Black Crow by Jen Pretty

Author:Jen Pretty [Pretty, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-08-16T04:00:00+00:00

chapter twelve

“What do you mean, Peran is missing? Where did he go?” Nick asked.

A sharp caw split the air, cutting off Kai’s words for a moment.

“He was with me in the graveyard, we were just looking around, hoping to find some clue about where the killer was living. The murdered witches were all found in the nearby alleys. I turned around, and he was gone. Just vanished.”

“Shit,” I said. “The serpent.”

Kai just looked at me like I could do something in this situation. I still had the book that Crow had selected in my hand. I sat down in a chair and opened it up, flipping through all the pages until I found the one with a picture of a snake. It was grotesque looking with a crooked face and crossed eyes. It had sharp fangs that dripped saliva. Whoever had drawn the picture was talented or imaginative. I hoped it was the latter because I didn't want to meet the thing.

Below the image was the words ‘The Serpent’

‘The serpent is the thief of magic. He takes through his mouth that which he lusts for and leaves behind the husk. His head must be severed to end his reign of terror. Do not hesitate or you will become his supper.’

“What is it?” Kai asked.

“It says the serpent bites people to steal their magic. Would Peran die if it drained him of magic though? Isn’t he used to that?” I asked, thinking of the Sanctuary and how it was void of magic. “Couldn't the serpent just keep draining him over and over?”

Kai’s face paled. “He could be an endless source of magic for it.”

“That's probably bad,” I said.

Crow hopped from the place he had taken up on the bedpost and pecked the door like a woodpecker.

“I can probably find him,” I offered. I didn't want to go out there, but Peran was a good man, and I couldn’t just abandon him.

“Yes!” Kai said, jumping to his feet. He took a step towards me, and I raised my hand to stop him.

“I can’t fight this guy. I’m not some warrior.”

“Your boy can fight. I can too,” Kai said, bumping shoulders with Nick.

Nick smiled at me and hopped on his toes like a boxer.

I nodded and took a deep breath. Kai took the final step forward, his hand reached out for me at the same time it reached for Nick, and suddenly we were in a pitch-black graveyard.

A light flicked on from Nick's phone, illuminating the grassy hill we were standing on.

“Is this where you were when he disappeared?” I asked.

Kai nodded, and I let go of my magic. It poured from me, glittering across the grass to light up the ground like the moon off the water. I felt the magic pulse, and the wraiths of the dead stirred but didn’t rise.

I felt a gentle tug and followed it forward. The graveyard was large, not even the sound of faraway traffic reached my ears as we passed tombstones. Nick’s flashlight bounced off the occasional grave, giving a flash of the name etched into the stone.

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