I didn’t like the sound of that.“What do they do?”
“They hold curses.They can be programmed to release the curse on the next person who touches the disc, or at a specific time.I’m afraid your friend has been cursed, if I’m reading the energy right.”Asheen sighed.“I have no idea what kind of curse, or how deadly.You’ll have to figure that out.And there’s no way to negate it until you know what you’re dealing with.”
I sucked in a deep breath.Chase was in danger, but there wasn’t anything I could do.At least, not yet.I tried to think.“So, how do I figure out what kind of curse hit him?”
Asheen thought for a moment.“I’m afraid the normal ways don’t apply to you, so let me think.”
Normally, I’d be insulted, but she was right.My magic fritzed out at the most inopportune times, and I usually had to adapt my spells, or the chance of them backfiring was too great.I scrambled, trying to think of some solution.
“What about me finding someone to help?There are a number of Otherworld citizens running around over here.And there are a plenty of Earthside witches—some human, others mixed blood.”
Come to think of it, Iris knew plenty of people and she might be able to help.At least I had some resources at hand.
“I think that’s a good idea.Whatever the case, remember its shape and general form.Tenzars are growing popular over here.”She paused, then a shadow crossed her face.“Tenzars are popular among the Brotherhood of the Sun.”
“That figures,” I said, shuddering.
The Brotherhood of the Sun was a cult of sorcerers over in Otherworld.They hated the Coterie of the Moon Mother and were all too eager to suppress women’s rights.But so far, they confined themselves to the Southern Wastes—the deserts that were rife with rogue magic.The Grove of the Moon Mother was north, near the city of Y’Elestrial, where we’d been born.Even with the growing antagonism, it seemed unlikely that the Brotherhood could do much to the priestesses without being stopped before they marched their way north.
“I’d take care of this sooner than later,” Asheen said.“Tenzars are dangerous—they’re difficult to create and used for serious business.I doubt if your friend was deliberately targeted.It sounds to me like it was a trap set for someone else.But now, it’s been triggered and your friend’s going to pay the price unless you do something.”
My stomach dropped.“Thanks.I’ll talk to Iris.”
“How are things going, other than this?”Asheen asked.
I spent a few minutes catching up with her, but closed out the call sooner than I usually would.I needed to talk to Iris.
Iris was makinga pot of tea, and Delilah was in the living room, watching Jerry Springer.What she saw in the talk show host confounded me, but she was sprawled on the sofa in her pajama shorts and a loose T-shirt, an afghan draped over her legs, stuffing her face from a bag of Cheetos.
“You have orange fingers,” I said, shaking my head.
Carrying her tea, Iris joined us.She handed Delilah several napkins.“Don’t you dare get the sofa dirty,” she warned, giving Kitten a long look.As she settled in one of the oversized chairs—which dwarfed her small stature—she leaned her head back against the cushion.“It’s been a long day.”
“And it’s about to get longer,” I said.“We need your help, Iris.”
She groaned and turned to look at me.“What’s up?”
I dropped into the rocking chair, letting out a long sigh.
“I talked to Asheen about the disc that Chase found.”I held it up.“Turns out this is a magical trap—it triggers a curse on whoever picks it up.So, Chase has been cursed.But she couldn’t tell what kind of curse it contained.I need to find a witch over here Earthside who might be able to figure it out.Given my fritzy-assed magic, Asheen suggested that I avoid trying to figure it out on my own.”
“And you need me to find you a witch?Does it have to be a witch?Can it be just anybody who can feel out magical energy?”Iris sipped her tea.
How she managed to stay so calm eluded me.I’d never seen her angry, not in the six months since she’d moved in with us.I had the feeling she could be a hellcat if roused, but so far, she’d handled everything with equanimity.She just laughed when Delilah got into her ribbon drawer and scattered them all over the house.
“I don’t care.I just need to know what kind of curse it triggered on Chase, and hopefully, what we can do about it—” I paused as the phone rang.
Iris went to answer, then turned to me, holding out the receiver.“Chase.”
Frowning, I took the phone.“Hey Chase, what’s up?”
“There’s something in my apartment,” he said.“I’m staring at it and it’s staring at me.”He sounded like he was about to choke on his words.
“What is it?”I motioned to Delilah, mouthing the words,Get dressed.
“It looks like a large frog—the size of a medium dog—and it’s wearing a fez.”
I blinked.“Awhat?”