“She was in my study group for licensing. We both were under ...” Seren trails off, all the air exiting the room.
Veda knows why. Healer Oliver Lawson.
Seren is visibly uncomfortable. “Well, it was a mess. I left after what happened and ... and you went missing.”
Gabriel pauses. “Wait, Seren, you studied with Lawson? How did this never come up?”
Seren shrugs. “I guess I just never thought about it. It was another life. Once I dropped out, I didn’t look back.”
“Why did you drop out?” Veda asks, shocked. “You were passionate about precognition. You were easily the best in the group. I figured you had a future in the specialty.”
“I was, but things changed.” Manicured fingers fiddle with her blue-jay pendant. “The rumors about you were wild. What happened?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time.” She smiles sheepishly at Gabriel. “Well, I will after we finish up, if ya wanna catch up.”
Veda considers it. “I’ve got some things to do. Maybe another time.”
“Okay, well, you know where I work.” She opens her hands, looking around the lobby. “Just drop by and give security my name. They’ll send you up. If I’m not here, I’m out causin’ problems,” she jokes with a cheeky grin.
“I’ll remember that,” Veda says. “It’s nice to see you again, Seren.” And she means it. The odd clash of past and present isn’t as horrific as she’s imagined on and off over the years.
Gabriel rocks back on his heels. “Seren is doing audits of our cases after the latest breach, but I called you here to catch you up. Let’s go back to my office.”
“Where’s Francisco?” Khadijah asks.
“Making a hundred elotes to bring to his brother’s birthday party tomorrow, so with August out terrorizing nature, I’m working on a few things while Seren does these case audits.”
“He never stops workin’.” Seren rolls her eyes. “I tell him all the time to take a break. Leave things to me. Hardheaded as ever.”
“I’m going to watch the game later. Don’t worry, I won’t burn myself out.” Gabriel gestures to Veda and Khadijah. “Let’s keep them—”
“Off the record? Sure thing.” Seren smiles. “I’m going to head out soon. I’ll see y’all around.”
Gabriel leads the way to his office and offers Khadijah a seat at Francisco’s empty desk. There are pictures strewn across his desk. They look like segments of text in various books. A stack of files and a notebook off to the side catch Veda’s eye. Nonsensical words in all caps fill the top line, and four rows of words are crossed out right underneath. She’s caught trying to read it upside down.
“Hiram got a letter last month, and we can’t figure out what it is. I tried the same sequence as yours, but no luck.”
“May I?” Veda asks.
Gabriel hands her the notebook. “Knock yourself out. In fact, take it with you, if you want, but that’s not what I brought you here for.”
He updates them on everything: Everett; the investigation into the Botanist’s blocked Imprint; the hexed texts they asked Hiram to assist with unscrambling; what he’s learned about a ritual called Sight Unseen; and the name Ariadne Byers, which neither of them recognizes.
“I’d look her up myself, but our access was temporarily restricted after the blocked-Imprint incident.” Gabriel shrugs. “Our hands are tied right now. I’d hoped one of you might recognize something so we can move forward.”
“Actually, there is something I’ve been thinking about. When Hiram looked at my file”—Veda grimaces—“he was hyperfixated on how the Botanist got into my apartment. I want to see the file to focus on what he’s talking about. Maybe it’ll jog my memory.”
Gabriel doesn’t hesitate, pulling one file from the stack on his desk. When he places it in front of her, Veda reads her statement line by line, the details, spells cast, and unredacted information. She hunts for familiarity ... and finds none. Finally, Veda looks through the pictures, stopping at the photo Hiram must’ve looked at. The door was blown off, but it’s strange seeing it in the light when that night was nothing but darkness. The scorched walls remind her of Lucinda’s house. Sheshudders at the memory, trying to distract herself from thinking about it by grabbing the next folder.
It’s too late to stop.
She’s back at the hospital. Finding Healer Lawson on the ground, bleeding profusely. Veda flips to her statement and pauses, recoiling. “This isn’t my statement—I mean, it is, but it’s wrong.Large man. Hispanic features. Deep voice. None of this is ... I didn’t say that. It’s not even true. They were ...” Veda squeezes her eyes shut. “They weren’t large. Their face was a kaleidoscope of changing features that never settled on one. Their voice was altered in a way I can’t describe, and Healer Lawson actually spoke to me. He said they didn’t know what was coming.”
“Who spoke? And who arethey?”
Veda flinches at the memory, rubbing her hands. She can see the blood. “It took too long for anyone to get there, just me and—and abodyfor almost an hour, and the first thing the investigator said to me was ...”You did what you could. Curses are unnatural for a reason. You can’t save them all.Veda opens her eyes, scrubbing a hand over her face. “None of that is in my statement. Who changed it?”
