The Blood Moon

Truth and Politics

"How is that even possible?" The alpha's pacing increased and the air grew heavy with the heat radiating off his skin.

"No offense, Rett," said Hen with a pitying shake of her head, "but you two are the sheriffs, you tell me how something like that could have happened."

"We have traveling vendors, musicians, tourists, wedding guests, and a visiting pack," answered Kyra with not a single ounce of the agitation that Everett had on display. "We're always stretched thin during festivals like this. It is easy to see how someone could have slipped in."

"If someone slipped in that is," replied the werewolf, who turned his gaze on the mage. "You said it could be one of your mages and you just don't recognize the signature."

"It's possible, but highly unlikely. We haven't taken in any new mages for a good decade or so. Every mage who lives here has used magic at one point or another, and honestly most use a little bit daily. We can see an aura of magic around us that's kind of like a scent signature like you all use. Even if a mage suppressed their magic for awhile to hide that aura, they wouldn't have been doing it the whole time they were here. That curse is reeking with someone's brand, but there isn't a trace of familiarity in it."

Everett huffed and continued his pacing, but did not say any more on the matter. So Kyra, took this next step forward.

"Henrietta, you said you could remove this curse, or at least partially remove it. What will you need to do so?"

"I have my kit in my truck," said the restauranteur with a sigh. "But, I'm going to need to call dad about this and let the crew back at the Brew and Stew know I'm not coming back any time soon."

"Will the Archmage wish to be part of this removal?" asked the vampire.

"No," said Hen with firmness, "to remove that block, I'll be walking with Del through her memories and...I don't think she'd be comfortable experiencing last night with my father as her partner."

At this Everett stopped pacing, his body going rigid as his eyes bore holes in the ground.

"That is," continued the mage, "unless, Del feels otherwise. He is more experienced so..."

"No," I answered, "I trust your skills, Hen. I've seen them in action firsthand back at the Osiris camp. And..." I swallowed hard as I tried to decipher Everett's reaction to Hen's offer. "And, whatever it is that happened last night, I would trust you with seeing it. I think of you as a friend."

For a moment we all remained silent as I dared to glance over at Hen, who stood by the door with her fists clenched and her jaw set in determination.

"I'm honored by your trust," she replied. "You should eat your lunch now. Cutting through this curse is going to be exhausting for both of us."

With that she headed out the door to get her kit and to make a few calls, leaving myself and the two sheriffs alone in the room.

"Here you are, Ms. Cross," said Kyra, who handed me a box with a wheat bread hoagie stuffed with ham, cheese, and all the standard toppings, as well as a towering pile of homemade potato chips. "Please eat as much as you can stomach. I've seen a curse or two in my lifetime and Henrietta is not exaggerating when she says it takes a toll on the one who has been cursed."

"Why cursed?" asked Everett, more to himself than to anyone else. "It seems safe to surmise that this is a talented mage that put this on Delilah, which would seem to indicate they're intelligent enough to know a small town full of mages would have eventually noticed the curse on her. If the whole goal was to frame her for the murder of Alpha Zachary, why not just kill her and make it look like she died in the fight with the alpha? Why bother with keeping her alive while she had an incriminating memory in her head?"