Witch & Curse by Nancy Holder, Debbie Viguié Read Free Book Online Page B

Holly whispered, thinking of her terrible dream. But as soon as she said it, her eyes were closed, and she was drifting, back to the river and her father and life as it never would be again.
    The University of Washington at Seattle
    The sweat lodge was filled with sweat and nearly naked bodies. Jer was very quiet, searching for the serenity that had eluded him last night. It had been Lammas, one of the most important Rites of thewarlock year, and his father had never showed.
    He and Eli had celebrated together, a desultory affair, since neither brother could stand the other. As the younger brother, Jer was obliged to serve as backup during the Rites, fuming as Eli made fun of the entire ritual and finally concluded by intoning in a mockstern voice, “Go in peace. The Black Mass is ended.
Mwahahah
.”
    â€œSo, are you tired from whatever you did or what?” Kari asked. Jer didn’t open his eyes. It was bad manners to talk in the lodge, and she knew it. She had been upset last night when he had left because he hadn’t invited her.
    Does she think I feel guilty, so I’ll come across with some information for her? Because I don’t feel a shred of guilt
.
    â€œC’mon, baby. It’s for my paper on harvest folklore,” Kari persisted, arching her back and moving her neck, wafting the steam and smoke toward her chest with her hands. It was said to cleanse one of impurities, within and without. Jer resented her trying to manipulate him by drawing his attention to her body, and he was humiliated that it was working. Guys were entirely too much governed by their desires, and girls like Kari knew it.
    â€œHey,” Kialish protested. “No talking.” Over time, Kari seemed to have forgotten that she was a guesthere; the lodge belonged to Kialish, Eddie, and Jer, if it could be said to belong to anybody besides the University of Washington.
    â€œSorry,” she said, not at all sorry. She touched her forehead. “I’m just too hot in here today. I can’t keep my focus.”
    â€œNobody can, if you keep talking,” Kialish said firmly.
    â€œOkay. Sor-ry. Look, I’m going to split.” She gazed at Jer expectantly, wanting him to go with her.
    Jer gave his head a quick shake, then moved his shoulders to show her that even though he wasn’t in the mood now, that didn’t mean they couldn’t hook up later. That mollified her.
    I have issues with women
, he thought. His father insisted that his mother had been terribly insecure and passive, a very weak person. It had occurred to Jer more than once that leaving someone takes a decisive act of will, which a passive, very weak person would be unable to accomplish. Likewise, he tried to leave thoughts about his mother in the past, where they belonged, but he found that impossible. Since he didn’t trust his dad’s version of her, and that was all he had at present, he was better off not forming an image of her at all.
    Someday I’ll have the magic for it, though. And I’ll cast afinding spell and locate my mom, see if she’s okay. And I’ll ask her if she’s sorry she left me with him and Eli. . . .
    Kari rolled onto her feet and crouched beneath the low, rounded ceiling of the lodge. She gave Jer’s knee a caress and said softly, “See you later, babe.” Then she opened up the flap and crawled out, careful to refasten the Velcro strips on the outside.
    Now that she was gone, Jer refocused his attention on the burning logs. He stared at them, his lids half-closed, lulling his emotions to a passive place; letting his arms and legs slacken, his breathing to slow. He imagined the heat and smoke entering all the cavities of his body and warming them, the herbs in the smoke mingling with his being so that part of him was the mixture created by this place and this moment. Like sips of water, he took in that image, and he began to let go of his other thoughts—about the