Page 10

Coal Mining (for Truth)

F rom the moment the large bat was squished between the pages of Poe and the witch who predicted a vampire invasion arrived the evening prior, Evangelina Coal had been on the hunt for answers.

Her consultation space occupied the top floor of an ancient stone building on the edge of town.

Unlike most establishments in Cauldron Falls, there was no cute sign, no whimsical name---just a small wooden plaque reading "E.

Coal - Specialist in Dark Creatures." The simplicity reflected her direct approach, honed over two centuries of studying the darkest corners of the magical world.

"Is that real vampire ash?" Honey whispered, pointing to a glass jar containing what looked like gray powder.

"No, it's just fancy bath salts," the expert's assistant, a bored-looking teenage witch was filing her nails with supernatural precision. She barely looked up as she spoke. Her outfit was entirely black except for a name badge reading "Tiffany, Assistant Dark Creatures Specialist."

"We have an appointment with Evangelina," Roam said. "For Maisie Hadwin."

Tiffany glanced up, her heavily lined eyes widening slightly at the sight of Bartie perched on Maisie's shoulder. "Oh. The vampire bat case. She's expecting you." She pressed a button on her desk. "Go on through." As they disappeared into the inner office, Tiffany returned to her nail filing.

The inner office was befitting of Evangelina's reputation, dark, cluttered, and distinctly magical. Ancient books filled towering shelves, strange instruments hung from the ceiling, and the air smelled of sage and something metallic. Behind a massive oak desk sat Evangelina Coal herself.

She was surrounded by ancient tomes, and artifacts collected over decades of study.

Her piercing green eyes narrowed as she studied a faded illustration of a vampire resort scheme from the late 1980s.

She cross-referenced the image with reports from three other magical communities---all had experienced mysterious 'accidents' before vampire incursions.

"Florida," she murmured to herself. "Why does that sound familiar?"

On her desk lay a leather-bound journal much like the one Tandy had stolen---another volume from the Falls family collection, this one detailing the protective properties of Cauldron Falls water against dark creatures.

Evangelina's was on the brink, and she could feel it.

Her research was bringing her dangerously close to understanding the full scope of Ronald's plan.

At first glance, she looked like any other professional witch in her late one-hundreds---silver-streaked black hair tied back, crisp button-down shirt, reading glasses perched on her nose.

But her eyes, when she looked up from her notes, revealed her true age---unnervingly penetrating, with the depth that came only from centuries of experience.

"Detective O'Reilly. Ms. Hadwin," she nodded to each of them before her gaze settled on Maisie. "And you must be the sister. With the bat."

"Bartie, at your service," the bat introduced himself with a little wing flourish. "Familiar, currently unaligned."

"Fascinating." Evangelina stood, revealing her impressive height. She towered over the sisters by nearly a foot. "A bat familiar. Very unusual."

"Not really," Bartie said. "Only in America."

Evangelina ignored this, focusing on Maisie. "Tell me about Ronald."

Maisie shivered slightly at the name. "He's the leader.

Not very old for a vampire---turned in the 1840s, I think.

Obsessed with looking more human. "He's ridiculous looking," Maisie said, her voice dropping with remembered dread despite herself, "with skin the color of artificial cheese, a blonde feathered thing on his head that's more hairspray than hair, and a bedazzled wardrobe that looks like he murdered a craft store and is wearing the evidence. "

"And he wants Cauldron Falls?" Evangelina asked.

"For a resort," Maisie nodded. "The water from the falls has magical properties that can help vampires overcome their weaknesses. Not completely, but enough to make them stronger, more resistant to their traditional vulnerabilities."

Evangelina made a notation in her book. Her handwriting was elegant and precise, the penmanship of someone who had learned to write in a different century. "And how many vampires are in his coven?"

"Fifteen, maybe twenty," Maisie replied. "Most are newly turned and not very bright."

"Classic narcissistic leadership," Evangelina murmured. "And you were their prisoner? For how long?"

Maisie's face clouded. "I don't... remember everything. Ronald did something to my mind, and my memories."

"Can you help her?" Honey asked, reaching for her sister's hand.

Evangelina studied Maisie with those penetrating eyes that had witnessed the rise and fall of many dark creatures. "I need to perform a full magical assessment. Detective O'Reilly, Ms. Hadwin, if you could wait outside? This requires focus and privacy."

Roam looked reluctant, but Honey nodded. "We'll be right outside if you need us," she told Maisie, squeezing her hand before they left.