? What happened?”

“Chaos pissed me off so much, my fury got around the block.” I couldn’t fight my smile. “Ember, I set my arms on fire. My whole upper body. I burned through the roots, and when I got out, I called the fire back inside.”