Following the River Styx

Chapter Two

On the weekends, the academy tended to clear out. Girls who lived in the area visited family; many attended parties against Cordelia's wishes; almost all of them found something to do away from the rumored witch school. At breakfast, the Supreme spotted Zoe and Queenie whispering to themselves, sitting closer than normal. Meg sat alone at the opposite end of the table; her despairing eyes fixed upon her untouched eggs. As Cordelia approached the table, a prickle of guilt tickled her insides. I'll counsel her tomorrow, she promised herself. She hated herself for the lie. She hated herself for following her own desires. "Girls?" she addressed Zoe and Queenie.

Both of them snatched upright, and between their legs under the table, they snapped shut a large book that they had intended to conceal. Cordelia's mouth flattened into a straight line. "I hope that you're not planning anything foolish." Zoe paled with eyes and mouth set like a deer caught in headlights, but Queenie's face gnarled, and Cordelia knew that she was not prepared to challenge them over some spell. They likely wanted to learn a new experimental magic. And while nothing in magic was harmless, the coven's dark days were behind it. She held up a hand. "I don't want to know. Just don't hurt anyone." Clearing her throat, she heaved her purse up onto her shoulder. "I'm going out of town. I'll be back tonight. If you need anything, call me." Please don't need anything. Cordelia wanted to focus upon the task at hand. "Have a good day." She nodded to both of them as they mumbled the sentiments in turn. I should confiscate the book. Clearly, they didn't want her to know about whatever they intended to do—and she had just given them the free pass to summon demons and raise the dead while her back was turned. Don't bother. She didn't. She walked out of the house into the warm street where she unlocked her car and climbed inside.

She could have transmuted to her destination, but after Zoe impaled herself, she didn't trust herself to land safely, and she needed the time to organize her thoughts on her drive. Settling into the driver's seat, she ripped open the packaging on her new Stevie Nicks CD and popped it into the player. It began to play automatically. She skipped to the fifth song, the one she wanted to hear first. Eyes closed, she soaked in the first line as it played. Then, releasing a pent-up sigh, she cranked the car and pulled out from the street. A single tear tracked down her cheek; she didn't bother to dab it away. With the volume so high, the song blared out of the car, though she kept the windows rolled all the way up. And when I call, will you walk gently through my shadow?

"Are we clear?" Queenie finally breathed as Zoe peeked out the window, watching Cordelia's vehicle roar away. "Jesus H. Christ, she's listening to goddamn Stevie Nicks again. I thought we got rid of that white people noise when Misty melted in hell."

Zoe backed away and let the curtains fall closed. "We're good," she assured. "Cordelia's gone. That's more convenient than I thought it would be." A nervous smile touched her face. "Kyle knows what we're doing. His job is to keep Cordelia off our asses as long as possible. We don't know how long it'll take us to find both of them."

The black witch's lip twisted down into a dubious expression. "And you're sure that we won't disintegrate, right? There's no risk for becoming additional urns on Cordelia's dresser? I'm just not sure how much I'm willing to risk to make Cordelia happy. She could pick up any cute, Cajun blonde at a bar, and it'd be basically the same experience—maybe the pussy would be cleaner..."

Scoffing, Zoe said, "Don't be morbid. No, I told you. We're free to move as long as we're not tricked into entering our own hells. That's why we have to stay together. It's designed to try to fool us, but we have to remember what we're there for." She paused. "Are you still in?" Her teeth brushed her lip as she studied Queenie's face.

"Of course."

"Then let's go."

Once they headed upstairs to their room, they locked the door and lay on the floor side by side, each grasping the other's hand tightly. "Do you remember the incantation?" Zoe whispered, and Queenie nodded. She bit her lip. "On three. One. Two. Three."