The Queen of New Orleans

Chapter 6

When Hope got home that night she stirred up some potion to help her sleep. She passed out on her living room couch. She woke up in the morning with a pounding headache. She knew it was the ill effect of the potion but at least she had a peaceful night. She took some painkillers, didn't want to use magic or an other potion for the ache she knew it would make it worse in some other way. Human medication didn't always help but it eased the symptoms. She headed upstairs to her bathroom to take a shower. After the shower she entered her bedroom and got in her bed. She didn't really feel like she was ready to start the day. She startled at her phone buzzing. She didn't want to get up but when she heard it buzz three times in a row, she got out of bed, grabbed her purse from the previous night and took her phone out to check on the texts.

'Hi, I just wanted to thank you for yesterday.'

'It's Scarlett'

'Can I come by tomorrow? I can be at your place around 3.'

Hope smiled at the texts. She was about to write back when her phone started to ring.

"What is it Alex?" Hope asked.

"I'm sorry to disturb you. Could you please come downstairs? There is some news from the witches that might interest you."

"Meet me in the training room." Hope threw her phone on the bed. She changed to training clothes and put her hair in a tight ponytail. She usually discussed city issues with the hybrids during fight training.

She made her way downstairs to the training room where Alex and another hybrid Brook were waiting for her. Hope signaled them to start fighting. Hope loved that she didn't have to hold back her strength with the hybrids, they were almost a match for her. Her muscles craved this kind of attention. After a while they took a break and Hope looked at them to start talking.

"One of the voodoo shop owners had some concerns of a late night visit from two strange witches yesterday." Alex said.

"They were looking for you, Hope." Brook added.

"What do you mean?" Hope asked, paying close attention to the hybrids.

"Not namely. We don't think they were sure who exactly they were looking for, but they went to the voodoo shop knowing that witches were the owners. They started to ask around about a powerful witch who rules the city." Alex explained.

"Why would out of towners be looking for me?" Hope wondered.

"They didn't say the reasons to the shop owners." Brook said to Hope.

"I hope our witches didn't elaborate. I have no intentions of sticking my business in out of town matters."

"Of course, they didn't say anything. They pretend to didn't know what the witches were talking about." Alex sighed before he went on. "They were determined about it. They were not violent but there were some harsh words."

"Keep an eye on them, I don't want to get involved in this. If they stir up some trouble or visit the voodoo shop again please let me know." Hope instructed the both of them.

"Sure" they said in sync. "But there's something else." Alex added. "One of the shop owners picked up on something really strange about one of the witches. Her aura was different from a witch. She said it was shaded, weird and confusing. She said she only saw one witch with a vaguely similar aura in her life."

"And who was that?" Hope asked.

"Umm...well...you." Said Alex in an uncertain voice.

"Hmm... That's unexpected. Gather every information on them and find out why they are in town. Now leave."