I glanced at my aunt. “Are you sure we need that?”
“To tackle that portal? Yes.” Teran was serious.
I pressed my lips together, deciding that this wasn’t something I should question.
Originally, the Hand of Glory had been a candle created from the tallow of a dead thief’s hand. It was expensive, dangerous, and difficult to come by. But now, versions were made that used the graveyard dirt from the grave of a thief. It was less gruesome and much easier to come by, and it didn’t involve having to hunt down a corpse.
“The original or the alternative?” Lisette asked.
“For this…the original would be best, but the alternative will work.” Teran glanced around to make certain no one else was in the shop. “We’re closing a portal opened by the Covenant of Chaos. To close it, we need the power of someone who slips between the cracks, who can’t be seen. The Hand of Glory is perfect for that. We also need confidentiality. There’s no sense in word getting around about this.”
That seemed to seal the deal. Lisette turned to her wife. “Draw the curtains and lock the door.”
As Sira did as asked, Lisette motioned for us to follow her into a backroom. There, against one wall, sat a small folding table and three chairs. A loveseat rested against another wall. Counters lined another wall, with a sink. On the counters were a microwave, several coffee cups, and an electric hot water kettle. A mini fridge was tucked away in a corner. There were two other doors, one with a large “B” on it, which I assumed was for bathroom, and another door that was open, revealing a small stock room.
“Have a seat,” she said, motioning to the table and loveseat. I sat down with Teran at the table while Ari sat on the loveseat. Lisette ducked into the stock room and shut the door behind her. A moment later, she returned with what looked like a shoebox. She set the box on the table and even before she opened it, I felt a lurch in my stomach. Whatever was in there was powerful and old, and a shadow hung over it that made me queasy.
I grimaced as she untied the ribbon that held the box closed and lifted the lid. She lifted out what looked like a wax hand with wicks on all the fingertips. It was impaled on a stand, pointing up.
“So, you want this to seal a portal?” Lisette asked.
Teran nodded, her gaze fixed on the hand. “Is that—”
“Tallow, containing fat made from the hand of a man who was convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from older women. He was a scam artist and lived out his life in prison once they caught him.” Lisette gave us a sly smile. “My wife and I kept an eye on him, as well as several others, and when he died, we fortuitously came into possession of his hands. Generally, we prefer to use the alternatives so that we aren’t discovered by the police. But it never hurts to keep the genuine artifact on hand, so to speak.”
“So you and Sira prepared these?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes, we made them. If you want it, I can modify it to the closed hand position.”
“How much?” Teran asked.
“You realize these aren’t inexpensive,” Lisette said. “The work and danger involved is great. We sell them for five hundred—one hundred for each finger.”
Teran sighed and looked at me. “I know it’s a lot of money but…”
“You’re sure we need it?” I asked.
She nodded. “The Hand of Glory will help to close and seal that portal. That’s the only thing I know for sure will work. Rowan told me we needed to get one because she had one but used it up.”
“Used up? Then it’s not a one-shot deal?”
“Not at all. We can reuse it until it’s gone, so it will be a good investment.” Teran turned to Lisette. “Yes, we’ll take it. Please wrap it up.”
Lisette replaced the lid and tied the ribbon tightly around it. “Very good. Now, will there be anything else that we might have forgotten?”
Teran shrugged and turned to Ari. “Can you think of anything?”
“No, this should do just fine.”
As we followed her back to the cash register, Sira began to ring everything up. Teran handed her a credit card and then signed the slip. When we were ready, we headed out of the shop.
“Is there anything else we need?” I asked.
“I think that’s everything. Now we just wait.”
“I’d like to go home and meditate for a while,” I said, wanting to ground myself before we headed over to the restaurant. I glanced up at the sky, which was trying to spit more snow, but the flakes were small and powdery. “Hopefully, we’re not gearing up for another blow.”
“The meteorologist said we’re due for a rise in temperature tomorrow. Tonight will still be cold, and we may get another skiff of snow before this is over, but by tomorrow afternoon, we should be thawing out.” Ari leaned back, catching a snowflake on her tongue.
We managed to make it up Arnica Avenue and Ari dropped us off. “I’ll be back around five-thirty. I need to go home and make sure everything’s still where it should be. See you then,” she said, waving. As her car slowly crept down the street, Teran also bade me good-bye until later and, taking the Hand of Glory with her, headed for home.
I unlocked the door and eased my way in. Rameer peeked over the top of the banister and raised one hand in greeting, then vanished back toward Louise’s room. I slid out of my coat and headed into the library. It was time for me to send out my own prayer to Druantia, and discover just who my aunt had pledged me to.
As I closed the door to the library, I was feeling uneasy. I had never really done anything in the way of communicating with the gods. Never prayed, never meditated on them specifically. I had no clue what to expect. But my aunt had told me just to say what was in my heart and then listen. And if I didn’t hear an answer, to listen again.
I settled down on the floor, wondering what to say. I was sitting on my mother’s yoga mat, staring at her crystal ball. Hesitantly, I put my hands out and cupped it, then lifted it onto my lap where I could hold it easier.
A slant of silvery light shimmered through the window, casting a faint sheen over everything. Outside, the world was still and quiet. All was muffled, swathed in the chilling folds of nature’s icy blanket. I took a deep breath and held it, then slowly let it filter through between my lips. A calmness washed over me, rolling like the ocean waves. My breathing evened and slowed as I lowered myself into a trance, my fingertips resting lightly on the surface of the crystal.
I’m not sure how to begin, I thought.
Begin at the beginning. Esmara’s voice was light, dancing around the edges of my hearing. Say what is in your heart.
All right, I’ll try. Should I speak aloud?
You might as well. It will help you differentiate from talking to me.
I took another breath. “All right, here goes.”
How to begin? How did you talk to a goddess? I figured it should be respectful, but did they want thee and thou? Or would a simple You there work?
There’s one way to find out, Esmara said in a snarky tone.
All right, all right. I’ll do it.
“Great Goddess Druantia, please hear me.” Okay, that sounds stiff. “You are the goddess of the earth…” Good one, she already knows that, dodo. “Okay, here’s the deal. I’m talking to you because my aunt pledged me in your service when I was little and a shadow man was after me. I figure that, since you saved me then and you seemed to help out the other night, I should get to know you a little more and see…” What do I want from her? I thought for a moment.