The Day Death Stopped by Rebecca Thorne

Author:Rebecca Thorne [Thorne, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rebecca Thorne
Published: 2023-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

1. After all, Las Vegas sat on very hard bedrock, so literal “underground” casinos were simply too expensive.

2. One minute, seventeen seconds. A new casino record, at the time.

Chapter twenty-three

Roughly 14 Years and 118 Days before Death Stopped

In the end, Zuzana Krajovičová’s downfall was her own vanity.

She was a woman of pride. From the street, her home appeared pristine, with perfectly manicured rosebushes, expertly stamped concrete, and a freshly painted picket fence. She drove the most desirable car1, maintained relationships with every socialite outside of Bratislava, and although her early-twenties career as a model was finished when she had Ozarik, Zuzana could still dominate conversation with regales of her worldwide travels.

But nothing, nothing, propelled her into the highest echelons of social standing faster than birthing the next Zaro.

In her immediate family, only Zuzana’s great-uncle was a witch, and he’d accidentally driven off a cliff when she was young. Her parents used it as a tale of caution: don’t associate with witches. They spent their days worrying about whether thyme could be mixed with cat hair, and then they drove off cliffs.

But what her parents failed to mention was just how witches flocked around their ruler. When word spread that Reiki, the Zaro Reiki, had made a house call to Zuzana’s cottage, witches from all over Europe were scrambling to glimpse their home.

It didn’t take long for word to get out, even amongst the humans: Ozarik Krajovič was the Future-Zaro.

(Well, it took longer than Zuzana would have liked, but a few tasteful mentions to the right people finally gave the rumor legs.)

Zuzana used to think her previous life was grand, but it was nothing compared to this fame. It outgrew Europe—soon, people from all over the world were visiting Poprad, hoping to glimpse her child. They cornered her at the outdoor market and the flower-lined parks, eager to know… well, everything. Each of Ozarik’s giggles had the crowds swooning, and every cry elicited empathetic concern.

Zuzana stole their devotion with pleasure, playing the perfect role of doting mother to her precious, precious boy.2

At dinner one night, her husband, Marek, grumbled over their meatloaf: “Another gift for Ozarik today.”

“Petunias?” Zuzana asked. She’d put out the word that petunias would look just lovely in Ozzy’s bedroom.

“Some toy from America.”

“Well. We hardly need more of those.” Zuzana waved a hand. “I’ll have Jana take it to the children’s hospital tomorrow. They do so love our donations.” She took a delicate bite of her food, casting a glance at their two-year-old, perched in his high chair. “Eat your carrots, honey.”

Ozarik’s lower lip protruded, and he shoved the plate off the table instead.

It clattered to the floor, making Zuzana yelp.

Marek grunted, unmoving in his own seat. “Kid’s gonna get a big head from all this. Unimaginable power, my ass. Whatever happened to a good, honest living?” He cast his son a derisive glance.

Zuzana scooped up the plastic plate, then retrieved a broom and dustpan. A cheery smile flitted across her face at the mention of “unimaginable power.”

“Luckily, one of us still has that.

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