Page 18 of Of Flames and Crows

“Yeah?”

Your eggs are burning.

“Shit!”

She was chowing down the last of her overdone breakfast when her cell rang with an incoming call. It was Raven.

“How come you guys are all video calling these days?” Mae asked thinly when the witch appeared on the screen.

Raven arched an eyebrow. “Can’t a witch see her pretty queen’s face?”

Mae curled her lip at the obvious sarcasm lacing Raven’s words. “At this rate, I’m gonna age from overexposure.”

Raven grinned. “We like to see the funny faces Brimstone makes behind you. He has his ‘I can’t believe she just said something so stupid’ eye roll down to a T.”

Mae scowled at the fox.

What?he said defensively.It’s true. You should hear some of the stuff that comes out of your mouth.

Mae grumbled something rude under her breath.

“Why are you calling?” she asked the witch.

Raven’s expression sobered. “It’s about what you told me to look into.”

Mae tensed.

“There was another witch and a sorcerer in the country who officially registered Fire Magic as one of their abilities besides Candice Reese,” Raven said. “I found three more who probably have Fire Magic too.”

“Where are they?”

A muscle jumped in Raven’s cheek. “The first two are dead. The other three are missing.”

Mae’s stomach dropped. “Dead?”

Brimstone padded closer.

“Yeah,” Raven said grimly. “The ones who went missing were in San Francisco, Milwaukee, and Albuquerque. All three vanished in the last month, under vastly differing circumstances. Their covens are still looking for them.”

A dark foreboding spread through Mae at the witch’s words. “And the dead ones?”

Raven’s face tightened. “A brother and sister in Salem.”

Mae straightened in her seat.That’s not far from here!

“Salem P.D. is treating their deaths as homicides and is actively investigating with the help of Boston P.D.,” Raven explained.

“When did they die?”

“Ten days ago. Their funerals are taking place this afternoon.”

Mae’s fingers clenched on her cell. “I take it autopsies were performed?”

Raven nodded. “Yes, before the bodies were released to the family. The Boston coven and its local chapter has taken over the burial arrangements.”

Mae opened her mouth.

Raven put up a hand and stopped her. “I’ve already made arrangements with their family for you to examine the bodies. Your ride should be with you any minute now.”

---