Page 14

Chapter 14

à la CSAMM

N atalie steps back, leaving space between us.

I blink, her words drifting at the edges of my brain. “Sorry, the Coven of…?”

“Just call it CSAMM.” She pronounces the acronym like kazam.

“Really? Like…” I wave my hand as if I’m holding a wand. “Alakazam?”

She grimaces. “Anyway, Freddie can’t come down here, so you’re safe. I’ll have my sister park the car and get your stuff.”

My chest tightens. The claustrophobia of being underground doesn’t help. “How long will I have to stay?”

Her eyebrows pull down. “I promise we’ll deal with him as fast as we can. I’m sorry I dragged you into this, Katie.”

“No, it’s—” I hate what my words did to her expression. “I’m grateful you brought me here. It’s just a lot to take in.”

Her shoulders slump, and she leans in as if about to step closer again. Instead, she turns and waves me onward. “Come on. ”

We walk down a hallway illuminated by more street lamps, our footsteps hollow, Ethel staying very quiet in her kennel. Disbelief washes over me that Natalie has taken me to her home.

“How big is this place?” Every footstep and swish of clothing is amplified in the brick corridor.

“It runs beneath the downtown core from Gastown to Robson Square, up Robson Street to Broughton, and along the harbor on the northeast side.”

A blurry map of Vancouver forms in my brain from my limited knowledge, which I mostly gained last week when I took Hazel and my family on a tour. “That’s… enormous. How many people live here?”

“About a hundred.”

“Since when?”

“Late 1800s.”

Good lord, witches have been living underneath Vancouver since the city was incorporated.

Ivy snakes across the walls, expanding until there’s more greenery than brick. We pass an actual tree, an oak that grows right out of the cobblestones and curves with the ceiling. There’s one explanation for a tree flourishing underground.

“CSAMM’s whole purpose is to keep magic regulated and monitored.” Natalie meets my gaze, a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. “That includes keeping it a secret. I’m going to have a lot to answer for.”

Ahead, the hallway bends, a bright glow coming from around the corner.

“Natalie? How’d it go?” a deep voice calls, making me jump.

She stops, putting out an arm to stop me too. “Shit,” she whispers.

Her reaction sets my heart pounding. Are we about to get in trouble?

“The explosion is all over the news, dumbass,” someone else shouts. “Way to be subtle. ”

She looks at the ceiling and draws a breath as if steeling herself. “It didn’t go down easily. Hey, listen, I need you not to freak out when I step around the corner.”

Silence.

“Are you hurt?” the second voice asks sharply, footsteps coming closer.

There’s a lot of scraping, like several chairs being pushed back.

Natalie seizes my shoulder and steps in front of me.

Ahead, at the end of the hallway, a girl strides into view and crosses her arms. She’s athletic, about my age, with a shaved head, fair skin, and smokey eye makeup, wearing a cropped green sweater and joggers. “What are you doing? Who is this?”

Footsteps scuff, and five others join her, three women and two men.

Huh, so there are male witches, too.

Everyone is dressed casually, and their expressions change to surprise when they see me.

Natalie stays resolutely between me and them. “I didn’t think you’d all still be up. I was going to—”

“It’s New Year’s Eve, dumbass,” the girl says.

“Right. Uh, this is Katie. Katie, this is my sister, Sky, and that’s Will, Hayley—”

Sky steps closer, dropping her arms with her fists clenched. “Skip the introductions and explain before I knock you out.”

I shut my mouth, letting “nice to meet you” die on my tongue. This is not how I would’ve wanted to meet Natalie’s sister.

Under everyone’s glares, guilt and shame churn in my stomach. I’m getting her in trouble. “I can stay somewhere el—”

“No,” Natalie says. “You’re staying here.”

Heels click, and they all turn as a tall Asian woman comes around the corner in a black suit and long traveling cloak. Her eyes widen and her nostrils flare when she sees me—and between the formal wear and her murderous expression, I shrink back.

“Natalie, you’d better—”

She puts her hands out to calm everyone. “It was the Madsens.”

An intake of breath passes over the group, and their frowns deepen. Sky’s expression turns into a full-on glower.

“They found out about the curse.” Natalie drops her hands. “Fiona, we have to look into this. Freddie Madsen showed up at the site, and the curse wasn’t the only thing he tried to nab. I brought Katie with me because he tried to recruit her.”

The woman in the cloak, Fiona, turns her gaze to me with narrowed eyes. “And? They hire lackeys all the time. What’s so special about this one?”

I bristle at the way she refers to me like I’m disposable.

“Katie can pick up on curses,” Natalie says. “She’s brought me two already. The Madsens are after her ability, and if we don’t keep her safe, they’ll get to her.”

Everyone stares at me, a mixture of wide-eyed surprise and skeptical frowns. I want to say something to get them off Natalie’s back—and mine too, I guess—but I don’t understand enough about what’s going on.

“Prove it,” Will says.

“What?” Natalie asks.

Will paces closer, raising an eyebrow, until he’s right in Natalie’s face. She stands taller, making it clear she’s got at least two inches of height on him.

“Prove she can sniff out curses,” Will growls, “and you’re not making this up so you can bring home a booty call.”

A couple of people gasp. A flame of hot embarrassment burns inside me.

Natalie seizes Will by the collar. “Don’t you dare. ”

Will stumbles and grabs Natalie’s wrists, ready to fight back. Around us, the ivy on the walls hisses and twitches like snakes ready to strike. My skin prickles.

“Natalie, don’t,” I whisper, but my voice comes out so softly that I’m not sure she hears me.

“Let him go,” Fiona says sharply, and they step apart, fuming. “How do you know it wasn’t luck that she brought you two curses?”

“We’ll take her thrifting,” Sky says, a hand on her hip. “See what she can do. Maybe she’ll be useful.”

My breath catches. Finally, someone gets it.

Natalie forces her gaze away from Will, her chest heaving. “I know. I’ve tr—I’ll try a test or two to see if my hunch is right.”

The way she changed her words is interesting. She doesn’t want them to know we already tried and failed. She’s giving me another chance.

A spark of hope ignites within me. I won’t fail her this time. She’s going to realize how helpful I could be in tracking down curses.

“If I am right about Katie’s ability,” Natalie says, “then you understand how important it is to keep her away from the Madsens?”

Fiona crosses her arms. “It’s worth investigating. Any magic in your past, girl?”

Oh God, she’s addressing me.

I sidestep around Natalie to see her better. “Not that I know of.”

I could explain the feeling I get when I see something cursed, but it’s hard to put into words. Also, all the stares on me are making my tongue clumsy.

“I thought she could take one of the empty rooms down Granville hall,” Natalie says. “Keep her safe until we get Freddie into custody.”

Will snorts. “Good luck.”

“He tried to abduct a civilian. That’s enough for a warrant.” Natalie looks at each of them, and when nobody protests, she says, “Time to move in. Sky?”

Sky squares her stance, and after a confirming glance to Fiona, she nods.

Fiona strides closer, searching Natalie’s face. Though Fiona’s a head shorter, Natalie shifts under her glare.

“I want a debrief before you turn in,” Fiona says. “If you’re lying, I won’t be merciful.”

Natalie dips her chin. “Of course.”

“Everyone, as you were.” Fiona waves the crowd away before turning back to me, a threatening glint in her eyes. “I’ll be watching you closely. You are not to tell a soul about this place or what we do here, understand? We have our own justice system, and no lawyer can save you from it.”

I nod, my mouth dry. “Yes, ma’am.”

She looks me up and down, then addresses Natalie again. “Just until we catch Freddie. In the meantime, you’d better prove this isn’t a big, dangerous mistake.”

With a final, piercing glare at both of us, she marches back the way she came, the click of her heels fading.

Me, a dangerous mistake?

I would argue, but maybe she doesn’t mean I’m the dangerous one. After what I experienced tonight in that alley, I don’t know what’s safe and what’s not, what’s impossible and what’s beyond my understanding.

Sky and Will are left, standing at the end of the hall.

“Get Katie’s stuff,” Natalie says. “It’s in my car. Watch out for Freddie.”

Sky nods and brushes past us, her gaze lingering on me. It’s not a glare—more like cautious intrigue. After a hesitation, Will follows, not looking at either of us.

Natalie strides ahead, leaving me to hurry in her wake. Over my shoulder, I try to see what happens when the others get to the clock, but they’re already gone .

We enter a lounge with a square fireplace in the middle and a stone chimney rising into the domed ceiling. Along the brick walls, iron light fixtures give the place a warm glow, and more ivy turns the wall into green patchwork. Wooden tables, chairs, and cushy booths fill the space. A willow tree in the corner forms a canopy over a circle of bean bags, a bookshelf, and a cabinet overflowing with board games.

The people who dispersed are seated at a long table with drinks, playing cards, and poker chips scattered around. Their eyes follow us, speculating, judging.

“Happy New Year, all,” Natalie says.

They murmur back, a jumble of “yeah,” “cheers,” and “New Year” meeting my ears.

On the other side of the lounge, archways lead to half a dozen corridors, which are marked with iron letters reading Chambers , Library , Training , and others I can’t read from here. We enter the Chambers wing and turn left at a fork, where a brass plaque reads Granville .

“This hallway runs underneath Granville street?” I ask.

“Yep. Your room’s under a coffee shop. You’ll probably hear their pipes and see their wifi. Which reminds me, our wifi password is ChimeraTown666, capital C, capital T.”

“You… have wifi down here?” I ask, bewildered.

“Well, yeah.” She pulls out her phone as if to remind me she has it. “We haven’t time traveled.”

She takes me past arched wooden doors, each one marked with an iron number.

“So.” I check over my shoulder. “Will seems like an ass.”

Natalie purses her lips, looking abashed. “Sorry about him. He’s not, actually. He’s a good Alchemist and a dedicated coven member.”

“Coworkers shouldn’t get in your face like that. ”

“His anger was… misdirected. He was suspended for six months once for bringing his girlfriend to the lounge. He obviously thought I was making up a story to sneak you in.”

My brain wants to jump right into analyzing this—does this confirm that Natalie is into girls? But I force that aside for later. “Is Fiona your boss?”

“One of several. Here we are.” She motions ahead to an arched wooden door with the number 133 and an old-fashioned keyhole. “Put your palm on it to set the lock. That’s all you’ll need to do to access it in the future. It only opens for you and the cleaner, Elizabeth.”

I do what she says and press my palm flat to the lock. It clicks, and I push the door open.

The room is all brick, stone, and greenery like the rest of the building, with a queen bed, kitchenette and mini fridge, bathroom, and wooden desk and chair. The bedding is forest green, and instead of a bedside table, there’s a bonsai tree with a notebook and an alarm clock on its branches.

Natalie shuts the door, sealing us from the world—along with the judgmental glares and comments. The tension in my shoulders eases. It’s just the two of us again.

She must feel the same because her expression softens.

Ethel meows, and I put the kennel on the bed and let her out. She scrambles into my arms, digging into me with her sharp claws.

“I’m so sorry about that,” Natalie murmurs. “As if you haven’t been through enough tonight without my colleagues breathing down your neck.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not.”

A tingle goes through me as I look up at her, every cell in my body wishing for her to step in and wrap me in a hug .

Water whooshes beyond the walls—the pipes Natalie was talking about. I don’t mind it. In this unfamiliar place, it’s nice remembering ordinary people are around.

“So, um…” I hesitate, unsure how to word this. “I can leave here if I want, right? I’m not, like, trapped?”

Natalie nods. “I can take you home right now. But I hope you understand why I brought you here, and if you still want to leave, I hope you’ll let me or someone else come along as a bodyguard in case…” She lowers her gaze.

“In case I get jumped by a Madsen.” I nudge the bed with my toe, pretending a chill didn’t just run down my spine. The reality of the danger I’m in hits me all over again. “How many of them are there?”

“Three. Freddie, his sister Oaklyn, and their mom Sophia.” She hesitates. “Four, if you include the dog.”

I hug Ethel tighter, suppressing a shudder. “I will definitely be including the dog.”

So, three people and a German Shepherd want to kidnap me. Awesome.

Natalie steps closer. “Anything I can do to make you comfortable?”

I look around the thoughtfully furnished suite. “It’s already cozier than the basement.”

“Tomorrow, I’ll show you the courtyard. It opens up to the sky, and there are trees and a pond and a track.” She presses her lips together. “I don’t want you to think I’ve taken you to an underground dungeon.”

I crack a smile, wishing she’d brought me here under different circumstances. “It doesn’t feel like a dungeon. But the courtyard sounds nice.”

She nods. “Let me know if you need anything. Whatever you want.”

Ugh, she’s so apologetic it’s melting me.

We hold each other’s gaze, the silence charged. My pulse quickens and my lips tingle, as if my body is anticipating something my brain is unaware of .

“I guess we’d better hurry and find another curse before Fiona kicks me out.” I try to sound determined, but it comes out breathless. “Thrifting tomorrow?”

She shakes her head. “I’ll talk to her. You need to stay here where it’s safe.”

I blink, taken aback. Disappointment trickles over me. “Then how are we going to prove I can see curses?”

“It won’t come to that. The plan is to put Freddie Madsen away so you’ll be able to go home. He crossed a line tonight.”

A sinking sensation pulls me downward. It’s not that I want to be trapped in an underground building for the rest of my life, but I’d expected to test my ability like Fiona and Sky suggested. I don’t want to sit here while Natalie handles everything.

“Your sister thinks I could be helpful,” I say, my tone challenging.

She crosses the room to lean against the desk, folding her arms. “My sister plays with fire by profession.”

I open my mouth to argue, but curiosity gets the better of me, and instead I ask, “What does she do?”

She hesitates—back to her default response.

I sigh. “Natalie. I’m fine with being here, but I deserve some information about where I am and who I’m with.”

She scowls and stuffs her hands into her jeans pockets. “Okay. Yeah, you’re right.”

Anticipation skips in my chest. I sit on the bed, letting Ethel flop onto the duvet.

Natalie paces as if unable to stand still for this conversation. “She’s a Shadow. They take out dangerous witches or people misusing magic.”

“Like an assassin?”

“More like a SWAT team. ”

I nod, unsurprised that this is Sky’s job description. She looked ready to take out Natalie a few minutes ago. “That’s why you looked at her when you mentioned going after Freddie.”

“She’ll lead the operation. The Shadows have been waiting for a warrant to move against the Madsens for years—decades, even.”

“If they’ve been trying to steal cursed items for years, why would you need a warrant?”

“Bureaucracy. We can’t touch non-witches—which is a good law except where the Madsens are involved. Freddie targeting you tonight gives us cause to move in.”

“You’re welcome,” I say flatly.

She doesn’t smile, her gaze on the floor.

“So she’s a Shadow, and you find and neutralize curses,” I say. “Is there a name for witches like you?”

“Guardians.”

“Fitting.”

She tilts her head, but I don’t elaborate. Maybe she doesn’t realize how protective she’s been all night.

“How do you know where curses are?” I ask.

“We have ears all over so we know about strange happenings. Fiona and a few others are in charge of relaying that to the rest of us and triaging assignments.”

“I see. And… what magic can you do, exactly?”

She looks to the door, and I remember she promised to debrief Fiona. But instead of telling me she has to go, she comes to sit beside me on the bed.

My heart skips as the mattress depresses, forcing my hips to angle toward her.

I guess my guilt trip about deserving information worked .

Ethel crawls over to her, reaching a little paw as if to test whether Natalie will indulge her with pets. She does, stroking Ethel’s back. Ethel immediately starts purring.

“It’s called earth magic,” Natalie says. “We can move solid elements by telekinesis. Objects, soil, plants, metals…”

“And pavement, apparently. Is it harder to move heavy things?”

Natalie grimaces, like she was hoping I wouldn’t bring up what I saw in the alley. “It’s more about composition than weight. Pure elements are easier to manipulate. We can also shift particles to let us pass through earth.”

I look at her in alarm. “We sank into the ground at the steam clock?”

She nods. “Engulfed us like quicksand.”

A shiver crawls through me as the world I thought I knew dissolves. “How did nobody notice? That street was full of tourists.”

“The clock’s been enchanted so the moving particles camouflage us. They take on the appearance of whatever’s behind us. To onlookers, we just vanished into the crowd.”

I furrow my brow, trying to understand all the details of earth magic. “You can enchant things too?”

She shakes her head once. “That’s Alchemy. Not my area of expertise. It involves binding magic to an object.”

I let out a slow breath, my head starting to hurt. And here I thought my statistics lectures were a lot to take in.

While Natalie pets Ethel, her other hand rests on the duvet between us. I could easily reach out and place mine over hers. We both clearly need the comfort. It’s easy to imagine holding her hand, letting my fingers be engulfed in her strong grasp.

But I might be misreading the responsibility she has to protect the public from magic. She saved me because of that, not because of some feelings she may or may not have. So I keep my hands where they are, palms flat by my thighs .

“Thank you for bringing me here,” I murmur.

She says nothing.

When I look at the side of her face, her gaze is on our hands too.

Maybe sensing me watching, she meets my eye. Her irises pull me in, such a gorgeous, rich shade of brown. I watch, breathless, as they travel down my face and linger on my lips.

A knock rings out, and we startle.

“That’ll be Sky.” Natalie crosses the room to open the door, revealing my stuff piled outside. Sky and Will didn’t stay.

We drag it in. I guess I’ll be unpacking tonight—or in the morning. Exhaustion weighs me down, making my eyelids heavy.

Natalie looks at her phone, then shows me the time.

12:02 A.M.

“Happy New Year,” she murmurs.

“Happy New Year.”

She rocks on her feet, the stroke of midnight suspended between us.

The silence is a harsh reminder that I shouldn’t be here. I should be back at the restaurant, shouting and cheering with a big group of friends. Instead, I’m in an unfamiliar place with a woman I barely know. But strangely, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

She turns around, and my chest tightens. I don’t want her to go. After learning magic is real, the Madsens want to kidnap me, and there are witches among us who can split the earth open with their minds, the thought of sleeping alone tonight sends goosebumps up my arms.

Natalie opens the door. “Get some sleep. I’ll have my phone on me if you need anything.”

Before she can step into the hall, I blurt, “Wait!”

She stops.

“I—I deleted you from my phone.” I study the brick wall, unable to meet her eye as I admit my petty moment of anger. “Can you text me so I have your number again?”

There’s a short, inscrutable pause. “Sure.”

She does, and my phone beeps.

As she leaves me holding Ethel in this unfamiliar bedroom, the events of this evening whirl around inside me like a tornado. Aside from my life changing forever, it hasn’t slipped past me that tonight has changed something significant for the coven. CSAMM . The way they all looked at me when Natalie mentioned my ability to sense curses… The way Sky suggested testing me… Even Fiona’s agreement, however reluctant, hints at the potential value of what I can do.

I might not be a witch, but the fact I’m here proves I have something to offer. I knew it.

A decision solidifies inside me. Natalie might want me to stay in this room where I’m safely out of the Madsens’ grasp—but I know I can do more than hide. I’m going to prove to her and to everyone here that I have an ability they can put to use.