Delilah Recovered **2017 Watty Winner**

chapter eight

 The next morning, after Jonathan, Faye, Dee, had arrived safely at Tabitha Anthea's home, Dee found them sitting on the back porch drinking coffee. The porch was Dee's favorite spot. It was a big old-fashioned wrap around that Thea had decorated with cozy couches, rows of oversized pillows, and lines of candles. They looked so relaxed, gazing out at the koi pond in the yard. Faye even appeared to be content, blowing perfect smoke rings at the fish.

As she watched them, she could see how the house already had affected Jonathan. He seemed at peace. Tabitha Anthea's home had always been a safe haven for Dee. Now she was a stranger, hiding in the shadows.

On the long wooden table, Dee noticed a large book covered in brushed gold leaf. The cover had an illustration of a sword with a crown resting on the tip and a fleur-de-lis surrounding it. In all her years living with Thea, she had never seen it before.

Jonathan set his coffee down and tenderly picked up the book. "This is so old." He said opening the book. "The magics coming off of it is so powerful, it's making me dizzy."

Tabitha Anthea smiled. "Poor thing hasn't been used in some thirty years. It's like an idling sports car ready to take off."

"You guys, there's a page missing," he said as he showed them the book.

Tabitha Anthea looked at the page before it. "I don't recognize that language. It's not Latin." She squinted. "And it's definitely not French or German for that matter."

Jonathan put on his glasses with thick black frames. He looked like a 1960s biology teacher. "I think it's Aramaic."

"Aramaic?" Tabitha Anthea questioned.

"It's the oldest written language," Faye explained, stuffing her vape into her pocket. "Like, Bible old."

They all stared at her, surprised by her knowledge. "What I read a lot," she said, shrugging. "When I'm not saving witches."

"There's only one person who can help us," Tabitha Anthea said, looking at Jonathan.

"Mahai," he replied.

"And your girlfriend Melia," Faye added in a sing-song voice.

"Ex-girlfriend," he corrected her.

Dee cleared her throat. They were startled to see her lurking in the corner. And she felt guilty for sneaking up on them.

"There's our girl," Tabitha Anthea said with too much enthusiasm. The one thing that was comforting was Thea's pajamas. She always looked stylish, no matter what. She had on her silk paisley weekend pajamas with a matching headscarf and robe.

"What's that?" Dee asked.

"The D'Arc family grimoire," Jonathan answered.

"But let's do coffee first," Tabitha Anthea said, leading Dee back into the kitchen.

Dee looked around the kitchen. It was the only modern room in the house. Everything else was from another era, but not Tabitha Anthea's kitchen. How could she afford it on a professor's salary? Dee could never work out. It was probably yet another secret. Now behind the painted lady, and the Haint Blue front door, the home that she knew growing upheld so many. Thea always teased her that the door's color was used in the south to keep out the ghosts and evil spirits. Dee wondered what other malevolent forces were out there in the darkness waiting for her.

Tabitha Anthea handed her a cup of coffee. Inhaling the warm smoky, spicy scent always calmed Dee. This morning, it didn't.

Jonathan wandered into the kitchen, clutching the book tightly to his chest.