“What the devil is that?” Alabama breathed.
“Eye of Mama D’Leau.” Rafe crossed himself as the hole began to quickly fill with bubbling water.
Alabama scowled. “Who and what?”
“She’s a goddess,” Devyl explained. “She protects these lands and people. And in particular the sea. You cross her and she’s capable of all manner of evil.” He glanced to Rafe. “Can you get her to help us?”
“I can try.” Rafe rubbed his hand gently against his necklace that his mother had made for him. “Mama! I implore your kindness and offer you my faithful heart and loyalty. My mother taught me to respect you and Papa Bois, and all your creatures of the land and sea. Now an evil jumbie—a douen—has taken a friend. Will you please help me and my friends find her? I implore you, my lady, in all grateful humility.”
Biting his lip, he waited for a full minute as the water swirled more and churned angrily about, threatening to spill over the banks of the hole.
Then it went perfectly still.
Not even a single ripple. It was as if the whole thing had frozen over.
Rafe sighed regretfully. “She’d probably respond better to Belle.”
That was the theory until a bright red mist blew up from the water. Shimmering and dancing, it formed the likeness of a beautiful African sea goddess. Her eyes were made of Tahitian pearls and her lips the color of vibrant coral. She smiled at Rafe.
“Son of Masika, you have been faithful. Let my light guide your way.” She opened her hand and breathed across her palm. The moment she did so, a small ball of bloodred light appeared. Like a beautiful firefly, it bounced and hovered.
Mama D’Leau faded back into the waters and vanished into the waves. Waves that evaporated until nothing remained but the giant hole in the ground.
The light quickly headed for the forest.
Devyl and his companions ran after it.
Unlike them, the tiny light had no trouble whatsoever locating the douen.
The problem was? It wasn’t alone. In fact, it had spawned well.
Alabama cursed as he saw the large circle of demons that surrounded Mara. Rafe gulped audibly.
And Devyl smiled at the sight. He’d be feasting well tonight. Or dying painfully.
Either way, he’d be free of Thorn.
10
Marcelina could neither move nor breathe as the stench of sulphur invaded every part of her being. It felt as if the demons around her were pulling out her life force, molecule by molecule. As if they were draining her powers with excruciating slowness to cause as much pain as they could.
They laughed while they did it. Unable to protect herself, she couldn’t even cry out for help. Never had she been so helpless.
Worse? She still didn’t know how she’d gotten into this position.
One moment she’d been walking with what she thought was a small child, looking for a doll, and the next—
She’d been slammed to the ground by an unseen force.
Then bound in a vortex and held up for them to feast upon. How could they do this to her? She didn’t understand it. She was more powerful than this. No one, other than Du, had ever bested her in anything.
Yet they’d tricked her with nary an effort. She still reeled from the ease with which they’d worked their magick on her.
Suddenly, she heard them screaming. Heard the sound of their agony.
“Mara?”
Tears welled in her eyes as she heard Du’s deep, resonant voice nearby. Never had his ancient accent been so welcome to her ears.
