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“I don’t understand the bitch’s motivations atall,” Monty growled. “How does she benefit from us erasing what is basically her backup battery?”

“Said bitch is in an unstable state of mind,” I said mildly. “I’d avoid calling her that anywhere near her, otherwise she might just unleash.”

“And we have a future wedding to plan,” Belle added dryly. “I’d really appreciate you not getting unleashed upon.”

He laughed and blew her a kiss. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

“It’s possible she hoped that the release of centuries of angst and darkness her demon had collected would erase Marie as well as the reservation,” Ashworth said. “Or perhaps she simply hoped it would affect Marie enough to ensure an easier kill.”

“An emotional tsunami would also take out Jaqueline, though,” I replied, “And she’s stated numerous times she doesn’t want her daughter harmed.”

“As you noted, she unstable and obviouslynotthinking clearly.” Belle motioned toward Roger’s leg. “Do we remove the stake and give her back his leg or what?”

Given how ungenerous I was feeling toward Maelle right now, I was tempted to vote for “or what” and just leave the fucking thing exactly where it was and let her suffer.

That, of course, wasn’t a practical or even safe thing to do, given her tenuous hold on sanity.

“If we remove the stake, it will at least ease some of the pain Roger is backwashing to Maelle,” Monty said.

“Not when there are three other stakes in him,” I muttered. And it wouldn’t be the last limb he’d lose, either, if Jaqueline’s comment was anything to go by.

“Three is better than four, lass. As for the leg—” Ashworth shrugged. “If we can remove the white ash and preserve what is left of his leg, it’s possible we can use it to find him.”

I blinked. “There’s a spell that allows you to track someone through severed bits of flesh?”

He nodded. “It’s not one I know personally, but I know Heretic Investigations have used it. I’ve already contacted someone I know and requested access to the relevant information as a matter of urgency.”

“Thatsuggests you believed we’d be finding bits of Roger strewn about long before we actually did.” Belle rubbed her arms, her skin littered with goose bumps, though I suspected its source was the increasing intensity of the ghosts’ grief rather than anything else.

“This is not my first vampire rodeo, and they do have a tendency to inflict bodily harm on each other’s servants.” He motioned to the limb. “Monty and I will deal with this. You two best tend to the ghosts and the cleansing.”

I nodded and glanced at Belle. “Is there anything I can do to help you with the ceremony?”

She shook her head. “Thankfully, the bulk of them are clustered in the alcove area between the two lakes.”

“And the ones that aren’t?” There were at least three that I was aware of roaming through the far shadows, and there was likely more I wasn’t sensing.

She thrust a hand through her sweaty hair, pulling several strands from its ponytail. “There’re only five. From the wisps I’m getting, I think they feel safer apart from the main group. If I haven’t got the strength to deal with them after the main, I’ll come back tomorrow. Their presence won’t be adding much weight to the darkness of this place.”

Given her weariness was already humming down the line between us, there was no doubt we’d be coming back here tomorrow.

“Yell if you do need anything.”

She nodded, though I knew she would never yell or draw on my strength unless she absolutely had to.

Yeah, and I wonder where I got that bad habit from?

Her mental tone was wry. I smiled, touched her arm, then headed over to Aiden, who was recording the area behind the larger lake. I stopped a few yards away from the shoreline opposite him, still making every effort to avoid looking at the water and its gruesome contents.

“Aiden, is it okay if I begin the cleansing ritual?”

He glanced up, his expression neutral but his blue eyes furious. At Marie and her crew for committing such atrocities, at Maelle for doing nothing to stop them or help us. “What will it involve?”

“A mix of burning sage, sprinkling holy water, and spells to erase the weight of evil that might linger.”

I’d never actually performed the spell before and only knew of its existence thanks to the library Belle had inherited from her gran. And given I’d read said spell several years ago now, I could only hope I remembered it correctly.

“Try not to contaminate any hard evidence, and just be careful where you’re placing your feet, as there’re bits of bone and flesh scattered about everywhere,” he said. “I’m going to be here awhile yet, so avoid that section over near the ledge to your right, because I haven’t recorded the bones and body fragments over there yet.”