Page 30 of The Redd Key (Bone Coven #1)

W rapped warmly under a blanket and back in Griffin’s clothes, I curled up in the wingback desk chair. I was stunned—being with him, consumed by him, had felt like a dream. I was relaxed, smiling even, despite the circumstances that brought me here in the first place. Griffin strung together a slew of apologies to me as we hurriedly dressed afterward. After last night’s fatal fire, his afternoon was stacked with meetings, debriefings, and paperwork.

“I am so sorry, Raina,” he said as he held my face and kissed me so deeply my legs weakened. “God.” He breathed in as he held me. “I really wish I didn’t have to go, and that we could spend our time together literally anywhere else but here.” I gave him a quick kiss before he left the office while gently commanding me to rest.

A sharp voice came from the common area beyond the door of Griffin’s office, and my stomach dropped. There was no mistaking who it belonged to. Aggy. As a blessing from the universe, I had gone this long since my birthday without running into her at all.

“What do you mean, she’s here ?” She was nearly shouting. Short, quick paces stopped outside of the office and the door swung open. Aggy’s color-streaked hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and the dark circles under her eyes showed her exhaustion. It was likely that none of the first responders had slept yet. She huffed and crossed her arms, eyeing me in Griffin’s clothes, sitting behind his desk. We stared at each other for a few awkward seconds until Griffin slid himself by her and stood between the two of us.

“I’m really sorry,” he said, his face screwed up with a pained expression. For a second, I accepted his apology, but suddenly something in me flared. To be honest, I liked Griffin more than I could admit, and because of how fast things seemed to be moving combined with my dating history, I really didn’t trust myself. But I wouldn’t let myself be played by someone who was already spoken for, and Aggy has made it clear on more than one occasion that she and Griffin were something to each other—regardless of what he said to me at Hearties.

“It’s fine.” My voice came out hard, sharp. I stood, allowing the blanket to fall back onto the chair. “I’ll sleep better at home.” I turned my pointed stare back to Aggy. “I won’t get in the way of whatever is going on between the two of you,” I assured her. She jutted her chin up and smirked . I shouldered by her when she wouldn’t move, her body taking up the entire center of the doorway. Each stride measured, I walked through the common area and down the stairs before Griffin caught up with me.

“Wait. Raina! Please.” His voice was delicate yet demanding. Unsure if I wanted to argue with him or hear him out, I stopped and turned. We could end whatever this was before it started. It really wouldn’t be much of a loss to me. But as I thought about a clean break, a small knot of disappointment formed in my stomach, heavy like a stone. I inhaled a long breath and stared at him with raised brows.

“I’m serious,” I began. “I won’t get in the way while you two figure out whatever it is that’s going on. I don’t want to complicate things.” I held up my hands, dismissing the idea.

“I’m serious, too.” He inched forward, tilting his head to look me in the eye. “There’s nothing between us, and that is the problem for her. When we dated as teens, it was fun, but I grew up…I changed.” He straightened and ran a hand across the back of his neck. “Things happened in my life that changed me and my perspective. After she cheated, I was in a really dark place, and it took a lot to pull me out of it. I focused more on my family, my roots. Once I was on the other side of it, things that used to matter didn’t anymore, and she wasn’t ok with that. Constantly trying to change me back into the guy I was. Which was a reckless asshole if I’m being honest.” His mouth tilted into a half smile, threateningly close to exposing his dimple. I shifted my weight and crossed my arms over my waist. “At least let me drive you home,” he pleaded.

“Sure,” I said with a neutral tone. Whether or not what he said was true, it seemed like there was a lot of drama between Griffin and Aggy, and my life was already dramatic enough. I turned and pushed through the heavy exterior door into the side of the garage where the fire engines were kept.

Streams of red and white light blinded me as the midday sun sliced through the crisp autumn air. It felt like more time had passed since last night’s fire, but it hadn’t even been a full day. The fresh snow created high banks along the curb of the road, and I stepped over a sizable mound before getting into Griffin’s SUV. Overnight, the leaves turned from glorious hues of reds, ambers, and burnt sienna to drab brown and faded grey. Dreary.

“You know…” Griffin’s voice snapped me out of my reverie as he pulled through a stop sign and turned up toward Peak Drive. His eyes were steady on the road, and I noticed a muscle tensed in his jaw before he continued. “I really like you, Raina. And I am sorry if I threw too much of myself at you. I don’t know, this might make me sound like a total weirdo, but I felt something when I first saw you. So, if that’s okay with you…I’d really like to see where things might go between us.” I watched his throat bob as he swallowed. When he spoke again, his voice got stern. “Plus, what happened at the Forge, and everything with Aggy…” He glanced at me for a moment as he slowed to a stop, and the traffic light changed from yellow to red.

“Don’t,” I said. Our favorite word. He smirked for just a moment, catching onto our new inside joke. “Really. Let’s talk about it some other time? It’s fine,” I reassured him as we pulled up to my little garage apartment. After last night and this morning, I really did not have the mental space to deal with Griffin’s past right now.

“Am I allowed to check in later?” His cool blue eyes flooded with warmth. I almost felt bad for setting a boundary, and I was very glad he wasn’t trying to push it. “I’ll text you,” he offered a soft smile.

“I’ll allow it.” I added a bit of a flirty tone, because if I was being honest, there was just something so absolutely delicious about the way the man looked at me. Even in my firm stance, I couldn’t help but wander into the very recent memory of us together, his touch on my skin and the sensations it brought. The light behind his eyes flared for a second, seeming to stray to the exact thoughts.

“Let me know if there’s anything you need. Today, tonight, anytime.” His voice got progressively throaty. He brushed a fallen strand of hair over my shoulder and his hand lingered against my cheek. His eyes dropped to my lips, which parted at his touch. “I’d really like to kiss you right now.” My breath hitched as heat spread through me.

“I’m sure you would,” I teased. The words came out quietly, and before I could melt into a fantasy that involved his lips on mine, threatening my resolve, I slipped out of the car. “Thank you for…everything. I’ll talk to you later.” I flashed a smile and turned before I ruined all of my resolve. With each creak of the wooden stairs, I pushed myself to not turn around. Fortunately, Griffin relieved my struggle and drove away by the third step.

A pleasant surprise awaited for me on my balcony. Either Bridget or Sarah left my Jansport hidden under the bistro set in the corner, where Martin stood guard.

“Thanks buddy. You’re off the hook,” I said, and the bird flew off.

As if walking into the open arms of the most needed hug, my apartment’s air was heavy with the comforting scent of cinnamon spice, vanilla, and the soothing silkiness of lavender. The feeling of truly coming home made emotion well up in my throat and sting the back of my eyes. In just over three short months, the studio apartment was quickly becoming my sanctuary. I let myself feel everything that I had previously held back—every drop of tension, confusion, fear, and the wanting, longing, and happiness I felt with Griffin. I embraced all of these emotions at once while cradled in the security of my home.

A loud caw came from outside and Ferran jumped onto the windowsill. I guess Martin and Pilot were nearby. “It’s too cold for you, bud.” The frost never actually thawed today, and Ferran gave me a dignified look before slinking back under the bed. Candles burned as I took off Griffin’s clothing and replaced them with my own comfy pants and shirt. My phone buzzed and for whatever reason, anxiety shot through me. It was Sarah texting our group chat, checking in on me. Letting out a breath, I replied back to let them know I was home before placing my phone face down on the nightstand. Outside, the distant waves crashed so hard against the bluff that it almost sounded like they were breaking right against my window.

A sudden wave of tiredness washed over me, prompting me to slink into bed. My eyelids felt as heavy as lead, and I leaned my head back against the pillow. There was no way I could fight the overwhelming sleep that was creeping in. An inhuman level of exhaustion sank deep into my bones, and as if I had been completely cast in stone, darkness cradled me.

Images flickered in my hazy mind. A creaking ship in a ravaging sea. A deep red glow from beneath the black water. Hands grasping for anything to keep them above the surface. A jagged peak in the distance, and the silhouette of a man, calmly watching over the wreckage.

In an instant, I was standing on the shoreline, watching as a bystander. The air thinned, and my breath snagged. My throat filled with fiery sea water, spewing from my lungs. I gasped and clawed at my throat, sinking beneath the waves, and drifted down to the ocean’s floor, closer and closer to a scarlet light. My vision was ebbing away from the lack of oxygen as my chest screamed in protest. Before it all faded to black, I had a clear view of what created the beacon…weathered wooden planks were obscured by the seabed.

An enormous ruby was embedded in the knot of a plank, pulsating as if calling out. The edges were raw and untouched by the tumbling tide, unlike the smooth shells and stones surrounding it. At the ruby’s heart was an etched symbol, a carving of sorts. The emblem looked familiar, but I couldn’t recall where I had seen it before. With all my effort, I reached for the crystal. As my fingers came close to grazing its surface, I felt a blast of heat that jolted me back with the force of a tidal wave.

Suddenly, I bolted awake in bed, gagging and gasping to force fresh air back into my lungs. As I coughed sharp breaths, a mouthful of salt-water came gushing out of me. This wasn’t like the aquatic assault in the shower; my skin didn’t buzz with static, and my heart didn’t race with a sense of looming danger. This was different. This time felt intentional. Reflecting on the vision, I felt the same sense of purpose that I had after the cove dream. And with insurmountable determination that swelled inside of me, I had clarity—I knew I needed to find that ruby.

I grabbed my journal and tried to sketch out the image as best as I could; details of the ship, of the grasping hands, and the intricacies of the ruby. The flint scratched more than I remembered while I drew. As if my hand was being guided by someone else, I traced intricate details along the edges of the stone. When I sat back and looked at the sketches, I was surprised to see something I hadn’t consciously drawn. Beneath the ruby was a keyhole. I stared at the sketch. “Wait…” I spoke aloud. I pulled out the box from the cove and dumped its contents on the bed. I picked up the nearly forgotten item. The rust was rough in my cold hands and left red flakes as I turned it over for examination. I held it against my drawing. The heavy iron felt too warm. “The key”.

Details from my dream rushed to the forefront of my mind. A shipwreck? Black Sam Bellamy’s ship went down in Massachusetts, not Maine. I must be missing something. And then it occurred to me. No one ever claimed to have seen Bellamy’s body among the one hundred twenty corpses that washed ashore after that fateful Nor’Easter. And his body has yet to be recovered, to this day. What if he did make it out of Cape Cod? But would he have come to Redd Hills Island? I remembered Sarah telling me that his crew did come here. No one has ever found a shipwreck here near the island, right? Though, they wouldn’t have found one if it had been hidden or veiled.

I grabbed the Book of Shadows and flipped through every page, searching for any spell or ritual related to concealment or anything that may have been done to hide an entire shipwreck. I struck out.

Ferran crawled out from under the bed and jumped onto my lap. His powerful purring felt like a sign of encouragement, as if I was pursuing the right path. Just then, Martin pecked at the glass of the balcony door, startling me. The sun hadn’t yet set beneath the horizon and the twilight sky glowed. I picked up my phone, ignored Griffin’s text that he sent while I was sleeping, and opened the group chat. Sarah and Bridget appeared to both be typing.

Sarah:

I just had the craziest dream.

Bridget:

I just had the craziest dream.

I just had the craziest dream.

All three of us texted to each other, simultaneously. Chills immediately rolled down my spine, and my skin erupted in goosebumps.

“Well, that was fucking creepy,” I said to Ferran as I scratched his ears.

I met the girls at the Wicker Basket within a half hour. Bridget surprised us all with lattes and some pumpkin bread, and in that moment, I was beyond grateful that the universe aligned and allowed me to exist at the same time as Sarah and Bridget. My chest swelled with love for them. The warmth of our treats matched what I felt towards the two of them, and the naturally magical properties of the latte’s cinnamon, nutmeg, and the rest of the yummy ingredients were very much needed at a time like this.

The shop had the same air as my apartment and the sense of belonging filled every unhealed part of me. Anabel lit a clove candle by the register which billowed its rich spicy fragrance through the small store. The space was so distractingly safe and enrapturing, I had to remind myself why we were there. Sarah had been pacing the shop since I arrived, stopping at a shelf here and there every so often. Eventually, she pulled out the Morgan Family’s Book of Shadows.

“What have you found out, Sarah?” I inquired between warm sips of creamy coffee heaven, asking a question I put on hold due to the pleasant diversion Bridget offered with her arrival. Sarah carefully put the lid back on her cup after eating all her whipped cream. Moments before Bridget had walked in with our lattes, Sarah hmm’d intriguingly with her head buried in her grimoire.

“Other than us having the same dream at the exact same time being a supernatural sign? Not much else. Honestly, we may have to do some spell-work to find the answers we need.” She raised her brows and let out a sigh.

“Oh my goodness,” Bridget said indignantly. “Why didn’t we think of that sooner? For real,” she insisted. “We’re sitting here discovering our Aecor and have seen our strength in action. Why haven’t we considered using it offensively instead of just being sitting ducks?” Her expression was riddled with fear. I wasn’t used to seeing her usually stoic face burdened by it.

Feeling a knot in my stomach, I knew she was right. Why hadn’t we been more prepared? Anabel had warned us we would be targeted. Just being witches made us vulnerable. There were signs that the Blood Coven might be rising again. Hadn’t we been chased up Pike Drive and into the evergreens? Were we not attacked at the harbor? How completely naive of us to forget that we were constantly being preyed upon!

“People have died,” I said quietly, my thoughts lingering on the two limp bodies I had seen while sitting in the back of the ambulance. “This…,” I trailed off, my voice cracked. Clearing my throat, I continued, “This is real. This is really happening.” I mainly spoke to myself, grappling with the gravity of the situation. With a sense of urgency, we immediately exchanged the details of our dreams, all of which were the same—although I had been the only one who seemed to have the literal ocean fill her lungs.

“I frankly don’t know what that’s about, but it is a bit horrifying, right?” Sarah sighed when I revealed that little tidbit.

Bridget pulled us back to her point. “The deaths in the fire are just the beginning. Raina, we almost lost you.” Her voice was thick with sadness, and her beautiful emerald eyes were glassy, tears clinging to her waterline. “We need to find out who that shadow person—thing—is because they clearly didn’t die at the docks. There’s no way the fire at Town Hall was started by a damn raccoon.”

“We need to find that ruby and whatever is locked behind it.” Sarah asserted. She stood and started to scour the bookshelves that lined the shop. She seemed to be hunting with intent. “I know it’s here somewhere.” She stretched up on her toes to scan the highest of the dusty shelves. Her curls shook as she strained her arm. “Ah,” she exclaimed and pulled what looked like loose yellowed index cards from between two volumes. “Here we go.” Sarah laid the cards on the coffee table in front of us, and scribbled on them in faded pencil lead was a nearly indecipherable list of items including specific crystals, herbs, types of candles, and some words that looked like an incantation. “I shoved this spell in there years ago, after finding it in one of these books. I was hoping to use it to find out if someone had a crush on me.” She blushed a little and shifted uncomfortably. “It’s an insight spell— Secret Reveal .”

“That’s incredible, Sarah!” I grabbed the cards for a closer look. “Now, I wonder what my Book of Shadows has that could help. I can’t remember seeing anything helpful when I’ve looked through it.”

“May I?” Bridget reached for my Book and placed it on her lap. Shutting her eyes, she hovered both hands over the closed cover. She took a long, deep breath, then her entire body stilled. Only the subtle beating of her heart gave the faintest sway to her body. As she finally exhaled, she cracked open the Book and let the pages fall open on their own accord. “I think this might work.” She handed the book back to me. It felt so much warmer than it had before and smelled faintly of newly turned soil, bringing out Bridget’s affinity for Earth.

The open pages revealed a series of seemingly random thoughts written across them. I hadn’t really lingered on this particular page before—it looked more like chaotic doodles than a page for spellwork. Between a diagram of a sunflower sprout and a rune, I noticed a small incantation that I would have almost overlooked if Bridget hadn’t pointed it out to us. “There— Unto, Undo, Unveil, ” she said quietly.

“The book literally just opened to what we needed. That will never get old,” Sarah said beaming. “We really need to try out more spells like that, Bridget.”

“It’s something I’ve been working on while at work. We still utilize paper records of all of our furry patients, and I hate filing through it all. If I can just jump to the information that matters, then why not?” She crossed her legs underneath herself. “I don’t have time to hear some Karen’s unwarranted complaints, so I focus on what information I need and ask the files to find it for me. So easy! And then it shortens the length of time I need to deal with the fur babies’ owners.”

I laughed, “You would use magic to avoid interacting with actual humans.” I looked around the shop, a question still eating at me. “Ok, so we have a couple ways to reveal concealments now, but how do we find what’s hidden? This island is pretty big, and we don’t have a trail or any additional clues. What if we made something to help us?”

“Like a tool?” Bridget hinted.

“Magic has to leave traces, right?” I offered.

“Yes! Like breadcrumbs” Sarah smiled. “But invisible…” She furrowed her brows.

“What if they weren’t invisible? What if we figured out a way to show the trail? Like dusting for fingerprints?” I suggested. Both of them looked up at me. “What were the items listed on the cards again?”

Sarah grabbed the cards and stood up. “Quartz, sage, amethyst, mint, mugwort, and labradorite. We actually have crystal dust here!” Sarah grabbed a few small vials and a pestle and mortar from a cabinet behind the register. She laid them all out on the table.

Bridget went back into that meditative state again, and measured out the different crystal powders and herbs. “Unto, Undo, Unveil,” she recited the incantation from my book as she gently pressed and mixed the concoction.

“Unto, Undo, Unveil,” the three of us spoke in sync. With our trio of Aecor, the combination shimmered and shuddered before resting, looking like sand, mundane and grey. Bridget carefully poured the magically infused Revealing Dust that we just concocted into a silk bag. “Done!” She held the pouch in front of her. “Now, let’s go hunting!”