Unfamiliar (Unfamiliar Series #1)

Chapter 20

"That's...that's forbidden," Tessa whispers, her voice holding notes of horror as Peace ruffles up on her shoulder, the bird matching her master's terror.

I blink at Astrid, still in shock myself that such a thing is possible. But Astrid looks unfazed, her gaze taking on a serene look.

"What do you suggest we do? If we don't do something, Kara's going to be held responsible," Astrid argues in a low voice.

"Astrid, it's dangerous, I've heard about people going mad or being destroyed by necromancy spells," Tessa counters, "it's illegal for a reason."

"I know what I'm doing. Now are you two in or out?" Astrid asks as she looks each of us in the eye.

I don't know what to say and apparently, neither does Tessa, but Astrid takes our silence as agreement.

"That's what I thought, I have a small piece of black moonstone so it isn't going to last long, the police station isn't far from here, we'll leave after lights out," Astrid continues to plot as she stands and paces, "I have the app to text an Uber driver so we can use an Uber to get over there-."

"Hold up, you actually want to break into a police station's morgue?" Tessa asks as she reaches up and touches the bracelets around her wrists, much like a Christian would touch a cross necklace around their throat as a way to comfort themselves.

"Yes?" Astrid lifts an eyebrow at Tessa, "That's usually where they keep bodies?"

"I know, but how do you suppose that we'll get in?" she inquires.

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve, I'm going to need a few energy drinks, some bones-," she trails off as she walks over to her dresser and pulls out a small, black velvet bag from one of the drawers.

She opens it and peers inside before she cinches it shut and nods to herself.

"Scratch the bones, I have some," she turns to me as she tucks the bag away, "Kara, I really hate to ask, but that necklace that you're wearing, does it have magical properties?"

I reach up and touch the necklace around my throat, the trinket forgotten as I haven't even changed out of my clothes from last night and I suppress a shudder at the realization.

"Yes, but my mother has enchanted it so it can't be touched by anyone else," I admit and Astrid frowns briefly.

"I'll have to find something else," Astrid murmurs as she gnaws on her lip.

"What exactly do you need?" Tessa asks as she walks over to her jewelry box and begins to paw around inside.

"Something that contains a trace of magic, I need a lot of it, I can store magic into an item and use it later-," Astrid explains.

"Like a battery?" I wonder aloud.

Astrid nods, "Exactly, as long as the item has a trace of magic, it'll continue to amplify the magic so it's stronger."

"I have an alligator tooth and chicken foot necklace from my Auntie," Tessa says as she pulls out a necklace and holds it up for us to see.

Sure enough, it's a twine necklace with several multicolored beads hanging off of it, including an alligator tooth and a pale, limp chicken foot that has its talons splayed. I squash the urge to cringe as Astrid touches the foot, her fingers glowing blue as she does so.